Music & Concert Tour To The Rhineland

The Lorelei is an impressive rock soaring 120m above the waterline on the eastern bank of the Rhine. Steeped in folklore, it is the most famous feature of the Rhine Gorge. You can admire it from the river on a cruise that takes you past medieval castles and picturesque villages. Most tours are accompanied with running commentary in English.

Set in Brömserhof, a 16th-century house in Rudesheim, Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Cabinet houses one of the world’s biggest collections of self-playing musical instruments. Students can study 350 exhibits dating from the 18th to the 20th century – from delicate musical boxes to a gigantic piano-orchestrion. Guided tours are available in nine languages.

Marksburg is said to be the best-preserved castle in the Rhine Valley with a keep built around 1200, a battery with guns strategically pointing towards the Rhine, and a Gothic hall. Those fascinated by the grim and gruesome may want to visit the torture chamber with its collection of instruments of punishment from thumbscrews to hooks, racks and chains.

Your group can enjoy the riverside promenade, its lively squares and quiet lanes, as well as its lush hills, valleys and vineyards. For the best view of the largest bend on the Rhine, take a trip on the chairlift from Mühltal to Gedeonseck. A one hour guided tour in German is available with a bi-lingual guide who can adjust the language level to the level of your students.

There are six themed zones to explore at this park: Fantasy, Deep in Africa, Berlin, Mystery, Mexico and China Town. For adrenaline thrills try the Black Mamba ride or Colorado Adventure – a mine train roller coaster. Visit the Mystery Castle or marvel at the Chinese acrobats. Image by Stefan Scheer GFDL, via Wikimedia Commons.

Just 20kms to the south of Cologne is the historic and cultural city of Bonn. From 1949-1990 the city was the seat of government of West Germany. Following re-unification it is today second seat to the capital Berlin. Founded in Roman times the city is a historic and cultural centre. Ludwig Van Beethoven was born here and his house can be visited, while Bonn also has a very popular Christmas Market.

This is a historic city is at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle. It offers ancient bridges, an interesting old town, a large shopping centre, the 13th-century Liebfraukirche and the wine producers’ market place. See the magnificent statue of William I, Germany’s first emperor at the Deutches Eck or visit Romanticum – the city’s newest attraction. Take the cable car to the Ehrenbreitstein fortress towering above the city.

This large waterpark offers a chance to relax and let off steam in between rehearsals. There’s a sports pool with five lanes, an outdoor pool and whirlpool as well as a giant slide, waterfall, water canons, and massage jets. Students can unwind in the sauna or steam rooms, and sunbathe on the lawn in summer, or warm up in the modern solaria in winter.