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California Wine country & More
Coming Soon
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Alsace & Black Forest
Since we visited Strasbourg and Breitnau during our Rhine cruise in 2007, we’ve always wanted to go back and tour the region in greater detail. This plan does that in a week and a half.
MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN 1 2 3 Fly to FRA Arrive in FRA
FreibergFreiberg 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Freiberg Freiberg Freiberg Freiberg to Strasbourg Strasbourg Strasbourg to Mainz Mainz 11 Fly home from FRA Day 1
Lufthansa has a non-stop flight to Frankfurt.
Day 2 – Arriving in the morning we’d pick up a rental car and drive approx 3 hours south to the Black Forest border town of Freiburg. We’ll be making 1 stop on the way for lunch at Speyer.
We can’t miss a visit to the Speyer Cathedral, officially known as the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Stephen, is the world’s largest surviving Romanesque church. Its huge triple-naved vaulted basilica is the central element in a design that greatly influenced Romanesque architecture in the 11th and 12th centuries. Its fully-preserved crypt is also the largest Romanesque columned hall in Europe. Size really does matter in Speyer Cathedral. Apart from the largest body-count of Holy Roman Emperors and kings under the high altar, it boasts the monster Cathedral Bowl outside the main door. With a capacity of 1,560 litres, every new bishop has had to fill it with wine as a gift to the people. After our visit to the Cathedral we can walk around or have a seat a a local cafe for lunch.
After our stop in Speyer we head the rest of the way to our southern basecamp in Freiburg im Breisgau, a vibrant university city in southwest Germany’s Black Forest, is known for its temperate climate and reconstructed medieval old town, crisscrossed by picturesque brooks (bächle). In the surrounding highlands, hiking destination Schlossberg hill is linked to Freiburg by a funicular. With a dramatic 116m spire, the Gothic cathedral Freiburg Minster towers over the central square Münsterplatz.
We’ll be staying at the Courtyard Marriott a modern hotel just a few min walk to the Münsterplatz.
Day 3 – Freiburg
+ Titisee – Ravenna Bridge
Day 4 – A drive north
3.5 hrs driving
Mummelsee – Allerheiligen
Last stop as we head out of the Black Forest is an amazing Winery called Weingut Markgraf von Baden at Schloss Staufenberg. A beautiful winery in the foothills of the Black Forest at the site of the ruins of a Castle just seems like a moment not to be missed. A glass of wine sitting out on the patio with views for miles.
Day 5 – Drive to Colmar
Day 6 – Colmar
Eguisheim – Settled by the Senones tribe, and made a center for wine-cultivation by the Romans, the village of today didn’t develop until the 11th century when the Dukes of Alsace built here a castle here. The village hasn’t changed much since the Middle Ages, with its well-preserved half-timbered houses dating back to the town’s foundation. The brightly-colored houses are complemented by bursts of blooming flower, which has earned the village the France’s highest award for town garden planting. The Rue du Rempart Sud, which follows the town’s old moat, now circles the entire medieval center and is a great way to experience the town’s charm. In the Place du Chateau, along with with the colorful chateau, church, houses, and fountain visitors will find a family of nesting storks.
Day 7 – Freiburg to Strasbourg
Neuf-Brisach
Kaysersberg – In the 13th century, the fortified settlement of Castrum Keisersberg was established along the route that connected the Rhine plain and Lorraine. By the 14th century, Kaysersberg had become a free imperial city, though gradually fell into obscurity after passing to the French in the 17th century. Today, traditional half-timbered houses still line the river that runs through the town. Much of the town dates from the 16th century, including the fortified stone bridge spanning the Weiss river. The Church Sainte-Croix was built between the 13th and 15th centuries, and has retained its Romanesque facade. After enjoying the historic towers, ramparts, and mansions, visitors can sit down at a cafe to enjoy the town’s signature wine: Tokay, which is believed to have been brought from Hungary in the 16th century.
