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Experience the Magic That Only a Local Guide Can Unlock
Imagine strolling through centuries-old Christmas markets with steaming glühwein in hand, learning secret family recipes from local bakers, and discovering hidden market treasures that most tourists never find. This isn’t just a tour—it’s your gateway to authentic German Christmas magic, led by an expert who knows every cobblestone, every tradition, and every story that makes these markets legendary.
Why choose our guided experience over going alone?
Enjoy insider access and perfectly timed visits with an expert
Taste authentic flavors with exclusive food experiences you‘d never find solo
Learn fascinating stories behind each market’s 600-year history
Create lifelong memories with fellow Christmas enthusiasts
Never worry about logistics—we handle everything while you soak in the magic
What your itinerary will look like:
- Day 1: Arrive in Munich
- Day 2: Explore Munich's Christmas Markets
- Day 3: Day Trip to Augsburg
- Day 4: Day Trip to Neuschwanstein Castle
- Day 5: Travel to Nuremberg
- Day 6: Day Trip to Regensburg
- Day 7: Travel to Cologne
- Day 8: Explore Cologne's Christmas Markets
- Day 9: Departure from Cologne
Let us guide you along with other fellow travelers like you to experience the highlights of each Christmas Market in Germany.
Itineraries
Day 1
Date : 13/12/2025
Welcome to Winter Wonderland Munich
The moment you taste your first glühwein together, you'll know this is no ordinary trip
Afternoon Welcome Your adventure starts with a warm welcome at your luxury hotel, where you'll meet your fellow travelers and receive a beautifully curated welcome gift filled with local Christmas treasures.
🍷 Evening Christmas Market Magic (5:00 PM) As twilight falls, we'll venture into the heart of Munich's legendary Marienplatz Christmas Market. Sample unique glühwein varieties while learning centuries-old traditions behind Germany's most beloved winter drink.
🏰 Illuminated Fairy Tale: Watch the Gothic New Town Hall transform into a golden beacon as Christmas lights dance across its facades. End your evening with an authentic Bavarian feast at a carefully selected restaurant where locals have celebrated Christmas for decades.
[Night in Munich]
Day 2
Date : 14/12/2025
Munich Discovery & Christmas Enchantment
From Bavarian culture to Christmas magic—experience Munich like a local
Morning City Tour (9:00 AM) Explore Munich's cultural crown jewels with your expert guide. Visit the magnificent Nymphenburg Palace while learning how Bavarian royalty celebrated Christmas in centuries past. Discover the world-renowned Alte Pinakothek and see how great masters captured Christmas spirit in their paintings.
🌟 Evening Market Adventure (5:00 PM) Experience Munich's hidden Christmas treasures at the Medieval Christmas Market at Wittelsbacher Platz, where master craftsmen demonstrate ancient techniques. Enter the magnificent Residenz palace courtyard for the exclusive Christmas Village, where you'll enjoy an ornament-making atmosphere with traditional techniques once reserved for German nobility.
🌍 International Christmas Festival: End at the award-winning Tollwood Winter Festival, where global Christmas traditions blend with Bavaria's rich heritage.
[Night in Munich]
Day 3
Date : 15/12/2025
Augsburg - Germany's Best-Kept Christmas Secret
Discover the 'Golden City' and its 2,000-year Christmas story
Historic Discovery Adventure (8:30 AM) Journey by train through the beautiful Bavarian countryside while we share captivating stories of the ancient Roman road and the legendary Fugger banking dynasty that shaped European Christmas traditions.
🏛️ Renaissance Splendor: Explore one of Germany's oldest cities with guided tours of the magnificent Renaissance Town Hall and UNESCO World Heritage water management system that powered medieval Christmas workshops.
👼 The Angel's Performance: We will time your visit perfectly to witness the magical "Engelsspiel"—golden angels appearing in the Town Hall windows, a tradition that has enchanted visitors for over 500 years.
🎄 Augsburg Christmas Market: End the day at the intimate Christkindlesmarkt, where local vendors share stories of Augsburg's role in creating Germany's Christmas market traditions.
[Night in Munich]
Day 4
Date : 16/12/2025
Neuschwanstein - Fairy Tale Castle Dreams
Step into the castle that inspired Disney's magic
🏰 Fairy Tale Morning (8:00 AM) Journey through the breathtaking Bavarian Alps to reach King Ludwig II's most romantic creation—Neuschwanstein Castle. You will get to know the tragic love story and artistic obsession behind this architectural masterpiece that inspired Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle.
