114 January 2014

The View from HereNuremberg’s Imperial Castle and histori-cal center are perched above the rest of the city and best explored by walking. The mighty castle is one of the most important fortified palaces of the Old Holy Roman Empire. Also, see Albrect Durer’s house and stroll the city’s cobblestone streets to find fun boutiques for great shopping.

Once Kingdoms, Bavaria and Bohemia Captivate with Traditions, StoriesNTA Tour Operators Explore New ProductBY PENNY WHITMAN

IN OCTOBER, five NTA-member tour operators participated

in the product development trip to Bavaria—Germany’s most

southeastern state—and its neighbor Bohemia, the largest of

the Czech Republic’s three historical regions. The two desti-

nations, each having been an independent kingdom, share a

border along a region of UNESCO-protected wilderness, beer

culture, and a wealth of historical villages and cities. But the

differences in their histories and cultures create an interest-

ing contrast and a thought provoking journey when part of a

two-country itinerary.

BAVARIA – A Land of TraditionsBavaria is the largest and oldest of Germany’s states, and

Bavarians are grounded in their traditions, which they enjoy,

such as biergarten culture and Christmas markets. In the

heart of Munich, just around the corner from Marienplatz,

is the Viktualienmarkt or open-air food market and the city’s

biergarten, which accommodates about 600 people at tradi-

tional long, narrow tables. Beer is considered liquid bread in

Bavaria, where the average resident consumes approximately

150 liters (40 gallons) a year, and Bavarians like to sit outside

to enjoy a liter in almost any weather. The large flat leaves

of the native Chesnut trees, also a biergarten tradition, even

provide some cover from light rain.

A source of Bavarian pride is the Purity Law of 1516, which

declared that barley, hops and water were the only ingre-

dients allowed in the production of beer. Though officially

lifted in 1987 after a ruling by the European Union, the purity

law’s tradition continues in the region.

Munich’s Christmas market dates back to the 14th century

and features a nearly 100-foot-tall Christmas tree covered with

candles. Each Bavarian city’s Christmas market has its own

Brews & BreakfastFortify your early-arriving travelers at Airbraü, the world’s only airport brewery, located in the Munich Airport. Diners can take a brewery tour and enjoy Bavarian spe-cialties made from locally sourced ingredients. How about two Bavarian-style veal sausages with mustard and a pretzel? www.munich-airport .de/en/micro/airbraeu

Nazi Party Rally Grounds and Documentation CentreHitler’s unfinished and abandoned Congress Hall outside Nuremberg has been repurposed in this architecturally striking museum often referred to as the Docu Centre. Exhibits focus on topics with a di-rect link to Nuremberg, from the history of the party rallies on the nearby Nazi Party Rally Grounds to the Nuremberg Trials.

Munich’s Mechanical DancersMost of Munich’s Neues Rathaus, or new town hall, was completed in 1874 and its 259-foot tower was added 15 years later. Gather at Marienplatz (St. Mary’s Square) at 11 a.m. and noon (and 5 p.m. in the summer) to hear and see the world-famous glockenspiel—32 nearly life-sized mechanical dancers perform stories from the city’s folklore.

Bohemia's Ceský Krumlov

NTA PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT TRIP RECAP

115www.NTAonline.com

Artful Cuisine and Design at Hotel NautilusHotel Nautilus is one hour south of Prague on Tábor’s historical square. The 4-star boutique hotel, decorated with original Czech art and contemporary design, of-fers 22 rooms. The hotel’s restaurant, Goldie, presents astounding contemporary Czech cuisine prepared by internationally acclaimed Chef Martin Svatek.

features, but all offer stalls of handcrafted gifts and the tradi-

tional treats of the season: mulled wine, roasted almonds, sau-

sages and lebkuchen, a special gingerbread from Nuremberg.

Nuremberg’s Christmas Market is perhaps the most

famous in Bavaria. The Christkindlesmarkt dates back to the

1600s and features the Christkind: a beautiful local girl who

presides over the opening ceremony on the first Sunday of

Advent and serves the community throughout the season by

making special appearances at kindergartens, homes for the

elderly and hospitals.

