Everyone has heard of the famous Christmas Markets throughout Europe and our tour focuses on the best Alpine regions of Austria and southern Bavaria.
Ours is a small, personalized tour, and participation is limited to 21 people. We take care of all the details and explain all the secrets of the culture, the history and the traditions. If you believe there is more to travel than just sight-seeing, our trip is for you.
$ 3367 p.p. $ 4490 for single
Everyone has heard of the famous Christmas Markets throughout Europe and our tour focuses on the best Alpine regions of Austria and southern Bavaria.
Ours is a small, personalized tour, and participation is limited to 21 people. We take care of all the details and explain all the secrets of the culture, the history and the traditions. If you believe there is more to travel than just sight-seeing, our trip is for you. Enjoy the convenience of having a local unveil the history and unlock the culture and its traditions. With our expertise, you will see more in less time and experience the beauty of the Austrian & Bavarian Culture, stress-free. We use smaller hotels with excellent locations in the heart of each city.
Our price includes Breakfast, dinner daily, tours as described, all ground transportation, and a drink with dinner. You need to purchase your own airfare: We meet at Munich (MUC) Airport and depart from there together.
Have a look at our itinerary below and see how we are different. We are very proud of our 35% rate of repeat guests!
We'll meet you at the Munich airport and we'll ride downtown (40 min) on the Suburban Train to Munich Hauptbahnhof where we transfer to the regional train bound for Salzburg, which takes just under two hours. The snow-clad Alps shine in the distance just outside Munich and all the way into Salzburg.
After checking in at Hotel Imlauer, we'll catch a traditional Austrian Dinner at "Die Weisse," a local breewery and restaurant treasured by the locals.
Our hotel lays out a wonderful austrian breakfast with all the trimmings - fresh bread, local meats and cheeses, and strong coffee, among other things. After loading up, we venture into the old town past Mirabell Palace and into Salzburg's old town.
You'll have time to enjoy shopping and sightseeing in the old town, plus visit the main Christmas Market. We'll catch a late lunch near the old town so we can enjoy today's highlight: The Alpine tradition on the eve of St. Nicolaus Day. Hundreds of “Krampus” and “Perchten” gather in small alpine villages and run through the village scaring all the boy and girls. It’s all in good fun, but don’t be surprised if you get a lashing from one of the Krampus – they know who has been naughty!
After Krampus, catch a quick snack at the Christmas Market and we'll head back to the hotel.
After another hearty breakfast, you can opt to take the public bus to Berchtesgaden with Scott, or stay in Salzburg with Vonia. Berchtesgaden, Germany is nesteled near the second highest mountain in Germany, the Watzmann and offers a quaint village atmosphere. If you stay in Salzburg, Vonia will escort you to Schloss Hellbrunn, where another local Christmas Market is happening - and is also the home of the gazebo from the Sound of Music.
In the evening, we'll all meet at Augustiner zur Mülln, an enormous beerhall that is loved by the locals.
Pack your bags and board the train for a two hour ride to Vienna, Austria's Capital City. Once the seat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the city shines with a magnificent charm.
Once we get checked into our hotel, we'll visit the near by local artisan Christmas Market at Spittelberg before having dinner at the Siebenstern Brauerei.
Our friends at Vienna Walks will take you on a walking tour of Vienna’s old town. We’ll see the Hofburg Palace, the Spanish riding school, the Pest Column, and St. Stephan’s Cathedral, and much more. After the tour, we’ll stop for a late lunch of tradtional Wiener Schnitzel before splitting up to enjoy more of the Christmas Markets.
In the evening, we suggest visiting the Belvedere Museum - the perfect chance to for you to take in some Klimt artwork - and there is another Christmas Market nearby!
Enjoy some free time in the morning or schedule a visit to watch the Lipizzaner Stallions perform or tour the interiors of the Hofbug Palace. In the late afternoon, we’ll travel out to Schönbrunn Palace to enjoy their market, but you can also schedule a visit to tour the interiors of this enormous Hapsburg Palace. In the evening, we’ll have dinner nearby at a large brew pub, Brandauer Schlossbräu.
We depart Vienna early at 8:30 AM on the ÖBB RailJet and we're back in Munich by 12:30 to check in, catch lunch and enjoy a little time in the old town and spend the evening at the main market. Then a stop at the Feuerzangenbowle before heading back to the hotel.
We visit the city of Regensburg which is an UNESCO World heritage site. Since it wasn’t destroyed in the war, it’s medieval streets and alley are still intact and as quaint as ever. We’ll explore a bit of the old town, including the famed Kneitinger am Arnulfsplatz before heading to the Thurn & Taxis Palace. Still in the hands of Duchess Gloria, she opens the palace once a year to host our favorite Christmas Market. All the vendors are screen by her and feature top notch goods. Plus, there are lots of fire pits where you can sit with your Glühwein and enjoy the beautiful Palace.
Today we have the entire day to enjoy Munich! Founded in 1158, Munich has a rich history from the “First Reich, Second Reich” and was, of course, the birthplace of the infamous “Third Reich.” Our walk through Munich’s old town covers all these periods – medieval architecture, historical anecdotes and insights into the culture. The history and distinct culture of Munich will come alive!
It being Advent Season, the Christmas Market is in full swing, and you’ll learn about some of the traditions as we move through the old town.
For the evening, we’ll enjoy dinner at the Augustiner Braustüberl. Loved by the locals, this place features hearty Bavarian dishes, the freshest Augustiner beer in town, and is situated inside the former horse stables. Since it’s 850 meters from Hotel Jedermann, it’s easy for you to head back to the hotel on your own if you’re sleepy!
Everything has an end - only the sausage has two, says the Bavarian. Today is departure day and you'll make your own way to the Munich airport. It's a direct train, and takes about 40 minutes. We recommend checking in at Munich airport 2.5 hours prior to departure. So, be sure to plan your departure flight properly!
Additional Information
Please note that this tour requires a fair amount of walking. This tour also uses the trains, so you'll need to pack light and manage your own gear on and off the trains and up and down stairs. Some of our hotels are located directly in pedestrian only zones or areas that are difficult to reach. Several of our hotels do not have elevators.