German Christmas Markets
Experience Overview
Travel to the enchanting land of Germany's Christmas markets, sharing the festive season spirit and Gemutlichkeit of the locals amidst rousing oompah music and the spicy scents of Gluhwein.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 7 Breakfast (B)
- 4 Dinner (D)
Be My Guest
- Berlin: Join Camilla and Elisa in their cozy cafe in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg for a warm and welcoming evening. Enjoy a traditional three-course German dinner as your hosts share their stories, their passion for local cuisine, and a deeper perspective into this vibrant neighborhood’s history and culture.
Dive into Culture
- Dresden: Experience the delights of Germany's oldest and most traditional Christmas market - Dresden's Striezelmarkt. The blaze of lights, the scent of mulled wine and Christmas music make this once-in-a-lifetime visit a pleasure for all the senses.
Iconic Experience
- Frankfurt: Spend the day exploring the sights of Frankfurt.
- Rothenburg ob der Tauber: Visit the medieval center of Rothenburg.
- Eisenach: During your visit to Eisenach, see the imposing Wartburg Castle.
- Erfurt: Take in the dazzling decorations of Erfurt's Christmas Market, set against a backdrop of St. Mary's Cathedral and St. Severus Church.
- Leipzig: Renowned for its musical and culinary delights, the Leipzig Christmas Market is one of the most beautiful in Germany, with around 300 stalls located on the city’s historic market square. Enjoy its great traditions, which date back to the 15th century, on your orientation with your Travel Director.
- Berlin: Take in panoramic views of the city from the observation platform of the Berlin TV Tower.
- Berlin: During a sightseeing tour with your Local Specialist, admire Berlin landmarks like the Tiergarten and the neo- Renaissance Reichstag.
Must-see Highlights
- Explore Berlin
- Discover Frankfurt, Rothenburg, Nuremberg, Erfurt, Weimar, Leipzig and Dresden
- Visit the Christmas Markets of Rothenburg, Nuremberg, Wartburg Castle in Eisenach (Sat/Sun only), Erfurt Weimar, Leipzig, Dresden, and the Berlin TV Tower
- View the Opera House and Zwinger Palace in Dresden and the Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag Building in Berlin
Trip Details
Product Code: 33087
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+
Tour Operator:
Trafalgar (CA)
Supplier Code: 294.518A
Starts: Frankfurt, Germany
Finishes: Berlin, Germany
Duration: 8 days
Departures: Not Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Whats Included
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Must-see sightseeing
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- Optional Experiences and free time
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $3,081 ($385 /day)
Itinerary
Tame your festive wanderlust with the smells of Glühwein and Stollen on this magical journey that begins in Frankfurt. After checking in this afternoon, join your Travel Director on an orientation tour of the city's dynamic financial center and medieval Römerplatz. Later, join your fellow travelers for a light dinner and drinks.
Accommodation: Sheraton Offenbach
Meals: Dinner
Stunning Bavarian landscapes line your journey to the medieval walled town of Rothenburg where you’ll enjoy an orientation walk with your Travel Director past picture-perfect half-timbered houses and the Old Town Hall. Savor a mouthful or two of Schneeballen or shop for gifts at the Reiterlesmarkt before continuing to Nuremberg with its mighty ramparts and St. Sebald’s Church. Our next stop is the famous Christkindlesmarkt where sweet gingerbread hearts hang from the stalls and the famous Zwetschgenmännle prune men pose in all their Christmas splendor.
Accommodation: Seminaris
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Embrace hundreds of years of festive spirit at the Eisenach Christmas market* held in the UNESCO World Heritage Wartburg Castle. Ramble past sizzling Bratwurst and steaming vats of Glühwein as you soak up the magical atmosphere. Next on our Christmas wish list is Erfurt’s medieval market – its Weinachtspyramiden is the gateway to delicious aromas of schnitzel, gingerbread and egg punch, enjoyed against the backdrop of St. Mary's Cathedral and St. Severus Church. See the market Ferris wheel and Merchants’ Bridge, the longest inhabited bridge in Europe. Our final stop on our festive foray today is the UNESCO World Heritage town of Weimar, where we dine at our hotel. (*Sat/Sun only)
Accommodation: Leonardo
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Feel the festive spirit come alive as you stroll through Leipzig’s Christmas market, where over 300 glowing stalls light up the heart of Marktplatz. Sip warming glühwein, browse handcrafted treasures and soak up centuries of tradition. Then, you’re off to Dresden, the ‘Florence on the Elbe,’ where history comes to life. See the incredible post-war restoration and take in the city’s charm before returning to your hotel. The evening is yours to explore more of Dresden at your own pace.
Accommodation: Bilderberg Bellevue Dresden
Meals: Breakfast
Germany’s Christmas traditions take center stage today as we Dive Into Culture and wander through Dresden’s Striezelmarkt, Germany’s oldest Christmas market. Admire the dazzling display of twinkling lights, handcrafted decorations and Christmas carols. If you’re lucky enough to visit on the second weekend in advent, pay homage to the original Dresdner Christstollen.
Accommodation: Bilderberg Bellevue Dresden
Meals: Breakfast
No need for Santa’s reindeer to take you sky-high—soar to the top of the Berlin TV Tower and soak up 360° views of the city. Your Local Specialist will guide you through the stories of East and West Berlin on a sightseeing tour to see iconic landmarks like the Brandenburg Gate, Unter den Linden, the Reichstag and the sprawling Tiergarten. Don’t miss the vibrant shopping and entertainment scene on Kurfürstendamm, it’s Berlin at its best. In the evening, why not join us for a memorable Optional Experience? Enjoy delicious German food, wine, beer and music in great company before you take a magical drive through the city at twilight. Watch Berlin’s iconic landmarks light up the night sky—a great way to see this remarkable capital.
