Arrive Early: Christmas markets can get crowded, especially in popular cities, so visiting early in the day can help you avoid the largest crowds.
Try Local Specialties: Every city has its own unique holiday treats, so be sure to try local foods and drinks at each market you visit.
Cash is King: While credit cards are accepted in many places, smaller vendors may only accept cash, so bring some euros or local currency.Embark your ship and settle into your stateroom. A delightful blend of old and new, Basel is Switzerland’s best-kept secret. During the holiday season, the medieval Old Town is transformed into a magical yuletide affair. Cobblestone streets are lined with wooden chalet-style huts selling all manner of festive treats and gifts. Visitors to the Christmas market can enjoy a warming cup of aromatic glühwein in a decorated boot-shaped mug. Hand-carved tree decorations, cheerfully painted ceramics and delicious food are sold from stalls throughout the city.
In the heart of Breisach’s old town with a backdrop of the Romanesque-Gothic St. Stephen’s cathedral, the Weinachtsmarkt is a highlight of the season. Steaming aromatic glühwein served in decorated mugs, alongside tasty yuletide treats, is sold from festive wooden huts and taverns, keeping visitors warm as they browse market stalls for gifts and handicrafts. The nearby Black Forest provides a fairy-tale atmosphere; its towering, snow-covered spruce trees resemble a winter wonderland.
INC: 4 hr Freiberg Market & Organ
$$: 8 hr Festive Colmar & Riquewihr, 4 hr Medieval Staufen & Schnapps Distillery, 4 hr Medieval Staufen Winery
Strasbourg is said to be the capital of Christmas in France, with the city’s cathedral square taking center stage as it is transformed into a winter wonderland. The city’s Christkindelsmärik is the oldest in France, dating back to 1570. Hundreds of stalls are brimming with colorful wares, fine food and mulled wine, bringing festive cheer in abundance. Alsatian specialties feature an array of hearty classics, from bretzels (soft, bread-like pretzels) to bredele (star-shaped spiced cookies), and knacks (sausages) to pain d’epices (gingerbread).
INC: 4 hr Festive Market
$$: 9 hr Christmas Flavors of Alsace, 4 hr Alsatian Wine Tasting, 4 hr Gengenbash at Christmas
Mannheim’s Christmas market is a holiday season shopping extravaganza, centered around the city’s iconic water tower. One of Germany’s oldest and largest markets, more than 160 booths host vendors from around the world, offering handicrafts and handmade items. Beautiful glassware, and carved wooden toys and games, sit alongside Christmas lanterns, colorful baubles and ornaments, all of which are presented in quaint wooden houses. Luxurious cashmere scarves, sheepskin mittens and felt hats are the ideal purchase to take home as gifts for friends and family.
INC: 3 hr Mannhein & Yuletide Market, 1 hr Speyer Christmas Market
$$: 9 hr Heidelberg at Christmas
The Rhine River flows through one of Germany’s most scenic regions. As you sail its most picturesque stretch, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Middle Rhine, you will pass vineyard-blanketed hills whose steep slopes require vintners to pick grapes by hand, keeping a centuries-old tradition alive. Splendid castles line the banks, all of which have stories to share, and the Lorelei Rock presides at a dramatic curve in the river. This infamous river maiden mesmerized sailors with her song and lured them to their demise at her feet.
Koblenz is a traditional German country town with a wine heritage that spans centuries; a key ingredient for the warming glühwein that is served from taverns and market stalls during the holiday season. The scent of cinnamon, cloves and spices waft from steaming mugs as the sounds of festivities fill the air from one of the many musical performances, creating a toe-tapping atmosphere. Centered around the Schängel fountain, the Koblenz Christmas market offers all the flavors of the yuletide season from its famous Christmas bakery.
INC: 4 hr Historic Kolbenz at Christmas
$$: 3 hr Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, 3 hr Marksburg Castle, 4 hr Wine Tasting and Dinner at Monatery, 4 hr Wine Tasting and Dinner at Estate
Sail the bucolic waters of the Rhine, deep into the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt Delta, as classic Dutch landscapes unfurl all around. Flat farmland, charming windmills and svelte poplar trees line the shores, and vast tracts of land stretch in all directions, growing all manner of bounty, from tomatoes to tulips. Gaze upon Friesian cows and tidy villages with their neatly laid farmhouses and marvel at how much of this land was reclaimed from the sea, with the aid of traditional windmills and the construction of dikes.
Dordrecht is the oldest city in Holland. Throughout the city, there are hundreds of historic monuments and landmarks, including the Grote Kerk and the 13th-century Augustinian monastery known as Het Hof. The picturesque waterways and decorative bridges of Dordrecht exude a bygone era and are best explored on foot. The inner-city harbors are centuries old and lined with grand warehouses that have now been transformed into elegant homes. With a relaxed atmosphere and a plethora of quaint cafés and shops, Dordrecht oozes old-world charm.
