- Sample local cuisine
The European excursion offerings of Automotive Reisen will offer history, first hand. Pat and his guides will show you the now infamous battlegrounds where our relatives fought and lived during and after the World Wars I & II. The local guides on the ground are native Europeans. Their knowledge and expertise will show you a fantastic time with visits to unique historical and iconic areas, exciting for both the traveler and the car enthusiast alike. Automotive Reisen has its European base in Bayreuth, Germany, the historic home of Master Composer Richard Wagner. Headed by Helmut Kolb, President of European Operations, Automotive Reisen gains success and knowledge with his 30 years of corporate meeting, convention, and tour experience.Techno Classica Essen Tour
April 2010
Join us for the World Show for Vintage, Classic and Prestige Automobiles. In 2009 over 1,036 exhibitors from 28 countries, 212 clubs and associations were exhibiting and about 2,500 classic vehicles were on sale as well as an overwhelming presentation of the automotive industry. No other classic fair can account for such success as this is the largest global classic fair. We will also enjoy unique local dining and historical experiences.
8 April 2010 Group arrives at the FRA Airport and transfer to Essen. Check in at hotel and relax. We will have dinner together at “Alte Dorfschenke” in Essen-Rellinghausen, the oldest restaurant in the whole of the “Ruhrgebiet”.
http://www.alte-dorfschenke-waldmohr.de/
9 April 2010 After the breakfast buffet at the hotel, we will drive to the Essen Exhibition Centre for a visit of the Techno Classica. At 6:00 p.m. we will drive by coach to the “Casino Zeche Zollverein”, a famous restaurant with the flair of the old mining days to enjoy dinner together. Afterward, we will drive back to the hotel.
http://www.casino-zollverein.de/uk/restaurant/index.php
10 April 2010 After the breakfast buffet at the hotel, we will drive to the Essen Exhibition Centre for another visit of the Techno Classica. At 6:00 p.m. we will drive by coach to Essen-Borbeck to visit the traditional Brewery “Dampfe” for a “Miner’s Evening” with dinner and musical entertainment.
11 April 2010 After the breakfast buffet at the hotel, we will drive to the Essen Exhibition Centre for another visit of the Techno Classica. At 6:00 p.m. we will drive by coach to Essen for dinner (restaurant to be determined) and then return to the hotel.
12 April 2010 After the breakfast buffet at the hotel, we will drive to the FRA Airport for the flight home to Chicago.
France, Germany, Austria
May 2010
Our trip in May of 2010 is a completely new itinerary to previous tours to Porsche and will include history, Champaign, Porsches and great beer and food. Yes, we will have a Porsche theme but we will be visiting exciting places that will interest everyone. On those days where we have an auto related tour or event, we will also offer options to those who may prefer to do something else. On several of the days we are going to offer several options so you may enjoy the special places we are going to visit. There will be days or half-days where you can take a break, rest or just do a walking tour on your own. This is meant to be a hassle-free trip where you get the most enjoyment based on what you want to do. We will take care of providing the majority of the meals, transportation and entry fees but you will have a few lunches or dinners on your own.
Our goal is to balance the enjoyment of the Porsche experience at the factory and the original development facility in Gmünd with non-auto events for our traveling companions. We want you to enjoy the culture and history of France, Germany and Austria with visits and events that give you close up and personal exposure to places that are not on regular commercial tours. Our 30 plus years of traveling and our personal friends in these countries will make this a unique experience for you. But do remember this is to be fun – if you want to take a break and relax then that is what we want you to do. We will be staying in hotels, inns and castles that are safe and secure with your personal comfort our greatest concern. We will give you guidance on what to bring. For the most part you can dress casual with two dinners where dressing up will be required. We will put a laundry stop in the middle of the trip so you don’t have to travel heavy. We will also make accommodations for specials needs for refrigerating medicines or handicapped access.
Below is a preliminary itinerary so you can get a flavor of what we have planned for May of 2010.
15 May 2010 19:30 Depart Chicago
16 May 2010 11:10 Arrive Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
Our bus will pick us up at the airport and take us to our hotel in Bougival where we will stay for three nights. After a rest and freshen up we will have our first dinner in France.
For Information About the Hotel, Go To: http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hotel/parvb?rpb=hotel&crUrl=/h/d/hi/1/en/hotelsearchresults
17 May 2010 Tour of Paris
Planned tour of the sites with an English speaking guide where we will use our bus as well as some easy walking tours. We will take a lunch break in the city. In the evening we will enjoy dinner on a boat cruising down the Seine giving us a romantic view of the City and many historic sites.
18 May 2010 Drive to Normandy
A guided tour of the beaches and other WWII points of interest.
Back to Bougival to clean-up and dress-up for dinner.
19 May 2010 Drive to Reims
A guided tour of this famous village which was important in both French history and well as the center of the Champaign industry. Please see brief overview at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reims. For you wine fans we will visit Pommery Champagner Kellerei and sample some real Champaign. Then we will drive on to Stuttgart to stay at the Stuttgart Arcotel Camino. We have picked this hotel since it is new and walking distance from the main train station and one block from the major shopping on Königstraße in Stuttgart. This is much like North Michigan Avenue in Chicago with hundreds of shops, parks and museums. You can’t get lost since you will always see the Mercedes logo on top of the train station (by our hotel).
