Liberation of the Netherlands: 80th Anniversary Tour

Join a professional licensed tour guide on a sightseeing adventure around Vienna, the city of brilliant musicians, Baroque art and architecture, and velvet clad coffeehouses. Along your journey, you’ll sense the power and decadence of the city’s early ruling family, the almighty Habsburgs. Wander down the infamous Ringstraße, the series of boulevards circling the city commissioned by Emperor Franz Josef in 1857. Pass the world famous Opera House and the 450-foot Gothic St. Stephan’s Cathedral, Vienna’s most adored symbol. Encounter the Neoclassical Parliament, where the Austrian National and Federal Councils congregate. See where the Habsburgs retreated to in winter at the Hofburg (Imperial Palace). Inside lies the Imperial Treasury including religious remnants such as the nails from the Crucifixion and the thorns from Christ’s crown. End the adventure with a visit to Schönbrunn Palace where the Habsburg’s ruled until 1918, and six year old Mozart serenaded Marie Antoinette.

With its elegant squares and quaint streets, Salzburg is a delightful introduction to the sophisticated world of the classical genius, Mozart.

Salzburg has never been the same since the 1964 film with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. The film is based on the true story of the von Trapp family. On your guided sightseeing tour you'll see some of the sites shown in the film - although the producers of the film took much artistic license.

Experience the Baroque version of water balloons. Practical joker Archbishop Markus Sittikus created Wasserspiele, or “water games,” in the gardens around his palace to amuse himself during dinner parties -- a booby-trapped table with water spouts under the seats let him douse guests on a whim. There are also intricate moving statues, all powered by the region’s natural mountain springs. The stately palace, based on architectural designs of Italian country villas, is equally decorated, from the Florentine-style frescoed hallways to the bright yellow exterior.

Feel the rhythm of Salzburg’s Old Town Square as you enter the unassuming yellow domicile at Getreidegasse 9. This is the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. View an impressive collection of the young composer’s first instruments and immerse yourself in the captivating saga of this prodigy’s early life.

Alpine views are around every corner and ski slopes are just a funicular ride from the center of historic Innsbruck. A medieval old town is home to imperial palaces, world-class galleries, and Zaha Hadid's avant-garde designs. Sophisticated, good-looking, and affluent, the Tyrolean capital walks a fine tightrope between the urban and the outdoors, as well as the historic and cutting edge, and pulls it off beautifully.

Take a walk through a backdrop of towering snow-capped mountains that transform this down-to-earth cobble stoned city into a world class ski resort. Venture through Old Town (Altstadt) and pass clusters of identical rustic white stuccoed homes trimmed in brown that blend into the environment. Come face to façade with the glittering Little Golden Roof, sheltering the balcony where Maximilian I Habsburg and his love Bianca promised to stay together forever. Look closer and count 2,657 squares of shiny copper shingles. Discover Triumphbogen, the arch commemorating many Habsburg marriage matches made in political heaven. Head for the hills on a visit to the steep ski jump on hill Bergisel, the site of the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympic Games. Imagine what it would be like to soar over it as you bask in Alpine grandeur.

This elaborate castle was built atop a rock ledge over the Pöllat Gorge in the Bavarian Alps by order of Bavaria's King Ludwig II, referred to as "Mad Ludwig," whose favorite pastime was midnight sleigh rides through the countryside. This stronghold was the crowning jewel of the king’s building spree across Bavaria and was the inspiration for Cinderella’s castle in Disney World. Begun in 1869 and left unfinished at Ludwig's death in 1886, this lavish palace is an eccentric reconstruction of a medieval castle, and it boasts major technological and architectural achievements for the time, including running water, flushing toilets, a hot water system for the kitchen, and bathrooms with warm-air heating systems.

