WHAT YOU WILL SEE:

Berlin, Germany
The capital of Germany is a city of cultural superlatives: three opera houses, two concert halls and eight symphony orchestras await you - more than in any other city in the world. Over 150 theaters and stages offer Boulevard Theater, classic opera, world literature classics and off-scene. Berlin's history is dark, not only as Hitler's nerve center of Nazi horror, but also as the battleground of the Cold War. But with its field of new skyscrapers and hip clubs and fashion boutiques, post millennium Berlin has recast itself as the Continent's capital of cool. Berlin is not exactly escaping the past, as the opening of the Jüdisches Museum Berlin (Jewish Museum), a paean to German Jewry, testifies. Instead, Berlin is reconciling itself to its notorious history and moving with confidence into its future. Berlin was almost bombed out of existence during World War II; its streets reduced to piles of rubble, its parks to muddy swampland. But the optimistic spirit and strength of will of the remarkable Berliners enabled them to survive not only the wartime destruction of their city, but also its postwar division, symbolized by the Berlin Wall. Today, structures of steel and glass tower over streets where before only piles of rubble lay, and parks and gardens are again lush. Before the war, the section of the city that became East Berlin was the cultural and political heart of Germany, where the best museums, finest churches, and most important boulevards lay. The walled-in East Berliners turned to restoring their museums, theaters, and landmarks (especially in the Berlin-Mitte section), while West Berliners built entirely new museums and cultural centers. This contrast between the two parts of city is still evident, though east and west are coming together more and more within the immense, fascinating whole that is Berlin.

Dresden, Germany
Dresden, founded in 1206, is a metropolis of unique art treasures and lively culture. Center of the German Baroque par excellence, Dresden?s highlights include the magnificent palatial buildings around the Theaterplatz and the Brühl Terraces, and the many art treasures in the state museums. The harmony between the beautiful and famous baroque architecture and the Elbe River is impressive. Today, Dresden offers a unique blend of stunning architecture, world-famous art collections and living traditions in both music and the fine arts ? plus the great natural beauty of the countryside along the Elbe river, dotted with wonderful castles and villas. No book about the history of architecture can miss mentioning the Dresden Zwinger. The Frauenkirche Church, Semper Opera House and Royal Palace as well as many other historical monuments and ensembles that determine the image of the city. The saucy angels from Raphael?s ?The Sistine Madonna? make publicity for Dresden?s art collections in the whole world. Magnificent promenades on the bank of the Elbe, interesting museums and institutions, industrial monuments, charming details ? Dresden has a lot for you to discover.

ICE (InterCity Express)
The ICE (InterCity Express), a tilting train. The German high speed train ICE guarantees quality with new, high-standardized equipment to provide travelers with a comfortable and pleasant experience. With a maximum speed of nearly 300 km/h, this service is highly efficient.

Types of Train Services
First Class:
- All seats are reclining and have an audio minijack, allowing passengers to plug in headphones and choose from about 7 music/entertainment channels and radio stations. Basic headphones can also be purchased on the trains.
- Newspapers are available. Beverages and snacks can also be purchased from the trolley cart.
- The service crew on the train takes orders for porters in the main cities in Germany.

Second Class:
- All seats are reclining and have an audio minijack, allowing passengers to plug in headphones and choose from about 7 music/entertainment channels and radio stations. Basic headphones can also be purchased on the trains.
- Newspapers are available. Beverages and snacks can also be purchased from the trolley cart.
- The service crew on the train takes orders for porters in the main cities in Germany.

On board services:
Each train has a restaurant car with two sections: the traditional restaurant and self-service bistro. Public phone booths and luggage lockers are also available on board the train. With exception of the first and last cars, the ICE train is a non-smoking area.
The latest ICE generation with tilting technology even offers a magnificent panoramic lounge at each end of the trains for a spectacular view of the landscape. With most ICE trains, there is one carriage (sometimes more) where individual seats are equipped with LCD screens. (The screens are actually built into the backrest of the seat in front.) Usually there are two video channels to choose from, which typically show feature films, like airlines would do. There are no speakers, but the corresponding audio is available via the audio minijack.
At both ends of ICE3 trains there is a passenger compartment (on one side 1st class, on the other side 2nd class) with a view on the tracks, due to transparency of the glass wall separating the compartment from the driver's cabin. In special circumstances the driver can make the wall opaque by the press of a button. There is also a compartment with a play area for children.