Accommodation: Catalonia Berlin Mitte
Meals: Breakfast
Today is yours to explore Berlin at your leisure, or join an Optional Experience to discover Berlin’s secret past. With your Local Specialist, uncover the city’s hidden history as you visit the Holocaust Memorial, touch a section of the Berlin Wall, and see Checkpoint Charlie. Gain a fascinating understanding of Berlin’s WWII and Cold War past on this guided tour. As your journey draws to a close, enjoy a Be My Guest experience with Luis and Camilla at their cozy cafe, Raum Schwalbe. Over a traditional three-course German dinner, your hosts will share stories about their dishes and inspiration—a perfect farewell to your Christmas adventure.
Accommodation: Catalonia Berlin Mitte
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
For now, it’s time to bid a festive farewell to our travel companions as we return home filled with magical memories. Find out more about your free airport transfer at trafalgar.com/freetransfers.
Meals: Breakfast
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Tour Operator
Trafalgar (CA)
Family owned and run since 1920, The Travel Corporation (TTC) is the world leader in immersive travel experiences across an extensive range of travel categories. Each year TTC's 40 award winning hospitality and travel brands connect over 1 million happy travellers to the world. We give you access to the 12 DMC’s behind these brands, so you can build your business by capitalizing on the extensive experience, local expertise, and financial assurance of TTC. LOCAL EXPERTISE The world leaders in travel for over 100 years, we offer unparalleled local expertise with a global footprint. Our 12 DMCs, led by experienced in-destination teams, deliver experience rich travel solutions in more than 80 countries. Additionally, our market based teams are on hand to support across our 40 offices worldwide
In Business Since 1931
Reviews
Richard Schatzel - Traveled, December 2024
Once in a lifetime Germany Christmas Markets Tour. I would recommend Trafalgar to anyone looking for a guided tour. Everything was as advertised and more!! The trip was fantastic. Our tour guide was fun and engaging!! We covered so much and the trip was educational as well. The hotels were great, the motor coach was roomy and comfortable. Our driver was fantastic!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/29/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, December 2024
Your service is great. I liked it. There were some great markets on this trip.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/21/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, December 2024
A wonderful trip through Germany. The hotels were delightful with great rooms and breakfasts, and the Christmas markets were fun to walk and eat and drink our way through. Hot Gluhwein was a new treat. So glad we went, we had a great time. Our tour director was fantastic.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/31/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, December 2024
I liked it. There were some great markets on this trip.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/15/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, December 2024
It was pleasant but it would have been better if there was more time to explore the places we visited besides the Christmas markets. The hotels could have been more accessible via the public transport system for those of us who wished to explore on our own on days that we did not sign up for the optional experiences.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/23/2024
Robert Forbes - Traveled, December 2024
The itinerary is good, fast paced, and covers a lot of ground. The theme is German Christmas Markets, and there was certainly no end of them - 13 of them as part of the tour, so well done. The markets were varied in size and content and we never felt as we were going to "oh dear, another market" as they were in fact different. The tour manager was definitely a good mother hen and made sure we were all where we were supposed to be when we were supposed to be there, and she took very good care of us all. The additional excursions available were also good and provided a degree of different experiences. Even though we had been to Berlin before, we still learned things and managed to do some things that we hadn't before. The transportation was good and incredibly reliable. It always appeared at the appointed time precisely and very little time was wasted in this area. Other than the hotel in Dresden, which was superb, the others were adequate. Clean, with a working shower and reasonably comfortable beds. Their locations were always in the middle of nowhere (except Dresden) but it worked out okay as the planned tour activities kept us busy to bed time. Enjoyed the trip and would certainly recommend it to others. The only (ever so slightly) negative experience of the trip was the timing at the market in Nuremberg. We arrived on a Saturday night. I understand that it is the largeset Christmas market in Germany, but it was so crowded it felt as all of Germany was in attendance. Arriving on a non-weekend may (or may not) have improved our experience there. It was too crowded to enjoy.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/19/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, December 2024
Magical German Christmas Market Tour" Our bus driver and tour guide were absolutely awesome and so relatable! Joel, in particular, has a wealth of knowledge, and we thoroughly enjoyed all the stories he shared throughout the journey. They both made the trip so much fun and memorable. We absolutely loved the Christmas Market Tour with Trafalgar, traveling from Frankfurt to Berlin. Each city and town had its own unique charm, and we thoroughly enjoyed exploring the history and festive atmosphere at every stop. The optional experiences added incredible value and enriched the tour even further. The only critique I have is the visit to Buchenwald concentration camp. While it was deeply moving and informative, I believe it would be much more valuable as a guided tour. Although the recorder and map were helpful, having a guide would have provided greater insight and context. Overall, it was a fantastic tour that I would highly recommend to anyone wanting to experience the magic of the German Christmas markets!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/19/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, November 2024
German Christmas market tour. Trafalgar is a great way to travel and see and do lots! Be prepared to be exhausted at the end of the day. But it’s worth it for how much you see!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/18/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, May 2025
Christmas adventures! Full of adventure s and amazing stories and places loved every minute of the trip. It was full of great fun times the tour guid was great help and full of information . The coach driver was fantastic they both worked well together this was a great tour would recommend it to everyone.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/10/2024
Wayne Packard - Traveled, December 2024
I would like all hotels where we stay to have an evening meal available even if we have to pay for it. Twice we had to go out in the cold weather and walk at least a half mile to get something to eat. This is unacceptable.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/31/2024
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