Alpine Christmas Markets - Classic Group

Alpine Christmas Markets - Classic Group

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9 Days From

$2660

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Tour Overview

Embark on a magical journey through the Alpine Christmas Markets with the Classic Group tour, exploring the festive charm of Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and France. Begin in Munich, where you'll enjoy a warm welcome dinner and explore the city's iconic sights. Discover Salzburg's historic Christmas Market and Mozart's birthplace, then travel to Innsbruck for a horse-drawn carriage ride and a visit to Swarovski Crystal Worlds. Wander through the medieval streets of Lindau and the Black Forest, and experience the enchanting Christmas Markets of Freiburg and Strasbourg. Conclude your adventure in Zurich, where you'll enjoy a festive dinner and explore the city's traditional markets. With luxurious accommodations, authentic dining experiences, and insightful local guides, this tour offers a delightful blend of culture, history, and holiday spirit. ...more ...less

Highlights

  • Munich: Explore the city's landmarks including the Marienplatz and the famous Christmas Market.

  • Salzburg: Visit Mozart's family home and the 500-year-old Christmas Market in front of the cathedral.

  • Innsbruck: Discover the picturesque Old Town and enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride in the Tyrolean mountains.

  • Lorrach: Explore the town at the borders of Germany, France, and Switzerland, and see the ruins of Rotteln Castle.

  • Lindau: Walk the medieval streets of this island-town and visit the Harbor and Old City Hall.

  • Freiburg im Breisgau: Stroll through the medieval cobbled streets and enjoy the Christmas Markets.

  • Strasbourg: Experience France's oldest Christmas Markets set in front of the Cathedral and explore La Petite France.

  • Zurich: Enjoy the traditional Christmas Markets in Zurich's Old Town.

Itinerary

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Day 1: Arrive in Munich

Location: Munich, Marienplatz

Accommodation: Munich Marriott Hotel.

Accommodation Name: Munich Marriott

Meals Included: Dinner

Welcome to Germany.  Meet your Travel Director this afternoon for an orientation of the city that will show you some of the city’s major sights, culminating in the Marienplatz, with its soaring Town Hall and Glockenspiel. Here, the Christkindlmarkt will be in full swing, an entrancing festival of light and music. In the evening, join your Travel Director and fellow guests for a welcome dinner with wine. ...more ...less

Day 2: Free Time in the Bavarian Capital Relaxed Start

Location: Munich, Residenz, Bavarian Alps

Accommodation: Munich Marriott Hotel.

Accommodation Name: Munich Marriott

Meals Included: Breakfast

Explore Munich with Insight Choice. Choose to join a Local Expert for a foodie walking tour in the city center. Alternatively, visit the famous Residenz, and see its museum and Treasury. This afternoon, consider joining an optional experience to explore the romantic royal palaces of the Bavarian Alps.

Day 3: Lake Chiemsee, Salzburg and Innsbruck

Location: Lake Chiemsee, Salzburg, Innsbruck

Accommodation: AC Hotel Innsbruck.

Accommodation Name: AC, Innsbruck

Meals Included: Dinner

Travel alongside the tranquil waters of Lake Chiemsee on your way to Salzburg in Austria, where the spires and domes of the Old Town are often draped in snow in December. Visit Mozart's birthplace to learn more about his life, and sit down to a musical demonstration on his original pianoforte. Enjoy a visit to Swarovski in the afternoon followed by a highlight dinner. Head through the mountains to your Innsbruck hotel.

Day 4: Innsbruck at Leisure Relaxed Start

Location: Innsbruck

Accommodation: AC Hotel Innsbruck.

Accommodation Name: AC, Innsbruck, Hotel Grauer Bär, Innsbruck

Meals Included: Breakfast

Enjoy a horse & carriage ride in the morning. Immerse yourself in the festive atmosphere of the Old Town and Christmas Markets, set in front of the Golden Roof, graced by beautifully preserved medieval facades.

