First Noel – Christmas Market Tour in Germany (2025)

Depart the United States on overnight flight to Frankfurt

Arrive in Munich early afternoon and check into hotel. Late this afternoon we will have a walking tour of Munich’s Old Town. This evening we will have a traditional German Welcome Dinner to get us in the German spirit!

There are over a dozen Christmas markets in Munich. We will spend the day exploring as many as possible including the more secluded, Residenz Christmas Village.

The biggest Christmas market in Munich is the Christkindlmarkt Marienplatz, where we will end our day with the chance to experience the market at night.

This morning we will tour the Viktualienmarkt – Munich’s largest food market with over 100 stalls. You will try local, German specialties and sample treats from the region. Afterward, we will take a day trip day trip to the famous Neuschwanstein Castle. Often known as Germany’s Cinderella castle, it was actually the inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty castle at Disneyland. We will take a guided tour of the castle.

This morning we will wake early to make the trip to Nuremberg (2 hrs). Upon arrival, we will visit the Nuremberg Castle. During the Middle Ages, the castle was one of the most important imperial palaces in the Holy Roman Empire. Later, we will visit Nuremberg’s famous Christmas market.

Christkindlesmarkt is one of the largest and most popular Christmas markets in the world. In the adjacent side streets, you’ll find the Market of the Sister Cities, where vendors from around the world sell everything from African flutes to Italian ham. There’s also a Children’s Market nearby, with pretty carousels, gingerbread houses, and other kid-friendly stalls and activities.

After a leisurely breakfast, we will make the trip from Nuremberg to Rothenburg. Rothenburg is a walled city located on a plateau overlooking the Tauber River. We will spend time exploring the city and its old town before enjoying the Christmas market here. You will find around 50 stands with delicious, beloved Franconian treats such as crispy fried Bratwürste, savory Flammkuchen and finely-seasoned gingerbread Lebkuchen and dozens of holiday favorites.

From Rothenburg we will make our way to Stuttgart (1hr 40min). Stuttgart’s Christmas market is among the oldest Christmas markets in Europe, with a document tracing its roots all the way back to 1692. For a real treat, you can see the city’s unique advent calendar –starting December 1, the Stuttgart Town Hall becomes a giant Advent Calendar for all to see. With strategic windows blocked off with numbers, one image is revealed a day up until Christmas.

Here you can also see a Finnish Christmas village in Stuttgart’s Karlsplatz. Here you will find a cozy Finnish Christmas village set up with little Finnish flags, Finnish mulled wine, and Finnish Flammlachs.

If time allows, we will also visit one of these villages about 15 minutes driving distance from Stuttgart for their market: Ludwigsburg Baroque Market or Esslingen Medieval Market.

Today we will make our longest drive of the trip (2.5 hrs) on to Frankfurt. Christmas markets in Frankfurt dot the city. We will explore several of the city’s best as we make our way around to the beautiful vendor stalls as we enjoy more Christmas treats and relax in the glow of thousands of twinkling lights.

Our last Christmas markets to visit are found in the city of Cologne. Today we will wake early to travel from Frankfurt to the beauty of Cologne (2 hrs). The aroma of baked apples, cinnamon biscuits and mulled wine will waft through the alleys, and many differently themed Christmas markets here. We will visit:

• Cologne Cathedral Christmas Market
• The House Elves’ Winter Fairytale Christmas Market
• The Angels’ Christmas Market
• Nicholas’ Village Christmas Market

Tonight, we will have a final, Farewell Dinner together.

Depart for the United States – bags full of Christmas delights and memories to share with those back home!