After making our own way to Bonn, we meet at the hotel for a welcome dinner and tour orientation.

After breakfast, today we explore Bonn on foot, taking a tour of the city that incorporates many of the main sights related to Beethoven. We visit Beethoven House, the Parish Church of St Regimius (where many of Beethoven’s early works were first performed), and the Old Cemetery. In the afternoon, we learn about the life and works of Robert Schumann — who was himself great influenced by Beethoven — at the Schumann Museum. In the evening, we enjoy a spectacular performance at the Beethoven Halle and have dinner at a local restaurant.

After breakfast, we take a guided tour of the Organ Workshop Klais. The family-run company that operates this Workshop designs, builds and restores pipe organs. Founded in 1882 by Johannes Klais senior, the Workshop provides fantastic insight into the ongoing significance of pipe-organ music in Germany. Later in the day, we visit August burg Palace and Hunting Lodge Falkenlust — both are UNESCO cultural World Heritage Sites since 1984. They are connected by the spacious gardens and trees of the Schlosspark. Augustus burg Palace and its parks also serve as a venue for the Brühl Palace Concerts.

After breakfast, today we enjoy a cruise on the Rhine River to Konigswinter, via Bad Honnef.  We experience the majesty of Drachenfels Castle, a ruined castle atop an enormous rock. The castle gained popularity in the romantic era after it was featured in Lord Byron’s long poem, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. Subsequently, this rock and castle became an important German tourist and Romanticist pilgrimage destination. In the evening, we enjoy another unforgettable performance of Late Romantic works at the Beethoven Halle, back in Bonn.

After breakfast, today we travel by coach to Cologne, where we meet our local guide for a tour of this extraordinary city. Sightseeing includes a tour of Cologne Cathedral, Germany’s most popular tourist destination. Despite being left incomplete during the medieval period, Cologne Cathedral now stands as an architectural masterpiece that recently gained status as a World Heritage Site. From Cologne, we fly together to Vienna, where we check into our new hotel and enjoy dinner.

We enjoy a tour of Vienna with a local guide, taking in the main sights, including a visit to the Beethoven memorial. We also visit the Central Cemetery where we can pay respects at Beethoven’s grave. In the afternoon, we visit the Beethoven House in Heiligenstadt, where, in 1802, he wrote the “Heiligenstädter Testament”. This letter, wherein he expressed despair over his advancing deafness, was never sent to his brothers. In the evening, we experience a classic ensemble concert, which features music from Mozart, Bach, Vivaldi, and — of course — Beethoven.

After breakfast, we head to the House of Music for a guided tour of the Vienna Staatsoper, Vienna’s premier opera venue.

After breakfast, we have the morning free to explore Vienna at our own pace. We then visit the Pasqualati Museum before coming together for an evening concert at Vienna Staatsoper, and a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

After breakfast, we say our farewells and the tour draws to an end.