Start off your fantastic festive holiday with a visit to the stunning Aachen Christmas market. Possibly one of the most picturesque in the whole of Germany, you will really get to enjoy the romantic feel of this quaint town. Then, head deep down underground as we head over into Holland and to Valkenburg Christmas markets. If you’re looking for something unique, then the most impressive of Dutch markets in the Municipal caves will be right up your street! And, why not end on a big crescendo? On our 5-day Christmas break, we’ll head to mighty Cologne to enjoy the numerous Christmas markets dotted about this incredible city.
4 days from $998 pp
We offer flexible payment options
Once you have booked your tour either online, or by telephone ( 1300 811 500 ), you have the flexibility of how you pay off the remainder of your balance. You can:
Our contact and online banking payment details will be on your confirmation invoice to remind you of your choices.
For your convenience, you may choose to start this tour in the UK or at the first city in Europe.
Today we cross the border into Germany and travel to Aachen to visit the Christmas Market. Every year in the weeks prior to Christmas, the squares and alleys around Aachen’s town hall and cathedral are transformed into a festive Christmas Market. The range of goods offered is overwhelming, from grand objects to the modest trinket and from the most impressive gifts to everyday utensils. Enjoy free time visiting the many stalls whilst sipping a warming cup of mulled wine and sampling the delicious potato fritters. Be sure to try ‘Spekulatius’ or traditional Christmas spice cookies.
In order to enhance your tour, you may wish to join an optional half day visit to the lovely German town of Monschau, the ‘Gem of the Eifel Region’. Centered on the banks of a small river and overlooked from opposite hillsides by the ruins of a stone watchtower and an old palace, Monschau is a classically pretty town. Linked by a series of bridges, the town’s restaurants and shops lead up to the town centre where a charming church proudly stands.
Included Highlights
Optional Excursions
Our optional excursions are a great addition to enhance your holiday experience and are highly recommended.| 2020 | |
|---|---|
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$45 |
Spend today in the charming town of Valkenburg. Experience the festive excitement of the Christmas market in the Town Cave (Gemeentegrot); the oldest and largest underground Christmas market in Europe. The ancient galleries are filled with Christmas music and decorated with lights and traditional stalls selling all kinds of festive gifts creating a truly magical atmosphere.
You may also wish to visit the Christmas market in the Velvet Cave (Fluweelengrot- entrance extra approximately €7 per person). This Christmas market leads you on a circular route through an underground pathway lined with stalls, all tucked into niches in the rock. They’re bursting with Christmas gifts or why not enjoy a warm welcome at the Winter Wonderland Tavern, which serves Glühwein and hearty meals to fortify you for more shopping!
Included Highlights
If you are leaving the tour in Europe, you will say farewell to the group after breakfast this morning. If you joined the tour in the UK, today you will return and continue to your original joining point.
For your convenience, you may choose to start this tour in the UK or at the first city in Europe.
Today we cross the border into Germany and travel to Aachen to visit the Christmas Market. Every year in the weeks prior to Christmas, the squares and alleys around Aachen’s town hall and cathedral are transformed into a festive Christmas Market. The range of goods offered is overwhelming, from grand objects to the modest trinket and from the most impressive gifts to everyday utensils. Enjoy free time visiting the many stalls whilst sipping a warming cup of mulled wine and sampling the delicious Potato fritters. Be sure to try ‘Spekulatius’ or traditional Christmas spice cookies.
In order to enhance your tour, you may wish to join an optional half day visit the lovely German town of Monschau, the ‘Gem of the Eifel Region’. Centered on the banks of a small river and overlooked from opposite hillsides by the ruins of a stone watchtower and an old palace, Monschau is a classically pretty town. Linked by a series of bridges, the town’s restaurants and shops lead up to the town centre where a charming church proudly stands.
Included Highlights
Optional Excursions
Our optional excursions are a great addition to enhance your holiday experience and are highly recommended.| 2020 | |
|---|---|
|
$45 |
Spend today in the charming town of Valkenburg. Experience the festive excitement of the Christmas market in the Town Cave (Gemeentegrot); the oldest and largest underground Christmas market in Europe. The ancient galleries are filled with Christmas music and decorated with lights and traditional stalls selling all kinds of festive gifts creating a truly magical atmosphere.
You may also wish to visit the Christmas market in the Velvet Cave (Fluweelengrot- entrance extra approximately €7 per person). This Christmas market leads you on a circular route through an underground pathway lined with stalls, all tucked into niches in the rock. They’re bursting with Christmas gifts or why not enjoy a warm welcome at the Winter Wonderland Tavern, which serves Glühwein and hearty meals to fortify you for more shopping!
