Winter Wonderland
Experience Overview
Experience the winter wonderlands of Europe like never before with stunning views of Lake Lucerne from the peak of Mt Pilatus and all immersive tours of Munich, and Salzburg. An Insight Choice experience in Innsbruck lets you choose between a horse drawn carriage ride through the Alpine scenery or a visit to the world of Swarovski Crystal. The Austrian adventure continues with an exclusive Salzburg market tasting experience, where a locals serve goblets of Glühwein and fresh from the oven Lebkuchen—fragrant with ginger and cocoa. Across the border in Germany, Rothenburg alongside the River Tauber serves up lashings of 16th century charm and in Munich, foaming steins of beer beckon at the city's famous beer halls.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 4 Dinner with Wine (DW)
- 8 Breakfast (B)
Additional Included Highlights
- Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
- Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
- We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
- From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
- Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
- If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.
Authentic Dining
- Mainz: Enjoy getting to know your fellow travelers as you savor a delicious dinner in a local restaurant.
- Salzburg: At the Christmas Market, meet a local stallholder and taste the delicious gingerbread with a fragrant cup of Glühwein.
- Innsbruck: Savor a special dinner at Swarovski Crystal Worlds.
- Heidelberg: Toast the culmination of your travels at a rousing dinner with wine.
Insight Experiences
- Salzburg: Visit the house where Mozart was born in 1756. Enjoy a pianoforte demonstration and examine letters, memorabilia, and musical instruments of the great composer, plus a fascinating collection of portraits.
Make Travel Matter
- Munich: Stop to taste seasonal treats as you discover the lost and forgotten Advent traditions that play a significant role in regional cultural revitalisation. This experience advances United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Top Rated Highlights
- Mainz: Witness half-timbered houses and Baroque buildings surrounding the magnificent Dom Cathedral.
- Rothenburg ob der Tauber: Fortified by ancient walls, picturesque and unspoiled, Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a fairytale come true at any time of year. It dazzles in December, with its 500-year-old Reiterlesmarkt lending a festive air to the cobbled streets and medieval buildings.
- Munich: During your orientation of the city with your Travel Director, see Feldherrnhalle in the Odeonsplatz, the Palace of the Dukes of Wittelsbach, the English Garden, the Hofbräuhaus, St. Peter's Church and the famous Marienplatz.
- Salzburg: With a Local Expert, see Mozart's family home and the 500-year-old Christmas Market in front of the cathedral. You'll also view the Hohensalzburg fortress and see Residenz Fountain when you spend some time in the Old Town.
- Innsbruck: Nestled amidst majestic mountains, Innsbruck is a beautiful city offering a unique combination of nature, history, and culture. Stroll the streets of the picturesque Old Town, with your Travel Director, learn about its history and admire the Baroque and Gothic architecture.
- Innsbruck: Visit the magical Swarovski Crystal Worlds. This attraction features installations by international artists, designers and architects who have interpreted the crystals in their own ways.
- Innsbruck: Meet your coachman and enjoy a delightful horse-drawn carriage ride, surrounded by the mountains and valleys of Tyrol.
- Vaduz: Admire the Royal family's residence, Vaduz Castle, which overlooks the capital and is surrounded by year-round snow peaked mountains.
- Lucerne: See the emotive Lion Monument, Jesuit Church and Chapel Bridge.
- Mount Pilatus: Enjoy a spectacular journey to the summit of Mount Pilatus to witness a panorama of snow-capped peaks as you take in the pristine mountain air.
- Rhine Falls: Visit these spectacular falls.
- Heidelberg: Explore one of Germany's most enchanting cities during your orientation with your Travel Director.
Travel Director
- "Guests are always amazed and intrigued by the vast amount of beautifully decorated sweet treats on offer in Germany during the festive period."
- "Munich is the capital of beer, so taking guests into the famous Hofbräuhaus, at any time of year, gives them a small idea of what it’s like to attend Oktoberfest."
- "It's magical to see how a group of guests comes together over the course of our trip. I can always tell when that's happening because suddenly the enthusiasm is palpable."
Well-being
- Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
- Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.
Trip Details
Product Code: 29857
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+, Luxury
Tour Operator:
Insight Vacations (CA)
Supplier Code: 178
Starts: Frankfurt, Germany
Finishes: Frankfurt, Germany
Duration: 9 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $4,155 ($462 /day)
Itinerary
Welcome to Germany. From the Rhine Valley to the Alps, experience lively cosmopolitan cities, historic old towns and breathtaking natural scenery. Transfers from Frankfurt airport to your Mainz hotel. Mainz has been a bustling and important town since the time of the Romans. Join your Travel Director and fellow guests for a walk through the Cathedral Quarter to witness the magnificent architecture of the city’s Dom. At a local restaurant, enjoy an evening of good food and wine during your dinner.
Accommodation: Hilton, Mainz
Meals: Dinner with Wine
Head to fortified Rothenburg ob der Tauber, overlooking the winding Tauber River. Once through the medieval walls, you are immediately transported back into the 16th century, as cobblestone streets lead you to the medieval Market Square with its Town Hall. Perhaps visit Tilman Riemenschneider’s ‘Holy Blood’ altarpiece in St Jakob’s Church or pop into the Christmas shop where you’ll find the festive spirit all year round? Follow parts of the Romantic Road to fun-loving Munich.