Riquewihr – Dating back to the ancient Romans, Riquewihr flourished as a fortified village in the Middle Ages, and miraculously escaped World War II unscathed. Now listed as one of the ‘most beautiful villages of France’, the village looks much as it did in the 17th century, complete with fortified walls, colorful half timbered houses, and lots of flowers. On Rue du General de Gaulle, the main street, visitors can stop at the Tourist Office for a map. However many of the most interesting buildings are on the same street. Attractions not on the main street include the 13th century Dolder tower, part of the town’s original fortifications. In front of the Dolder is ‘the fountain of gauging’, which was used to check the capacity of wine barrels. The Thieves Tower is pentagonal on the outside and square on the inside, and still has a torture chamber inside.
Finally we arrive in Strasbourg France. We’ll be staying in the old town on the island at the Sofitel Strasbourg Grande Île, just a 1/3 mi from the famous Strasbourg Notre Dam Cathedral. I’m always going to pick the hotel with a purple theme. That this one also has underground parking for our car is a bonus.
Day 8 – Strasbourg
Cathedral, Canal Cruise
Dinner – La Cloche à Fromage
Try perfectly cooked cheese fondue, raclette and blue cheese. The cooks here prepare good parfait, che and cheesecakes. Drink delicious pinot grigio, cordial or Kir, it’s a must when visiting this place. Come here and have great latte.
The warm atmosphere of this spot makes customers feel relaxed and have a good time. The positive aspect of this restaurant is that the staff is friendly. Spectacular service is something clients appreciate here.
Day 9 – Strasbourg to Mainz
Today we relocate to our last stop, Mainz, Germany. Straight thru the drive is about 3 hours but on the way we’ll make a few stops.
From Oudenkirk we’ll head to north to Karlsruhe Palace, we can either stop for a photo or decide to go in and visit the Palace. The palace forms the axis with 32 streets and avenues shooting out into the city of Karlsruhe, hence its nickname of ‘Fan City’. The palace was built in 1715 and Karlsruhe soon grew around it. By German standards, the city is still relatively young and is regarded as more liberal than most with a reputation for encouraging art and culture to flourish. The palace is surrounded by immaculately maintained gardens and forestry at the back.
At the top of every visitor’s list is the symbolic heart of the city — the red-sandstone Heidelberg Castle, which is consistently voted by foreign visitors as the top tourist attraction in Germany. Visitors can wander the grounds and from the castle walls, marvel at the views of the Old Town that never fail to thrill. The Old Town itself is a must see in order to sample the charms of the elegant churches, picture book lanes, and alleyways set against the backdrop of the beautiful Neckar River. This area of the city also contains the longest pedestrianized shopping strip in Germany. Slightly out from the center, but no less impressive is Philosophers’ Way, the name given to the path just above the city that allegedly inspired the philosophers of old. The path offers fabulous views and is often described as ‘peaceful, romantic and beautiful, a place to commune with nature’.
At the end of our journey we reach our hotel in Mainz, the Mainz Hilton.
The Mainz Old Town isn’t incredibly large and is just a short walk from the hotel. Once we drop off our luggage we can take a walk and explore the city.
Gutenberg Museum 
Mainz Dom 
Holzturm 
Markt After our walk around town we’ll find a restaurant to take a rest and have a good meal with good wine (as we are in the German Wine Region). Heiliggeist is just off the main square. Its a converted old church that makes a great background for a good evening. It also has a great courtyard for outside seating as well.
Day 10 – Mainz
Today we take a wine tour. Bordering on the outskirts of Mainz the vineyards of Rheinhessen and Rheingau are perfectly located for a great day out with visits to some of the most dynamic winemakers. You will taste not only beautiful Rieslings but also fantastic examples of Silvaner, Pinots, Chardonnay.
Day 11 – Fly home
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Munich & Bavaria
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 8/26 8/27 8/28 Fly Out Arrive in Munich Munich 8/29 8/30 8/31 9/1 9/2 9/3 9/4 Munich Munich Konigsee/
Eagles Nest /SalzburgSalzburg Lake district Salzburg Chemisee/ Munich 9/5 Fly Home Day 0 Leave Portland
Day 1 – Arrive in Munich, Germany
Hotel: NH Collection Munchen Bavaria (152.24 EUR/Night) Right near central train station
Dinner : Löwenbräu Biergarten A short Light Rail trip on Route (20 or 21). This is the first of our tours of the Big 6 Breweries of Munich. The “Big 6” Munich breweries are the only breweries officially allowed to serve beer at Oktoberfest: Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, and Spaten
Day 2
Munich Sightseeing
Start the morning off at the Café Glockenspiel on the 4th floor of the building across from the Rathaus in Marienplatz for a bite and a beautiful view.