In the old town of Regensburg, a UNESCO World Heritage

Site, we encountered another local tradition: snuff. Our

guide took us into the former buildings of the Bernard Snuff

Factory where visitors can see how the tobacco was finely

ground then mixed with fla-

vorings, herbs and sugar. One

member of our group tried the

white, tobacco-free pepper-

mint snuff and was amazed to

find her sinuses clear.

Nuremberg’s history has two

key elements—its status as

a key palace of the Old Holy

Roman Empire and its iden-

tity as the place where Hitler

established the Nazi Party Rally

Grounds, and later, where the

Nuremberg Trials were held.

Today, the Rally Ground’s

stone grandstand is crumbling, and it looks out over an open

space in which people ride bikes, push strollers and enjoy

pick-up soccer games, although the energy of the place still

feels heavy. In the nearby Documentation Centre, which was

built in part of Hitler’s abandoned Congress Hall, simple,

powerful exhibits tell the familiar story, especially as it

relates to Nuremberg.

We also visited the Memorium Nuremberg Trials and

Courtroom 600 at the Palace of Justice, the site of the Nuremberg

Trials. This permanent exhibit opened in 2010 to interpret the

background, proceedings and consequences of the trials. While

Cruise the Danube on Regensburg’s Crystal Fleet Admire Regensburg’s skyline on a 45-minute cruise on the Crystal Princess, or enjoy special-event evenings with dining on the Crystal Queen. Both ships are exclusively made with Swarovski elements. www.donauschiffahrt.de/en

Intimate, Elegant Fine Dining in Ceský Krumlov Hotel Bellevue is tucked into a tiny side street in the heart of the historical area. Its restaurant, Le Jardin, offers a contemporary, lighter take on Czech gastronomy with an international flair. An excellent wine cellar complements the fabulous menu. www.bellevuehotelkrumlov.cz

Walk Like an AristocratLegendary aristocrat Petr Vok, the last descendant of the Rožmberk family, will walk you through Ceský Krumlov, sharing stories about his life in the castle and his beloved city’s greatest days before he was forced to sell Krumlov to Emperor Rudolf II of Habsburg in 1601 to resolve debts.

Visit the Home of the Real BudweiserThe tradition of brew-ing beer in Ceské Budejovice dates back to the 13th cen-tury. Visitors to the Budweiser Budvar Brewery can see the production facility and taste its award-winning beers. www.visitbudvar.cz

“In one afternoon in Munich, you can drink delicious Bavarian beer in a brewery that’s been around for centuries sur-rounded by local people wearing traditional clothes (lederhosen and dirndls), and then visit BMW World to discover cutting-edge technology, innovative design and modern architecture.”

— Susan Krulic, Bavaria Tourism,

New York

Bavaria

Czech Republic

116 January 2014

Lost and FoundThe Lobkowicz Palace in the Prague Castle complex is the privately owned home to the Lobkowicz Collections, a museum with 22 gal-leries displaying fine art, porcelain, ceramics, rifles, musical instruments and original scores— from the likes of Mozart. Aside from the breath-taking collections, the story of the 600-year-old family that lost everything to the Nazis and got it back only to lose it to the Soviets is one that goes from Prague to Austria to London to Boston and back to Prague. Now nearly fully restored, the collections and elegant space are a must-see for art lovers and history buffs visit-ing Prague. www.lobkowicz.cz/en/

A Baroque Oasis in PragueOwned by the city of Prague, the Vrtba Garden on the slope of Petrin Hill is one of the city’s four beauti-ful Baroque gardens. Visitors can reserve the space for private events or just enjoy a stroll around its lush areas. Climb to the top terrace for stunning views of Prague. www.vrtbovska.cz/en/

Giant Babies and CocktailsPrague's Tower Park is a televi-sion tower and observatory that is distinguished by Czech artist David Cerný’s sculpture installa-tion of 10 giant babies climbing up and down its center. The observatory at the top offers a 360-degree view of the city. A hip restaurant, cafe and bar are several floors down. www. towerpark.cz/en

Kempinski LuxuryNestled in a former Baroque palace in the heart of Prague, the Kempinski Hotel Hybernka boasts his-torical architecture with a contemporary interior. Stunning guestrooms with private balconies, a courtyard garden, bake shop and fabu-lous fine dining make this property a stand-out. www.kempinski.com/en/prague

Courtroom 600 is still an active court, visitors can

view it on days when court is not in session.