Accommodation: The Westin Grand, Munich
Meals: Breakfast
During your orientation you will see Victory Arch and the university, concluding in the Marienplatz with its soaring Gothic Town Hall and colorful Glockenspiel. Join a Local Expert on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience to discover lost and forgotten Advent traditions. The rest of the day is at leisure. Why not try a foaming stein of beer at the world-famous Hofbräuhaus?
Accommodation: The Westin Grand, Munich
Meals: Breakfast
Travel alongside the beautiful Lake Chiemsee and cross the Austrian border to Salzburg, ‘alive with the Sound of Music.’ Walk with your Local Expert through the formal gardens of Mirabell Palace and admire the city skyline, crowned by the majestic Hohensalzburg Fortress. Cross the Salzach River to see Mozart’s birthplace on the Getreidegasse, a lively shopping street lined with charming wrought-iron signs. Visit Mozart's birthplace to learn more about his life, and enjoy a musical interlude performed on his original pianoforte. For those arriving before Christmas, visit the festive Christmas Market and meet a local stallholder for a taste of traditional Lebkuchen and a fragrant cup of Glühwein. Follow the narrow lanes of the Old Town to the domed cathedral and the splendid Residenz Fountain, before having time at leisure to enjoy as you please. In the evening, perhaps visit an Austrian chalet for dinner, drinks and the opportunity to learn about life in the countryside?
Accommodation: Wyndham Grand Salzburg Conference Center
Meals: Breakfast
In the morning, a scenic journey takes you through snow-capped mountains to Innsbruck. See the magnificent Golden Roof in the Old Town, then loose yourself in the festive atmosphere as you spend some time exploring Innsbruck's magical Christmas Markets. The giant Christmas tree dominates the square and is adorned in lights and decorations. Browse the market stalls, selling handmade trinkets that make perfect gifts for friends and family, along with delicious local treats of home-made biscuits, jams and delicious, soul-warming Glühwein. Next, delight in a visit to the magical world of Swarovski Crystal, followed by a dinner.
Accommodation: AC, Innsbruck, Hotel Grauer Bär, Innsbruck
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Meet your coachman and take in the delightful scenery and pure fresh air on a horse-drawn carriage ride. Next, depart for Lucerne traveling through delightful scenery abounds as you make your way to the Arlberg Tunnel. Stop in Vaduz, capital of the Principality of Liechtenstein, one of Europe’s smallest countries. Cross the Swiss border and continue to lakeside Lucerne. Your Travel Director will show you the covered wooden Chapel Bridge and you’ll learn about the poignant history of the Lion Monument. Then you are at leisure to shop for Swiss watches or delicious chocolate.
Accommodation: Astoria Lucerne
Meals: Breakfast
Start the day with a spectacular cable car ride with incredible views up Mount Pilatus. Back in Lucerne, you are free to admire the superb baroque Jesuit Church, stroll along lakeside promenades, or explore the old walls and watch towers of the medieval fortifications. Perhaps join a cruise along Lake Lucerne?
Accommodation: Astoria Lucerne
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Stop at Schaffhausen to see the Rhine River thundering over the Rhine Falls. Cross the German border and venture deep into the Black Forest. Following the Rhine Valley north, head for the town of Heidelberg, set on the banks of the river Neckar and dominated by its magnificent red sandstone castle. Stroll through the old town with your Travel Director. Perhaps see the old Student Prison? In the evening, you'll toast to your penultimate day in the company of your newfound friends at dinner accompanied by wine.
Accommodation: Atlantic, Heidelberg
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Your festive exploration comes to an end as you are transferred to Frankfurt airport.
Meals: Breakfast
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Insight Vacations (CA)
Part of The Travel Company (TTC) family of brands, Insight Vacations began operations in 1978 and is based in Cypress, CA. Journeys are featured to destinations, such as the U.S. and Canada, Europe, Latin America, North Africa, Asia, the UK and Ireland. The company offers are a variety of tours under the classifications of Regional Journeys, Country Roads, Discovery Journeys, Easy Pace trips, and Special Interest tours. Insight is the ideal name for the tour operator, as the journeys provided by Insight Vacations allow travelers to gain further insight into whatever destination they wish to explore. For example, Discovery Journeys are the ideal choice for first-time visitors to Europe. Itineraries include Dine-at-Home or Farm-to-Table experiences so travelers can learn more about how locals live and dine. Regional Journeys allow trip-goers to see a specific location in Europe that they have always wanted to see – Poland, Switzerland, Italy, etc. The carefully planned trips enable customers to immerse themselves in one specific region or country and to become acquainted with its culture, traditions, and people. For anyone seeking travel off the beaten track, Insight Vacations offers Country Roads – trips that lead travelers off the well-tread tourist trail to explore hidden gems where visitors can savor the local produce with Farm-to-Table dining. Some trips are offered under the Easy Pace travel style – the ideal trip choice for trip-goers who wish to slow their pace during their vacation. During these tours, vacationers stay at least 3 nights at each destination, giving them some additional time to explore a place and enjoy it. Regardless of the travel style, many of the vacations offered by Insight Vacations begin with Relaxed Starts – giving travelers time to sleep in a little, spend more time at breakfast, or explore an area on their own. The tour company prides itself on providing business class tours that features luxury coaches with 40 seats. While most coach touring operators provide vehicles with 53 seats, Insight Vacations has re-configured its motor coaches to hold up to 40 guests. This gives passengers extra leg room while traveling and offers them more space and privacy.
In Business Since 1978
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