We will feature:

5 Christmas Markets:
Please note that there are Christmas Markets all over the landscape, but these 5 are our favorites.

• Dresden – the “Striezelmarkt” is considered the oldest Christmas Market, but the city also features a Medieval one in the courtyard of the Residence and another interesting market around the Frauenkirche.
• Nuremberg – is still the busiest one, with over 1 Million Visitors, besides the market at the Market square, it also has a separate market at the “Handwerkershof”, an International market and one dedicated to Children.
• Schloss Guteneck – is a romantic market in and around a Castle.
• Regensburg – is another famous market at the Thurn and Taxis Palace, which is also considered romantic.
• Prague – the market at the Old Town Square shows, that Advent is not only celebrated in Germany.

Selected as Christmas related:

• Seiffen – the village in the Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains) is our first choice. If you see quality carved “smoking Men”, Christmas Pyramids and many other Christmas carvings, they probably originate here.
• Rothenburg ob der Tauber – the fortified city as a close second.
• Gars am Inn – features the largest Nativity scene, build and assembled by one man and displayed in a barn.
• Bamberg – the nativity walk, displays the same scene of the week in different locations, it also has 2 museums dedicated to scenes from around the world.

For your souls well-being we included visits to:

• Vierzehn Heiligen – the ornate pilgrimage Basilica out in the countryside.
• Altötting – the Gnadenkapelle, with it’s “Thank You Plaques” going back centuries.
• Wieskirche – another Pilgrimage Church located with a view of the Alps in the background.
• A boat ride on the Königssee to another pilgrimage church – St. Bartholomä

Sight Seeing:
All the aforementioned cities are impressive on their own, even without the Markets, some of them qualified as UNESCO sites. Here are a few more

• Český Krumlov in Czechia, this medieval town has to be added here.
• Oberammergau – the town, in the Bavarian Alps, world famous for the passion plays every 10 years and the wood carvers.
• Berchtesgaden and the Königssee
• We also plan a drive by and photo stop of Neuschwanstein, (Tour of the castle can not be planned in, time restrained).

Other Highlights

• Miniatur Wunderland Hamburg – the largest model railroad in the world with about 10 Miles of track, over 1000 trains and even 52 Airplanes landing, taking off and taxiing.
• Berchtesgaden Salt Mines – a fun trip into the Underworld
• KaDeWe – Kaufhaus des Westen, Berlin’s flagship department store from the cold war era. Let’s also mention the famous Checkpoint Charlie.
• Pilsner Urquell – explore a small portion of the miles of cellars at the brewery

For your Stomachs well-being let us include:

• Lunch at the Pilsner Brewery
• another lunch at an remarkable Brewery Restaurant in Chodovar, Czechia.
• and round it off with lunch close to the Vierzehn Heiligen Church
• Dinner at the Castle Hotel we are staying at.
• and our “last supper” is planned at the Kloster Ettal monastery.

Transportation:
To get the best for our Buck, we will utilize 3 Bus Companies

1. A local Bus in Hamburg to pick us up from the airport, take us to the Miniatur Wunderland (we can leave our luggage on the bus), pick us up towards the evening and drive us to the Schlosshotel in Neustadt – Glewe for the night
2. Our regular star rated Bus (Weiherer Busreisen) will pick us up the next morning and transport us for the next 12 days.
3. A bus from a Company in Munich will take us on a day trip to the Bavarian Alps and 2 days later transfer us to the airport (depending on the number of us going).

Reason for the different Busses, the hotel and food cost for the driver and the sometimes expensive cost to park the bus is carried by us. So, if I can either save that or send the driver home for the night saves hundreds of Euros, which reflects in the overall cost per Person for the Journey. (As one example on our last trip the overnight bus parking was 100 Euros per night in Salzburg, Austria, plus the hotel cost for the driver).

Planned Hotels:
*Might be changed yet, depending on availability or exorbitant cost increases!*

• The first night in Neustadt – Glewe is in a Schlosshotel (hotel in an old Chateau)
• Berlin – the 4 Star Mercure* is planned for the night, as they want ~$35 P.P. for Breakfast I am looking for alternatives, unless you order it at check-in for yourself, charged to your credit card.
• Seiffen – is another night in a castle hotel near the village
• Prague – we used the Clarion Hotel Prague Old Town* the last time, nice hotel in walking distance to the Old Town Square.
• Schönwald – Hotel – Gasthof Turm, clean rooms with en suite bathrooms, nice breakfast included, we can send the bus driver home for the night and avoid the cost, also for bus parking. Changing drivers for a day or two is also possible to comply with the Laws (Lenkgesetz). Last time there was only 1 complaint, that their room was small ( it was only brought to my attention a week later). We will only sleep there (arrive in the evening and leave right after breakfast daily).
• Český Krumlov – still looking for a nice hotel in town.
• Altötting – selected hotel is next to the town square.
• Munich – will probably be a hotel from a international chain close to the Karlsplatz – Old Town pedestrian zone.