Full Itinerary:

*Excursions for week 1 (December 2-8) are subject to minor changes

Day 1

Arrival in Cologne & Walking Tour

• We start off in one of my favorite Christmas Markets and cities in Germany: Cologne!
• Why Cologne? Because it's the best way to fly from the USA and/or within Europe. It is near Frankfurt Airport or you can fly directly to Cologne.  Flights are very easy and affordable here, plus Cologne has great train connections.
• Famous for both its enormous gothic cathedral (a UNESCO site! and once the tallest building in the world) housing the relics of the Three Wiseman and tiny (don’t worry, you’re encouraged to enjoy more than one) Kölsch beers always served at the perfect temperature, Cologne is also home to eight of the best Christmas Markets in Europe.
• Today’s included excursion will be a walking tour of the city center learning about this fascinating Roman city, an introduction to Christmas Markets and ending at the magnificent cathedral.

Day 2

Koblenz and Aranfels Castle

• Discover Koblenz's captivating blend of historic architecture, scenic riverside promenades, and the iconic Deutsches Eck, where the mighty Rhine and Moselle rivers converge; see the Town Hall, Schängel Fountain, and the Church of Our Lady.
• A walking tour of this riverbound city and all its wondrous sites will be the included excursion for this stop. 
• Take an optional excursion to Arenfels Castle, a neo-Gothic castle dating back to the 1200s! Situated in picturesque vineyards, with meticulously preserved and beautiful gardens and offering breathtaking panoramic views of the river valley, it feels like stepping in a fairy-tale. There will be an included tasting from their local specialty shop and time to explore their private Christmas Market on the castle grounds.  

Day 3

Cruise to Rüdesheim and Winery 

• Did you know there are more castles on this stretch of the Rhine than nearly anywhere in the world?! All located along the tall cliff sides of the Rhine. We know this guided sailing will be a highlight of the week. Our port city, Rudesheim, is located in the heart of this wine valley with half timbered homes and wine shops almost too cute to believe. 
• The included excursion is a walking tour throughout town, including the narrow Drosselgasse, ending at the Mechanical Instrument Museum, where guides will demonstrate these fantastic machines for us!
• The optional excursion will be to a coffee house to try the famous Rudeseheimer coffee, fortified with their local spirit, and then on to a winery to taste some of the best German wine you can find.  

Day 4

Heidelberg and Mannheim

• Today is VERY exciting because we are heading to my favorite city: Heidelberg! I'm biased because Michael and I lived here. But this city is the PERFECT mix of a romantic castle, river, amazing, walkable Christmas Markets, and utter beauty!
• In our included excursion, we'll take a tour of Heidelberg, explore the LARGEST wine barrel in the world, see the castle, hear the history and find over 100 decorated stalls at the Christmas Market! 
• Stay at our port and explore Mannheim! Mannheim is a city of Baroque opulence built uniquely on a chessboard grid layout. Carl Benz first successfully demonstrated his car here in 1886, the palace is one of the largest ever covering 14 acres of interior space and the red sandstone water tower and Luisenpark further beautify the city. 
• Bad Dürkheim is home to both the largest and oldest (dating back to 1417!) wine festival in the world and our optional excursion for the day. This wine region known as the Pfalz is just a few miles from the French border and has actually changed its nationality several times throughout history. This in-depth tasting will feature several wines in addition to sparkling wine and liqueur. Local sausages will complement the wines.    

Day 5

Strasbourg and the Black Forest

• Strasbourg is the Capital of Christmas for a reason! With a 100-foot Christmas tree towering over the main square, over 300 Christmas stalls spread throughout the city, and over-the-top decor wherever you go!
• Our included excursion will stop at all the major sites in town, including the Notre Dame cathedral with its beautifully complex astronomical clock, picture-perfect Petite France, and free time in town.
• The fairy tale famous Black Forest will be our optional excursion for the day. We’ll travel through the beautiful wintry mountains to visit the Vogtsbauernhof, an open air historical museum featuring the rich Schwarzwald culture. We’ll learn about the traditional dress, cuckoo clocks, and even try the famous Black Forest cake! On the way back we’ll stop in the beautiful town of Gengenbach to enjoy the world’s largest Advent calendar and a more locals only German Christmas Market.
• You will be able to do both if you like or have free time to explore!

   
   

Day 6

Mainz & Wiesbaden

• Mainz's 2000-year-old history is highlighted by one famous individual, Johannes Gutenberg. The man who invented the modern printing press (creating the original information age) changed the world, and not one but two of his original Bibles can be found in his hometown museum.
• Strolling Mainz’s historic center with its medieval market squares is a delight, and that’s just what we’ll do along with our entertaining guide for our included excursion of the day. We’ll learn all about the 1,000-year-old cathedral as we pass beautiful Christmas Markets. Mainz is surrounded by gorgeous half-timbered architecture and unique Christmas Markets! There's the main town square and one just next to the cathedral that reminds me of Cinderella!
• Our optional excursion for the day will be a visit to nearby Wiesbaden. One of the most beautiful cities in Germany, it was designed as such with wellness and luxury in mind. This spa town has spectacular architecture with grand spires reaching to the sky all across town. Your guide will teach you all about it as well as provide free time to explore on your own.
  

  
  Read more at: https://europe.stripes.com/travel/the-christmas-markets-of-mainz-and-wiesbaden.html
  Source - Stars and Stripes

Day 7

Cologne

• All good things must come to an end. You can decide whether your trip does now or not! We decided to start and end our trip in Cologne because (its own well-connected airport aside) it’s only a 45-minute train ride to Frankfurt Airport, one of the largest airports in the world. Plus, there is so much to see and do in Cologne; we wanted to ensure you had maximum time here! This is the biggest city on our trip, and there are so many markets to explore (Angel's Market is my favorite!). 
• I brought my Mom here last year, and she was blown away. Multiple markets throughout the city, music, great food, and Christmas joy all around! The markets are large, and each one is themed differently.
• We will say "Auf Wiedersehen" but will have memories that last a lifetime!
  
  

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