8-Day Christmas Classic Rail Circle (8R08)

It only takes 11 minutes from the airport local train station located below baggage claim in arrival Hall 1 of Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) to Frankfurt Central Station. The fare is covered by the “Frankfurt Card”, which is already included in the price of the 8-Day Christmas Classic Rail Circle Tour Package. The Frankfurt Card also covers public transportation within Frankfurt that day, and it includes a variety of discounts (e.g., to museums and sights). Your hotel is located within a short walking distance of Frankfurt Central Station. Frankfurt is a very modern metropolis that nevertheless offers many historic sites, such as the Romerberg (hill of the Romans) with its gorgeously restored timber-framed houses, of course the Goethe Haus, where the world-famous poet once lived, the Paulskirche, a symbol for democracy and freedom in Germany, “Alt-Sachsenhausen“, where in Schellgasse number 6 you will find Frankfurt’s oldest timber-framed house, which was built around 1291, to name only a few of Frankfurt’s historic landmarks.

The Frankfurt Museum Riverbank is one of the most important locations for museums in Germany and Europe. The exhibition buildings are lined up on both sides of the Main Riverbank, and several famous museums are to be found in the city center. Visit the “Stadel“, the German Museum of Architecture, as well as the Museum of Applied Art, or the “Schirn Kunsthalle” to name only a very few. Don’t miss out on Frankfurt’s “Zeil“, a huge pedestrian zone where shopping is the name of the game. So, if you arrive early enough in Frankfurt, visiting this interesting metropolis is certainly worthwhile.

Frankfurt’s Christmas market is one of the oldest Christmas markets in Germany, with its beginnings reaching back to the year 1393. The location on Roemerberg Square is very romantic and the market attracts over 3 million visitors every year. Advent concerts and trumpet-playing from the tower of St. Nicholas’s Church are part of the daily program.

By High-Speed Rail (ICE), it takes less than 2,5 hours from Frankfurt to Nuremberg. The “Christkindles Markt” (Christ Child’s Market) in Nuremberg is among the most famous Christmas Markets in Germany. Held on Hauptmarkt Square, one can enjoy the delicious Nuremberg Bratwurst while marveling at the beautifully decorated stalls offering local and traditional handicrafts and specialties in a medieval atmosphere.

Nuremberg’s history dates back to the year 1050; its name “nourenberc” translates into “rocky hill”. Nuremberg’s famous landmark, the “Kaiserburg” (Imperial Castle), towers above the Old Town, which is protected by the five-kilometer-long city wall. Many towers and gates can still be visited. The medieval castle is one of the most important imperial palaces, dating from the middle ages from the 11th century (admission included). In the Third Reich Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Party had chosen Nuremberg for their Nazi Rallies and if you are interested in that part of history, you may want to visit the Documenation Center Nazi Rally Grounds which are located just south of the Old Town. When exploring the beauty of Nuremberg’s medieval Old Town, you may want to start right at the Koenigstor (“Kingsgate”) which is the gate right across from Nuremberg Central Station. From here, the timber-framed buildings, the Gothic Church of St.Lawrence and the Church of St.Sebaldus can be easily reached by foot. Right next to the Koenigstor is the Handwerkerhof (craft center). Here, you will feel like you are back in the medieval times, there are craft workshops like they used to have a long time ago, as well as a gingerbread bakery. Make sure to enjoy a Nuremberg Bratwurst along with a beer or a glass of “Frankenwein” (franconian wine).