Included Highlights
Today we visit Cologne and its Christmas market on our included excursion. Cologne’s history traces back more than 2,000 years when it was founded as a Roman colony. Today it has developed into a beautiful cosmopolitan city.
Advent magic spreads throughout Cologne at this time of year, when six idyllic Christmas markets open their gates to visitors. More than 160 stalls offer traditional goods and handcrafted gifts. Wonderful spicy aromas of cinnamon stars, baked apples and roasted almonds will fill the air and local wreath binders, glassblowers and blacksmiths will demonstrate their art.
Start at the Christmas market in Cathedral Square where you will find a fascinating array of high-quality arts and crafts, many gift ideas and delicious food and drinks, and a huge Christmas tree.
Continue onto the Old Town where the rustic ’Home of the Elves’ market takes place at the Heumarkt and Alter Markt. Traditional stalls and huts, pretty lanes and hidden Heinzelmännchen (house gnomes who are said to have done the work of the people of Cologne at night), and craftspeople demonstrating their skills, give this market its particular charm.
At Neumarkt you will find the Market of Angels with its charming chalets, twinkling lights shining from the trees, and high quality products. Just a ten minute walk from Neumarkt is the Village of St Nicholas at Rudolfplatz. Here the theme is the St. Nicholas Village which makes this market particularly popular with younger visitors.
In a picturesque setting overlooking the Rhine, the Cologne Harbour market at the Chocolate Museum will bring a maritime flavour to Christmas. With around 80 stalls this market is one of the largest in Cologne. Take in the lively atmosphere, and why not sample fish specialities or fine food and drink from around the world.
Finally, there is the the dynamically artful and attractively different Christmas market at Stadtgarten in the heart of the Belgian quarter. The Stadtgarten Christmas market traditionally only takes place in the afternoon. Whilst visiting Cologne be sure to indulge yourself in some typical culinary delights such as the famous ’Christstollen’ yeast cakes, ’Lebkuchen’ soft gingerbread cookies and Marzipan almond confections. Also try the mandatory ’Gluhwein’ a hot spiced wine in mugs perfect to warm chilly hands.
Included Highlights
If you are leaving the tour in Europe, you will say farewell to the group after breakfast this morning. If you joined the tour in the UK, today you will return and continue to your original joining point.
Book online OR call our friendly travel advisers on:
1300 811 500
If you prefer, then you can join the tour at the hotel. To do this, we will require a copy of your passport for identification purposes and you must advise us at the time of booking.
No reduction will be given if you should choose to do this.
We are unable to guarantee that the hotel will be able to meet your dietary requirements. We find that the majority of European countries do not generally cater for vegetarians and that the meal supplied may well be what everyone else is having minus the meat.
We will of course endeavour to arrange for a vegetarian meal at the hotel. We do however suggest that you advise us of your dietary requests at the time of booking and recommend that you speak to the receptionist on arrival with regard to your request.
You will stay for three or four nights at the 3-star Hotel Walram, located in the centre of Valkenburg.
Due to demand, we may use other hotels of a similar standard, such as the 3-star Hotel Schaepkens in Valkenburg, the Select Hotel Apple Park in Maastricht or the 3-star Hotel Riche in Valkenburg on the Geul.
Front row seats can be reserved for $35pp (up to 6 days' duration), $55pp (7 & 8 days' duration) and $60pp (9 days' duration and over) on all European tours. This offer is only available for bookings of two or four persons on the front row and is subject to availability. In addition to this, seats on the second row can be reserved for $18pp (up to 6 days duration), $35pp (7 & 8 days duration) and $42pp (9, 10 and days duration) $50pp (12 days and over). Guaranteed front/second row seats cannot be reserved on transfer journeys to/from the interchange. Children under 15 years cannot occupy a front row seat due to French Law. Central view seats are free.
Please note: On some coaches the legroom on front seats may be slightly less than that available on other seats due to the presence of a modesty board in front.
If your tour is cancelled for any reason and front/second row seats are not available on your new tour, you will be refunded the supplement. No other compensation will be payable.
Alternatively, we can take seating requests on your booking. However, requests are not guaranteed. All seat numbers are confirmed on travel documents approximately 7-10 days prior to departure.
Transfer coaches are routed approximately 2-3 weeks before departure. The route taken depends on where passengers are booked to travel from on any particular date as to which route is taken. If you require further detailed information regarding the route to the port you can contact our Customer Service Department on 1300 811 500 two weeks before you are due to travel. With regard to the route taken by the main tour coach, this is determined by the driver.
With regard to the route taken by the main tour coach, this is determined by the driver.
When it comes to getting you to your destination, McLachlan European Holidays make it easy, with a selection of travel options for you to choose from.
All of our coaches are modern and comfortable, and you can be assured of a high level of service. On selected air holidays, the executive coach may not have an onboard toilet or drinks facilities.
