AUTHORISED HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE TOURS AROUND EUROPE – STUTTGART SPRING BEER FESTIVAL – 8-17 MAY 2011

A great start to the 2011 touring season as we kick off with a 3 night stop in Stuttgart and a visit to the Stuttgart Spring Beer Festival. This is a fantastic festival that takes place for two and a half weeks every spring on the fairgrounds in the Bad Cannstatt district of the city. There are at least a half dozen beer “tents” at the festival and these are less like tents and more like buildings: permanent wooden structures that hold thousands of revellers. Each beer tent is different. Not only does each feature a different brand of beer but each has different music as well. A tent may have a traditional fest band playing or a DJ spinning both dance music and traditional fest tunes. Beer is served in a traditional “mass”, which is a litre mug of beer and Pils is the beer of choice, although other types of beer and schnapps are available. It’s not all about beer as there is a funfair with carnival rides and a Ferris wheel for those who don’t mind heights as well as stalls and tents selling local and traditional food. Stuttgart is also home to the Porsche and Mercedes museums, so if you’ve had enough beer these are worth a visit.

Leaving Calais we travel down via the Belgian Ardennes and the pretty Luxembourg countryside to Trier, an old Roman settlement and Germany’s oldest city. Onward and we follow the Mosel River to Mannheim and then south following the river Neckar to Stuttgart. The return journey takes us via Saarbrucken, Clervaux in Luxembourg and into France for our final night.

Day 1. Sunday May 8. Calais to Dinant (approx. 185 miles).
After an initial 80 miles on peage motorway he hit the countryside and head to Dinant in the picturesque Belgian Ardennes. Dinner with wine is included tonight.

Day 2. Monday May 9. Dinant to Trier (approx. 130 miles).
Leaving Dinant we cross country via the forests and hills of the Ardennes, through Luxembourg to Trier. Tonight you are free to eat out.

Day 3. Tuesday May 10. Trier to Mannheim (approx. 130 miles).
Today we follow the meandering Mosel River to Bernkastel Kues and then high over the Eiffel hills to Mannheim where dinner with wine is included.

Day 4. Wednesday May 11. Mannheim to Stuttgart (approx. 110 miles).
South today, following the river Neckar to Stuttgart and your hotel for the next three nights. Dinner with wine is included tonight.

Day 5 & 6. Thursday May 12 & Friday May 13.
Two days and nights to visit the beer festival, car museums, go shopping or just relax and watch the world go by. There’s plenty to entertain you from 9am to midnight!

Day 7. Saturday May 14. Stuttgart to Saarbrucken (approx. 150 miles).
We start our return journey and head to Saarbrucken by way of the scenic Black Forest. Tonight you will be free to eat out.

Day 8. Sunday May 15. Saarbrucken to Clervaux (approx. 130 miles).
Today we make our way back to Luxembourg and to Clervaux (a pretty town with an old chateau) where dinner with wine is included tonight.

Day 9. Monday May 16. Clervaux to Chamouille (approx. 180 miles).
Out of Luxembourg, through Belgium and into France and your final night in the heart of the Chemin de Dames in Picardy. Dinner with wine is included.

Day 10. Tuesday May 17. Chamouille to Calais (approx. 160 miles).
Back to Calais for a late afternoon ferry crossing back to Dover.

Total tour mileage approx. 1,200

Back to tours list >