Day 5: The Black Forest via Lindau

Location: Lindau, Black Forest

Accommodation: Hotel Stadt Lörrach, Loerrach.

Accommodation Name: Hotel Stadt Lörrach, Loerrach.

Meals Included: Dinner

Travel through the Alberg tunnel, Austria’s longest road tunnel, as you return to Germany and pause in the tiny island-town of Lindau. Walk through the maze of ancient streets down to the harbor. Across the lake, often shrouded in mist, look for the rising silhouette of snow-capped peaks. After time to explore, continue along the shores of the Bodensee to your hotel in the Black Forest.

Day 6: Freiburg Sightseeing

Location: Freiburg im Breisgau

Accommodation: Hotel Stadt Lörrach, Loerrach.

Accommodation Name: Hotel Stadt Lörrach, Loerrach.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Visit Freiburg in the morning, a lively university city with a charming Christmas atmosphere. Walk from the medieval Münster through the heart of the historic old quarter, past colorful stalls offering a range of festive goodies from the Black Forest.

Day 7: Strasbourg and Alsace Experience Relaxed Start

Location: Strasbourg

Accommodation: Hotel Stadt Lörrach, Loerrach.

Accommodation Name: Hotel Stadt Lörrach, Loerrach.

Meals Included: Dinner

Cross the Rhine to the region of Alsace, wedged between the Black Forest and the Vosges Mountains. This area has changed nationality four times since 1870! Arrive in Strasbourg, the City at the Crossroads, where the Christmas Market is the oldest and one of the largest in France. Spend time in a cozy neighborhood of timbered fairy-tale buildings, with Christmas shops and a gingerbread bakery, warm with fragrant promise. Return to Germany and venture to a local restaurant for a delightful dinner of local specialties, accompanied by wine.

Day 8: The Swiss City of Zürich Relaxed Start

Location: Zürich

Accommodation: Mövenpick Hotel Zürich-Airport.

Accommodation Name: Mövenpick Hotel Zürich-Airport.

Meals Included: Dinner

Cross the Swiss border and head for Zurich where a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® visit takes you through the streets of Zurich. Enjoy the traditional Christmas Markets in Zurich's Old Town. Toast to the culmination of your Yuletide journey during a festive dinner with wine at a local restaurant with its own microbrewery.

Day 9: Depart Zürich Relaxed Start

Location: Zürich

Meals Included: Breakfast

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast before checking out. Transfers are available from your hotel to Zürich Airport.Transfers are available from your hotel to Zurich Airport every 20 minutes between 4:00am and noon and from 4:00pm to 11:30pm.

What's Included

  • Personal Radio Headsets

    Personal radio headsets are provided to give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights without missing any of your Local Expert's commentary.

  • Tips and Taxes

    Hotel and restaurant tips are included, along with all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.

  • Luggage Handling

    Your bags will be carried for you and promptly delivered to your hotel door.

  • Insight Flourish

    From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.

  • Wi-Fi

    Stay connected with friends and family with complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).

  • Transfers

    Transfers are available at scheduled times if your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates.

  • Welcome Dinner

    Join your Travel Director for a warm and friendly Welcome Dinner in Munich.

  • Local Experiences

    Various local experiences such as a culinary walking tour in Munich, a visit to Mozart's birthplace in Salzburg, and a horse-drawn carriage ride in Innsbruck are included.

  • Luxury Coach

    Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom.

  • Hand Sanitizer

    Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

What's Not Included

  • Optional Experiences

    Optional experiences such as exploring the romantic royal palaces of the Bavarian Alps are not included.

  • Additional Transfers

    If your flights are outside the scheduled times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation, you may need to purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.

Mode of Transport

Travel in style and comfort aboard Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom, ensuring a relaxing journey through the scenic landscapes of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and France.

Accommodation

Stay in comfort at the Munich Marriott Hotel, AC Hotel Innsbruck, Hotel Stadt Lorrach, and Movenpick Hotel Zurich-Airport, offering a blend of modern amenities and convenient locations for exploring the festive Christmas markets and cultural highlights of each city.