- Marienplatz & Rathaus
- Take an elevator up to the observation deck on the tower 7E per person
- St. Peter’s Church
- Viktualienmarkt
The key to Viktualienmarkt is not trying to do a giant meal. The best experience is a slow wandering lunch with little bites, a beer, and lots of standing around saying “okay THIS is the best thing so far.”
- Start: Coffee + Pastry at Rischart. Grab a coffee and a fresh pastry to ease into the market.
- Stop 1: Muncher Kase Manufaktur. Get: Grilled cheese Sandwich
- Stop 2: Sausage Snack at Vinzenzmurr. Get a warm Leberkäse sandwich with mustard.
- Stop 3: Cheese + Charcuterie Grazing at Tölzer Kasladen. Ask for a few small tastes.
- Stop 4: Seafood at Nordsee Viktualienmarkt Get: herring sandwich, smoked salmon, or shrimp rolls.
- Stop 5: Weißwurst + Pretzel at Metzgerei Zimmermann. One of the classic butcher counters in the market. Order: Weißwurst, Sweet mustard & Pretzel
- Stop 6: Coffee + Pastry at Rischart or Karnoll’s Backstandl. Grab a coffee and a fresh pastry to ease into the market.
- Stop 7: Sweet Finish at Schmalznudel – Cafe Frischhut Just a few minutes from the market. One of Munich’s legendary pastry spots. Order Schmalznudel (a sugar-coated pancake), Rohrnudel or apple fritters with coffee.
Next some of us can head to Trachten Angermaier & Spieth & Wensky Tracht München for Dirndl shopping while others head to Altes Haukerhaus.
Take a quick peek at the beautiful facade of the Ruffinihaus:
And our final main stop of the day is at Asam Church. Asamkirche is one of Munich’s most breathtaking hidden gems — a tiny Baroque church packed with dramatic gold decoration, elaborate frescoes, sculpted angels, and theatrical lighting effects. Built in the 1700s by the artist brothers Cosmas Damian and Egid Quirin Asam as their private chapel, the church feels incredibly intimate compared to Europe’s grand cathedrals, yet every inch is overflowing with detail and artistry. Stepping inside from the narrow street outside feels like discovering a secret jewel box in the middle of Munich’s Old Town.
- And then we’ll make our way to Sendlinger Tor, one of the original city gates of Munich. Where we’ll take the light rail (Route 18) over to our dinner location.
Dinner at Paulaner am Nockherberg
Depending how steady we are, we could take the light rail back to our hotel on Route 18 (back to the same spot we got off the light rail before)
Day 3 – Munich
Starting out from the Hotel, today we walk to Karlsplatz and through one of the original city gates. and then along the Kaufingerstrasse.
From there, we’ll make our way to Brunch at Augustiner Klosterwirt – with a traditional Weißwurst, pretzel, sweet mustard, & Hefeweizen
We’ll pass by the Frauenkirche and take a quick look inside Dallmayer Deli. Munich’s legendary gourmet food hall feels like a cross between an old-world European department store and a luxury culinary wonderland — overflowing with pastries, chocolates, cheeses, seafood, coffee, wine, and beautifully prepared deli foods. Open since the 1700s and just steps from Marienplatz, it’s one of the city’s classic food experiences and worth visiting even if you only have 15 minutes.
The best quick grabs are a few handmade pralines or chocolates, a few handmade pralines or chocolates, or a bag of Dallmayr coffee as a souvenir.
- Max Joseph Platz
- Residenz
- Odeonsplatz
- Maximilianstrasse
- Platzl
Dinner at Hofbrauhaus
Day 4
Munich
Today we are splitting our day into 2 parts. Morning visiting Nymphenburg Palace and the afternoon visiting the Englisher Garden.
Nymphenburg Palace is one of Munich’s most beautiful and relaxing royal sites, known as much for its enormous gardens and parkland as for the palace itself. Originally the summer residence of Bavarian rulers, it combines elegant Baroque and Rococo interiors — especially the stunning Great Hall — with canals, lakes, wooded walking paths, and smaller hidden pavilions scattered throughout the grounds. Unlike some of Europe’s more crowded palaces, Nymphenburg feels spacious and calm, making it ideal for a slower-paced half-day visit where you can tour the palace, wander the gardens, and stop for coffee, cake, or a Bavarian beer garden lunch nearby.
