Germany Christmas Markets

Itinerary

• Germany

  Germany is a country in Central Europe, covering 357,021 square kilometres, and is the largest population among the member states of the European Union. A region named Germania inhabited by several Germanic peoples has been known and documented before 100 AD. Beginning in the 10th century, German territories formed a central part of the Holy Roman Empire that lasted until 1806. During the 16th century, northern Germany became the centre of the Protestant Reformation. As a modern nation-state, the country was first unified amidst the Franco-Prussian War in 1871. In 1949, after World War II, Germany was divided into two separate states—East Germany and West Germany—along the lines of Allied occupation. The two states were reunified in 1990. West Germany was a founding member of the European Community (EC) in 1957, which became the European Union in 1993. Germany is a federal parliamentary republic of sixteen states (Laender). The capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany is a member of the United Nations, NATO, G8 and OECD. It is a major economic power with the world's third largest economy by nominal GDP. The country has developed a high standard of living and established a comprehensive system of social security. It holds a key position in European affairs and maintains a multitude of close partnerships on a global level.

• Berlin

  Say Berlin and people immediately think of the Wall, even though it is over a decade since "Die Mauer" was broken down. But Berlin has much more to offer and is growing in popularity with tourists wanting something with a bit more grit than most European destinations. The city has been in the midst of rapid regeneration in the last few years and in the West super-modern buildings provide a backdrop for a dynamic and cosmopolitan city that is distinctly new millennium in outlook. The East meanwhile is a model of twenty-first century urban development - the grey Communist concrete has been replaced with gleaming new structures that look to the city's future rather than dwelling on the past.

• Dresden

  Dresden, also known as the "Florence on the River Elbe", is world-famous for its beautiful Baroque architecture. The city has a long history as the capital and and royal residence for the electors and kings of Saxony, who for centuries furnished the city with cultural and artistic splendour. Completely destroyed by bombing towards the end of WWII, the historic inner city has been reconstructed entirely including important monuments such as the Frauenkirche.

• Munich

  Capital of Bavaria and beer capital of Europe, Munich boasts as rich a wealth of art and architecture as any of Germany's great cities. Where Berlin and Frankfurt have entered into the spirit of modernity, Munich has retained the air of a traditional German city, and has grown in fame as keeper of Germany's folk customs and identity, full of architectural treasures from the Baroque and Renaissance period. Oktoberfest is the main festival in the city and it is mobbed with lederhosen clad Germans and foreigners, and the celebration of carnivalesque magnitude belies the world view of Germans as a staid and serious folk. Dancing, processions and fabulous masques turn the entire city into a playground as people celebrate uproariously. If the revels don't sound like your thing then stay away and visit the city another time, when you can appreciate the Bavarian architecture of the Frauenkirche, Marienplatz and the old town, the baroque magnificence of the Schloss Nymphenburg and the modern expanse of the Olympia Park, an icon of post-war Germany.

• Nuremberg

  Nuremberg (German: Nuernberg) is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. It is situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal and is Franconia's largest city.

• • Munich
  • Marienplatz
  • King's First Class Hotel

  Day 1: Munich

  Meet your driver for a private airport transfer in Munich.

  A welcome package with your vouchers, a city map, train tickets (if relevant) and any other touristic information that you may find useful will be waiting for you upon your arrival at your first hotel on your trip.

  When the nearly 100-ft. high Christmas tree sparkles in the glitter of its 2,500 candles, the aroma of Gluehwein (hot spiced wine) fills the air and angel hair is glowing everywhere, then Munich, the heart of the Bavarian capita,l is under the magic spell of Christmas. Munich's Christmas Market is open November 25 – December 24, 2012 and opening hours are: Mon-Thu 9.30am-8pm, Fri-Sat 9.30am-10pm, Sun 10.30am-8pm.

