Christmas Markets of Poland, Prague and Germany
Experience Overview
Take your taste buds on a tour of the Czech Republic, discover the food markets of Prague, explore the Krakow Christmas Market in the city’s Old Town district, and indulge in Berlin. Setting out from Krakow, get a sense of Poland’s old-world charm with your Local Expert as you ascend Wawel Hill to the Renaissance castle and cathedral—the final resting place of the Kings of Poland. Known as the Venice of Poland, Wrocław is a wonder to behold with its 150 bridges spanning five rivers and twelve islands, not to mention the Baroque grandeur of the Rynek Christmas markets. In the German capital, see what remains of the Berlin Wall, admire the painstakingly restored Reichstag and soak up the festive magic among the market stalls of Gendarmenmarkt Square.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 3 Dinner (D)
- 7 Breakfast (B)
Choice Highlights
- Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Prague: Stroll through the Jewish Quarter with your Local Expert to hear how the Jewish community has shaped the history of Prague. Taste Trdelnik, a traditional Czech pastry.
- Prague: Explore Prague with your Local Expert, walk the courtyards of the Castle, and visit the imposing St. Vitus Cathedral. The city is then yours to explore. Maybe take a river cruise through the heart of the city, or walk in the footsteps of kings along the Royal Route?
Authentic Dining
- Kraków: Delight in Polish specialties during a delicious meal in the heart of the city.
- Prague: At the Christmas Market, meet a local stallholder and savor a steaming mug of Svařák, traditional mulled wine, along with the local Trdelník pastry.
- Berlin: Enjoy a dinner with delightful German cuisine and wine at a local, family-run restaurant, complete with music and Grossmünster.
Insight Choice
- Prague: Stroll through the Jewish Quarter with your Local Expert to hear how the Jewish community has shaped the history of Prague. Taste Trdelnik, a traditional Czech pastry.
- Prague: Explore Prague with your Local Expert, walk the courtyards of the Castle, and visit the imposing St. Vitus Cathedral. The city is then yours to explore. Maybe take a river cruise through the heart of the city, or walk in the footsteps of kings along the Royal Route?
Make Travel Matter
- Wrocław: Get a taste of the forgotten varieties of gingerbread, traditional from Lower Silesia region. Using only local ingredients sourced from the nearby farms, these treats are a true delight and revive a lost regional tradition. This experience advances UN Global Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities.
Top Rated Highlights
- Kraków: Take in the ambience with a walk around the magnificent Cloth Hall in the Market Square to see the Christmas Market.
- Kraków: The medieval heart of Krakow is rich in legend, a kind of Polish Camelot. Join your Local Expert for an in-depth exploration of this historic holy grail.
- Kraków: Visit the cathedral atop Wawel Hill accompanied by your Local Expert.
- Wrocław: Rated as one of the finest in Europe, Wrocław’s Christmas Market offers a delightful, fairy-tale charm. Enjoy an orientation of the market, located in Rynek, the historic main square which is surrounded by Baroque splendor and adorned with thousands of twinkling lights. Spend time exploring the vast array of stalls bursting with local crafts and tasty treats.
- Dresden: Your guided tour with a Local Expert shows you the Frauenkirche, the colossal 'Procession of the Dukes' mosaic, the cathedral, Semper Opera House and Zwinger Palace. You'll also learn about the traditional German Christmas Pyramids.
- Berlin: You Local Expert provides a tour of this vibrant city. Drive along the Ku'Damm, passing the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and through Tiergarten to the Reichstag building. See the Brandenburg Gate, State Opera House and visit Alexanderplatz.