English Garden is one of the world’s largest urban parks and one of Munich’s best places to experience the city’s relaxed outdoor culture. Much more than just a park, it combines wide meadows, shaded walking paths, streams, beer gardens, and scenic gathering spots where locals picnic, bike, sunbathe, and socialize. Highlights include the famous river surfers at the Eisbach wave, the lakeside Japanese Tea House, and the iconic Chinesischer Turm beer garden. It’s the perfect place to slow down between sightseeing, enjoy a long stroll, or spend a few hours with food and drinks while soaking up the laid-back Bavarian atmosphere.
Day 5
Munich, Germany to Salzburg, Austria
Today we transfer to Salzburg. On our way to Salzburg, we’ll stop at Konigsee and take a boat ride on the crystal clear glacier lake.
Then we’ll take a elevator up to the Eagles Nest a high spot overlooking the Austrian Alps.
Most likely, we’ll stay at the Leonardo Boutique Hotel Salzburg Gablerbräu. A small hotel close to everything.
For dinner we’ll switch things up with some Italian at L’Osteria Salzburg just across the street from our hotel.
Day 6 Salzburg, Austria
Today we’ll do our sightseeing in Salzburg, We’ll start out at Mirabell Gardens a short 3 min walk from our hotel.
After visiting the gardens, we’ll walk across the bridge and take a walking tour of Salzburg.
- Starting with Mozartzplatz and the New Residence with the Glockenspeil
- Salzburg Cathedral is the grand Baroque centerpiece of Salzburg’s Old Town and one of the city’s most important historic landmarks. Known for its massive dome, ornate interior, and beautiful marble façade, the cathedral dominates the scenic Domplatz square and reflects the wealth and power Salzburg held during the prince-archbishop era. Inside, visitors will find soaring ceilings, elaborate frescoes, and a calm, reverent atmosphere that contrasts beautifully with the lively streets outside.
- Old Residenz
- Kapitelplatz is one of Salzburg’s most scenic public squares, located just below Hohensalzburg Fortress in the heart of the Old Town. Surrounded by Baroque architecture and dramatic fortress views, the square serves as a lively gathering place filled with cafés, markets, street performers, and visitors taking in the atmosphere. It is especially known for its striking contrast between historic Salzburg and modern art, including the famous giant golden sphere sculpture, “Sphaera.” The open space and stunning backdrop make it one of the best places in the city to pause, soak up the scenery, and enjoy Salzburg’s unique blend of history and culture.
- Lunch at Pauli Stubm
- A quick stop at the Stiftsbäckerei St Peter – https://www.instagram.com/reels/DRb_tmdjafT/. Stiftsbäckerei St. Peter is a charming historic bakery next to St. Peter’s Abbey, known for its freshly baked breads, pastries, and simple, high-quality breakfast and snack options in one of Salzburg’s most atmospheric Old Town settings.
- St. Peter’s Church is one of Salzburg’s oldest and most beautiful churches, known for its richly decorated Baroque interior, ornate altars, and peaceful cloistered atmosphere within the historic St. Peter’s Abbey complex.
- St. Peter’s Cemetery is a remarkably atmospheric burial ground tucked against the cliffs of the Mönchsberg, famous for its ancient wrought-iron grave markers, flower-filled family crypts, and quiet, almost otherworldly beauty right in the heart of the Old Town
- Toscanini Hof
Dinner at –
St. Peter Stiftskulinarium is one of Salzburg’s most iconic dining experiences and isone of the oldest restaurants in Europe. Located within the historic St. Peter’s Abbey complex in the heart of the Old Town, it combines elegant Austrian cuisine with centuries-old atmosphere, featuring beautiful stone dining rooms, candlelit spaces, and charming courtyard seating. Despite its historic pedigree, it feels warm and inviting rather than stuffy, making it an excellent place for a leisurely lunch or memorable dinner. The menu focuses on refined Austrian classics, local wines, and seasonal ingredients, and the setting makes the entire experience feel deeply connected to Salzburg’s history and culture.
