Christmas Markets Tour in Bavaria

We meet up at Munich airport and depart by 11:00 AM. The exact time will be set after we have received everyone's flight itinerary. We'll drive directly to our hotel in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the lovely Hotel Glocke, located inside Rothenburg’s town wall. Located next to the Plönlein Tower, you'll be transported back to the Middle Ages. Join in a fun tour of the city with the Night Watchman after dining on the house specialty: Sauerbraten!

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Sleep in and enjoy a hearty breakfast at the hotel. Following breakfast I'll offer an orientation to this small city. After our tour, which includes St. Jakob church and its Tilman Riemenschneider Blood Altar, enjoy the small Christmas Market and the famous Christmas store of Käthe Wohlfahrt. Or, opt in for a visit to the Medieval Crime Museum and the Reichsstadt museums . In the evening, we will enjoy another great Franconian meal at Hotel Glocke. If interested, we will request a wine tasting from the hotel proprietor's husband. Herr Thürauf makes his own wine from the region's Silvaner grape and has made a name for himself - he's even been featured on U.S. Televison. His passion for the craft is contagious and even an expert will learn something new (Extra fee of €12 for tasting).

Bamberg

Awake to another traditional German breakfast, complete with fresh baked goods and strong, dark coffee. After a short 60 minute drive to Nuremberg, we’ll have several hours to visit this one time capital of the Holy Roman Empire. 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 historic 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 meeting up in the afternoon, we travel another 60 minutes on to the city of Bamberg. This evening's dinner will be the famous Bamberg Stuffed Onion at Schlenkerla. Enjoy with Bamberg's Rauchbier for a culinary treat.

Bamberg

Our favorite Bamberg guide, Eric the Storyteller, will meet us after breakfast and take us on a tour of his city. We visit the Bamberg Cathedral and its famous "Bamberg Knight" and Cathedral Square before visiting the heart of the city. Virtually untouched in WWII, Bamberg maintains it status as an UNESCO World Heritage City. Lunch is planned at the Fässla brewery immediately after our city tour. After lunch, enjoy a free afternoon browsing the Christmas Markets in Bamberg or opt for its famous 9 breweries - or a little of both!

Regensburg

We leave Bamberg around 9:00 AM and travel about 2 hours to the small town of Abensberg. Abensberg is a cute little town and is dominated by the most beautiful and unusual brewery in the world: Kuchlbauer. After lunch at Kuchlbauer's main restaurant in the heart of town, we will visit the brewery. Kuchlbauer's owner, Herr Salleck, mixes his love of art with his love of brewing. In fact, he even has a new tower behind his brewery which was designed by the master, Hundertwasser, and he has a copy of the Last Supper in one of his unused beer cellars. A tasting session follows the tour and then we drive on to Regensburg. We'll check in at the Hotel zum fröhlichen Türken. Dinner is planned at Kneitinger am Arnulfsplatz - a great restaurant where its manager, Mathias, will ensure we are well provisioned.

Regensburg

After breakfast we meet for a tour of the city and you’ll learn about the rich history of Regensburg. You'll enjoy the stories from Roman times as well as from the Middle Ages as we tour this medieval city which survived the war. On the way, we will stop by the Händlmaier Mustard shop – a cult favorite. Once our tour is complete, we stop for lunch at the Spital Garten and you'll feel comfortable navigating through the narrow, winding medieval alleyways in this well preserved UNESCO World Heritage City. In the evening, we highly recommend visiting the Christmas market at the Thurn and Taxis palace. The grounds are only open during Christmas time and we think you will agree that the romantic atmosphere here is unmatched.

Munich

After another hearty breakfast, we drive to Munich and check into our hotel, the Hotel am Viktualienmarkt, just1 block from the main Christmas Market. Once downtown, we'll enjoy Munich's famous Glockenspiel before lunch at the famous Weisses Brauhaus. Afterwards, we will walk through the old town with stops at the Residenz and the Medieval Christmas Market. After the tour, you are free to enjoy the many Christmas Markets that Munich has to offer. In addition to the largest one at Marienplatz, there is a medieval market near Odeonsplatz, and many others scattered throughout the city. Or, opt for a visit to Munich's City Museum, the Residenz, Deutsches Museum (Science) or one of Munich's many art museums.

Munich

After breakfast we visit several more historic sites in downtown Munich. Lunch is planned at the Bier and Oktoberfest Museum before turning you loose for an afternoon of free time. Again, we will offer you a schedule of highlights and special events: Listen to the band at the world famous Hofbräuhaus, visit the Dachau concentration camp, or enjoy one of Munich’s world class museums. Munich is a marvelous city and you won’t be disappointed!

Füssen

You will depart for Munich airport for your return flights. Although the tour officially ends at our hotel, getting to the airport is easy. We will assist you in making your personal departure plans! Figure in a 45 minute travel time from your hotel to the airport when making your airline reservations. Transportation to the airport is not included, but we will help you make the proper arrangements. If you've never seen the royal castles, you can extend your visit through the beautiful Bavarian Countryside on your way to Füssen where you can see Ludwig II's fairy tale castle covered in snow! Contact our office [email protected] for this option