BEST FOR VARIETY 3
Nuremberg’s Christmas market is one of the largest in Germany, with more than 100 chalets full of festive treats in the main square alone, so kudos to Viking for scheduling a night in the city on its 11-day new-for-2026 Christmas on the Rhine & Main cruise from Nuremberg to Basel in Switzerland. It means passengers can visit after dark, when the festive atmosphere really comes alive. There are plenty more markets to visit on the cruise, including Bamberg, Würzburg, Marktheidenfeld, Frankfurt, Strasbourg and Colmar. For those who want a change from the glühwein, there’s an Alsatian wine tasting plus tours of the Black Forest, a schnapps distillery and the Swiss town of Interlaken. Book it: From £3,995 including flights, selected drinks with lunch and dinner, tips and Wi-Fi.
viking.com
FESTIVE CRUISES
BEST FOR BEATLES FANS
With two days in Hamburg, Germany, on Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ six-night sailing on board Balmoral, a visit to the Reeperbahn entertainment district – where the Fab Four got their first big break – is the perfect Christmas gift. Once that’s ticked off, it’s time to get in the Christmas spirit with a glühwein at one of the many markets that spring up in the city. There’s a day at sea at the start of the cruise, a round-trip from Southampton departing December 16, and another en route to Honfleur, a charming French town where artist Claude Monet loved to paint. It is especially festive in December when the historic harbour lights up with a Christmas market selling everything from jewellery to mulled cider. Book it: From £599 including tips and selected drinks with lunch and dinner.
fredolsencruises.com
4 BEST FOR FLIGHT-FREE FESTIVITIES
One of the best things about A-Rosa Cruises’ five-night Enchanting Christmas Markets voyage is that it sails round-
trip from Cologne, Germany, which is just a few hours by train from the UK, so it's perfect for those who prefer not to fly. Five departures, all on A-Rosa Silva, are available from the end of November to the middle of December and include calls into the quaint winemaking town of Rüdesheim, where festive stalls fill the narrow streets; and Kehl (Strasbourg), where there are numerous markets, canal boat rides and a 700-year-old astronomical
clock. On the final morning in Mainz, passengers have time to visit the Gutenberg Museum, dedicated to the inventor of the printing press, and the Christmas market, before an afternoon sailing through the Rhine Gorge en route to journey’s end in Cologne. Book it: From £850 including drinks and Wi-Fi.
arosa-cruises.co.uk
Month 2022 37
PICTURES: Shutterstock/Renata Sedmakova, ecstk22, Sun_Shine,
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