👑 Royal Castle Experience: We will make sure that you skip the lines with advance reservations as you explore the opulent throne room, singers' hall, and chambers filled with Wagner-inspired artwork. Learn how King Ludwig's Christmas celebrations influenced royal traditions across Europe.
🏔️ Alpine Magic: Capture breathtaking photos from Marienbrücke bridge while we reveal the castle's construction secrets and romantic legends. The snow-dusted Alpine scenery creates the perfect fairy tale backdrop.
🍰 Bavarian Feast: Enjoy a traditional lunch at a historic Bavarian inn where you'll taste regional specialties that have warmed travelers for centuries.
✨ Romantic Return: The journey back to Munich through winter landscapes feels like traveling through a snow globe.
[Night in Munich]
Day 5
Date : 17/12/2025
Journey to Nuremberg - Christmas Market Capital
Welcome to the world's most famous Christmas market
Scenic Railway Adventure (10:00 AM) Travel in comfort while we bring you the passing Franconian landscape to life with tales of medieval Christmas traditions and the fascinating history that made Nuremberg the Christmas capital of the world.
🏰 Medieval Christmas Magic (2:00 PM) Arrive in perfectly preserved medieval Nuremberg, where fairy-tale towers and cobblestone streets create the ultimate Christmas market setting. Check into your charming hotel in the heart of the Old Town.
👑 Christkindlesmarkt Glory (4:00 PM) Enter the world's most famous Christmas market in the historic Hauptmarkt square. If fortune smiles upon us, witness the legendary Christkind opening ceremony—a magical moment when Nuremberg's Christmas Angel officially begins the holiday season.
🌭 Authentic Flavors: Taste genuine Nuremberg bratwurst and world-famous Lebkuchen from vendors whose families have been perfecting these recipes for generations. Learn why these small sausages became Germany's most beloved Christmas food.
🍷 Evening Market Magic: As darkness falls and thousands of lights illuminate the Gothic Frauenkirche, experience why this market has captured hearts for over 400 years.
[Night in Nuremberg]
Day 6
Date : 18/12/2025
Regensburg - Medieval Christmas Perfection
Discover Germany's best-preserved medieval city
🚂 Morning Journey to UNESCO Wonder (8:30 AM) Travel to Regensburg, Germany's best-preserved medieval city and UNESCO World Heritage site. Your will be revealed how this 2,000-year-old city became a crucial stop on medieval Christmas spice trade routes.
⛪ Gothic Cathedral Marvel: Explore the magnificent Regensburg Cathedral with its soaring twin spires and world-famous boys' choir traditions. Learn how Gregorian chants shaped German Christmas music.
🌉 Stone Bridge Legend: Walk across the 900-year-old Stone Bridge while hearing legends of medieval builders who supposedly made a pact with the devil to complete this engineering marvel.
🏰 Imperial History: Discover the Old Town Hall where the Holy Roman Empire's parliament met, shaping Christmas celebrations across medieval Europe.
🎄 Regensburg Christkindlmärkte (3:00 PM) Experience one of Germany's most romantic Christmas markets in the shadow of the Gothic cathedral. The intimate scale and medieval setting create pure Christmas magic.
[Night in Nuremberg]
Day 7
Date : 19/12/2025
Cologne - Cathedral City Christmas Splendor
Where Gothic grandeur meets Christmas wonder
🚂 Rhine Valley Revelation: Journey along the legendary Rhine River while learning about the medieval trade routes that brought exotic Christmas spices and traditions to German markets centuries ago.
⛪ Cathedral Christmas Marvel: Stand in awe before the magnificent Cologne Cathedral, where soaring Gothic spires create the most dramatic Christmas market backdrop in Europe. Your guide will reveal architectural secrets and Christmas symbolism hidden in the ancient stonework.
🎄 Cathedral Christmas Market: Shop for treasures in the shadow of this UNESCO World Heritage masterpiece, where the contrast of ancient stones and twinkling lights creates pure magic.
