Christmas Markets

Arrive in Vienna and check-in to our hotel for the next three nights. Meet your fellow passengers at our Welcome Dinner tonight.

Vienna is Austria’s cultural gem with stunning architecture, historic palaces, and world-class museums. With the opulent Hofburg Palace and majestic Schonbrunn, it is the perfect start to our European Christmas adventure.

Morning visit to the iconic Vienna State Opera and historic St Stephen’s Cathedral before we spend the afternoon at the magnificent Schonbrunn Palace. Once the main summer residence of the Habsburg rulers, the 1,441-room Baroque palace is one of the most important architectural, cultural, and historic monuments in Austria. The history of the palace and its vast gardens spans over 300 years, reflecting the change in tastes, interests, and aspirations of each of the Habsburg monarchs who resided here.

Explore your first Christmas Market in the forecourt of Schonbrunn Palace which will be decorated with countless lights.

Optional evening visit to a Wiener Mozart Concert (at own expense).

Spend the morning exploring Vienna, visit the City Hall (Rathaus), Austrian Parliament Building amongst others.

Afternoon at leisure to soak in more of Vienna’s Christmas spirit. Visit the Christkindlmarket set against the stunning City Hall with an ice-skating rink and a magical train ride for kids – a scene straight out of a holiday movie.

We will make our way to Prague today via coach. En route visit Cesky Krumlov, one of the most beautiful towns in the Czech Republic and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Time to wander streets, shops and cafes.

Check-in to our hotel in Prague for the next two nights, right in the heart of the city near Wenceslas Square. Time to explore the magnificent Christmas Markets this afternoon. Dinner included tonight.

Guided Morning Tour through Prague’s old town past the medieval Astronomical clock tower and across Charles Bridge, which was the only crossing over the river Vltava for centuries.

Prague Castle next. Built in the 9th century, the castle has long served as the seat of power for kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia. Nowadays it serves as the official residence and workplace of the president of the Czech Republic.

Afternoon at leisure with time to explore Christmas markets, with dazzling wooden huts full of local Christmas treats and hearty cuisine.

Onto Dresden today, with a scenic en-route stop at the historic town of Litomerice, known for its charming architecture and cobblestone streets. Continue on to Dresden and visit the Green Vault which is world renown as one of the richest treasure chambers in Europe.

Check-in to our hotel right in the heart of Dresden for the next three nights.

Enjoy some free time to explore the city’s enchanting Christmas market. Stroll through the festive stalls, sample local treats, and take in the holiday atmosphere, with its twinkling lights and traditional decorations, making for a magical experience.

Travel to Seiffen today nestled in the heart of the ‘Ore Mountains’ (Erzgebirge). Traditionally a mining region with silver and tin mines, Seiffen had to reinvent itself once all mines had to shut down. As a result a whole new industry of lace making, weaving and wood carving developed. We will visit the world’s largest selection of German Nutcrackers and Christmas Pyramids.

In the afternoon, return to Dresden and have some free time to explore Christmas market.

Enjoy a full day of sightseeing in Dresden with a local guide. Dresden is known for its stunning Baroque architecture and rich history shaped by royal Saxon power. After it was severely destroyed in 1945 during World War II, it has been meticulously restored. Today, the city is a vibrant cultural hub, blending history with modern charm.

Explore the city’s most iconic landmarks. Visit the impressive Dresden Zwinger, home to fascinating exhibits like the Porcelain Collection. Dresden is also home to the “prettiest milk shop in the world”.

Leave for Leipzig today; the city is birthplace of Richard Wagner and Bach, Mendelssohn Bartholdy, the Schumanns and Mahler worked here too.

Afternoon guided tour of the city including the New Town Hall built in 1905, St. Thomas Church where Martin Luther preached and Bach was the music director.

Lunch is served in a 500 year old restaurant where Johann Wolfgang von Goethe used to be a patron. Settle into our hotel for the night.

We’re travelling South today to Nuremberg with a lunch stop in Bayreuth, where Wagner’s operas are performed at the annual Bayreuth Festival.

Free afternoon in Nuremburg to explore Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt, one of the oldest and most famous Christmas markets in the world.

We spend our last day in Munich, known for its annual Oktoberfest celebration and its beer halls, including the famed Hofbräuhaus, founded in 1589. A local guide will show us around the Altstadt (Old Town), the central Marienplatz square with its Neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus (town hall), Viktualienmarkt, a gourmet farmers market are amongst the attractions. Farewell Lunch at a local restaurant.

Stay on in Munich or depart to the airport this afternoon for your homeward flight.