European Christmas Market Getaway

There is nothing quite like Christmas among the Alps with the festive Munich Christmas Market, Salzburg’s snowcapped spires and an indulgent cup of Glühwein in Innsbruck. Your Local Expert brings Mozart’s history to life ahead of an indulgent Salzburg market tasting, with samples of traditional, hand baked gingerbread. After tasting these festive treats, the culinary delights continue with a traditional Innsbruck dining experience, set against the backdrop of a local Tyrolean folk show. If that is not enough to summon your holiday spirit, a stroll through the medieval cobbled streets of Freiburg will certainly do the trick, not to mention the fairytale surrounds of Strasbourg, where the sweet scent of cinnamon treats is carried on the breeze at the oldest Christmas market in France.

Delight in the charms of a European Christmas as you cruise along the Rhine. Visit charming Strasbourg, take in the spa resort town of Baden-Baden and Heidelberg Castle. Marvel at the World Heritage-listed Rhine Gorge, explore Colognes Christmas markets and discover the canals of Amsterdam. Throughout your journey, you will be enchanted by the magical traditions of Christmas, including the fragrant aroma of gluhwein, roasted chestnuts and bustling markets bursting with festive excitement.

Your Fly, Tour & Cruise Package Includes:

• $2,400 flight credit per person
• 8 night Alpine Christmas Market guided tour with Insight Vacations, Munich to Zurich
• Tour includes: 13 meals, stylish hand-picked hotels, Christmas market visits plus more
• 7 night Rhine Christmas Market cruise on board Scenic Amber, Zurich to Amsterdam
• Cruise includes up to five onboard dining options, complimentary beverages all day, every day, 1 exclusive Scenic Enrich experience, your choice of up to 10 Scenic Freechoice activities + more
• Transfers throughout
• Port charges, fees, taxes & gratuities onboard your cruise

Pricing is per person twin share and based on travel 4-19 December 2024

Solo traveller pricing available. Please speak to one of our travel consultants for more details

Tour Itinerary:

Day 1 | Arrive in Munich

Welcome to Germany. Meet your Travel Director this afternoon for an orientation of the city that will show you some of the city’s major sights, culminating in the Marienplatz, with its soaring Town Hall and Glockenspiel. Here, the Christkindlmarkt will be in full swing, an entrancing festival of light and music. In the evening, join your Travel Director and fellow guests for a Welcome Dinner with wine.

Day 2 | Free Time in the Bavarian Capital

Munich embraces the holiday season with a particular zeal, so the day is all yours to enjoy the vibrant festive markets that abound in this city. On crisp winter days, organ music and carols ring out from the ancient churches. If snow has fallen, the vast English Garden provides lovely winter vistas. Another option is to experience the romantic royal palaces of the Bavarian Alps.

Day 3 | Lake Chiemsee, Salzburg and Innsbruck

Travel alongside the tranquil waters of Lake Chiemsee on your way to Salzburg in Austria, where the spires and domes of the Old Town are often draped in snow in December. Visit Mozart's birthplace to learn more about his life, and sit down to a musical demonstration on his original pianoforte. Enjoy a visit to Swarovski in the afternoon followed by a highlight dinner. Head through the mountains to your Innsbruck hotel.

Day 4 | Innsbruck at Leisure

Enjoy a horse & carriage ride in the morning. Immerse yourself in the festive atmosphere of the Old Town and Christmas Markets, set in front of the Golden Roof, graced by beautifully preserved medieval facades.

Day 5 | The Black Forest via Lindau

Travel through the Alberg tunnel, Austria’s longest road tunnel, as you return to Germany and pause in the tiny island-town of Lindau. Walk through the maze of ancient streets down to the harbour. Across the lake, often shrouded in mist, look for the rising silhouette of snow-capped peaks. After time to explore, continue along the shores of the Bodensee to your hotel in the Black Forest.

Day 6 | Freiburg Sightseeing

Visit Freiburg in the morning, a lively university city with a charming Christmas atmosphere. Walk from the medieval Münster through the heart of the historic old quarter, past colourful stalls oering a range of festive goodies from the Black Forest.

Day 7 | Strasbourg and Alsace Experience

Cross the Rhine to the region of Alsace, wedged between the Black Forest and the Vosges Mountains. This area has changed nationality four times since 1870! Arrive in Strasbourg, the City at the Crossroads, where the Christmas Market is the oldest and one of the largest in France. Spend time in a cosy neighbourhood of timbered fairy-tale buildings, with Christmas shops and a gingerbread bakery, warm with fragrant promise. Return to Germany and venture to a local restaurant for a delightful dinner of local specialties, accompanied by wine.

Day 8 | The Swiss City of Zürich

Cross the Swiss border and head for Zurich where a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® visit takes you through the streets of Zurich to a local chocolate factory for a tasting of locally-made sweet specialties. A highlight is Europe’s biggest indoor Christmas extravaganza held in the main railway station, with over 160 wooden chalets. Toast to the culmination of your Yuletide journey during a festive Celebration Dinner with wine at a local restaurant with its own microbrewery

Day 9 | Depart Zürich

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast before checking out. Transfers are available from your hotel to Zürich Airport

Cruise Itinerary:

Day 1 | Zurich - Basel

Welcome to Zurich, transfer to Basel where the crew of your Scenic Space-Ship will warmly greet you. Raise your glass to the marvellous cruise ahead of you at this evening’s welcome reception.

Day 2 | Kehl - Strasbourg

Enjoy a leisurely morning sailing towards Kehl. Relax in the sunshine on the Sun Deck as you relish the scenery rolling by. Download the Scenic Tailormade App to listen to river commentary and gain insight to the villages and sites you’re passing.