Day 7
Day Trip to the Lake District
We’re doing our own custom tour of the lake district!
FUSCHL CASTLE
Morning Coffee & Cake
ZWOLFERHORN SEIBAHN
Lunch in St. Wolfgang at Seerestaurant Im Weissen Rössl
HALLSTATT
Later in the day when its a little less crowded
BAD ISCHL
Stop at Cafe-Restaurant Zauner for Coffee & Cake
TRAUNKIRCHEN
SCHLOSS ORT
Day 8
Salzburg, Austria
- Mozart’s Birthplace
- Getreidegasse
- Universitatsplatz Market
Dinner at Augustinerbräu Salzburg
Day 9
Salzburg, Austria – Chiemsee – Munich Airport
Today we’ll get picked up at our hotel in Salzburg for our journey back to Munich. But we aren’t through with our adventure yet. We are making a stop at Chiemsee and we’ll be taking a ferry to one of the islands on the lake, Fraueninsel.
Fraueninsel (also called Frauenchiemsee) is a small, inhabited island in Lake Chiemsee, Bavaria, Germany. Renowned for its serene scenery and historical sites, it hosts the ancient Benedictine convent Kloster Frauenwörth. The island blends monastic tradition, artistic heritage, and local craft, making it a notable cultural destination in southern Bavaria.
We’ll start out walking the Entire Island Loop (which takes about 30 min). Its completely flat and packed with flowers, tiny lanes and of course, lake views.
Next, we’ll head to Frauenworth Abbey and after checking out the grounds we’ll have a leasurely lunch at Inselbräu Frauenchiemsee. This is absolutely a “stay awhile” lunch.
And then a stop at Konditorei Neuer am See for a Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake) before we head to the Munich Airport Marriott Hotel.
And since at this point we will probably be exhausted, we can hit up the Restaurant Stub’n right in the hotel
Day 10
Fly Home
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Cologne, Aachen & Heidelberg Christmas Markets
I’ve been to Christmas Markets in Germany & Austria. Nuremburg and Vienna are some of my favorites. I’ve been to Cologne and Heidelberg in the springtime and absolutely loved our time there. Now I’m ready to combine two things I love – Christmas Markets and Rhine River Cities into one awesome trip. Follow me I as research this trip and add detail to this journey!
Cologne is 1h by train or 2h by car from the Frankfurt Airport and Aachen is another hour. This trip is scheduled to be 9 days understanding 2 1/2 of those days are travel days.
Here is one of our favorite travel couples. They visit 6 markets in one day & night. Overall Timeline
SAT SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI Fly Out Frankfurt to
CologneCologne Aachen Day Trip Cologne Cologne to
HeidelbergHeidelberg Heidelberg to Frankfurt Fly Home
Day 1 (Saturday)
PDX to Frankfurt
Leaving in the morning from PDX, we need to arrive in Frankfurt around 9:00 AM.
Day 2 (Sunday)
Frankfurt to Cologne
Morning Afternoon Evening Arrive in Frankfurt Eberbach Abbey & Winery Cologne Advent Christmas Market Abbey Tavern Peters Brauhaus Once we arrive and make it through customs, we are picked up by our private transfer and head to Cologne. We’ll leave the airport around 10:30 am and just outside of Frankfurt, overlooking the Main River, we’ll make a stop at Eberbach Abbey & Winery. We’ll spend 2 hours touring the 12th century Abbey and 18th century Winery and then visiting their small Christmas Market on the grounds.
Then we’ll make it to Cologne by 3pm just in time for checking at our hotel, the CityClass Hotel Alter Markt. The hotel is situated at the entrance to the best market in Cologne. Lets drop off our bags and explore the market and grab some food and glühwein!
The Weinachtsmarkt koelner spans from the old town square where we are staying to the heumarkt. This market has an ice skating rink, bavarian curling rinks, handicraft booths, and lots and lots of Food and drink…
Day 3 (Monday)
Cologne
Morning Afternoon Evening Cologne Weinachtsmarkt Cologne Cathedral Market Food Peter’s Brauhaus With a bit less crowds we can take a second run at the Weinachtsmarkt Koelner outside our hotel this morning.
