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If you've had visiting the Christmas markets of Europe on your bucket list, a river cruise is a great way to explore multiple markets in one trip. One of the biggest perks of a river cruise versus a land-based trip is that you unpack once, and your accommodations and dining options float with you down the river from town to town. Sailing down one of Europe's stunning rivers is a dream trip no matter the time of year, but at Christmas time it's even more special. Ships take travelers from port to port to experience the incredible Christmas markets where stalls are adorned with glittering lights, the smells of sausages and baked goods fill the air, and the sounds of carols can be heard. Germany is the undisputed heartland of Europe's festive holiday market scene and Cologne is undoubtedly among the best European Christmas market destinations. It has seven holiday markets in total, with the most famous held against the magnificent backdrop of the city's UNESCO-listed Gothic cathedral.
Cologne Christmas markets
For 90+ years, the Tauck family has had a passion for sailing — aboard small ships and yachts at sea, riverboats along great inland waterways, and at home on the rivers and lakes of Connecticut and New York. When we began blending our land experience with our strong passion for cruising in our first European river cruise back in 1992, we knew that no "ordinary" river cruise experience would do for our guests. We wanted them to travel Europe's rivers in the same beyond-the-ordinary Tauck style they experienced on our land trips. With that in mind, we searched to find a company to partner with that would share our values and our commitment to "do the right thing" by our guests... Together, we crafted a river cruise experience that was ahead of its time and inspired by the destinations we explore. For the longer 12-night cruise and land-based trip, guests will embark the cruise ship in Amsterdam, where they can enjoy a day of free exploration before boarding the riverboat, followed by an Amsterdam canal cruise on day two.
The 8 best Christmas market river cruises for 2024
On your second day in Amsterdam, visit the Rijksmuseum and take an evening canal cruise with the group. Foodies will love it when the cruise heads to Gouda to explore the history of the city plus get a tasting of stroopwafels, which are cookie sandwiches invented in the city. The cruise fare includes premium spirits and wine, access to bikes and walking sticks, fitness classes, Wi-Fi, enrichment lectures, and shore excursions in each port. Onboard gratuities and group transfers to and from the airport are also included.
Cologne, Germany: Best European Christmas Market for Rhine Views
Every Christmas market is different in the overall vibe and what it has to offer for visitors. Do some research before you leave home to see what the highlight of each Christmas market is. I did a lot of my research on TikTok and Instagram so I could see what the person was talking about. Even 10 days out from my trip, the app was fairly accurate with what the temperatures would be, which ranged from the 20s to the high 40s, and what the day would look like. If you're looking for a more active cruise, consider AmaWaterways, where bikes are always available to use in port.
The year ahead for ... river cruising - Travel Weekly
The year ahead for ... river cruising.
Posted: Tue, 26 Dec 2023 02:10:23 GMT [source]
During the day on Viking, many people wore jeans or sweatpants and a casual shirt. Evenings brought out the more elevated fashion; women donned cute sweaters and dresses, while men dressed in jeans and nicer tops or sweaters. For days exploring the ports, I wore jeans and waterproof boots with long cozy socks, plus a thermal long-sleeved shirt under a sweater. Accessories like a warm hat or ear warmers, gloves and a scarf were also helpful. Each year the town of Gengenbach, near Strasbourg, turns its town hall into a giant advent calendar.
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In Budapest, the market near St. Stephen's Basilica had a projection show on the exterior of the church, too. Each market sells an abundance of food, and the food options change from town to town. On the Danube, you can visit destinations like Vienna, Austria and Passau and Regensburg, Germany.
A Christmas Markets river cruise... with your riverboat done up for the holidays!
They all showed off the major church in the city center and described how the city navigated various wars. So I used the tours to help navigate to the city center, then ventured off on my own with my travel companion. We used walking directions on Google Maps as a way to get to destinations we were interested in and to get back to the ship once we were ready to warm up for a while. It's common for people to book a Christmas market cruise a year or more in advance. Some companies will offer a discounted deposit for those who book early, and others will offer monetary savings for booking well in advance.
Each Adventure Guide travels with the group throughout the cruise so your family really gets to know them, and they get to know you. This allows them to make personalized recommendations about activities and meals. As you walk through each town they share the history, culture and legends of the destination. Riverside Luxury Cruises' Christmas Atmosphere Along the Danube cruises depart in early and mid-December 2024. For larger destinations like Vienna, Paris or Amsterdam, you might want to do extra research on what there is to do in the city for free or at a discount. While touring one of the Linz markets, I stumbled upon a small carnival where rides and games were set up for kids to enjoy.
CRUISE FROM : Nuremberg to Budapest
Day six brings the cruise to Strasbourg, France, where you can tour the La Petite France District and wander through the warm glow of the Christmas market. The cruise then heads back to Germany to visit the Black Forest, where you can learn about local traditions and German winemaking. Be sure to get the town's specialty, a steaming bowl of moules frites (mussels with fries), for Christmas lunch.
It had everything from ice skating and photo-worthy backdrops to prepackaged sweets and plenty of Christmas decorations to try to fit into my already full suitcase. In Budapest, the Christmas market in the square in front of St. Stephen's Basilica was a good mix of crafts, decorations and tasty food to try. On the other hand, the Christmas market in Bratislava was more of a food market with just a few stalls for buying goodies to bring home with you.
Starting in late November through Christmas every year, the cities and towns along the Danube, Rhine, Seine and other rivers set up markets that display each region's holiday traditions. Many of the most popular river cruise lines with ships based in Europe schedule festive cruises to take travelers to shop and dine at these seasonal markets. If you've ever considered a Christmas market river cruise, 2024 is the year to finally cross the experience off your bucket list.
Always try to arrive at least a day early for any river cruise, especially if you're flying overseas. For some river cruises, the embarkation port is just that, a place to get on the ship and leave. If you arrive the day your cruise begins, you could miss out on exploring the city. On my seven-night river cruise, I visited six ports and enjoyed a half day of scenic sailing through the Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our ports of call were Budapest; Bratislava, Slovakia; Vienna; Krems, Austria; Linz, Austria; and Passau, Germany.