For Information About the Hotel, Go To:
http://www.arcotel.cc/document.asp?id=2010
Evening on your own
20 May 2010 Porsche factory day
Those of us going to the Porsche factory will take the S-Bahn train four stops to the new museum in Zuffenhausen. The Porsche factory plan is have us tour the manufacturing plant and restoration shop. Note: No photography is allowed with the factory – no exceptions! Then we take lunch at the factory with the employees. In the afternoon the factory takes us to another suburb called Weissach which is the research and development facility. An option we are considering is to stay at the new museum and spend time in the restoration shop in the basement of the new museum.
After a late afternoon train ride (10 minutes) back to our hotel, Porsche takes us out for dinner at 7:30 PM. We will have to taxi in small groups since German law demands that our bus driver take a one day rest due to the mileage driven so far.
21 May 2010 Morning tour of the Mercedes Museum in Stuttgart
This is worth everyone visiting. An easy walk through this world-class museum starting with the first Benz ever built. Or you can choose a lazy morning and more shopping.
At 11:00 we board our bus and get on the road to Zell am See in Austria. This will be the longest leg of our trip at approximately 6 hours. We will stop for lunch at an Autobahn stop. We want you to compare our Toll Road Oasis stops to what travelers experience in Germany. We will be staying at the Hotel Latini for three nights so you can unpack and relax.
For Information About the Hotel, Go To:
http://www.latini.at/cms/index_en.php
The evening is free to find a good place to eat on your own. We will have suggestions.
22 May 2010 Free rest day in Zell am See
A free day to just enjoying the walking sites or do your laundry. There is much to do in this idyllic village and we will supply a list of independent activities. We will organize small groups to visit the Porsche Design Studio (bring lots of Euros).
23 May 2010 Zell am See with three options:
1. Drive to Gmünd
A tour of the original factory location and the Porsche monument in Gmünd. This is now the Clubhouse for the Porsche Club of Austria. After lunch we will then go to a privately owned Porsche Museum in Gmünd which has a Gmünd coupe and the wooden jigs that the aluminum was formed on. This is worth the trip in itself. The area is breathtaking and there will still be snow on the mountains. We will take lunch in the same hotel that the Porsche’s and their staff ate on a regular basis.
2. Drive to Berchtesgaden
Tour the famous Eagles Nest with an English guide. And if time permits take lunch on a boat sailing on Königsee.
3. Free rest day or walking on your own in Zell am See
Dinner together
24 May 2010 Drive to Bayreuth
On our way to Bayreuth we will stop on the way for lunch at the magnificent Audi museum in Ingolstadt where you will see the famous 12 cylinder Horchs and the world-record setting cars from Auto Union.
In Bayreuth we will stay at the Ramada Hotel for two nights.
For Information About the Hotel, Go To:
http://www.ramada.de/hotels/hotels_index.php?hotel_code=15705
A causal but special evening is planned at the famous Maisel’s Beer Museum. We will enjoy a special meal and sample many different beers while listening to local music planned just for us.
25 May 2010 Tour of Bayreuth
Presentation by Helmut Kolb and his family of the history of this famous part of the world. An English speaking guide will accompany you to:
The world-famous Wagner Opera House (from the outside, as rehearsals are already going on inside for the Wagner Festival in July/August)
The unique Margrave´s Baroque Opera House (one of the only two in the whole of Europe!)
Wilhelmine´s Rococo Park Eremitage, with lunch at the Orangery, a visit to the Old Court and Coffee and Cake afterwards on the terrace of the Sun Temple.
And we will visit Neues Schloss seat of the Margrave of Ansbach-Bayreuth.
You will enjoy this day in historic Bayreuth. It is the capital of old Upper-Franconia and the home-town of the composer Richard Wagner. I need to determine if the places of interest will be open since we are early in the season.
Dinner at Göring´s Castle “Burg Veldenstein“. You will be able to visit his bunker as well as his room with the original furnishings in his bedroom, including his extra wide bed. For some photos go to: http://www.veldenstein.germany-castles.net/
26 May 2010 Morning Drive to Budingen
This is a beautiful village founded in the 700’s. The town itself grew up around the fortress which was built during the period of the Hohenstaufen emperors in the 12th century, large parts of which even today still have the character of the old water-surrounded structure. Larger, more extensive fortifications were then built in the 13th century, and during the following decades and centuries a wall was also built around the growing town. The Queen of Spain’s cousin lives in the castle where have reserve some rooms. We will relax over lunch and then take a short walking tour followed by an afternoon in the garden or shopping – again within walking distance. Our final dinner will be in one of the ancient guest houses. Remember the Hessian soldiers from our revolutionary war history? This is where they came from and after the war most stayed in the new United States. Our personal friend Matthias Mahr and his family will be our hosts.
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/5539993
http://www.schloss-buedingen.de/
27 May 2010 45 minute drive to Frankfurt Airport
Sleep late and take a leisurely breakfast before we drive to the Frankfurt Airport for the flight home.
12:10 Depart Frankfurt
18:30 Arrive at O’Hare
Note: This is still a preliminary agenda. We will publish the final itinerary once we have secured all of the venues and approved dates by Porsche and Mercedes.