  In Munich, during the run up to Christmas, on the Rindermarkt, only a short walk away from the Marienplatz, one of Germany’s largest manger markets beckons. From the lantern for the manger to fodder for the ox and donkey, from beaming cherubs to the gifts of the Magi, the market has all you need to create an authentic manger. Each lovingly chosen and carefully packed item is a reminder of childhood, when the manger under the Christmas tree symbolized a world of mystery and wonder. Christmas mangers have long been a tradition in Munich and in 1757, the first original Christmas market took place. Exquisite woodcarvings from South Tyrol, Oberammergau or the Erzgebirge stand side by side with unbreakable plastic figurines, some of which look astonishingly wood like. From the magnificent oriental manger to the mini-manger from the Alps – this market has it all! One of the craftsmen’s sources of inspiration is surely the historical manger in the Town Hall’s Court of Ceremonies, created by the Munich artist Reinhold Zellner in 1953.

  Accommodation: King`s First Class (4*)

  The King's Hotel First Class (4*) greets you with the charm of warm wood panelling and its modern luxury furnishings. The stylish interior creates a unique experience in this business hotel. The warm and comforting atmosphere welcomes you when you enter the elegant lobby. Whether in the lovingly fitted rooms and suites with four-poster beds, the rustic wine tavern or the inviting hotel bar, the special “Kings style” is everywhere. The Hotel is within walking distance of the main train station as well as the Karlsplatz Stacchus square.

• • Crafts
  • Baking Cookies at the Munich Christmas Market

  Day 2: Munich

  Visit the most interesting Christmas markets in Munich. Start the tour with an informative and entertaining walk through the heart of Munich’s beautiful old town in the company of your private English-speaking guide. Along the way we take a look into the city’s colourful 850 year history, stopping at various sights which over the years have witnessed events creating not just local, but also worldwide interest. From royal scandals right through to being one of the most influential and important cities in European and world events, Munich has experienced the lot! Entrance fees are not included in the tour.

  The Munich Christmas Market is a special time for kids where  they can enjoy the “Heavenly Workshop”. The  town hall welcomes children between the ages of 6 and 12 to enjoy themselves with crafts and games or with baking cookies. Gossamer wings and shimmering gowns transform young visitors into angels whose activities are guided by professional artists and instructors from the Municipal Museum for Children and Young People.
  Dates: Nov. 29 – Dec. 19, 2011, in the “Ratstrinkstube” (pub) of the town hall. Daily at 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm, duration about 1.5 hours. Meeting place: Town hall gate.

  Enjoy live festive music performed on the balcony of the town hall daily during the Christmas market (Nov. 25 - Dec.24, 2012). Performances vary and include Bavarian small string groups, wind players, singers and choirs to get you in a Christmas mood. Daily 5:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., December 24: noon

  Accommodation: King`s First Class (4*)
• • Nuremberg
  • Nuremberg City
  • Dürer Hotel

  Day 3: Munich - Nuremberg

  Take a train station transfer in Munich with a private vehicle and driver.

  Relax and enjoy the approximately 2hr train ride from Munich to Nuremberg.

  Meet your driver for a private train station transfer in Nuremberg. 

  Enjoy seeing the gem that is the old, historical city of Nuremberg in the company of an English speaking Guide on a 3 hour walking tour. You will gain information on the castle, the fountains, wells, the city churches and art treasures, as well as a flavour about the city's colourful past and cosmopolitan present.

  Nuremberg's Christmas Market is open November 25 – December 24, 2012.

  Mon-Thu 9.30am-8pm, Fri-Sat 9.30am-10pm, Sun 10.30am-8pm.

  The opening of the Nuremberg Christmas Market, always on the Friday before the first Advent Sunday, (falling on Nov. 25th in 2012) is an impressive event, both for locals and visitors alike. TV teams report this pre-Christmas event to countries all over the world and  people throng the Main Market Square between the Christmas Market stalls. Children crane their necks and stare at the darkened gallery of Our Lady's Church. At 5.30 p.m. sharp, trumpets are blown, the "Junge Chor Nürnberg" from the local music school sings Christmas songs. Finally, the lights are switched on. In the bright lights, the Nuremberg Christmas Angel stands on the gallery and recites her famous prologue, opening the Christmas Market. A festive event indeed!