At 2 pm is the Cologne Cathedral tour in english, https://www.domfuehrungen-koeln.de/fuehrung-durch-den-innenraum/public-guided-tours-in-english.
With its imposing Gothic façade and dramatic twin towers, the Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) is the city’s most recognized landmark. Protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the magnificent cathedral is one of the most important in Germany and dominates the city skyline.
After visiting the church there is another market in the plaza in front of the market.
Here is a map of the market
On the way back to our hotel (about 2 blocks), is a small intimate Market on Am hof – the Advent Village Market. Don’t forget to make a stop!
Definitely get a reservation for dinner, Peters Brauhaus, is just 250 ft from our hotel and the market.
Day 4 (Tuesday)
Daytrip to Aachen
Morning Afternoon Evening Travel from Cologne to Aachen Aachen Cathedral Aachen Christmas Market Aachen Christmas Market Food Postwagen Zum Ratskeller
or
Goldener SchwanTake a private transfer from Cologne to Aachen for a day trip!
Aachen is a town on the borders of Germany, Belgium and Holland about a 50 min from Cologne. Aachen is one of Europe’s most important cities with historical significance. This prominent city is where several German Kings (Holy Roman Emperors) were crowned. The city is filled with buildings dating back to the medieval period, old city gates, and beautiful fountains.
Located in the heart of the old city, Aachen Cathedral is one of the main attractions of Aachen. Its architecture and features still highlight the significance and imposing nature of the building, which was completed at the end of the 8th century at the request of Emperor Charlemagne. It is also the final resting place of King Charlemagne. Some of the other major attractions are Aachen Cathedral Treasury, Rathaus, Couven-Museum, and Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum.
The Aachen Christmas Market conveniently located right in front of the Aachen Cathedral. We spent the rest of the day/night at the market eating and drinking our way through.
The Market is open until 9pm.
Day 5 (Wednesday)
Cologne
Morning Afternoon Evening Cologne Chocolate Museum Harbor Market Christmas Markets Chocolate Cafe L’Osteria Köln Zollhafen
or Harbor MarketWe’ll take a taxi over to the Chocolate museum for a 10am Brunch or Chocolate Treat at their Chocolate Cafe.
Opened by local chocolatier Hans Imhoff in 1993, the Cologne Chocolate Museum (Schokoladenmuseum) is devoted to Cologne’s chocolate-making history. This fun attraction lets visitors peek behind the scenes of a working chocolate factory and sample delicious Lindt chocolate. After our time in the Cafe, we’ll tour the museum and sample the chocolates in the Chocolate shop!
The Cologne Harbor Christmas Market is a riverside Christmas market along the Rhine with a nautical theme and a more relaxed, airy atmosphere than the city’s other larger markets. It offers a selection of food, drinks, and local crafts in a cozy, yet festive, waterfront setting, making it a popular, albeit smaller, seasonal event.
Next we’ll head to the Angel Market. At Neumarkt, centrally located near the larger shopping streets, the Market of Angels presents itself as an enchanting Christmas wonderland. Countless glowing stars and fairy lights in the trees create a special atmosphere. Wide alleys invite you to stroll and linger between the elaborately designed houses, and from time to time, illuminated mythical creatures on stilts and magical angels can be seen.
Next we walked about 1/3 mile to the Village of St. Nicholas at Rudolfplatz. The “St. Nicholas’ Village”, staged on Rudolfplatz in the city centre, is situated in front of the historic Hahnentorburg gate. The magical Christmas world offers a unique world of experiences and St. Nicholas and Santa Claus are omnipresent. The “house of St. Nicholas”, the huge “advent calendar”, the “village chapel” and the “children’s workshop” whisk visitors away into a world of Christmas magic.
Day 6 (Thursday)
Cologne to Heidelberg
Morning Afternoon Evening Walk around town Travel to Heidelberg Christmas Market ? Mainz Christmas Market Market Food We will private transfer to out of Cologne to Heidelberg around 11:00am. On the way we’ll stop in Mainz.
