just for groups! hopes flower show bookings will bloom

26th November 2010

Grand UK Holidays has a bumper crop of escorted tours to see garden attractions and flower shows in 2011.

Group travel organisers can book the brochure tours or work with sister brand, just for groups!, to arrange their own itineraries.

‘Secrets of the River Rhine & the German National Flower Show’ is an eight-day river cruise holiday, onboard the Prinses Christina.

It visits Cologne, Rudesheim, Boppard, and the Loreley Rock – and includes admission to the famous biennial flower show, which takes place in Koblenz this year.

The escorted tour departs on 22 May and costs from £699 on a full-board basis (from £699pp).

Flower fans who can’t make this river cruise may instead opt for a new escorted coach tour – River Gardens Beside the Rhine (five days, from £299pp).

It includes admission to the show and the chance to enjoy the seasonal displays along the banks of the Rhine and Moselle – including acres of rose gardens.

As well as excursions by coach, the holiday includes a river trip at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle, followed by a cable car journey across the Rhine to Ehrenbreitstein Castle.

Departures are on 18 April, 6 June and 5 September.

More great views of the Rhine are available on ‘Spectacular Rhine Valley By Train’, another new tour for 2011.

It departs by Eurostar and takes customers to Cologne, Trier, Boppard and Rudesheim by train.

It includes a trip on the Hunsruckbahn, Germany’s steepest standard gauge rail line, passing through five tunnels and two viaducts – plus a journey on the paddle steamer SS Goethe.

Departures are on 1 August and 3 October, and it costs £499 per person.

Cuckoo clocks and the famous gateau are on the menu for customers choosing the new ‘Beautiful Black Forest’ tour (eight days, £509 pp).

Excursions take in the stylish spa town of Baden-Baden, Freudenstadt, Strasbourg and Freiburg, and departures are on 10 July, 21 August and 11 September.

A more unusual itinerary has also been added for 2011, featuring Berlin and the Harz Mountains, with excursions to the German capital, Harz National Park and Potsdam, home to Sanssouci, dubbed ‘the German Versailles’.

It costs from £439pp including flights and departs on 7 August and 9 October.