  Take a stroll through Nuremberg's Christmas market. Every year, Germany's most famous Christmas Market opens its stalls for visitors from all over the world, right in the middle of the city, on the Nuremberg Main Market Square. At 5.30pm on the Friday before the first Advent Sunday, the Christmas An

  Accommodation: Dürer Hotel (4*)

  The Dürer-Hotel is located in the heart of the Old Town, beneath the Nuremberg Castle. The establishment is set at the Tiergärtnertorplatz, the most beautiful square in Nuremberg, next to the famous house of Albrecht Dürer. Newly renovated in 2009, quiet, central and with a glorious view over the picturesque Old Town. Experience Nuremberg from its most attractive side, with the Dürer Hotel as your starting point.

• • Bruhl Terrace, Dresden
  • Church of our Lady
  • Dresden Christmas Market
  • The Westin Bellevue

  Day 4: Nuremberg - Dresden

  Meet your driver for a private train station transfer in Nuremberg. 

  Take the train between Nuremberg and Dresden. The train journey will be approximately 4.5hours.

  Enjoy a train station transfer with a private vehicle and driver in Dresden.

  Enjoy a private walking tour through Dresden with the baroque Zwinger, Semper Opera, the bright and clear Church of our Lady (with visit!) but also with the legendary art nouveau villas, the Elbe-castles, the "Blue Wonder" - bridge and the "most beautiful dairy in the world". No entrance fees are included.

  Dresden's famous Christmas Market welcomes you from November  24 through December 24, 2012.The focal point of the Dresden Christmas Market is the world's tallest Christmas pyramid, with a height of 14 metres and the world's biggest nut cracker. The culinary attraction of the market, however, is the Dresden Christstollen, originally known as ‘Striezel’, which accounts for the market’s name. Opening hours are as follows: Sun-Thu 10am-8pm, Fri-Sat 10am-9pm, until 2pm on Christmas Eve.

  The traditional Dresden Christmas Market with its romantic and festive charm is an inspiration in itself, a real treasure trove for real traditional hand made crafts. Every visitor here will find a “little something”: Christmas pyramids, smoking figures and candleholders from Erzgebirge Mountains, indigo-dyed printed textile products and pottery from Lusatia, gingerbread from Pulsnitz, filigree lace products from Plauen, Herrenhut Advent stars, blown glass tree decorations from Lauscha, and of course specialities from Dresden itself, such as the traditional ‘Pflaumentoffel’, a chimney-sweep figure made of dried prunes. Once you are done perusing the stalls, you can watch the carvers, glass-blowers and bakers in action at the crafts market.

  Dresden's Christmas Market is traditionally called Striezelmarkt, it is Germany's oldest Christmas Market with a very long history dating back to 1434. Its name derives from Hefestriezel, a sweet delicacy which centuries later has become know as “Dresden Christstollen” (German Christmas Cake).

  T

  Accommodation: The Westin Bellevue (5*)

  The Westin Bellevue Dresden (5*), located in the heart of the city in the Bellevuegarten on the banks of the Elbe River, offers a fascinating view of the famous Old Town skyline with the Semperoper opera house and the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady). World-famous sights such as the Zwinger, the Fürstenzug (a fantastic frieze depicting a procession of many former Saxon rulers) and the Green Vault are just a cosy walk from the hotel. Selected co-ordinated materials and warm wood tones lend the 340 rooms and suites a stylish charm. All rooms feature WLAN. Dining at this hotel is an experience to savour. The Elbsegler beer garden right on the banks of the Elbe presents itself with solar sail, wooden deck and railing. The Pöppelmann coffee bar in the baroque inner courtyard combines the atmospheres of a coffee house and a bar, offering coffee, cocktails and light snacks until late at night. Indulge in the sensations of wellbeing in the wellness area with sauna, solarium and fitness room.

