Compare Christmas in the Heart of Germany (WNF) by Avalon Waterways vs European Whirl (Paris, Base) by Trafalgar
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Trip |
5 | Excellent
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4.5 | Great
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Duration | 8 days | 14 days |
Price From | Check price | $ 3,895 |
Price Per Day | Check price | $ 278 |
Highlights |
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Trip Style | River cruise | Group tour |
Lodging Level | Premium | Premium |
Physical Level |
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Travel Themes |
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Countries Visited | ||
Cities and Attractions |
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N/A |
Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | No |
Activities |
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Meals Included |
7 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches and 5 Dinners |
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Description |
Experience the holiday season on this festive river cruise vacation from Prague to Frankfurt. Your vacation begins in 1,000-year-old Prague with guided sightseeing that shows off the city’s best-known treasures and time to explore the impressive Old Town Christmas market. Also enjoy guided city sightseeing in Nuremberg, Bamberg, Würzburg with a visit to the Bishop’s Residenz, and the charming Bavarian village of Miltenberg. And, of course, there’s free time to visit the Christmas markets. What a fantastic way to start your holiday season. |
The tring-tring of bicycles sounds the start of your European Whirl. Kick back on the canals of Amsterdam and Venice, in the quiet lakeside beauty of Lucerne and among the Tuscan hills near Florence, with flavors of Italian Chianti setting the tone for an unforgettable trip. |
Day 1: Arrive In Prague, Czech Republic
Welcome to Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. This fascinating city straddles the Vltava River with domes, cupolas, spires, and pinnacles highlighting its skyline.
Day 2: Prague
Meals: Breakfast
Prague is a 1,200-year-old city preserved in time. See its best-known treasures, such as the Old Town’s Astronomical Clock, built in 1410 and once the envy of all of Europe; HRADCANY CASTLE GROUNDS; St. Vitus Cathedral; and the Charles Bridge, the oldest bridge in Prague. Browse the Christmas markets, where rows of brightly decorated wooden huts sell Christmas tree ornaments, wooden toys, and Czech handicrafts. Get a little inner warmth with a cup of svarene vino (hot mulled wine) and a traditional hot sausage. The beautifully decorated tree in the Old Town is an impressive sight.
Day 3: Prague–Nuremberg, Germany (Embarkation)
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
After lunch, drive to Nuremberg to embark your cruise vessel. Before dinner, meet your crew for a welcome reception.
Day 4: Nuremberg
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Although 90% of Nuremberg’s Old Town suffered extensive damage during WWII, much of it has been restored to the glory it once knew as the unofficial capital of the Holy Roman Empire. Choose either a GUIDED SIGHTSEEING TOUR and marvel at this thousand-year-old city’s medieval fortifications, gothic churches, and the Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle), or join a more specialized NUREMBERG RALLY GROUNDS tour. The Old Town is illuminated with festive lights and decorations, and the Christmas market is one of the most famous in the world. You’ll find 200 stalls offering traditional wares, including Nuremberg Lebkuchen (spicy gingerbread), baked goods and sweets, Christmas decorations, ornaments, and more.
Day 5: Bamberg
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
In the early morning hours, arrive in medieval Bamberg, former residence of one of Germany’s most powerful imperial dynasties. Your GUIDED WALKING TOUR takes in its historic center, including the great 13th-century Romanesque cathedral and the fascinating Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall)—built on an island in the middle of the Regnitz River when the bishop refused to give the townspeople land for a town hall! At this time of year, especially interesting are the nativity scenes built by local residents and exhibited throughout the town. Enjoy the Christmas market, where, in addition to candles and decorations, you’ll find many regional delicacies, like gingerbread and nut bread. Rejoin your ship in time for lunch. This afternoon, cruise along the Main River to Würzburg, and attend a fascinating ONBOARD LECTURE to learn more about the European Union.
Day 6: Würzburg
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Known as the “Pearl of the Romantic Road,” Würzburg is surrounded by sloping hills covered with vineyards. The city makes an immediate impression with imposing Fortress Marienberg perched above town and the 15th-century Alte Mainbrucke (Old Main Bridge). On your included GUIDED SIGHTSEEING TOUR, visit the magnificent baroque BISHOP’S RESIDENZ, home to the largest ceiling fresco ever painted. This afternoon you are free to explore on your own—maybe visit the Christmas markets or join an optional excursion to medieval Rothenburg. Be sure to try a Schneeball (snowball), a local specialty not at all suitable for a diet!
Day 7: Miltenberg
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Tucked away behind medieval defensive walls and towered gates, the picturesque Bavarian village of Miltenberg is a cultural gem on the banks of the Main River. This afternoon’s GUIDED WALK will acquaint you with the town’s delightful Marktplatz (market square), which centers around a Renaissance-era fountain and features striking half-timbered buildings, cobblestone lanes, and one of the oldest inns in Germany, Haus zum Riesen (the giant’s house) and the gothic splendor of the Merchant Hall. Depart for Frankfurt before dinner.
Day 8: Frankfurt (Disembarkation)
Meals: Breakfast
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
NOTE: Flights out of Frankfurt should not leave before 8:30 am.
Day 1: Welcome to London
The vibrant British capital where you will spend the next two nights, enjoying the pomp and pageantry of a city that effortlessly combines old and new.
The Tower
Day 2: Discover Historic London
Join a Local Specialist this morning for a tour to see the iconic sites of London, including Big Ben, the imposing Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. Spend a leisurely afternoon shopping on Carnaby Street, consider visiting one of London’s museums or wander along the Thames watching ambitious Londoners pound the pavements.