Dining Summary

  • 5 Dinner (D)
  • 8 Breakfast (B)

Additional Included Highlights

  • Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
  • Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
  • We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
  • From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
  • Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
  • If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.

Insight Experiences

  • Experience a musical demonstration at Mozart's birthplace in Salzburg.
  • Salzburg: Visit the house where Mozart was born in 1756. Enjoy a pianoforte demonstration and examine letters, memorabilia, and musical instruments of the great composer, plus a fascinating collection of portraits.

Well-being

  • Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
  • Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

Check out our Q&As

  • What unique experiences are included in the tour?

    The tour includes a variety of unique experiences such as a musical demonstration at Mozart's birthplace in Salzburg, a horse-drawn carriage ride in Innsbruck, and a visit to the Swarovski Crystal Worlds. Additionally, there is a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® visit in Zurich that focuses on social issues and community support. ...more ...less

  • Are meals included in the tour package?

    Yes, the tour package includes 5 dinners with wine and 8 breakfasts.

  • What kind of transportation is provided during the tour?

    The tour provides transportation in a luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and an onboard washroom. Transfers are also available at scheduled times for arrivals and departures.

  • What is the focus of the MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience in Zurich?

    The MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience in Zurich involves a walking tour that raises awareness on social issues such as food insecurity and supports the community. This experience advances United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 10 & 12: Reduced Inequalities & Responsible Consumption and Production. ...more ...less

  • What kind of dining experiences can I expect on this tour?

    The tour offers a variety of dining experiences including a welcome dinner in Munich, tasting gingerbread and Glühwein at the Salzburg Christmas Market, a special dinner at Swarovski Crystal Worlds, and a dinner of local German specialties in the Black Forest.

  • What are some of the highlights of the Christmas Markets visited on this tour?

    The tour visits several Christmas Markets, including the 500-year-old market in Salzburg, the oldest Christmas Market in France located in Strasbourg, and the traditional markets in Zurich's Old Town. These markets offer a festive atmosphere with lights, music, and local specialties.

  • Can I join the tour once it has departed?

    We regret that no refunds can be made for absences from a tour, including experiences such as missed meals or sightseeing.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Since 1978.

  • What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?

    Insight Vacations is a founding member of the TreadRight Foundation, a joint initiative created by the brands within The Travel Corporation (TTC) almost 15 years ago to ensure our impact through tourism is positive. Our ethos to #MakeTravelMatter guides our decision-making at every level of our business.

  • Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?

    Yes

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    You have two options as a solo traveller. Either choose to be matched with a same sex partner for a room share - at no extra cost. Or choose a room of your own with a reduced or even free private room upgrade on select tours.

  • What policies are in place for Covid-19?

    Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies

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1 Select your preferred date

Tuesday - Wednesday

Nov 24, 2026 - Dec 02, 2026
$2660 (USD)

Thursday - Friday

Nov 26, 2026 - Dec 04, 2026
$2685 (USD)

Saturday - Sunday

Nov 28, 2026 - Dec 06, 2026
$2685 (USD)

Book with Confidence

  • Low Deposit

    Insight Vacations requires a minimum deposit of 350 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of insight vacations charges.

    Up to 91 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 90 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

    At 29 days before tour starts: Forfeit 80% of booking price.

    At 1 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

Alpine Christmas Markets - Classic Group

9 Days Starting in Munich, Germany and ending in Zurich, Switzerland

Visiting: Munich, Marienplatz, Residenz, Bavarian Alps, Lake Chiemsee, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Lindau, Black Forest, Freiburg im Breisgau, Strasbourg, Zürich ...more ...less

Tour operator:

Insight Vacations

Tour code:

W550N20

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Physical rating:

Low

Tour operated in:

English

Trip Styles:

Special Events

Activities:

Walking

From: $2660 (USD)

NB: Prices correct on 26-Mar-2025 but subject to change.