MAGICAL CHRISTMAS MARKETS

Exclusive! Group Departure December 1 -December 10, 2023

or choose any date between December 1 and December 31

What could be better than spending time in these gorgeous European towns shopping for handmade, locally produced goods, and tasting the the holiday season's best food and wine of the region? 

We begin our adventure in Vienna, with its 20 official Christmas markets, offering handmade gifts, mouth-watering treats and enchanting lights, that fill our senses and date back to 1298. We spend our days exploring, tasting and immersing in the holiday season. After Vienna, we'll visit Salzburg with several tiny, but amazing markets filled with local artisans, gorgeous handmade crafts, roasting chestnuts, and the smell of gingerbread in the air.  We could not pass up Munich and a few other surprises along the way. Next we'll head to the stunning, ancient town of Strasbourg, a UNESCO site and international culinary destination. As one of the oldest Christmas markets in Europe, this Alsatian treasure fill your senses with twinkling lights and delicious aromas that take you on a sensory journey through some 300 wooden chalets set up in the historic center. The warm charm enchants all who have the pleasure of seeing the stunning display of the holiday season. 

Then on to Paris where the markets tend to be more focused on food than decoration or crafts. Most stalls offer some handcrafts but many more provide crêpes, cheese, sausages, or savory tarts, as well as sweet treats like chocolate, candies, gingerbread or cotton candy (called barbe à papa in French).  In Paris we'll explore neighborhoods away from the cliche tourist areas. We'll be eating the best local cuisine, mastering the regional wines, and exploring some of the hidden gem Christmas markets of Paris. We will intimately discover the gastronomy of seasonal markets, the smaller weekly markets and cook in a famous Parisian kitchen. 

What's included:

• Enjoy 9 nights in luxury accommodations
• Savor dinners at iconic local restaurants including Michelin rated
• Delight in wine tasting throughout
• Experience traditional Christmas dishes and drinks
• Marvel at the stunning beauty of medieval and ancient UNESCO towns 
• Culinary adventures throughout the journey
• Entrance fees
• Many meals
• Private tours and sightseeing
• Deluxe transportation

Not included:

• International airfare
• Travel insurance
• Items of a personal nature
• Anything not specifically stated in the detailed itinerary