• • Berlin
  • Berlin Christmas Market
  • Louisa`s Place Hotel

  Day 5: Dresden - Berlin

  Enjoy a train station transfer with a private vehicle and driver in Dresden.

  Enjoy a train ride from Dresden to Berlin. The journey typically takes approximately 2.5hrs.

  Avail of a private train station transfer with private vehicle and driver.

  Spend three hours in the company of an English speaking Guide as you explore a local Christmas market. Experience the yuletide in a traditional ambience. Be charmed by pastry cooks, candied almond vendors, gingerbread bakers, and chestnut roasters. Sip on a mug of mulled wine, or watch the flames as a burnt spiced punch is prepared for you. See all that glitters, glimmers and sparkles right outside the Opernpalais on Berlin’s splendid boulevard Unter den Linden. The festively illuminated Palais and the State Opera House set the scene for the Nostalgic Christmas Fair Berlin. For the sixteenth time now, artisans and craftsmen from Saxony’s mountains – famous for their Christmas crafts – and from all over Germany and the Czech Republic set up once again in the area between Oberwallstrasse and Werder Church to present to you an overwhelming spread of Christmas goods and gifts. Here, you will find anything from traditional Christmas tree decorations, Nativity figures, handcrafted toys, wood carvings, to puppets, beeswax candles and lambskin slippers. Lantern builders, chandlers, almond biscuit bakers, Nativity builders work their crafts while you can watch and admire their magical hands. Naturally, you will also find a cornucopia of culinary delights, making it hard to choose between hot roasted chestnuts, ginger bread, candied almonds or Tyrolean delicacies. Includes: specialized guide, subway ticket, and one choice of a mug of mulled wine or a non-alcoholic beverage, one barbecue Thueringer bratwurst.

  Accommodation: Louisa`s Place Hotel (5*)

  Louisa`s Place Hotel (5*) is located in the heart of Berlin, at the famous Kurfuerstendamm and is surrounded by a multitude of restaurants, cafés, boutiques of all renowned designers, galleries and theatres. The central location of the hotel allows a comfortable journey as well as a quick orientation within the German capital. Numerous tourist sights such as the Grunewald area, the Gedaechtniskirche or the Zoological Garden lie within walking distance. The typical Berlin style mansion has been restored with a special affinity to details and almost invisibly equipped with the latest technical features. The individual floor plans of the 47 suites present the perfect surrounding for all kinds of desires around living. Guests can also relax by taking advantage of their pool and sauna. Let yourself get indulged by the metropolitan kitchen of the chef Holger Zurbrueggen in the modern and elegant atmosphere of the Balthazar restaurant.

• • Brandenburg Gate

  Day 6: Berlin

  Every year Berlin's Potsdamer Platz is transformed into a giant Winter World. Visitors can enjoy the surreal experience of skating and sledging in the city centre, before warming up with a glass of steaming Glühwein at the glittering Christmas market. Visitors turn out for a taste of the Alps in central Berlin. Highlights include a toboggan run with views to the Brandenburg Gate and an ice rink surrounded by the capital's major landmarks. There are carousels, concerts, street entertainment and, of course, a Christmas market (24 November to 27 December), illuminated with thousands of fairy lights.

  Accommodation: Louisa`s Place Hotel (5*)

• Day 7: Berlin

  Enjoy an airport transfer with private vehicle and driver.

  Accommodation: Depart (Int`l Airport)

Accommodation

• Fun Facts

  The small town of Baden Baden is located on the western foothills of the Black Forest, on the banks of the Oos river, in the region of Karlsruhe, Germany. The elegant town of is the perfect place to relax. In 1931, the town of Baden-Baden was officially given its double name (a short form for "Baden in Baden", i.e. Baden in the state of Baden).

