Christmas Markets of Germany & Austria Tour

  

November 29 – December 10, 2008

Turner, Trichel & Associates, Inc
8810-A Pear Tree Village Court
Alexandria, VA 22309
(703) 360-1999
Email: ellie@tt-a.com

Click Here for a Virtual Tour (Google Earth Required for Viewing)

Anticipate the joy of Christmas while visiting some of the famous “Christmas Markets” of Germany and Austria . People come from far and wide to be captured every year during Advent by the unique magic of these markets. You will be fascinated by the splendid aromas that assail the nostrils so seductively…gingerbread, cinnamon, roasting nuts, mulled wine, sausages, hot chestnuts…awakening your fondest memories of wonderful childhood days. Bells and carolers can be heard over the crunching of your boots on the snow. The city's huge Christmas tree, adorned with candles, towers majestically over the many stands and stalls that offer their wares and goodies including the famous “Dampfnudel”…a steamed yeast dough swimming in vanilla sauce. Throngs of curious onlookers, lovers, tourists, locals, old and young mix and meet to share the warmth and friendliness of the season.

The Itinerary

29 Nov Fly from Washington Dulles airport or your departure city to arrive in Munich , Germany , the next morning.

30 Nov Arrive in Munich and transfer to your hotel in the heart of the city. Enjoy a walking tour of the inner city including the famous Munich “Christkindlmarkt” (Christmas Market) which traces its history back to 1310. Since 1972, when the center of Munich was converted into a series of pedestrian malls, the Christkindlmarkt has been in and around the new town hall on Marienplatz. Afternoon is for resting or shopping. Revisit the Christkindlmarkt after dark for a totally different look and feeling. Lunch and dinner on your own in one of the many outstanding restaurants in Munich . Walking tours are available and visits to Munich 's museums and churches. We will stay in the Platzl Hotel , which is a short walk from Marienplatz, near the famous Hof Brauhaus. BB

1 Dec Extensive buffet breakfast starts the day of sightseeing. Board our bus for a scenic drive south to visit the famous Neuschwanstein Castle followed by lunch on your own at the foot of the castle in the Hotel Mueller. After lunch, we will visit another King Ludwig home, beautiful Schloss Linderhof, followed by a visit to the Wieskirche (Church in the Field), a rococo masterpiece that was named an UNESCO Heritage Site. On our way back to Munich , we will visit Andechs Monastery and brewery near Starnberger See ( Lake Starnberg ) for a tour, beer tasting and snack. Dinner tonight on your own. BBS

2 Dec After another wonderful buffet breakfast, we board our bus and head northeast into the former East Germany . We will visit the Krebs Christmas Museum in the town of Lauscha in the Thuringer forest. The first glass ornaments were blown here, and this company continues to be the leader. We'll see a glassblowing demonstration and en jo y some Christmas stollen and cookies with coffee. We continue into the Erz Mountains along the Silver Road where silver was king from the 12 th century until it ran out. Rather than leaving their beloved mountains, the people of the “Erzgeberge” took up crafts such as lace making, carving, and woodturning. Today it is the source of most of the lovely wooden Christmas ornaments, toys, and decorations that grace homes all over the world. We will spend two nights at the Romantik Hotel Jagdhaus Waldidyll in Hartenstein in the midst of 20,000 square meters of beech forest. During our stay here, we have complimentary use of the hotel's magnificent wellness spa with its sauna, steam bath, exercise room, …all housed in a “Hansel & Gretel” type cottage. Tonight we will en jo y a special 3-course dinner prepared by their award-winning chef. DBB

3 Dec Our bus leaves after breakfast for a day trip to Seiffen in the heart of the wooden ornament region. Upon arrival we will explore the quaint shops and woodcarvers with lunch in a local hotel which has its own wooden craft works. Following our day in Seiffen, we will return to Hartenstein where we will take lanterns and walk through the woods to the ruins of Castle Hartenstein where we will en jo y some warm Glühwein. We will continue our torchlight procession through the forest back to the hotel. Dinner tonight at the hotel will be on your own. BBL

4 Dec We take our leave of Hartenstein as our bus takes us south into Austria for two days in Salzburg . We will stay in the “Altstadt” or older part of the city to be close to its Christmas market, the fortress overlooking the city, and its fine restaurants. Lunch is on your own, so you can sightsee on your own schedule. Late in the afternoon we will visit the great Cathedral (Dom) and see Salzburg 's version of the Christmas market. Tonight is the famous “Krumpaslauf” at the market. Prepare for a surprise and see what keeps kids over here on their best behavior. Dinner this evening will be at St Peter's Stiftskeller, a world-famous restaurant. Our hotel for the next two nights is the Radisson Altstadt Hotel DBB

5 Dec This morning, after breakfast, free time has been set aside for you to select from available optional tours such as the “Sound of Music” tour visiting venues made famous by the movie. Others may en jo y the shopping experience, visit where Mozart lived, stop in the chocolate shop that invented the Mozart Kuglen (special little balls of chocolate). There are many other things to see and experience as Christmas comes alive in this fairyland of craftspeople and history. Dinner tonight will be at Zum Eulenspeigel, one of the oldest restaurants (1713) in Salzburg . DBB

6 Dec Today we wend our way northeast through the “lake region” on our way to the quaint town of Kremsmünster , home to the other Benedictine monastery. Our hosts for the evening are Maria and Erik Kux at the Hotel Schlair. During our stay we will be treated to a tour of the Monastery's famous art collection by Father Claudius along with a wine tasting of the monastery's wines. The highlight for tonight will be Chef Kux's wild boar dinner with all the trimmings. DBB

7 Dec This morning before we bid farewell to our wonderful hosts we will have a tour of the Abbey. Then we take the back roads to Steyr for a visit to the famous Christkindl Church (Church of the Christ child) where you can get postcards stamped and cancelled with their famous logo. Time permitting, we may see the world's largest mechanical diorama of Bethlehem at the time of the Christmas story. We then point our coach further east to magnificent and magical Vienna (Wien), Austria 's capital. Our home for two nights will be the Hotel Kaiserin Elizabeth . BB

8 Dec After our breakfast buffet, we will take a half-day city tour of Wien. We will visit the Christmas Market in front of the city town hall (Rathaus) with its magical setting, complete with an ice rink. (Skate rental is available). You will be able to choose other venues you would like to see or do, depending on your desires and time. Our final banquet tonight will be at the Griechenbeisl, Vienna 's oldest tavern. DBB

9 Dec You have the morning to en jo y more of Wien, but in the afternoon we must say goodbye to the grandeur of Wien, promising to return for a longer stay someday, as we head back west to the Munich area. To facilitate our departure back to the US tomorrow, we will stay outside the town of Erding , near the Munich airport. Erding is the home of one of Bavaria 's best Weiss biers. Our hotel is the BW Park Hotel. BB

10 Dec After breakfast, we will take the hotel shuttle to Munich airport for our return flight to the US .

Aufwiedersehn to Germany and Austria ! We'll be back!

Price for Tour Package: $3,195 p.p. Cash or check discount 3%. Call for single supplement.

[Airfare not included. Call TT&A TRAVEL to arrange best fare and routing for you.]