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Travel to Europe (To-Europe) · Independent rail vacation package

10-Day German Fairy Tale & Berlin Rail Circle Tour (10R04)

Ten-day self-guided German rail loop following Brothers Grimm heritage and medieval towns

Illustration of 10-Day German Fairy Tale & Berlin Rail Circle Tour (10R04)

Travel to Europe's ten-day Fairy Tale and Berlin Rail Circle is a self-guided independent package that traces the life and legacy of the Brothers Grimm across central and northern Germany. Beginning in Frankfurt, you take trains northward through medieval timber-framed towns where the Grimms lived and worked: Hanau and Steinau an der Strasse (their birthplace and childhood home), Marburg (where they studied and began their fairy-tale collection), and Kassel (where they spent over thirty years as librarians). The journey includes a day trip to Bremerhaven's maritime museums and a stay in Berlin with a 48-hour city card covering transport and museum entry. It concludes in Hamelin, home of the Pied Piper legend. Travel to Europe provides detailed information sheets and flexible rail tickets in second class; you navigate each city on foot using these guides. Nightly accommodation is in three-star hotels with daily breakfast included. This tour suits independent travelers comfortable with self-guided exploration and those drawn to German history, medieval architecture, and the stories of the Brothers Grimm.

What to know before you look closer

  • Hotels are listed as 'or similar'; your final accommodation depends on availability in each city
  • Meals other than daily breakfast are not included; budget separately for lunch and dinner
  • Single-room supplement is substantial (USD 980 above half the double price); single travelers will pay more per night
  • First-class rail upgrade costs USD 239 per person and is not available for Days 1 and 2

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Frankfurt

    Frankfurt

    Train from Frankfurt Int. Airport to Frankfurt Central Station (about 11 minutes), covered by the Frankfurt Card. Sightsee the Romerberg and Frankfurt Museum Riverbank.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Frankfurt

    Day trip to Hanau, Gelnhausen and Steinau an der Strasse

    Rail day trip to the Brothers Grimm's birthplace and childhood towns: Hanau (Grimm monument), Gelnhausen (imperial fortress ruins, witch tower) and Steinau an der Strasse (the Amtshaus where the Grimms lived). Return to Frankfurt by train.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Kassel

    Marburg and Kassel

    Train (about 1 hour) from Frankfurt to Marburg, where the Grimms studied law and began collecting fairy tales; visit the Landgrave Castle and Elisabethkirche. Continue by train (about 1 hour) to Kassel, where the Grimms lived and worked as librarians for over 30 years; visit Bergpark Wilhelmshoehe (UNESCO site).

  4. Day 4railovernight: Bremen

    Hannoversch Munden, Gottingen and Bremen

    Morning train to Hannoversch-Munden (Old Town with 700+ half-timbered houses); afternoon train to Gottingen (University town, home to the Grimms after Kassel); evening train onward to Bremen.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Bremen

    Day Trip to Bremerhaven

    Rail day trip to Bremerhaven's 'Harbor Worlds' (German Emigration Center, Zoo at the Sea, German Maritime Museum, submarine Wilhelm Bauer). Flexible return trains to Bremen for further sightseeing (UNESCO Town Hall, Bremen Town Musicians statue).

  6. Day 6railovernight: Berlin

    Hamburg and Berlin

    Train from Bremen to Hamburg (about 1 hour, with time to explore near the station) and on to Berlin by High-Speed ICE (about 1:40 hrs). Includes the 48-hour Berlin Welcome Card.

  7. Day 7overnight: Berlin

    Berlin

    Berlin Welcome Card still valid; self-guided walking tour past the Brandenburg Gate and Museum Island. Visit the Brothers Grimm gravesite at Old St. Matthew's Churchyard in Schoeneberg.

  8. Day 8railovernight: Hamelin

    Hamelin

    Train (under 3 hours) from Berlin to Hamelin, home of the Pied Piper legend. Visit the restored Old Town with its Renaissance timber-framed buildings.

  9. Day 9railovernight: Frankfurt

    Frankfurt

    Flexible train tickets back to Frankfurt (about 3 hours), with time for further sightseeing in Hamelin or Frankfurt as preferred.

  10. Day 10rail

    Frankfurt Int. Airport

    Short train ride from Frankfurt Central Station to Frankfurt International Airport (about 11 minutes), where the tour ends.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Day trip by rail to Hanau, birthplace of the Brothers Grimm, with visits to the Grimm monument, Gelnhausen's imperial fortress ruins, and Steinau an der Strasse where the Grimms lived in the Amtshaus
  • Day 3Train to Marburg where the Grimms studied law and began collecting fairy tales, then to Kassel where they lived and worked as librarians for over thirty years
  • Day 5Rail day trip to Bremerhaven to explore the German Emigration Center, Zoo at the Sea, German Maritime Museum, and the submarine Wilhelm Bauer
  • Day 7Walking tour in Berlin past the Brandenburg Gate and Museum Island, with a visit to the Brothers Grimm gravesite at Old St. Matthew's Churchyard in Schoeneberg
  • Day 8Train to Hamelin, home of the Pied Piper legend, to explore the restored Old Town and Renaissance timber-framed buildings

Included

  • 2nd-class rail tickets for all listed journeys (flexible, non-time-restricted on several legs)
  • Hotels as listed (or similar), centrally located near each train station
  • Buffet breakfast daily
  • Frankfurt Card and the book 'The German Fairy Tale Landscape - The storied world of the Brothers Grimm'
  • 48-hour Berlin Welcome Card
  • Day-by-day itinerary, tickets, vouchers and city information

Not included

  • Airfare from/to your origin to/from Frankfurt Int. Airport
  • All meals other than breakfast
  • Gratuities (tips)
  • Parking fees

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. The package includes second-class rail tickets for all journeys listed in the itinerary. First-class upgrade is available for USD 239 per person (except Days 1 and 2).
Is this tour escorted or independent?
Independent. Travel to Europe provides day-by-day itineraries, rail tickets, vouchers, and city information sheets, but there is no guide. You navigate and explore each city on your own.
What hotels are included?
Three nights in Frankfurt (Hotel Concord or similar), one night each in Kassel, Hamelin, and Bremen (two nights), and two nights in Berlin (Amano Grand Central or similar). All are centrally located near train stations and include daily buffet breakfast.
What is not included?
Airfare to and from Frankfurt, meals other than breakfast, tips, and parking fees. Museum admissions and optional activities are also separate, though the Frankfurt Card and Berlin Welcome Card offer discounts.
When does this tour run?
The pack lists no specific departure dates. Contact Travel to Europe directly to confirm available dates.
How much walking is involved?
Each day includes self-guided walking tours through city centers, old towns, and to museums. Expect moderate walking; no hiking or high-altitude challenges.

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