Beyla - Farm Servant to Norse God Freyr. Beyla is a servant to Freyr, Norse god of virility. She looks after his realm with her husband Byggvir. Because of her association with Freyr’s farm, Beyla personifies agriculture and the seeds from which crops grow. Byggvir shares the root of his name with Bygg, the Old Norse word for barley. True to this origin, he is a mill grinder and bread maker. Beyla’s name may be tied to cows, beans or bees. Together, they represent the enduring spirit of Scandinavia’s bounty, an ideal pair to serve a virile god.
Day 1 Prague
Amid Prague's cobblestone streets and gold-tip spires, galleries, cafes, and clubs teem with young Czechs and "expatriates." New shops and restaurants have opened, expanding the city's culinary reach beyond the traditional roast pork and dumplings. The arts and theater also thrive in Prague. Young playwrights regularly stage their works, weekly poetry readings are standing room only, and classical music maintains famous standards, while the clubs are jammed. The arts - nonverbal theater, "installation" art, world music - are as trendy in Prague as in any European capital but possess distinctive Czech flavor. All of this is set against a stunning backdrop of towering churches and centuries-old bridges and alleyways. Prague achieved much of its glory in the 14th century, during the long reign of Charles IV, king of Bohemia and Moravia and Holy Roman Emperor. Charles established a university in the city and laid out the New Town, charting Prague's growth. Prague Castle is the most popular sight and is the largest ancient castle in the world with three courtyards.
Day 2 Prague
Amid Prague's cobblestone streets and gold-tip spires, galleries, cafes, and clubs teem with young Czechs and "expatriates." New shops and restaurants have opened, expanding the city's culinary reach beyond the traditional roast pork and dumplings. The arts and theater also thrive in Prague. Young playwrights regularly stage their works, weekly poetry readings are standing room only, and classical music maintains famous standards, while the clubs are jammed. The arts - nonverbal theater, "installation" art, world music - are as trendy in Prague as in any European capital but possess distinctive Czech flavor. All of this is set against a stunning backdrop of towering churches and centuries-old bridges and alleyways. Prague achieved much of its glory in the 14th century, during the long reign of Charles IV, king of Bohemia and Moravia and Holy Roman Emperor. Charles established a university in the city and laid out the New Town, charting Prague's growth. Prague Castle is the most popular sight and is the largest ancient castle in the world with three courtyards.
Day 3 Prague
Amid Prague's cobblestone streets and gold-tip spires, galleries, cafes, and clubs teem with young Czechs and "expatriates." New shops and restaurants have opened, expanding the city's culinary reach beyond the traditional roast pork and dumplings. The arts and theater also thrive in Prague. Young playwrights regularly stage their works, weekly poetry readings are standing room only, and classical music maintains famous standards, while the clubs are jammed. The arts - nonverbal theater, "installation" art, world music - are as trendy in Prague as in any European capital but possess distinctive Czech flavor. All of this is set against a stunning backdrop of towering churches and centuries-old bridges and alleyways. Prague achieved much of its glory in the 14th century, during the long reign of Charles IV, king of Bohemia and Moravia and Holy Roman Emperor. Charles established a university in the city and laid out the New Town, charting Prague's growth. Prague Castle is the most popular sight and is the largest ancient castle in the world with three courtyards.
Day 3 Decin
Decin is the economical and cultural center of a scenic tourist region. The area is known for its deep valleys and rock formations. The Decin Chateau is located in the center of town and is one of the biggest and historically important of its kind in the Czech Republic. The Chateau has been renovated several times and is currently in Baroque-Classical style. The Decin Zoo offers visitors a peaceful and pleasant atmoshpere for a trip into the animal kingdom.
Day 4 Bad Schandau
Discover all that the German spa town, Bad Schandau, has to offer. Located in the center of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, stunning views can be enjoyed all around town. From extensive walking paths for all levels, cycling, climbing, water activities, to dancing… there is something for everyone to enjoy. See the sights on the historic electrical Kirnitzschtal tram, dating back to 1898, connecting Bad Schandau town centre to the Kirnitzsch Valley. Walk or cycle along the river promendade, visit the botanical gardens, relax at the spa gardens and of course visit the therapeutic health and spa facilities that Bad Schandau is known for.
Day 4 Elbe River
Day 4 Saxon Switzerland Mountains
Day 4 Dresden
Dresden is located along the river Elbe in the German state of Saxony and is known as a center for fine arts and science. Beautiful landscaping along the Elbe can be seen in the Elbe meadows and slopes.
The Altmarkdt (Old Market Square) dating back to the year 1370 has a rebuilt town hall and 18th century Landhaus where the state museum is housed.
Grober Garten Park is the largest central park in Dresden that boasts a zoo and botanical gardens.
The Zwinger is Dresden's baroque showpiece that houses the Old Masters Picture Gallery, Porcelain Collection, and Zoological Museum.
