DESTINATIONS — EUROPE
Vienna Town Hall Square
NEW THIS CHRISTMAS
Over-55s specialist Grand UK Holidays has added a five-day coach tour, Christmas Markets of Northern France, based in Lille and visiting Arras and Amiens, from £319 departing December 1. There’s also a new Cruising the Rhine Christmas Markets itinerary on the Prinses Christina, starting in Cologne and stopping at Koblenz and Mainz (from £349 for five days departing December 1).
grandukholidays.com/travel-agents
Diamond Rail Holidays has introduced Strasbourg this year, home of the oldest and largest Christmas market in France, held in front of its Gothic cathedral. The four-day B&B break starts at £449, meaning guests can try local specialities such as bacon and cheese pastry tarte flambée and winter stew baeckeoffe, pronounced ‘bake off’.
diamondrailholidays.co.uk
a seven-day Christmas Markets on the Rhine tour bookending a four-night sailing, with coach, rail or air travel to the departure point in Cologne (from £539). Those who prefer the smaller
fill of carols, for some clients, one market just isn’t enough. That’s where a river cruise comes in, ticking off several spots in one journey and offering easy access to the market squares.
The majority of cruises sail along the Rhine, with popular stops at Cologne, Bonn, Koblenz, Mainz and chocolate-box town Rudesheim, where the Christmas market takes place in old cobbled street the Drosselgasse, serving up traditional coffee with brandy and whipped cream, and featuring Europe’s largest nativity scene. Alongside new options being
sold through Fred, Grand UK and SuperBreak (see box, right), most Germany-focused cruises sail for between three and five days. Shearings, for example, has
market towns along the banks of the Moselle will find The River Cruise Line’s Magical Moselle Christmas Markets trip delightfully quaint. The five-day cruise starts in Koblenz, visits Cochem for wine- tasting and an evening market tour, then Zell, an optional excursion to Germany’s oldest market at Trier, and finally historic
Alken (from £339, departing December 1, 7, 18 and 15).
The romantic Danube is the
top seller for CroisiEurope, which offers festive cruises through the Seine Valley (new this year), Alsace, Black Forest and Belgium. The five-day Majestic Danube Cruise is a round-trip from Vienna visiting Bratislava and Budapest (from £601 cruise-only for 2015). Budapest is also the departure
point for AmaWaterways’ 161-berth AmaBella, sailing a Christmas on the Danube itinerary, stopping at Bratislava, Vienna, Melk and Linz en route to Vilshofen. A December 20 departure starts at £1,999 including flights, transfers, meals, daily tours and excursions. TW
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travelweekly.co.uk — 9 October 2014
Sister company The River Cruise Line will also be visiting Strasbourg for the first time on new ship Serenity, with a four-day Rhine cruise from Mainz starting at £399, departing December 8 and 11.
rivercruiseline.co.uk
Inghams has added Christmas markets breaks to Munich, Nuremburg and Montreaux, one of Switzerland’s biggest markets on the shores of Lake Geneva. As well as shopping, guests can take a brewery tour in Munich, a day trip to Lake Lucerne or visit Chateau de Chillon Medieval Market where stallholders dress in traditional Swiss costume.
inghams.co.uk
Fred Holidays’ Christmas Markets and Winter Breaks brochure has added lesser-known destinations Würzburg, Wiesbaden, Lübeck, Ludwigsburg and Bremen plus a new river cruise, Christmas on the Rhine. This sails between Amsterdam and Basel, stopping at Cologne and Speyer, with an optional excursion to Heidelberg (from £1,987 with flights and meals).
fred.travel/travel-agents
Jet2holidays has introduced Munich’s Marienplatz market this year, with prices from £235 departing Leeds Bradford or Newcastle on December 5 for a two-night room-only break.
tradesite.jet2holidays.com
SuperBreak has introduced its first cruise, the four-night Christmas Market Cruise on Marco Polo, calling at Amsterdam and Antwerp. The package includes rail travel to London, a night in a hotel, and transfer to Tilbury to embark on a three- night full-board cruise on December 14. Prices vary depending on departure point, from £335 ex-Brighton or £340 from Cardiff or Manchester.
superbreak.com/travelagent
TOP TIP
Ffestiniog Travel’s Vienna and
Nuremburg market tours include rail
passes so shoppers can explore
independently
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