Christmas Markets & New Year in Europe

A city carved by the Main River, Frankfurt glows with Christmas lights and vibrates with the ringing of church bells. A transfer to our hotel, the Sofitel Frankfurt Opera, begins our journey, before an afternoon at leisure sees you embracing the local festivities as you please. Restaurant Schöenmann, within our hotel, provides the opportunity to meet your fellow travellers and Tour Host Team this evening.

Synonymous with Europe during the festive season, the Christmas markets are not far from our minds. Following breakfast, we satisfy this cultural craving by embarking upon a walking tour of Frankfurt’s local Christmas market. Set within celebrated Römerberg Square, a dazzling array of lights can be seen alongside awnings adorned with pine, large red bows and glittering tinsel. A cluster of stalls trade in assorted gingerbread, mulled wine and expertly carved and decorated nutcrackers. Nearby, St Paul’s Cathedral invites us in to marvel at its circular, light-filled interior. 

Following lunch at a local restaurant, enjoy some time to explore on your own terms. Later this afternoon, we reconvene at the Alte Oper Frankfurt to take in a spectacular ballet performance. Conveniently, we enjoy dinner at Restaurant Opéra, on the third floor of Alte Oper.

Though our ultimate destination today is Nuremberg, we stop along the way in Würzburg to see the sights, as well as its Christmas market. We then retreat to Bürgerspital Weinstuben, where we sample traditional Franconian cuisine before continuing on our way. One of the leading cities of the German Renaissance period, Nuremberg is occupied by its Gothic churches, Imperial Castle and traditional Bauernhaus architecture. Arriving in the city late this afternoon, we check into the Le Méridien Grand Hotel Nuremberg.

Your World experiences present contrasting scenes of the city this morning:

— Take a walking tour of Nuremberg’s Old Town, making sure to stop for Nuremberg pretzels and sausages, as well as baked lebkuchen. 

— A dark chapter of the city’s past is revealed during a visit to the infamous Nazi Party Rally Grounds and the Nuremberg Trials Memorial. 

Take the afternoon at leisure to explore Nuremberg as you wish. Tonight, select from a range of the city’s fine-dining establishments.

Boarding one of the first-class carriages of a cross-country train this morning, we make our way east to Dresden, stopping momentarily in Leipzig to change trains. On arrival in Dresden, we make our way to the Dresdner Striezelmarkt, Germany’s oldest Christmas market. Enjoy lunch in this festive environment, before taking the afternoon to explore at leisure. We dine this evening at our majestic residence, the Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski. You are then most welcome to join us for midnight mass at the Kathedrale Sanctissimae Trinitatis, just a short walk from our hotel.

Given it’s Christmas morning, we’ve set some time aside to celebrate in the traditional fashion. Gathering around our very own Christmas tree, enjoy the moment as you unwrap your present. Take pleasure in the reactions of your fellow guests, as we see just how well Santa knows each of us. Celebrate further during Christmas lunch at our hotel. Take this afternoon on your own schedule to absorb the spirit of the season. Perhaps wander the banks of the River Elbe, treading upon a crisp blanket of freshly fallen snow or admire the city’s Baroque architecture. We meet back up for dinner before retiring to our luxurious hotel.

A short drive brings us to Moritzburg Castle this morning. Occupying a man-made island in the middle of a lake, the 16th-century baroque castle is a former hunting lodge, which today houses an art museum, and is also well-known for its staging of theatrical productions. While here, we dine within the regal setting of the castle’s Schlossrestaurant Moritzburg. Upon our return to Dresden, you are free to spend the afternoon at leisure. You might otherwise like to join us for an exploration of Dresden Heath. Wander among the towering spruce trees, where gifts of fruit and nuts may be left for the resident wildlife. Dresden’s great range of restaurants invites you to make a selection this evening.

After a relaxing morning, we are driven across the border to the Czech town of Karlovy Vary, stopping for lunch along the way. One of Europe’s renowned spa towns, Karlovy Vary is brimming with tall, pastel-coloured buildings populating its winding, narrow streets. Wander your way across town, exploring the many shops lined along the canal, leading gradually to the Mill Colonnade. Our residence while in Karlovy Vary is the Grand Hotel Pupp, and we meet within its Grand Restaurant for dinner this evening.