2026 DEWITT HIGH SCHOOL BAND
EUROPE CONCERT TOUR
DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY
This information is tentative, based on initial planning ideas, and subject to change. Please note that the following information describes the Student Bus Itinerary. Although the Adult Bus Itinerary will be similar, hotel locations may differ. An itinerary specific to the Adult Bus will be sent with the Adult Bus Trip Documents. Transportation will always be provided for those on the Adult Bus who wish to attend the concert performances.
Day 1 – MONDAY, JUNE 29 – USA/EUROPE…OVERNIGHT FLIGHT TO EUROPE. Meet at DeWitt High School to board the buses for the transfer to your U.S. departure airport. Check-in and go through security prior to your flight departure from the United States. (Dinner in flight)
Day 2 – TUESDAY, JUNE 30 – HOLLAND…ARRIVAL AT AMSTERDAM AIRPORT AND TRANSFER TO YOUR HOTEL. Morning arrival at Amsterdam Airport. After instruments and luggage are loaded, board your motor coach to transfer into Amsterdam, Holland’s colorful and lively capital city. The 17th-century canal houses with their gabled roofs are a photographer’s delight and you will be amazed by the number of bicycles while you tour the city in a glass top boat. Continue through the Dutch Lowlands, to your accommodations passing canals, dikes, bridges and windmills. Your two-night stay in the Netherlands (often referred to as Holland) will introduce you to Dutch “gezelligheid,” a friendly, cozy feeling. Dinner will be served at your accommodations this evening. (Breakfast in flight, Dinner)
Day 3 – WEDNESDAY, JULY 01 – HOLLAND… DELFT. After breakfast, transfer to Scheveningen for a visit to the extensive beach boardwalk and pier. On the way to Delft, prepare to be captivated by the picturesque streets lined with medieval architecture, characteristic canals, friendly cafes and inviting shops selling the famous Delft Blue earthenware. The DeWitt High School will perform their first concert of the tour on Delft’s Market Square. After the concert, return to your accommodations for dinner and overnight. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 4 – THURSDAY, JULY 02 – BELGIUM/FRANCE…VISIT ANTWERP IN BELGIUM AND TRAVEL THROUGH FRANCE TO PARIS. Leaving Holland, travel south and cross the border into Belgium. Make an early lunch stop in Antwerp to view its beautiful guild houses and take a walk through the Old Town. The friendly sidewalk cafes will tempt you to order a Belgian waffle for lunch. Many of you will not be able to resist the chocolate shops. In the late afternoon you enter France and by dinner time you have reached Paris, “The City of Light.” A characteristic French bistro will host dinner before you transfer to your hotel for check-in. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 5 – FRIDAY, JULY 03 – FRANCE…PARIS. Start your exploration of Paris with a photo stop at the impressive Sacré-Cœur Basilica, followed by a leisurely boat ride on the Seine River with views of the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral. During the free time in Paris, students will be required to stay together in groups with the choice of exploring the area surrounding either the Notre Dame Cathedral or the Louvre Museum (in the past the museum has offered free entrance for students 18 and under). There is only time to visit one of these sights. In the afternoon, travel eastward through France to your hotel in Troyes. Admire the pastel-colored half-timbered architecture during an independent dinner. Plans are underway for a possible DeWitt High School evening concert performance in Troyes. (Breakfast)
Day 6 – SATURDAY, JULY 04 – FRANCE/SWITZERLAND…TRAVEL THROUGH BURGUNDY TO THE SWISS ALPS. This will be a full day of travel through the vineyards of the Champagne, Burgundy and Alsace regions. Make a brief lunch stop near the university town of Besançon. Cross the border into Switzerland and continue past Basel, strategically situated at the point where Switzerland, Germany, and France meet. You will spend the next two nights amongst the majestic Swiss Alps. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 7 – SUNDAY, JULY 05 – SWITZERLAND…MT STANSERHORN AND LUCERNE. The day focuses on an unforgettable excursion to the top of Mount Stanserhorn, located on the edge of gorgeous Lake Lucerne. From the village of Stans take a funicular train and then a cable car up the 6,000-foot mountain for an incredible view. There are many paths on which you can go hiking. The perfect spot to relax is on the restaurant terrace. A mountaintop lunch of Swiss macaroni and cheese is provided. In the afternoon, visit the lovely town of Lucerne to walk the covered bridge and shop for delicious Swiss chocolate. This evening, the DeWitt High School will perform a concert in the village of Stans, before returning to your accommodations. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 8 – MONDAY, JULY 06 – LIECHTENSTEIN/ AUSTRIA…VADUZ AND BELL MUSEUM IN INNSBRUCK. Travel through the Swiss Lake District and into the small country of Liechtenstein for a short visit to the capital, Vaduz. Liechtenstein is nestled between Switzerland and Austria and is a center for stamp collecting. Purchase items for a picnic lunch as you enter into the Austrian Alps. Upon arrival in Innsbruck, take a tour of the Grassmayr Bell Museum, followed by an elevator ride up to the Bergisel Olympic Ski Jump for some amazing views. Continue to your accommodations for a two-night stay in one of the neighboring mountain villages. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 9 – TUESDAY, JULY 07 – GERMANY/AUSTRIA… ALPINE COASTER, NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE & INNSBRUCK. Today is a day of breathtaking excitement and magnificent scenery, beginning with the Alpine Coaster of Hoch Imst. Take a chair lift up the mountain, where individual toboggans equipped with manual brake controls follow a winding rail through breathtaking mountain scenery. Continue to Germany’s Neuschwanstein Castle. Your castle visit begins with a walk up the mountain road to the castle entrance, where a guide will lead you through the impressive interior. This evening, return to Innsbruck for free-time, dinner and an entertaining Tyrolean Folklore Show, complete with yodeling, singing, dancing and unique musical instruments. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 10 – WEDNESDAY, JULY 08 – AUSTRIA/GERMANY/AUSTRIA… KÖNIGSSEE AND BERCHTESGADEN EAGLE’S NEST. The Tyrolean Alps provide stunning scenery on the way to Berchtesgaden, Germany. After a scenic lunch stop at Königssee, another fascinating experience will greet you at the Eagle’s Nest, Adolf Hitler’s hideaway during WWII. A mountain bus transports you to a secret elevator which brings you to the top for views into both Germany and Austria from the 6,000-foot-high Eagle’s Nest. Return to Austria, this time in the breathtaking province of Salzburg. The natural beauty of mountain-fed rivers and flower-laden meadows will surround you during your two-night stay in Flachau. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 11 – THURSDAY, JULY 09 – GERMANY/AUSTRIA… BERCHTESGADEN SALT MINES AND SALZBURG. What a way to wake up; looking out your window to see such splendid scenery! Berchtesgaden Salt Mines is your destination this morning. Donned in mine workers’ garb, descend deep into the interior by way of a small train. Listen to an explanation of how the salt is taken from the mountain and take a thrilling ride down the giant slides. Following your visit, lunch will be provided before continuing to Salzburg, your afternoon destination. Dominated by the imposing hilltop fortress and bisected by the Salzach River, this beautiful, baroque city abounds with elegant buildings, fountains, squares, and gardens. The DeWitt High School will perform an afternoon concert in the Mirabell Garden, with its beautifully manicured grounds. Scenes from The Sound of Music were filmed here. This evening’s dinner in Salzburg is independent, giving you time to stroll through Salzburg’s famous shopping streets, picturesque squares and small alleyways. (Breakfast, Lunch)
Day 12 – FRIDAY, JULY 10 – GERMANY/AUSTRIA…VISIT DACHAU. Have an early breakfast and enter Germany once again, using the Autobahn to travel north. After a short lunch stop, you will reach Dachau for a somber afternoon visit to the former concentration camp. Those who prefer may remain in the Visitors Center at the entrance. Your accommodations for tonight will be at one of the medieval walled cities along the Romantic Road. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 13 – SATURDAY, JULY 11 – GERMANY…ROTHENBURG AND THE RHINE RIVER VALLEY. The morning is devoted to the storybook village of Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber. During your walk into the center, you are sure to be enchanted by the intact city walls, cobblestone streets, historic inns, and quaint shop fronts. You may wish to climb the ‘Rathaus’ Bell Tower for a birds-eye view of the city. Perhaps one of the many bakeries will tempt you to try a local treat. Visit one of the unique museums, stroll through the peaceful Castle Gardens near the River Tauber, or browse the magical displays in the year-round Christmas shop. The DeWitt High School will perform their final concert of the tour on the Rothenburg Market Square. In the afternoon, continue north, to your accommodations in the Rhine River Valley. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 14 – SUNDAY, JULY 12 – GERMANY/NETHERLANDS…CRUISE ON THE RHINE RIVER AND SCHIPHOL AIRPORT AREA. A Rhine River Steamer awaits to take you on a scenic boat ride past medieval fortresses, quaint villages, hillside vineyards and the legendary Lorelei Rock. This afternoon, travel back into the Netherlands for a final night near Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. Before dinner, pack up all the
instruments and get ready for your return flight home tomorrow. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 15 – MONDAY, JULY 13 – NETHERLANDS/USA…TRANSFER TO AMSTERDAM AIRPORT. Early this morning, transfer to Amsterdam Airport to check in for your flight home. Return to the States a richer person, having gained life-long impressions and memories. (Breakfast, Lunch in flight)