As we met and interacted with Bavarians

along our journey, the topic of the Holocaust

was rarely left untouched. While it is a history

that many young Germans would clearly like

to move past, their communities have worked

hard to make sure it is never forgotten.

BOHEMIA – A Land of StoriesBohemia, now one of the Czech Republic’s three

historical regions, was once a kingdom in the Holy Roman

Empire, and its capital, Prague, was the center of the empire in

the late 14th century, and at the end of the 16th and beginning

of the 17th century. In the last years of the Austro-Hungarian

Empire, Bohemia was its most advanced and economically

prosperous crown land. It is this pre-World War I history that

has given the Czech Republic so much of its rich tourism

product: its castles, cultural attractions and World Heritage

sites, many of which were untouched during World War II and

the subsequent period in which the Czechs were part of the

Soviet bloc. During our visit to the beautiful region of southern

Bohemia, we heard many stories about families and aristo-

cratic characters, and the fortunes they gained and lost.

In Ceský Krumlov, a beautiful UNESCO World Heritage

city on the Vltava River, we wandered the steep cobblestone

streets toward the mammoth castle with a guide dressed

as legendary aristocrat Petr Vok, the last descendant of the

mighty Rožmberk family that ruled over the region for more

than 300 years. We heard about Emperor Rudolf II, who

bought Ceský Krumlov from the Rožmberks, and gave it to his

violent illegitimate son, don Julius D’Austria,

who later threw his unfortunate lover out of

the castle window.

In the picturesque medieval town of Tábor,

we learned about Jan Hus, a Czech priest, phi-

losopher and Church reformer who was burned

at the stake in 1415 for heresy. After his death,

followers of his religious teachings (known as

Hussites) rebelled against their Roman Catholic

rulers and defeated five consecutive papal cru-

sades in what became known as the Hussite

Wars. Tábor was founded by the great Hussite leader Jan

Žižka, and a statue of him stands in the town square.

We visited the fairy tale chateau of Hluboká, which was orig-

inally founded as a guarding castle in the mid-13th century by

the kings of Bohemia but changed hands frequently as differ-

ent aristocratic families moved in and out of power. The most

famous family to have lived there was the Schwarzenbergs,

who made it their residence from 1661 until the end of 1939,

when they emigrated overseas to escape the Nazis.

In Prague, walking across the Charles Bridge, which has

linked both sides of the Vltava River since the Middle Ages, we

heard many more stories as we observed each of the 30 reli-

gious statues on the balustrade. We learned about the patron

saint of Bohemia, John of Nepomuk, who was the court priest

of King Wenceslas IV. John got caught in Bohemia’s brutal

conflicts between church and state, and in 1393, the king had

him thrown from the bridge. On Saint John’s statue there is a

plaque that depicts his descent into the water. Touching the

image of the falling priest is a Czech ritual that is supposed to

bring good luck—and a return visit to Prague.

“Southern Bohemia is one of the most pictur-

esque areas in the Czech Republic. The region

combines various tour-ism themes—UNESCO

cities, beer, castles, ponds and lakes [for

recreation].”

—Michaela Claudino, CzechTourism, New York

Konopište CastleKonopište was built at the beginning of the 14th century as a gothic fortress, and the vast structure was updated throughout the centu-ries by various families. Its most notable owner was Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the successor to the Habsburg throne, who bought it in 1887 and converted it into a magnificent residence. Various tours are avail-able that showcase pri-vate rooms, the armory, chapel, library, hunting hall, shooting range and rose garden.

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NTA PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT TRIP RECAP: BAVARIA AND BOHEMIA