Trip Details
Product Code: 28789
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+, Luxury
Tour Operator:
Insight Vacations (CA)
Supplier Code: 415.67B
Starts: Krakow, Poland
Finishes: Berlin, Germany
Duration: 8 days
Departures: Not Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $3,025 ($378 /day)
Itinerary
Transfers for your hotel depart from Kraków airport. Meet your Travel Director and fellow travelers at 17:00 for a welcome dinner with wine at a local restaurant. Afterwards, get your first taste of Polish old-world charm with a walk around the magnificent Cloth Hall in the Market Square. Wrapped in romantic gabled townhouses and Gothic spires, the festive Christmas Market stalls are a Disneyesque dream, offering all sorts of delicacies and delights - from Highland woollen slippers to amber jewelery from the Baltic. Maybe try the traditional oscypek cheese with cranberries, a delicacy from the Tatra mountains?
Accommodation: Vienna House Andel's Cracow, Kraków
Meals: Dinner
Ascend Wawel Hill with your Local Expert to see the Renaissance castle and visit the cathedral – the final resting place of the Kings of Poland. Then cross the former Jewish Quarter of Kazimierz to Old Podgórze, the Old Town, to see Ghetto Square and remains of the Ghetto Wall. The rest of the day is at leisure or perhaps choose to visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine? There is time to explore the traditional Christmas Market located in the Old Town's historic district. You'll find yourself immersed in festive spirit as you shop for authentic Christmas decorations, gifts, toys and tasty treats.
Accommodation: Vienna House Andel's Cracow, Kraków
Meals: Breakfast
Visit Auschwitz before your journey to the city of Wrocław, known as the Venice of Poland, made up of five rivers, 12 islands and over 150 bridges. Rated as one of the finest in Europe, Wrocław’s Christmas Market offers a delightful, fairy-tale charm. Enjoy an orientation of the market, located in Rynek, the historic main square which is surrounded by Baroque splendor and adorned with thousands of twinkling lights. Enjoy a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as you taste delicious gingerbread. Using only local ingredients, they are baked following the traditional recipes of Lower Silesia region. Spend time exploring the vast array of stalls bursting with local crafts and tasty treats.
Accommodation: Radisson Blu Hotel, Wroclaw
Meals: Breakfast
Leave your hotel in Wroclaw and cross the Czech border, continuing your travels to the historic capital of Prague.
Accommodation: Royal, Prague
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Explore Prague with Insight Choice. Choose to walk the courtyards of the Castle and visit the imposing St. Vitus Cathedral. Alternatively, join your Local Expert through the Jewish Quarter and hear about the history, traditions and legends of the Jewish people. Then, down at the Old Town Square, Prague’s colorful Christmas Market contrasts with the Gothic skyline. Beneath a giant Christmas tree, draped in a blaze of lights, locals browse the decorative wooden stalls. Meet a local stallholder and savor a glass of Svařák, traditional mulled wine, along with the local Trdelník pastry.
Accommodation: Royal, Prague
Meals: Breakfast
Cross the German border to Dresden. Gaze up at the Frauenkirche, risen once again from wartime ashes. Your guided exploration with a Local Expert will continue past the colossal 'Procession of the Dukes' mosaic, the cathedral, Semper Opera House and Zwinger Palace. During your free time perhaps seek out the delicious Christstollen, a Christmas cake recipe dating back to medieval times, or shop for a traditional Christmas pyramid. Then journey on to Berlin.