The Frauenkirche Church, Semper Opera House, and Royal Palace are historical monuments that can be seen in Dresden as well.
Day 5 Dresden
Dresden is located along the river Elbe in the German state of Saxony and is known as a center for fine arts and science. Beautiful landscaping along the Elbe can be seen in the Elbe meadows and slopes.
The Altmarkdt (Old Market Square) dating back to the year 1370 has a rebuilt town hall and 18th century Landhaus where the state museum is housed.
Grober Garten Park is the largest central park in Dresden that boasts a zoo and botanical gardens.
The Zwinger is Dresden's baroque showpiece that houses the Old Masters Picture Gallery, Porcelain Collection, and Zoological Museum.
The Frauenkirche Church, Semper Opera House, and Royal Palace are historical monuments that can be seen in Dresden as well.
Day 6 Meissen
Meissen is known as the "cradle" of saxony. The town's beautiful stone buildings display different time periods in Saxon as well as Holy Roman Empire history. The Albrechtsburg Castle was the first royal residence in Germany and is currently a museum for visitors to tour.
The 57-metre high tower of the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) has a spectacular view. Visitors can also walk through the medieval streets with past century-ole patrician houses that boast quaint cafes, shops, and wine cellars.
Day 7 Wittenberge
Day 8 Potsdam
The city of Potsdam, Germany, is most often seen as a day trip from Berlin.
Located an hour's drive south of Berlin, Potsdam was the scene of one of the most important events at the end of World War II. It was there that the Big Three—the U.S., Great Britain and the Soviet Union—met, carved up a defeated Germany and set the tone for the Cold War that followed. It was not necessarily a friendly meeting and, when it was over, the fate of war-torn Europe had been sealed for decades to come.
Today, Potsdam, restored to its former glory, is one of the most expensive areas to live in the former East Germany. There are still distinct areas of the city—the Dutch quarter, the Russian colony of Alexandrovka and the pricey Babelsberg enclave—that are all distinguished by their unique architecture.
The main reason to visit is to tour the palaces and royal parks built around the edge of the city. Potsdam's beautiful lakes and slower pace (compared to Berlin) are additional draws.
Visitors to Potsdam also will see reminders of espionage in the Cold War, which ended with the reunification of Germany after the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall. For example, the more than 300-year-old Glienicke Bridge was the scene of many real-life spy swaps. It was there that the Soviets and the U.S. met face to face when making prisoner exchanges, a scene recounted in many spy movies and novels.
Day 8 Berlin
Berlin is without doubt the most fascinating city in Germany. Covering around 341 square miles Berlin is a unique landscape. With its numerous parks, lakes and wooded areas it is sometimes easy to forget that Berlin is the capital of Germany. The troubled history of this celebrated capital has for many years attracted tourists from around the world. It is estimated around 80% of Berlin was destroyed during the Second World War; landmarks like the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church stand as a lasting reminder of the mass destruction this city once endured. Perhaps one of Berlin's most famous landmarks is the Berlin Wall, the 'iron curtain' that divided this great city into two halves between 1961 and 1989. The East was governed by communism while the West was allowed to flourish under a democratic capitalist government. Even now, over a decade after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the differences between the former East and West are still very apparent. Berlin has an undeniable air of mystery that has always been and always will be a major draw for tourists from around the world.
Day 9 Berlin
Berlin is without doubt the most fascinating city in Germany. Covering around 341 square miles Berlin is a unique landscape. With its numerous parks, lakes and wooded areas it is sometimes easy to forget that Berlin is the capital of Germany. The troubled history of this celebrated capital has for many years attracted tourists from around the world. It is estimated around 80% of Berlin was destroyed during the Second World War; landmarks like the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church stand as a lasting reminder of the mass destruction this city once endured. Perhaps one of Berlin's most famous landmarks is the Berlin Wall, the 'iron curtain' that divided this great city into two halves between 1961 and 1989. The East was governed by communism while the West was allowed to flourish under a democratic capitalist government. Even now, over a decade after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the differences between the former East and West are still very apparent. Berlin has an undeniable air of mystery that has always been and always will be a major draw for tourists from around the world.
Day 10 Berlin
Berlin is without doubt the most fascinating city in Germany. Covering around 341 square miles Berlin is a unique landscape. With its numerous parks, lakes and wooded areas it is sometimes easy to forget that Berlin is the capital of Germany. The troubled history of this celebrated capital has for many years attracted tourists from around the world. It is estimated around 80% of Berlin was destroyed during the Second World War; landmarks like the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church stand as a lasting reminder of the mass destruction this city once endured. Perhaps one of Berlin's most famous landmarks is the Berlin Wall, the 'iron curtain' that divided this great city into two halves between 1961 and 1989. The East was governed by communism while the West was allowed to flourish under a democratic capitalist government. Even now, over a decade after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the differences between the former East and West are still very apparent. Berlin has an undeniable air of mystery that has always been and always will be a major draw for tourists from around the world.