9 Days/8 Nights

Old World Christmas Markets

Start the holiday season with a tour of Germany and Austria’s Christmas Markets! Among the festive booths you’ll find irresistible handmade toys, unique gifts and one-of-a-kind decorations—plus delectable gingerbread treats and other tasty tidbits. You’ll also spend three nights in the musical city of Salzburg, Austria, birthplace of Mozart. Stroll among dazzling holiday decorations, visit medieval cities and enjoy gorgeous mountain scenery on this magical pre-holiday vacation!

Tour Highlights

• Stroll and shop the best Christmas Markets of Germany and Austria, full of handmade toys and gifts.
• Enjoy three nights in the musical city of Salzburg, Austria, birthplace of Mozart.
• Get to know the cities of Old-World Europe as they prepare for the Christmas season.

Itinerary

Days 1-2—Chicago/Frankfurt/Heidelberg: Welcome to Germany! We’ll meet our English-speaking guide at Frankfurt Airport, then head south to the city of Worms. We’ll visit the Cathedral, one of the country’s most impressive examples of Romanesque architecture.

We’ll continue on to the historic town of Heidelberg. After checking into our hotel, we’ll tour Old Town’s two Christmas markets (Christkindlemarkts), the world’s most beautiful places for buying holiday gifts. These holiday markets date back to the 17th Century, when the custom of giving Christmas presents to children began.

Among the festive booths, you’’ll find irresistible handmade toys, unique decorations and tasty regional delicacies. Meals included: D.

Day 3—Heidelberg/Rothenburg: After breakfast, we’ll tour the city with a local guide and explore the ruins of Heidelberg Castle, one of the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps. Later, we’ll walk back to Old Town and visit the city’s Old Bridge, Holy Ghost Church and market square.

Next we’ll travel east to Rothenburg, Germany’s best-preserved walled city. Our guide will show us the town’s magnificent Christmas market, where you can shop for more gifts and taste local fare. After dark, we’ll join a costumed guide for a fascinating, narrated walking tour. Meals included: B, D.

Day 4—Rothenburg/Nuremberg: Today takes us to the medieval city of Nuremberg, home of Germany’s most famous Christmas market. You’ll find more than 180 booths filled with handmade gifts, ornaments and spicy gingerbread treats.

A local guide will join us for a tour of the old town, including a trio of churches, the emperor’s castle and the town walls. Explore the Christmas market on your own before we return to Rothenburg. Meals included: B.

Day 5—Rothenburg/Ulm/Salzburg: Today we’ll travel to the town of Ulm on the banks of the Danube River. Soaring 531 feet above the skyline, Ulm Minster is the town’s most famous and impressive landmark and the tallest church spire in the world.

At the foot of the spire in Minster Square, you’ll find a glittering Christmas market. You’ll have time to stroll through the stalls before we continue on to Austria. Our home for the next three nights is the musical city of Salzburg. Meals included: B, D.

Day 6—Salzburg/Oberndorf: This morning, a local guide will join us for a walking tour of the city. We’ll see the most historic sights, including the birthplace of Mozart, Great Festival Hall, St. Peter’s Abbey, the exquisite Domplatz and ornate 17th-Century Cathedral.

After lunch on your own, we’ll visit the small town of Oberndorf, where “Silent Night” was first performed in 1818. Stroll through the lovely town on your own and visit the Silent Night Memorial Chapel.

Next we’ll visit Maria Plain, Salzburg’s stunning pilgrimage church, before stopping at Salzburg’s two Christmas markets for more shopping. Meals included: B, D.

Day 7—Salzburg: You’ll have time this morning to explore the enchanting city of Salzburg. Then we’ll travel to Lake St. Wolfgang for the spectacular “Wolfgangseer Advent. You’ll visit the villages of St. Wolfgang, Stroble and St. Gilgen, each with its own unique Christmas celebration and market. Strobl’s living Nativity, complete with live animals and beautiful scenery, will be a particularly fond memory.

Later, we’ll enjoy an unforgettable boat excursion on the quiet, dark lake, cruising past the sparkling lights of each village’s holiday display. We’ll return to Salzburg for the night. Meals included: B, D.

Day 8—Munich: This morning we’ll travel to Bavaria. A tour of Munich will reveal the University, the Residence Palace, both Old and New City Halls and more. At the town hall, we’ll see the famous clock with its animated Glockenspiel. Three times a day it re-enacts two moments in Munich’s history.

After leisure time in Munich, we’ll enjoy a final dinner together at the Hofbrauhaus, featuring a Bavarian folklore show. Meals included: B, D.

Day 9—Munich: As you board the plane, you’ll cherish memories of this unique pre-holiday celebration. Meals included: B.

Your itinerary may vary slightly. Although the day in which a stop is listed may differ, you will enjoy the same experiences listed here.

Accommodations

• Day 1: en route to Frankfurt
• Day 2: Goldener Falke Hotel, Heidelberg, Germany
• Day 3: Hotel Europa, Munich, Germany
• Days 4 - 6: Hotel Astoria, Salzburg, Austria
• Days 7 & 8: Hotel Rappen, Rothenburg, Germany