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Tour Code: WCMA
Tour Length: 9 days
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The Christmas Markets of Austria Germany & Switzerland
Day 1 - Depart USA Overnight flight to Vienna.
Day 2 - Arrive Vienna (2 nights) Welcome to Vienna and to beautiful Austria! You are met at the airport and transferred to your hotel for check-in. The balance of the day is yours to relax or begin to explore the Imperial city. Tonight, Trafalgar includes a Welcome Dinner with wine or beer — the ideal way to get to know your fellow travellers and Tour Director. (Welcome Dinner)
Day 3 - Vienna sightseeing & Christmas Markets Trafalgar's local guide takes us on a sightseeing tour that includes a drive along the Imperial Boulevards with views of the Hofburg and its grounds, the Classical Parliament Buildings, the Rathaus, the Votive Church, St Stephen's Cathedral and the State Opera House. Vienna's Christkindlmarkt can be found across the city mainly in traditional wooden huts - and has every gift imaginable. There are markets at Rathausplatz, Schonbrunn Palace and Spittelberg where we can also enjoy some of the local gingerbread, sausages and warming "Glühwein" — mulled wine — perfect for keeping warm! (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 4 - Vienna — Salzburg — Innsbruck A scenic drive along the Danube valley and past the impressive baroque Abbey of Melk brings us to Mozart's Salzburg, where the Christmas Markets are held in the picturesque Cathedral and the surrounding squares. Here you can enjoy a range of entertainment from nativity plays to traditional carol singers! After a guided walking tour through the traffic-free city, seeing the Cathedral, Getreidegasse, Hohensalzburg and the Mirabell Palace gardens, we drive through fairy-tale Christmas landscapes to the Tyrol where we spend the night in the delightful city of Innsbruck. Here an orientation tour shows us the baroque Wilten Basilica, views of the Olympic Ski-jump, the Hofburg Palace and Golden Roof in the old town which is where we find Innsbruck's lively Christmas market. Here we have time to shop for hand made Christmas decorations, roasted chestnuts and the local Christmas cake. (Buffet Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 5 - Innsbruck — Neuschwanstein Castle — Oberammergau — Munich (2 nights) This morning, past picture-book scenery filled with wooden chalets set against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains we drive to one of Europe's most famous castles — on the shortlist for being voted one of the new Seven Wonders of the World — mad King Ludwig's Neuschwanstein. We take a horse and carriage ride up the hill and then walk to the castle to enjoy a guided tour of the extravagant apartments. Then, to the picturesque village of Oberammergau, famous for its Passion play and its gaily-frescoed houses. From here it's not far to Bavaria's capital — Munich. The cultural heart of Germany, Munich is a city of Art Galleries, Museums, fine restaurants and of course Beer Halls. At this time of year it is particularly festive with its Christmas markets and pretty decorations. Dinner tonight is at our hotel. (Buffet Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 6 - Munich orientation and at leisure This morning's orientation will show us the Hofbrauhaus, the Marienplatz and we will see the ornate, renowned Glockenspiel on the impressive Town Hall building. Inside its courtyard, a Christmas Post Office is set up to stamp letters and postcards with special "Christkindl" marking and stamps.
Then you are free to browse the stalls at the Christmas markets — the one in the Artists" quarter of Schwabing is where local artisans sell their unorthodox gifts. Later you may wish to visit the Deutsches Technical museum or the BMW museum — Munich is a city of contrasts, and there is something here to appeal to everyone. Tonight, why not visit one of the city's Beer-Halls and enjoy the entertainment of an Oompah band" (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 7 - Munich — Lake Constance — Zurich Christmas Market — Lucerne (2 nights) Through the lush Bavarian countryside dotted with vast wooden farm-buildings and forests of pine and larch we head for the Swiss border. Skirting the Swiss side of Lake Constance we approach the city of "gnomes" — the financial capital of Zurich. Here we stop to visit the lively indoor Christmas market Europe's largest! — offering a wide range of stalls. We should also be able to see the "Fairytale Tram" that cruises the streets of Zurich with Santa on board and a gigantic Christmas tree adorned with no less than 6000 Swarovski crystal decorations. Our last place of sojourn on this Christmas trip will be in lakeside Lucerne, where we spend the next two nights. (Buffet Breakfast / Dinner)
Day 8 - Lucerne orientation and at leisure The charms of this medieval town on the banks of the river Reuss where it flows into the lake of the Four Cantons, never fail to impress. With our Tour Director we will visit the Lion Monument — a magnificent but suffering Lion — hewn out of the rock, representing the sorrow for those Swiss Guards who died during the French Revolution in Paris. We will see the covered Chapel Bridge, as well as the Cathedral and the Jesuit Church before time at leisure to either shop for Swiss watches, chocolate or Christmas decorations and perhaps to ascend one of the nearby, snow-capped mountains. Tonight, you might like to enjoy some delicious Cheese Fondue as part of your final dinner in Switzerland! *Between 15 — 24 December you will be able to enjoy the Christmas Market on the Kurplatz. (Buffet Breakfast)
Day 9 - Lucerne — Depart Zurich Trafalgar transfers you to the airport in Zurich for your return flight home — full of the joys of Christmas! (Buffet Breakfast)
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