Join a professional licensed tour guide for a whirlwind look at Munich. Founded in the 12th century by Henry the Lion, Munich now roars with the hustle and bustle of modern German life. As you pass by Marienplatz (named after the square’s gilded Virgin Mary and Child statue), mechanical knights joust and coopers dance to the folk-music chimes of the Neues Rathaus’s Glockenspiel. The twin onion-bulb towers of the Frauenkirche Cathedral frame this whimsical display, while the scents, sounds and colors of the nearby food market attempt to draw your attention elsewhere. Resist temptation and continue on to Olympiapark, a new suburb built for the 1972 Olympic Games. Pass by several museums, such as the BMW Museum, Alte Pinakothek (home to Munich’s most precious art collections), and the Deutsches Museum of science and technology.

Discover the area of Munich around Marienplatz, which is dedicated to the patron of the city. See the Neues Rathaus and observe the Glockenspiel on its facade. This is the fourth largest chiming clock in Europe, and stages an elaborate performance twice a day.

Visiting the BMW Welt showroom is an immersive experience where you can explore the latest BMW models, learn about cutting-edge automotive technology, and enjoy the sleek, modern design of the venue.

See Olympia Park, the site of the 1972 Olympics. Buildings include the Olympic Stadium, Olympic Hall, and the Aquatic Center. Many cultural events are still held at Olympia Park.

A grim glimpse into the past, Dachau was the first of Nazi Germany’s camps and a model for the 3,000 work and concentration camps to come. A chilling memorial to the 206,000 prisoners who were interned in the camp from 1933 to 1945, the museum examines pre-1930 anti-Semitism, the rise of the Nazi party, and the documented lives of prisoners.

Surrounded by mountains, forests, and the Neckar River, Heidelberg showcases a quintessential German landscape. Join your Tour Director as you drive through this granddaddy of all college towns, with its scores of bars, cafés, and shops. Get a beautiful view Germany’s oldest university —founded in 1386—from the Marktplatz, Heidelberg’s main square. Notice that behind the university lurks the Students’ Prison, used from 1778 until 1914 to imprison students for up to four weeks for minor offenses like drunkenness, practical jokes, and dueling. (Imprisoned students still had to attend lectures — think of it as the 19th-century equivalent of being grounded.) Then head up to Heidelberg Castle, which is still a little wobbly from its partial destruction during the Thirty Years’ War, a 17th-century attack by the French, and a major lightening hit in 1764. The castle’s courtyard is home to the largest wine barrel in world, the Great Vat, which holds about 50,000 gallons of wine (possibly another contributing factor to the castle’s romantically off-balance appearance).

Visit the town's historical Marktplatz, the Market Square.

Head up to Heidelberg Castle, which is still a little wobbly from its partial destruction during the Thirty Years’ War, a 17th-century attack by the French, and a major lightening hit in 1764. The castle is considered to be one of the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps, and the castle’s courtyard is home to the largest wine barrel in world!

This Germany city was bombed by the Royal Air Force in a series of 262 air raids during World War II. Despite the destructive raids, Cologne is home to Roman remains, medieval churches and various museums. Visit the Cologne Cathedral, commonly thought of as the most ambitious architectural project of the Middle Ages, before gazing at the Basilica of St. Ursula with its bone-covered Golden Chamber.

Visit Kölner Dom, the most famous Gothic structure in Germany. In addition to its grandiose size; the cathedral also features the Shrine of the Three Kings, a huge Romanesque reliquary said to hold relics of the Three Kings, and the Altar of the Magi, the work of Stephan Lochner. Take the opportunity to Ascend to the Viewing Platform for wonderful views of Cologne.

Take an excursion from Amsterdam to visit the Garden of Europe, one of the world's largest flower gardens where around 7 million flower bulbs cover an area of 32 hectares .

Take a tour of Anne Frank's house, where three different Jewish families hid for more than two years during World War II and where Anne’s famous diaries were discovered. See where she and her family lived before being betrayed to the Nazi’s and deported to concentration camps.

Take time to trade addresses, snap last-minute photos, and say goodbye to fellow guests and Explorica staff at the farewell dinner.