Mainz is a city where 2,000 years of history breathes through every cobblestoned street. The birthplace of Johannes Gutenberg, who invented the printing press and introduced letterpress printing to Europe, this Rhine-side gem charms visitors with its medieval cathedral, patrician town houses, narrow lanes, and beautiful squares that reflect the fascinating history of the city. Half-timbered buildings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries create an intimate, manageable old town filled with distinctive pink-red sandstone architecture. As the wine capital of Germany, cozy wine taverns are tucked behind baroque and rococo façades and add to the city’s warm, welcoming atmosphere.
from Tall Girl Big World, Mainz Christmas Market Guide The Mainz Christmas Market dates back to 1788, making it one of the most historic Christmas markets in Germany. Set against the 1,000-year-old St. Martin’s cathedral, the market creates a magical atmosphere with about 100 lovingly decorated and illuminated stands. What makes this market special is its perfect size—while big city markets can get shoulder-to-shoulder crowded and small town markets might lack variety, Mainz fits perfectly in the middle with plenty of local families creating an upbeat, genuine atmosphere, plus seating areas where you can relax rather than just standing and eating. Handcraft lovers will be impressed by the artists’ factory that serves all sorts of handmade pieces, and with everything walkable in the compact old town, you can explore the main market, and wander charming side streets lined with half-timbered houses all within our two-hour stop.
from Tall Girl Big World, Mainz Christmas Market Guide Then off to Heidelberg, where we’ll be dropped off at our Hotel, NH Heidelberg City Center around 3:30pm. This hotel is the former Heidelberg Brewery converted in 2005 to a hotel. This is approximately a 2.5 hour drive.
Once we check in, we can rest for a little bit then head out to do a little exploring in the old town. Heidelberg is a beautiful town on the river Neckar and is steeped in history. With five different Christmas market squares offering over 140 stalls spread across the cobbled streets of the medieval old town, plus an ice skating rink beneath the castle, Heidelberg effortlessly blends centuries of history with enchanting holiday magic.
A guide to Heidelberg Christmas Markets
Day 7 (Friday)
Heidelberg
Morning Afternoon Evening Heidelberg Castle Christmas Market Christmas Market Hotel Breakfast? Market Food Vetter’s Alt Heidelberger Brauhaus Today, we’ll climb the hills via funicular to the ruins of the Heidelberg castle. Tickets for the Funicular and Castle are combined and cost 11 Euro/person. Rides begin at 9am and go every 10 minutes. The ruins of Heidelberg Castle majestically tower over the valley and river below. Built as a fortified castle with towers, casemates and moats in around 1300, the site developed over 400 years to become the feudal flagship of the Palatinate Electors.
Once back in the town we’ll walk around the town visiting the sights and the market on our own terms. We can’t miss out on walking down to the river and checking out the
from HelenInBetween Ultimate Heidelberg Guide For Dinner, Vetter’s Alt Heidelberger Brauhaus is recommended. Its a modern brewery in the old area of town the reviews are fantastic we should be able to find a taxi back to the hotel after.
Day 8 (Saturday)
Heidelberg to Frankfurt
Morning Afternoon Evening Travel to Frankfurt Christmas Market Christmas Market Hotel Breakfast? Market Food Schwarzer Stern or
Frankfurter WirtshausIts a 1 hour transfer from Heidelberg to the Frankfurt. We will stay in the Frankfurt old town overnight so we can get one more day and night of Christmas markets in!
Day 9 (Sunday)
Fly Home
We’ll transfer from Downtown Frankfurt to the Frankfurt airport where we board a plane and head home.
Trip Budget
What/When/Where By Price Per Person (4) Hotel – Cologne (4) CityClass AlterMarkt $ 1482.55 $370.64 Hotel – Heidelberg (2) NH Heidelberg $617.40 $154.35 Hotel – Frankfurt (1) Hotel Motel One $286.00 $71.50 Hotels $2385.95 $596.49 Transfer FRA-Col Day Trips $722.00 $180.00 Round Trip Aachen Transfer $346.11 $86.53 Transfer to HB Day Trips $830.00 $207.50 Transfer to FRF Transfer $197.74 $49.44 Transfer to FRA Transfer $63.61 $15.90 Transfers $2289.46 $578.87 Airfare United $4400.00 $1,100.00 Admission $285.12 $71.28 Total $9368.53 $2346.63 Food + Stuff for 7d $150 per day $4200.00 $1050.00 Grand Total $13,568.53 $3396.63
Organized Travelers 