• • King's First Class Hotel

  King's First Class (4*)

  The King's Hotel First Class (4*) greets you with the charm of warm wood panelling and its modern luxury furnishings. The stylish interior creates a unique experience in this business hotel. The warm and comforting atmosphere welcomes you when you enter the elegant lobby. Whether in the lovingly fitted rooms and suites with four-poster beds, the rustic wine tavern or the inviting hotel bar, the special “Kings style” is everywhere. The Hotel is within walking distance of the main train station as well as the Karlsplatz Stacchus square.

  • More information
• • Dürer Hotel

  Dürer Hotel (4*)

  The Dürer-Hotel is located in the heart of the Old Town, beneath the Nuremberg Castle. The establishment is set at the Tiergärtnertorplatz, the most beautiful square in Nuremberg, next to the famous house of Albrecht Dürer. Newly renovated in 2009, quiet, central and with a glorious view over the picturesque Old Town. Experience Nuremberg from its most attractive side, with the Dürer Hotel as your starting point.

  • More information
• • The Westin Bellevue
  • The Westin Bellevue

  The Westin Bellevue (5*)

  The Westin Bellevue Dresden (5*), located in the heart of the city in the Bellevuegarten on the banks of the Elbe River, offers a fascinating view of the famous Old Town skyline with the Semperoper opera house and the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady). World-famous sights such as the Zwinger, the Fürstenzug (a fantastic frieze depicting a procession of many former Saxon rulers) and the Green Vault are just a cosy walk from the hotel. Selected co-ordinated materials and warm wood tones lend the 340 rooms and suites a stylish charm. All rooms feature WLAN. Dining at this hotel is an experience to savour. The Elbsegler beer garden right on the banks of the Elbe presents itself with solar sail, wooden deck and railing. The Pöppelmann coffee bar in the baroque inner courtyard combines the atmospheres of a coffee house and a bar, offering coffee, cocktails and light snacks until late at night. Indulge in the sensations of wellbeing in the wellness area with sauna, solarium and fitness room.

  • More information
• • Louisa`s Place Hotel
  • Louisa`s Place Hotel

  Louisa`s Place Hotel (5*)

  Louisa`s Place Hotel (5*) is located in the heart of Berlin, at the famous Kurfuerstendamm and is surrounded by a multitude of restaurants, cafés, boutiques of all renowned designers, galleries and theatres. The central location of the hotel allows a comfortable journey as well as a quick orientation within the German capital. Numerous tourist sights such as the Grunewald area, the Gedaechtniskirche or the Zoological Garden lie within walking distance. The typical Berlin style mansion has been restored with a special affinity to details and almost invisibly equipped with the latest technical features. The individual floor plans of the 47 suites present the perfect surrounding for all kinds of desires around living. Guests can also relax by taking advantage of their pool and sauna. Let yourself get indulged by the metropolitan kitchen of the chef Holger Zurbrueggen in the modern and elegant atmosphere of the Balthazar restaurant.

  • More information

The Fine Print

• Trip Operator

  Horizon & Co. (founded in 1963), is a privately-owned leading boutique travel company. Horizon designs and stages authentic and deeply personal travel experiences that are carefully choreographed to induce a life-long memory. In addition to offering published trips on seven continents, Horizon builds private custom trips for discerning individuals and small groups.

• Contact Information

  Horizon & Co.
  Tel: 1-800-387-2977
  Email: admin@horizon-co.com
  Web: www.horizon-co.com

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  • Guaranteed departure - Accommodation, Activities, Transfers, Meals, Fees where indicated as per the itinerary - Local and international traveler assistance during your tour - Specialised and personalised services

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  • Tips - Laundry - Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages unless explicitly noted - Optional activities/extras – Visas (unless noted) - Vacation insurance

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  • Your deposit is due immediately on booking (30% of program price, minimum $250). The balance is due 90 days prior to departure. We accept payment via credit card, certified check, wire transfer or money order.
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