Arrive in the city of Kehl, the gateway to Strasbourg, this afternoon. It’s the capital city of the Alsace region, where sherbert-coloured, half-timbered houses heave together on the banks of a complex network of canals. On its central island, the UNESCO-listed Grand Ile, is the Petite France district, so named for the 15th century hospital that was built here for patients suffering from syphilis, ‘the French disease’. It is also known as the Tanners’ Quarters, thanks to its medieval industries. Its meandering cobbled laneways are lined with a medley of buildings with shuttered windows and bright flowerboxes.

Enjoy a guided walking tour of this charming town, taking in many of its most important sights including the Cathedral, Petit France, the Grand Ile and its beautiful canals. Strasbourg is located on the border of France and Germany and ownership of the town has changed hands many times between the two countries. Due to this, Strasbourg is a unique mixture of both French and German architecture and culture. You will be driven to Strasbourg, passing many notable sites, including the European Parliament on your way. After your guided tour you have free time to explore the magical markets. Strasbourg has some of the largest and most popular Christmas markets in Europe with the town squares and pedestrian zone coming alive with festive cheer.

Day 3 | Rastatt - Baden-Baden

This morning you will arrive in Rastatt. Enjoy a delicious, hearty breakfast in Crystal Dining before your excursion to Baden Baden, famous for its Roman baths. Located on the fringes of the Black Forest, this luxurious town was a favoured summer escape during the Belle Epoque and is World Heritage listed as part of the Great Spa Towns of Europe. It oozes relaxation, has tranquil green spaces, many pretty public gardens, and grand historical architecture.

Day 4 | Mannheim

You will arrive in Mannheim early this morning. Known as a ‘chessboard city’ for its streets that were methodically laid out like a grid in the 17th century, it is also famous as the home of some of the world’s most brilliant engineering minds, including Carl Benz, founder of Mercedes-Benz who set up his workshop in the city. Nearby, the city of Heidelberg is a truly romantic setting, with an 18th-century arch bridge that straddles the Necker River and a 16thcentury ruined castle on the hillside looming above town.

Day 5 | Koblenz

This morning you will cruise along the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage-listed Rhine Gorge in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. This 65-kilometre stretch of the river is dotted with some 40 hilltop castles and fortresses that span a period of 1000 years. Sailing down this section of the river is like being transported through the pages of a fairytale. The Rhine abounds in myths, legends and folklore that have been passed on for generations, including the story of Lorelei. This enchanting woman was betrayed by her sweetheart and spent her days bewitching men. As her punishment, she was sent to a nunnery, however on her way she jumped to her death in the river. Legend has her spirit casting spells on sailors who passed the rock, where a bronze statue sits today. You will arrive in Koblenz after lunch. Located where the Rhine and Moselle rivers meet, Koblenz is a melange of French and German cultures and one of Germany’s oldest cities with a history spanning 2,000 years. Koblenz is surrounded by vineyards, forest and mountain ranges and is also known as the gateway to the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. During the festive season, the city sparkles with thousands of lights strung along the streets and many buildings illuminated with colourful projections.

Day 6 | Cologne

You will arrive in Cologne early this morning, a city known for its liberal and laidback lifestyle, a unique beer culture, thriving auto industry and the jaw-dropping cathedral that dominates its skyline. Settled by the Romans, this major cultural centre for the Rhineland was built during the Middle Ages but was largely destroyed during WWII. The magnificent Gothic cathedral, an enormous World Heritage site that dates to 1248, was badly damaged but remained standing tall above the ruins of the city. Take the time to discover Cologne on a walking tour. Wander the laneways of the historical Old Town, which is home to many breweries serving up draft Kolsch beer. Enjoy some free time to visit the city's centrepiece and icon, Cologne Cathedral. The Kolner Dom, as it is known locally, is also the location for magnificent Christmas Markets and after your guided tour there is plenty of time to wander the wooden stalls where local venders sell delicious treats and decorations. Don’t forget to look out for the largest Christmas tree in the Rhineland. Your Scenic Space-Ship will depart just before dinner, allowing you plenty of time to be immersed in the tastes and scents of Christmas, like hot chestnuts, freshly baked gingerbread and mulled wine, all on offer in this lovely town.

Day 7 | Amsterdam

This afternoon we arrive in Amsterdam. The Netherland’s capital city is a treasure trove of architectural beauty, masterpiece-filled galleries, tranquil scenes of boats putting along 16th-century canals, narrow cobbled laneways filled with boutiques and cafes, and streets busy with cyclists criss-crossing their way about town. Often referred to as the Venice of the North, much of the UNESCO-listed canal system exists today as it did hundreds of years ago, lined with well-preserved canal houses and intersected by charming bridges.

Day 8 | Amsterdam

After a hearty breakfast, you’ll be transferred to Amsterdam airport for your onward or homebound flight. This itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons such as high and low water. As such, the cruise may operate altered from that stated above.

Prices listed are per person in Australian/New Zealand Dollars, based on twin occupancy, including all discounts unless otherwise stated. The offer is subject to availability at time of booking and shown *on the lowest oceanview category available at the time. Fares are capacity controlled and are subject to change at any time without notice. Prices/Offers are correct as at 3 January 2024 and can be withdrawn without notice. Cabin categories include prepaid government fees and port taxes unless otherwise stated. Visas are not included.  Air credit is applicable on airline of choice, subject to availability and subject to the carriers’ flight schedules and conditions. Payments made by credit card will incur a surcharge.