🍺 Heinzelmännchen Magic: Explore markets steeped in Cologne's legendary house gnome folklore while sampling traditional Kölsch beer and Christmas treats. These whimsical stories add an extra layer of enchantment to your evening.
🏰 Historic Market Tour: Visit the Alter Markt and Heumarkt Christmas markets, where each has its own unique character and centuries-old traditions.
[Night in Cologne]
Day 8
Date : 20/12/2025
Rhine Romance & Chocolate Dreams
End your journey with river magic and sweet traditions
🚢 Romantic Rhine Cruise (9:30 AM) Glide along the legendary Rhine River on a specially chartered cruise, passing ancient castles, terraced vineyards, and picturesque villages dusted with winter snow. We will share tales of Rhine legends, the Lorelei, and how river trade shaped German Christmas traditions.
🍫 Chocolate Museum Wonder (1:30 PM) Discover 5,000 years of chocolate history at Cologne's world-famous Chocolate Museum. Learn how exotic cocoa beans traveled medieval trade routes to become essential Christmas treats.
🛍️ Final Christmas Magic (4:00 PM) Find the perfect final treasures at Cologne's enchanting Christmas markets, where our relationships with vendors ensure you discover authentic pieces you'll treasure forever.
🍷 Farewell Rhine Magic: Take a guided sunset stroll along the romantic Rhine promenade, where the river's gentle flow carries centuries of Christmas stories. Ending with a special farewell dinner featuring regional Christmas wine and heartfelt toasts to new friendships.
[Night in Cologne]
Day 9
Date : 21/12/2025
Farewell from Cologne
Carry the magic home with you
Morning Departure Assistance We will make sure of a smooth departure with airport transfer coordination and any last-minute assistance. Leave with hearts full of Christmas magic and authentic German treasures.
Your rail adventure and hotel package includes:
- First-Class Rail Travel: Experience the ultimate in comfort and style with first-class rail travel throughout your itinerary. Please note that some regional trains may only offer second-class seating.
- 4-Star Plus Hotel Accommodation: Enjoy luxurious 4-star-plus accommodations in all cities, conveniently located near train stations for easy access and maximum convenience.
- Daily Breakfast: Start each day with a delicious full breakfast, provided at all hotel accommodations, offering a variety of local and international options.
- Airport Transfers: Enjoy hassle-free airport transfers upon arrival and departure, ensuring a smooth and stress-free travel experience.
- Local Transportation: Transportation within cities, such as taxis, buses, and subways, is not included.
- Local taxes or fees: The packages do not include additional local taxes or fees, such as hotel tourism taxes.
Your rail adventure and hotel package does not include:
- International Airfare: Flights to and from Europe are not included in the package price. Rail Escape can offer an additional reservation of flights.
- Meals Beyond Breakfast: While a full breakfast is provided daily, lunch, dinner, and any additional meals or snacks are not included and are the guest’s responsibility.
- Personal Expenses: Personal shopping, souvenirs, and additional hotel services (e.g., minibar, laundry, room service) are not covered.
- Tips and Gratuities: Gratuities for hotel staff, guides, and drivers are not included and are at the guest’s discretion.
Important Notes
- Customs Fees and Duties: Any – if applicable - customs fees or duties for goods purchased while traveling are the responsibility of the traveler.
- Extra Nights: Any additional hotel nights or early check-ins and late check-outs outside the scheduled itinerary will incur extra charges.
- Visa and Passport Fees: Guests are responsible for securing their own visas and any associated costs. Please ensure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates.
- Travel Insurance: We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance for your trip. Please arrange this separately, as it is not included in the package.
All our hotel options have been carefully selected, conveniently located near the train station for your comfort.
Munich
Our Included Favourite
25 hours the royal bavarian
Walking distance from the city center
Offers bike rentals
Popular Alternative
Courtyard by Marriott Munich City Center
Family friendly
Fitness center
Luxe Alternative
Sofitel Munich Bayerpost
Munich’s former Bavarian Royal Post Office
Luxury spa
Nurenberg
Our Included Favourite
Sheraton Carlton Hotel Nuernberg
Indoor pool
Family friendly
Luxe Alternative
Novotel Nuernberg Centre Ville
Wellness area with a view over the rooftops of Nuremberg
Family friendly
Cologne
Our Included Favourite
Courtyard by Marriott Cologne
Fitness center
Onsite bar and restaurant
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