* Denmark and cities of the Hanseatic League: coach tour

Guided tour of the Bremen old town and its famous marketplace where you can see the" Roland", symbol of the town's free status under the Hanseatic empire, the "Böttcherstrasse" and its red brick craft shops, and the Schnoor district with its old fisherman's houses. Lunch then on to Hamburg. The best way to take in the port area, one of the Europe's busiest, is no doubt by boat. Dinner and overnight in the Hamburg region.

This morning enjoy a guided tour of Hamburg old town with its 17th and 18th century traders houses...nowadays, home to some of the best taverns in town. Many buildings are of brick, so too the gothic style Church of Saint Catherine. We continue into Denmark for lunch, and on to Odense arriving in time for dinner and overnight in the region.

Guided tour of Odense, birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen. A visit to the house where he was born is an optional extra. Lunch then continue to Faborg, one of Denmark's prettiest towns, and on to Kvaerndrup. Guided tour of Egeskov Castle, situated on an island in the middle of a lake surrounded by wonderful oak forest. Dinner and overnight.

Leave for Roskilde. Lunch and then a guided tour of the town, including the Cathedral where Denmark's Kings and Queens have been buried since the Middle Ages. A visit to the Viking Museum is an optional extra, where you can see 5 Viking ships restored from their watery grave at the fjord entrance where they were sunk to protect the town from pirate invasions. On to Copenhagen for dinner and overnight.

We enjoy a guided tour on foot of Copenhagen, Denmark's capital and one of the finest towns in Northern Europe. Explore the centre of town with highlights being the Town hall, the Little Mermaid statue, and the Tivoli. Lunch then a visit to the Renaissance castle of Frederiksberg built by King Christian IV. Dinner and overnight.

Take the ferry crossing from Gedser to Rostock in Germany. Lunch then a guided tour of the old town of Rostock taking in the Kröpeliner Tor, and the Renaissance and Baroque fronted houses. On to Wismar for dinner and overnight in the region.

Leave for Schwerin and a guided tour of the town's prized castle, sitting on an island in the middle of the "Schweriner See" lake. On to Lübeck, another hanseatic town. Lunch then a guided tour of the town where Thomas Mann was born, with its imposing red brick towers. Dinner and overnight in the Hamburg region.