Christmas Markets of Austria and Bavaria

At Vienna airport, transfers for your hotel leave at 10:00, 13:00 and 15:00. Meet your Travel Director at 18:00 and travel to a local restaurant for your Welcome Dinner. Enjoy the opportunity to mingle with fellow guests over a delightful meal and wine.(Dinner with Wine)

At this time of year, the Austrian capital is a place of nostalgia and romance, with concerts, nativity displays and many official Advent Markets selling a vast array of seasonal gifts and mouth-watering treats. Join your Local Expert for a private tour of Maria Theresa’s Schönbrunn Palace. Then get your camera ready for a circuit of the famous Ring Road. This grand boulevard is built along the lines of the old city walls and showcases many of the capital’s architectural masterpieces, including the Opera House and Hofburg Imperial Residence. You also see the City Hall and its surrounding parklands, festively decorated in a sea of lights – the perfect setting for the Viennese Christmas Market. Here your Travel Director will introduce you to a market stallholder to enjoy sampling a Viennese winter dessert, complemented perfectly with a traditional fragrant glass of Glühwein.(Breakfast)

Journey through the rich farmlands of eastern Austria towards the lakes and mountains of the Salzkammergut and the enchanting city of Salzburg.(Breakfast / Dinner with Wine)

Come December, the spires and domes of Salzburg’s old town are often draped in snow. Walk with your Local Expert to see Mozart’s family home on the Getreidegasse, beautifully decorated at this time of year. Then head on to the rosy hues of the 500-year-old Christmas Market in front of the cathedral. Culinary delicacies, candied fruits, hot mulled wine and the lovingly decorated stalls invite visitors to stop and browse.(Breakfast)

A lovely drive brings you to the Inn Valley and the mountain-ringed Tyrolean capital of Innsbruck. Explore Innsbruck with Insight Choice, perhaps join a horse & carriage ride or visit the magical world of Swarovski Crystal. In the evening, drive to the charming town of Hall in Tirol, which boasts Austria's best preserved ensemble of historic buildings. Soak up the friendly Yuletide atmosphere at Hall's traditional Christmas market, before enjoying a highlight banquet with wine in a 700-year-old building. After delighting your palate with Austrian specialities and wine, it’s a merry drive back to Innsbruck.(Breakfast / Dinner with Wine)

Travel to the fairy-tale castle of Neuschwanstein, perched on a spectacular Alpine mountainside. With a Local Expert, visit the exuberantly decorated apartments, including the Throne Room, before continuing into the beautiful scenery of the German Alps to visit Oberammergau, home of the Passion Play since 1634. See the immense theatre and admire the colourful painted chalets before driving on to the Bavarian capital of Munich. Please note: Neuschwanstein Castle visits require a good level of mobility due to the number of stairs in the building and uphill, on-foot access to the castle during winter. Those who do not wish to ascend to the castle can enjoy a coffee and cake, while admiring the beautiful castle vista.(Breakfast)

Enjoy an orientation of the city which concludes in Marienplatz beside the soaring Town Hall, famous for its Glockenspiel. Beneath the gigantic Christmas tree, Munich’s traditional Christmas Market is an entrancing festival of light and music. In the evening, join your travelling companions at a local restaurant for a festive Celebration Dinner with wine and good cheer!(Breakfast / Dinner with Wine)

Your departure transfer arrives at Munich Airport at 07:00 and 09:00.(Breakfast)