The Tower
Breakfast
Day 3: Eurostar™ to Brussels and on to Amsterdam
This morning we meet our Travel Director before traveling to London's St. Pancras International where we will board the Eurostar™ for a high-speed train journey to Brussels and a luxury coach journey to Amsterdam. Enjoy an orientation of this historic Dutch city before joining your fellow travelers and Travel Director for a dinner cruise on its canals.
Mercure City
Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4: Journey to the Rhineland and a Scenic Cruise
Driving through the lush landscapes of the Netherlands and Germany, we arrive in Boppard where we board a cruise along the Rhine to St. Goar, passing vineyard-clad hills and medieval castles perched above riverside towns. Arriving in the Baroque city of Heidelberg, we explore its unexpected highlights before traveling to our Rhineland hotel.
Sinsheim
Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5: Off to Innsbruck
Crossing the Swabian Alps on the edge of the Black Forest, we arrive in the Bavarian capital of Munich. Our orientation takes us past the Hofbrauhaus, reputedly the most famous Beerhall in the world, and the neo-Gothic Town Hall which dominates the Marienplatz. We cross the Austrian border next, arriving in Innsbruck, the capital of the Alps. Admire the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture of the Old Town, including Emperor Maximilian's famous Golden Roof with its ornate façade and consider an evening of traditional Tyrolean entertainment.
Tivoli Innsbruck
Breakfast
Day 6: Onwards to the Canals of Venice Make Travel Matter
Journey through the emerald-green landscape along the Brenner Pass into Italy and across the Dolomite Mountains to Venice. We cruise the beautiful Venetian lagoon by private launch to the gateway of Venice, St. Mark's Square. View the ornate Doge's Palace and the Bridge of Sighs, so named for the sound made by condemned prisoners as they took one last longing look at their beautiful city before meeting their fate. Enjoy a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience where you’ll witness the centuries-old craft of Venetian glassblowing. You’ll learn how the master craftsmen shape the molten glass to make the exquisite and delicate works of art that adorn homes all over the world and perhaps be inspired to buy your own souvenir as a reminder of this special visit. There’s time later to enjoy the city your way. Get lost in Venice, cross bridges and discover hidden campi where locals share their daily stories over a glass of Venetian Spritz.
Novotel Mestre Castellana
Breakfast
Day 7: All Roads Lead to Rome Connect with Locals
Travel south across the Veneto Plain, passing Bologna and the dramatic Apennine Mountains as well as the green and golden fields of Lazio before reaching Rome, the 'Eternal City'. En route, we Connect With Locals over lunch at a Be My Guest experience and enjoy true Tuscan hospitality with a local family on their private estate in the Chianti countryside.
A. Roma Lifestyle
Breakfast, Lunch
Day 8: Discover Ancient Rome and the Vatican City
Our first stop today sees us discover the divine beauty of the Vatican City. We'll visit St. Peter's Basilica with a Local Specialist to view Michelangelo's Renaissance masterpiece, the Pietà. We continue to Ancient Rome to view Roman Forum, the walls of the iconic Colosseum and Circus Maximus, once the site of exhilarating chariot races centuries ago. The afternoon is yours to explore the city on your terms. Sit on the Spanish Steps savoring a tasty gelato, shop up a storm on the trendy Via Condotti or perhaps join an Optional Experience to see the magnificent frescoed ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
A. Roma Lifestyle
Breakfast
Day 9: Continue to Renaissance Florence
From Rome, we travel north through the rolling countryside of Tuscany and along the Arno valley to the 'Cradle of the Renaissance', Florence. Delve into the rich Medici heritage of this beautiful medieval city with your Local Specialist. Visit the political hub of the city, Piazza della Signoria, with its impressive sculptures and stunning palazzi. View the imposing Duomo, crowned by Brunelleschi’s dome, and the Baptistery, renowned for its sculptured bronze doors.
Hilton Metropole
Breakfast
Day 10: Across the Alps to Lucerne
Drive via the scenic Italian Lakes District, across the Alps into beautiful Switzerland, where we'll spend the next two nights in the medieval lakeside city of Lucerne. View the mournful, mortally wounded lion hewn from rock to commemorate the Swiss Guards who lost their lives defending Louis XVI. Walk along the flower-lined 14th-century covered Chapel Bridge, crossing the river Reuss.
Grand Europe
Breakfast
Day 11: Explore Lucerne
This morning join an exciting Optional Experience to one of the surrounding peaks for breath taking views of the Swiss countryside. We have some time later to discover the best Swiss chocolates in town.
Grand Europe
Breakfast, Dinner
Day 12: On to Captivating Paris
Crossing the border into France this morning, we travel past the picturesque vineyards and country towns of Burgundy en route to the 'City of Lights'. Spend some time this evening strolling along the Seine and grand boulevards in search of a cozy bistro for fine French cuisine or consider an Optional Experience to a colorful Parisian cabaret.
Evergreen Laurel
Breakfast
Day 13: Discover the Sights of Paris
Join a Local Specialist today for a sightseeing tour of this romantic city. View the sophisticated Champs-Élysées, Place de la Concorde, the 19th-century Arc de Triomphe, honoring those who fought for France, and Notre Dame Cathedral, then enjoy a stroll through the Latin Quarter. Our European Whirl is almost at its end, we spend the evening with fellow travelers and our Travel Director, enjoying a Farewell Dinner in a local bistro.
Evergreen Laurel
Breakfast, Dinner
Day 14: Farewell Paris
Today bid adieu to your fellow travelers and Travel Director at the end of your memorable experience.
Breakfast