Christmas in Germany
November 30 - December 7, 2024 | $3,199
What's included in the tour:
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Accommodations for 7 nights at 3-4 Star hotels*.
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All transportation during the tour: train tickets between cities (1st Class when available), transportation to and from venues (breweries, museums etc.) and tram passes.
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All event (brewery, museum, etc.) entry fees.
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Breakfast daily.
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Group lunches (7).
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Group dinners (6).
*Accommodations based on double occupancy.
Tour cost: $3199.00 USD
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Single Supplement: $950.00 USD
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**Payment Plans Available
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Late in November, cities in Europe magically transform into Christmas wonderlands with festive decorations. Markets appear in town squares and the air is filled with holiday joy and holiday spirit. Without a doubt, Germany offers some of the best Christmas Markets. We will visit both large and small Markets in Leipzig, Dresden, Munich, Bamberg, Cologne and Düsseldorf all while immersing ourselves in the local culture.
Day 1 Saturday, November 30, 2024
We will meet at our host hotel in Leipzig mid-morning for a private walking tour of the city. Afterward, we will visit the famous Bayerischer Bahnhof brewery for lunch and a private tour. We will enjoy a sampling of their Gose, a low alcohol beer with a light, tart flavor. Next, it’s off the Christmas Market and it’s over 200 wooden huts and stalls. We will wrap up our day with a trip to Ritterguts Gose GmbH for another Gose sampling and dinner before returning to the hotel for the evening. (L, D)
Day 2 Sunday, December 1, 2024
We rise early today for the hour train ride to Dresden, Germany to visit the famous Dresden Christmas Markets. Dresden boasts some of the best, if not the best, Christmas Markets in Germany. Upon arrival, we head to our first of three Christmas markets. Afterward, we will visit the brewery Ballhaus Watzke for lunch and a sampling of their beers. We will spend the rest of the afternoon exploring two additional Christmas Markets before dinner at the brewery Feldschlößchen-Stammhaus. After dinner, we return to Leipzig and pack for our trip the following day to Bamberg. (B, L, D)
Day 3 Monday, December 2, 2024
Today we move on to Bamberg, a beautiful, medieval city located in Northern Bavaria, from which we will “hub-out-of” for the next 3 days. Our train trip will take almost one and a half hours, giving us time to relax and enjoy the scenery. Upon arriving in Bamberg, we will drop our luggage at our hotel before meeting with our guide for a private tour of the city. Next, we will wander through this magical city to sample our first “Rauchbier” at Brauerei Schlenkerla. This beer is native to Bamberg and features a unique smokey, malty flavor. After lunch, it’ a short walk to the Bamberg Christmas Market or Weihnachtsmarkt. This is one of the smaller markets we will visit but full of local crafts and delicacies. The rest of the afternoon is free to enjoy the area before meeting at the hotel for dinner. (B, L, D)
Day 4 Tuesday, December 3, 2024
We rise early today for the train ride to Munich where we will explore some larger Christmas Markets and visit several tap houses. Upon arrival, it’s a short walk to The Khristkindmarkt in the Marienplatz where we will have the opportunity to explore the market and it’s treasures. From here, it is a short walk to Schneider Brauhaus for lunch and a sampling of some of their famous beers. Following lunch, we will visit the Kipperlmarkt in the Karlplatz, another of the larger Christmas Markets in Munich. We will have dinner tonight at the famous Augustiner before returning to Bamberg. (B, L, D)
Day 5 Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Today we rise and have a leisurely breakfast before taking a short walk to Weyermann Malt, the world leader in specialty brewing malts. Here, we will tour their facility and learn about one of the main components in beer – malted grains. At the end of the tour, we will enjoy a beer tasting at Weyermann’s own brewery. Next, it’s off to
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lunch at Ambrausianum where we will enjoy a sampling of their lagers. After lunch, we will visit another brewery, Klosterbrau before returning to the Christmas Market. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore the city. Dinner tonight is on our own. (B, L)
Day 6 Thursday, December 5, 2024
We board an early train for the trip to Cologne. This is our longest train ride at three and a half hours with a train change in Frankfurt. There were 7 distinct Christmas Markets in Cologne in 2023 and we will visit at least 3 on our tour. Our first stop is lunch at Brauhaus Sion for lunch and a sampling of their beer. Afterward, we will start with the Weihnachtsmarkt, the market next to the Cologne Cathedral. This is the largest and most diverse. We can also visit the Cathedral, one of the few structures in Cologne that remained after WWII. The next two markets are at the Heumarkt and Old Market squares. These two squares are connected and surrounded by tap houses for many of the breweries in Cologne. The afternoon will be spent drinking Kölsch and exploring the markets. Dinner tonight is at Brauhaus FRÜH am Dom. (B, L, D)
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Day 7 Friday, December 6, 2024
Today is another day trip, this time to visit Dusseldorf for its famous Alt beer and beautiful Christmas markets. The train trip will take 30 minutes and upon arrival, it is a short walk to our first Christmas Market via the farmer’s market. Lunch is at the Uerige Brewery where we will sample their beer and the brave at heart can enjoy a raw pork sandwich. We will continue on to another Christmas Market before returning to Cologne for our final dinner together. (B, L, D)
Day 8 Saturday, December 7, 2024
Today we rise and say our goodbyes before returning home or to our next adventure. (B)
Mobility Notice
This tour involves substantial walking through breweries, museums and the cities we visit. In addition, climbing of stairs, navigating entryways, etc. is required. Many venues visited on this tour would not be considered ADA compliant. If you have concerns regarding these issues, please contact our staff as this might not be the best tour choice for you.