White Christmas in Germany
9 Nights Dec 2009
What a magical way to spend your next Christmas - a roaring fire, fine food and wine and snow, snow, snow, all in the shadow of a fairytale German castle! Let Iconic Tours help you live the dream of a White Christmas in the Bavarian Alps!
Day 1
Your tour commences this afternoon at your Frankfurt Hotel. If you have arrived on your international flight today, experience tells us it is best to keep active through this afternoon, and as such we have included an afternoon walking tour with your Tour Manager of the city centre. Dinner tonight is included in your hotel, but first enjoy a welcome drink in the hotel bar. This is an ideal chance to get to meet your fellow travellers.
Day 2
This morning we arrive in the Baroque city of Wurzburg, starting point of the Romantic Road. You'll have plenty of free time in the Altstadt (old town). Make a point of strolling over the old bridge lined with Christmas market stalls. We arrive mid-afternoon in nearby Rothenburg, the finest medieval city in Europe. The rest of the afternoon is free to enjoy the delightful cobblestone streets, ramparts and turrets of picture-postcard Rothenburg. Make a point of walking through the famous 'Christmas Shop' known for its stunning displays. The Christmas Markets, set in the narrow alleys, 50 yards from your hotel, are perhaps the quaintest you'll ever see. This evening, after dinner in your hotel, we have included a special treat: a torchlight tour with the Night Watchman through the beautifully preserved ramparts and winding streets.
Day 3
We have included a full day excursion today to the sights around Rothenburg. First stop is the nearby World Heritage city of Bamberg which boasts hundreds of buildings, mansions and palaces displaying various styles of architecture dating back 1000 years. Famous for its unique smoked beer and antique shops, Bamberg is one of Germany's best kept secrets. In the afternoon we continue to the massive stone towers and gates of medieval Nurnberg. Once the setting for enormous Nazi rallies and the War Crimes trials, Nurnberg now boasts extensive pedestrian walkways and the most splendid Christmas Markets in Europe. This huge market has a unique law that only traditional Christmas artefacts are allowed for sale. As dusk approaches, music and singing, Christmas lights and the smell of mulled wine, roasting sausages, chestnuts and sweets fill the air. Fantastic! We return to Rothenburg early evening.
Day 4
Travelling south we reach Munich, capital of Bavaria, late in the morning. Rebuilt since the war, the central walking precinct is a mass of people and activity. The shopping is excellent. Perhaps take lunch in one of the numerous cafes or a giant beer hall. A perfect place for some final Christmas shopping (and yes there are Christmas Markets all around the old Town Hall). Mid-afternoon we drive on to the mountains and our Christmas hotel where we will stay the next five nights. What a setting for your Christmas stay in the tiny village of Hohenschwangau. On one hill overlooking the village you have the neo-Gothic Castle of Hohenschwangau and on the other side above the village is a wooded mountain spur and Neuschwanstein - the Fairytale Castle of 'mad' King Ludwig. To complete the picture there's a beautiful little lake a few metres from the hotel doorstep. All dinners, including traditional Christmas Eve dinner, farewell dinner, and 3 lunches are included over the next five nights.
Day 5
What better way to start the day than a horse and buggy ride up through the wooded road to visit Neuschwanstein Castle. On arrival you will enjoy a guided tour inside the King's apartments, staterooms, halls and throne room, all reminiscent of a Wagner operatic saga. Later we drive up into the mountains to have lunch in the former Royal Hunting Lodge at Bleckenau. In the afternoon we will also visit the neo-Gothic Hohenschwangau Castle. Rich in history, you'll find the interior typical of the Castles of the Knights of the Middle Ages, with its 'Hall of Heroes', paintings and suits of armour.
Day 6
We'll spend the morning at the beginning of the Romantic Road, in the town of Füssen. Take time to walk through the very picturesque and historic part of town with its Christmas decorations and shops (shops open until lunchtime). Nearby Hopfen, where we take lunch, is actually part of Füssen and on the Lake Hopfensee. Perhaps take a walk along the lakeside; the views of the mountains are excellent. We return to your hotel mid-afternoon and give you ample time to be ready for a special evening. The warm glow will continue - Bavarian Style - as you enjoy a glass of champagne with your hosts and a traditional festive Christmas dinner with music.
Day 7
Christmas as it should be - relaxing, eating, drinking and definitely no Indiana Jones repeats, washing up and unwelcome long-lost relatives! Perhaps begin your White Christmas with a walk around the lake. Highlight of the morning will be a visit to nearby Schwangau and your ride in a horse-drawn sleigh through the local countryside. Christmas lunch will be taken in the hotel and later in the afternoon we will take a cable car ride up to Tegelberg to take in the breathtaking views down onto the Fairytale Castle, Hohenschwangau Castle and your hotel far below. A Christmas Day you will never forget!
Day 8
Our first stop this morning is at the richly decorated Wieskirche (Church in the Meadows) with its incredible painted ceilings. Later we drive through the Passion Play village of Oberammergau and stop at Kloster Ettal. This monastery in a lovely shaded valley dates back over 700 years and is one of the finest examples of Rococo architecture in existence. In the afternoon we return via nearby Linderhof, an extravagent French Rococo Palace - yet another of King Ludwig's amazing creations. And tonight, back at your hotel, enjoy a 'Farewell to Bavaria' dinner.
Day 9
Driving across the mountains and valleys of Western Austria we reach the city of Vaduz, capital of the Principality of Liechtenstein, a tiny country on the border of Switzerland. Soon afterwards we head into Switzerland and spend the afternoon in the lovely lakeside town of Luzern with its covered wooden bridges. Tonight enjoy a Farewell dinner in your hotel. Day 10 28 December Sadly your Christmas tour is now completed, and it's time to bid farewell. Ask your Iconic Tours agent about opportunities to extend and enjoy the European holiday of a lifetime!
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Our tours
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Iconic Tours offers a range of escorted group tours to some of the world's most enticing travel destinations.
Each tour is designed to allow you to expand your horizons by showcasing an experience or theme. We have tours that explore cooking, history, sport, dining, special events and a host of other activities, all certain to add an extra dimension to your next holiday.
In addition, our tours are all fully escorted by specialists in their field, offering you a very special travel experience, no matter the theme or destination.
Our tours are long enough to allow you to immerse yourself in the destination, but short enough that you have the option to extend your holiday before or after the tour.
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