Itinerary
Day 1
Welcome to Germany! From the airport, you’ll be whisked away to your wonderful hotel (see Transportation section for details). After check-in, you can settle in or head out to explore on your own. At 3 p.m., join your Travel Director and fellow DreamTrippers for a special sightseeing tour — you’ll see major city sights, including Feldherrnhall in the Odeonsplatz, the Wittelsbach castle, English Garden, the Hofbrauhaus beer hall and St. Peter’s Church. Your tour winds up at Marienplatz pedestrian square, with its soaring town hall and famous Glockenspiel. Here, the christkindlmarkt (Christmas market) will be in full swing, an entrancing festival of light and music. In the evening, meet up with your Travel Director and fellow guests for a warm and friendly welcome dinner with wine.
Overnight at Munich Marriott® Hotel.
Meals included: Dinner with wine.
Day 2
After you savor your included breakfast, the rest of the day is all yours to experience your surroundings at your own pace. Why not head out to enjoy the vibrant festive markets that dot this city? On crisp winter days, organ music and carols ring out from the ancient churches, an inspiring aural backdrop for exploring. If snow has fallen, you’ll find that the vast English Garden provides lovely winter vistas. Another option is to get out and explore the romantic royal palaces of the Bavarian Alps.
Overnight at Munich Marriott Hotel.
Meals included: Breakfast.
Day 3
Today you’ll travel alongside the tranquil waters of Lake Chiemsee on your way to Salzburg in Austria. With a local expert, you’ll see important city sights, including the Hohensalzburg fortress, Residence Fountain, Old Town and more. You’ll also visit Mozart's birthplace to learn more about his life and sit down to a musical demonstration on his original pianoforte (piano). At the city’s 500-year-old Christmas market, your Travel Director will introduce you to one of the stallholders for a taste of traditional Bavarian lebkuchen (a cookie akin to gingerbread) and a fragrant cup of gluhwein (hot spiced wine). After your wonderful tour, head through the mountains to your Innsbruck hotel. This evening, enjoy a traditional Austrian meal accompanied by local Tyrolean entertainment.
Overnight at AC Hotel by Marriott Innsbruck.
Meals included: Breakfast; dinner with wine.
Day 4
Enjoy a relaxed start and spend the morning at your leisure. Later, led by your Travel Director, you’ll immerse yourself in the festive atmosphere of Innbruck’s historic Old Town district, with its striking Baroque and Gothic architecture. Here, you’ll find a Christmas market set up in front of the Golden Roof, the most famous landmark in the city. Explore Innsbruck further with your choice of activity. Will you opt for a horse-and-carriage ride or a visit to the magical Swarovski Crystal Worlds?
Overnight at AC Hotel by Marriott Innsbruck.
Meals included: Breakfast.
Day 5
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 harbor. 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 (Lake Constance) to your hotel in the Black Forest for three fabulous nights.
Overnight at Hotel Stadt Lorrach.
Meals included: Breakfast; dinner with wine.
Day 6
In the morning, you’ll visit Freiburg, a lively university city with a charming Christmas atmosphere. Stroll the medieval cobbled streets, walking from the cathedral through the heart of the historic old quarter, past colorful Christmas market stalls offering a range of festive goodies from the Black Forest.
Overnight at Hotel Stadt Lorrach.
Meals included: Breakfast.
Day 7
Cross the Rhine to the region of Alsace, wedged between the Black Forest and the Vosges mountain range. This area has changed nationality four times since 1870! In Strasbourg, visiting the Christmas markets is like stepping into a fairy tale, where glittering lights and the scent of cinnamon enchant your senses. You’ll visit the oldest Christmas market in France, set in front of the cathedral, and spend some time in the quaint Petite France neighborhood before returning to Germany. In the evening, venture to a local restaurant for a delightful dinner of local specialties, accompanied by wine.
Overnight at Hotel Stadt Lorrach.
Meals included: Breakfast; dinner with wine.
Day 8
Today, you’ll cross the Swiss border and head for Zurich, where sightseeing includes the Grossmunster and Fraumunster churches, Bahnhofstrasse — an exclusive shopping avenue — and Old Town. A highlight is Europe’s biggest indoor Christmas extravaganza held in the main railway station, with its 3-story Christmas tree adorned with Swarovski crystals. Toast the culmination of your Yuletide journey during a festive celebration dinner with wine at a local restaurant
with its own microbrewery.
Overnight at Movenpick Hotel Zurich Airport
Meals included: Breakfast; dinner with wine.
Day 9
Enjoy a relaxed breakfast at the hotel before checking out of the hotel. Transfer to the airport via hotel shuttle — they run every 15 minutes — as your journey comes to an end.
Meals included: Breakfast.
Please note: Our supplier(s) have reviewed the dates of above-listed Christmas markets to ensure they line up with our travel dates; in instances where advance dates are not available, however, we reserve the right to substitute Christmas market inclusions if needed.
Itinerary and listed hotels are also subject to change.