Arrival in Vienna’s small international airport. We plan to meet all arriving guests at the airport and assist you with using the transit system to get to our hotel in Vienna. This evening we will have an early dinner and give everyone the chance to get rested up after their long journey.

Awake to a traditional Viennese breakfast. After breakfast we’ll have a tour of the cty to help you get acquainted with this amazing world Capital. We’ll stop for a hefty lunch of Wiener Schnitzel at the famous Figlmüller. Enjoy a little more of the city and stop in at the Hotel Sacher for a mélange and Sacher Torte. In the evening we’ll take you through the markets and introduce you to some of our favorite treats.

With any luck, we can catch a performance of the Spanish Riding School, or at least visit the stables, at the Hofburg Palace. We’ll plan on a late lunch at Pürstner restaurant. In the afternoon, visit one of the state treasury, one of the many museums, or the Schönbrunn Palace.(Tickets to the Performance not included and not guaranteed)

Again, we hope to score some tickets to see the famous Vienna Boys’ Choir. During Advent, they do a short performance as part of the Catholic mass in the Hofburgkapelle.  We then board the train for the 3 hour journey to Salzburg. Arriving in Salzburg, we have a short distance to the BW Imlauer Hotel Salzburg. Located in Salzburg’s New Town, it’s located right near the Mirabell Palace and a short walk over the river to the heart of the old town. After checking in, we’ll walk downtown and catch the Funicular to the imposing Hohenzollern Fortress. There, we’ll enjoy a fabulous dinner before being treated to a special Advent Concert .(Added fee for the Boys’ Choir, if tickets are available)

Today is a great day to enjoy the city of Salzburg. After breakfast, we'll escort you downtown and conduct a brief orientation tour of this lovely city. We’ll point out our favorite tips - Sacher Torte at Hotel Sacher, Handmade Mozart Balls at  Fürst, chocolate at Demel and sampling the schnapps at Sporer.  

During your free-time in the afternoon, visit the Christmas Market, tour Mozart's birthplace, Mozart's Residence or ascend to the Hohensalzburg Fortress that overlooks the city. Or just enjoy exploring the many streets and alleyways in the old town. Alternatively, ride with us to see some of the other markets in the area. The Weihnachtsmarkt am Mirabell Platz  or the Hellbrunner Adventzauber. 

Or, if you are a die-hard Sound of Music fan, you can also use your day to enjoy a tour based on this classic film.

In the evening, we’ll go to the most traditional beer hall in Salzburg, the Augustiner zu Mülln. Since 1621 this has been a popular haunt for many and features a unique arcade of food stalls.

Enjoy the alpine countryside as we ride the train to the north of Munich. In about 3 hours, we’ll arrive in Regensburg and check into hotel, the Hotel zum Fröhlichen Türken. Again, we’ll take a brief orientation walk through this virtually untouched Medieval city. Once our tour is complete, you'll feel comfortable navigating through the narrow, winding medieval alleyways in this well preserved UNESCO World Heritage City. Since Regensburg is the home of the Händlmaier company, this is your chance to try their magical mustard and stock up at their factory outlet store in town. We plan an early dinner is planned at Kneitinger am Arnulfsplatz - a great restaurant where its manager, Matthias, will ensure we are well provisioned. Afterwards, we recommend a visit to the special Christmas Market at the Palace of Thurn and Taxis. The setting couldn’t be better and the magic of Christmas makes it even more special.

Sleep in and linger over breakfast before taking a stroll through Regensburg. We’ll depart on the train shortly after 11:00 AM and will arrive in Nuremburg before 12:30. We’ll drop our things at the Ringhotel Loew’s Merkur, located very near the station. Our first stop will be a traditional lunch of Nuremburger Sausages and Sauerkraut at one of the famous sausage kitchens.

Afterwards, we’ll orient you to where things are and turn you loose for some free time. Nuremberg offers the largest of the Christmas Markets and it is filled with shoppers and holiday cheer - this is the place to sample some real delicacies: Nuremberg Lebkuchen/Gingerbread and Nuremberger bratwurst to name just two.

In addition to the massive market, Nuremberg offers some great historical items to consider: We can visit the Nazi Party Rally grounds and Dokumentation Center or the Palace of Justice where the trials took place. Alternatively, you can explore the rich medieval history: The Albrecht Duerer Haus or the Nuremberg Castle.

After breakfast our goal is the famous medieval village of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. We are staying inside the town wall at the lovely Hotel Glocke, located next to the Plönlein Tower. Close your eyes and you'll be transported back to the Middle Ages. Join in a fun tour of the city with Night Watchman after dining on the house specialty: Sauerbraten!

Relax and enjoy your time in Rothenburg since we won’t be leaving for Munich until about Noon. That will give you another chance to walk the town wall, visit one of the museums, or tour the Christmas market.

Once we arrive in Munich, we’ll be at the family run organic hotel, Alter Wirt. Dinner is planned a special beer-centric establishment! Enjoy downtown Munich as the locals celebrate the Christmas season!