Accommodation: Crowne Plaza Berlin City Center
Meals: Breakfast
Join a Local Expert to see the Brandenburg Gate, State Opera House, remnants of the Berlin Wall, Unter den Linden, and the beautifully-restored Reichstag building. Feel free to soak up the Weihnachtszauber, or Christmas magic, at the Gendarmenmarkt, which is Berlin’s most magnificent square. In the evening, join your friends for a festive Celebration Dinner with wine and good cheer at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Crowne Plaza Berlin City Center
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Your journey draws to a close after breakfast. Departure transfers arrive at Berlin 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
Reviews
Anonymous - Traveled, February 2025
My experience with Insight has been great. Nice full itinerary for the length of the trip did most of the extras and they were well worth it completed the whole experience.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 02/14/2025
Anonymous - Traveled, February 2025
Insight Vacations is well-planned, reasonably prices and reliable. Marina, our tour guide, was kind, helpful and knowledgeable about the cities that we went to. The itinerary was well thought-out and we really got to experience the history of the cities that we went to. The Christmas markets were absolutely mesmerizing.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 02/14/2025
Audrey - Traveled, January 2025
Two trips with insight completed and hopefully many more to go. They get it right every time. Hassle free and well planned trips. The Christmas Markets are fun and entertaining. Lots of food and drinks to purchase along with souvenirs, crafts etc. Each place seems to have similar items yet there was always something different in each location. Dress warm and wear comfortable clothes and shoes. I believe we only had 45 minutes in one area it was a bit tough but overall a wonderful experience. The history of the region was fascinating though @ time’s heartbreaking. I learned a lot from our esteemed travel director who has a wealth of knowledge about the region. Our Driver we owe gratitude for keeping us safe as we travelled through each country and city. Great job Insight Vacations! Thanks.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 01/14/2025
Anonymous - Traveled, February 2025
Insights extra excursions remind everyone of world history and the splendor of these cities. I loved this experience. My tour guide and group lived it up in the merry of Christmas. It was both humbling with the sights we visited, and it was a blessing reminding us of the joys of Christmas.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 02/14/2025
Anonymous - Traveled, February 2025
This is my second Insight tour and I can’t see myself using any other company in the future. They have been so communicative, kind, and fun! I wasn’t sure what to expect from a Christmas market tour but I was absolutely blown away by everything I got to experience on this trip. I learned so much history of Poland, Czechia, and Germany and very much enjoyed the town tours. The optional experiences were also fantastic and the dinners were so much fun to participate in. Our guide was so so so perfect! We loved her so much; she was so communicative and fun, and we’d love to have her as a guide again! Our driver was excellent and we always felt safe in his hands! My one suggestion would be to have a little more scheduled time at the markets (especially in Dresden). I think the short amount of days just made our free time a bit rushed, perhaps an extra day would allow for an extra hour at each market. Another note is we were told that most restrooms and markets accepted card payments, however that was definitely not the case for many food stalls and public/touristy restrooms.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 02/14/2025
Sanjuanita - Traveled, February 2025
The travel director was amazing, loved her humor and down to earth personality! Our bus driver was very friendly and had excellent driving skills and experience! It was amazing! Everything was incredible and amazing! The tours were very interesting and informative. I learned a lot about the history of each country.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 02/14/2025
Anonymous - Traveled, January 2025
Great accommodation, all excellent hotels. Close to the centre. Very very comfy bus. Absolutely no problems, everything was handling efficiently. Brilliant itinerary. I loved the sights we saw and local tour guides. I learnt a lot. I felt there was plenty of free time for those who wished to visit as many markets as they could. But this time for marketing didn't take away from the sights and historical places. A great balance I thought.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 01/14/2025
Sandra - Traveled, January 2025
The trip was very well organized, and we were always on schedule. It was a good mix of included tours, optional tours, and free time. All the hotels were great. It would have been nicer if the hotel in Prague was closer to the Christmas market. Also the item in Prague was just not quite as nice as the other hotels. The coach that we traveled in was very comfortable. It would have been nice to spend more time in Dresden, but I am glad we got to see it. We visited a lot of Christmas markets, and we also learned a lot about the history of the countries we visited. There was a fair amount of walking on this trip. Our main tour guide was excellent. He was very thorough on details to ensure everyone knew the agenda, and as a result, the trip went smoothly. I also enjoyed our local guides who shared the history of their cities, and their personal stories.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 01/24/2025
Susan - Traveled, January 2025
Beautiful. Full of history. Pace was nice and thought out in regards to the differences in time from Europe and the U. S.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 01/14/2025
Anonymous - Traveled, January 2025
Excellent service all around. TD Marina went above and beyond, local guides were knowledgeable and funny and the driver made everyone feel safe and taken care of. More time in Prague and Berlin would be lovely! Had lots of time in Poland which was great but limited time for markets in Prague especially and that’s the biggest one so would recommend one more full day there at least and possible another day in Berlin.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 01/14/2025
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