Day 3 Munich

Continue your travels along the Christmas Classic Rail Tour from Nuremberg to Munich. Your hotel is located within a short walking distance from the Central Station. The price of your tour already includes admission to many sights in Munich (Munich Residence and Residence Museum, Treasury, Cuvilliés-Theatre, Hall of Fame and Statue of Bavaria, Nymphenburg Palace and Park, Marstallmuseum, Museum of Nymphenburg Porcelain), and with your tour package, you will also receive walking suggestions for a self-guided walking tour through Munich City Center. Along this walking tour you will visit the Marienplatz with the New Town Hall (with the “Glockenspiel”), the Konigsplatz (King’s Square), a cultural center since the 19th century, and later, during the “Third Reich”, site of Nazi Party mass rallies and location of the Nazi Party headquarters in Germany, the English Garden, as well as the State Opera House. You will be able to visit famous churches like Munich Frauenkirche, “Dom zu Unserer Lieben Frau” (Cathedral of Our Dear Lady), with a height of 325 ft. a Munich landmark, St. Peters Church, built in the 14th century, and the Asam Church, which was built as a private chapel and integrated into an apartment building. The tour will pass by the most famous Munich shopping streets (Kaufinger Street and Neuhauser Street), as well as by the “Viktualienmarkt”, a traditional farmers market (open every day except on Sundays). The tour will take you by the famous “Alois Dallmayr” luxury delicatessen and coffee store, as well as to the Hofbrauhaus, of course, probably the world’s most popular beer hall. This may be a great place to enjoy a hearty dinner and a fresh mass of beer (one mug holds 33.8 US fl oz)! This is not far from the Marienplatz (Marien Square) where the Christmas Market has been located since the 14th century.

Day 4 Escorted coach tour to the Royal Castles

Another highlight of your Christmas Classic Rail tour will be a visit to the world-famous Neuschwanstein Castle. You will be on an all-day escorted coach tour that will first take you to Oberammergau for a photo stop (you may want to take a look at the Festival Hall, where the Passion Play takes place every ten years). The coach will then take you to Linderhof Palace, the Royal Villa of King Ludwig II. The Palace and Park were inspired by Versailles, and the rooms are beautifully decorated and furnished. After a short drive through Austria and back into Germany, you will get to Neuschwanstein Castle. The picture of Neuschwanstein is probably present in everybody’s mind, and Neuschwanstein really seems to be taken out of a fairy tale. You will join an English-speaking guided tour through the castle. The tour of the interior, the Throne Hall, the Hall of the Singers, the Grotto, and all of the private rooms that were built for King Ludwig II, will make the picture perfect! After the tour of the inside, make sure to take some time to explore the castle grounds. The view of Neuschwanstein from the bridge behind the castle is like no other! Your luxury coach will take you back to Munich, where you will arrive in time for dinner and/or another visit to the Munich Christmas Market!

Day 5 Day Trip to Salzburg

In about 1 hour and 30 minutes, the High-Speed “Rail Jet” (RJ) will take you from Munich to Salzburg. Salzburg, a beautiful town close to the Alp Mountains, Birthplace of Mozart is also the site of the popular movie “The Sound of Music”. Join the English-speaking most unique 4-hour Sound of Music Tour yourself! This tour is an ideal opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Maria von Trapp while taking in local historical sights, both from the city of Salzburg and also the picturesque lakes and mountains surrounding the city. After the tour, you may want to walk across the Salzach River to take a look at Mozart’s Birthplace and the small shopping streets in the area. Here, you also find a wide choice of restaurants for dinner. Or you visit the wonderful Christmas Market in Salzburg, where you find various kinds of delicatessen. The historic market, which was first mentioned in the 15th century, is located at the foot of the Hohensalzburg fortress and around the Cathedral. This Christmas market offers many different crafts, local specialties, and other Christmas items.

Day 6 Day Trip to Innsbruck

Speed Rail will take you in a little less than two hours from Munich Central Station to Innsbruck in Austria—capital of Tyrol. You will be able to enjoy a very scenic train ride since the train will take you right through the Alp Mountains, passing Rosenheim and Kufstein. Innsbruck is known as the “Capital of the Alps“. From Innsbruck Central Station it is just about a 10-minute walk to the Old Town where you find one of the highlights of Innsbruck: the “Goldenes Dachl“ (golden roof), where the Christmas Market is also located. Most of the sights are on the right bank of the River Inn, from which the town takes its name. Innsbruck’s boulevard and central pedestrian area is “Maria-Theresien-Strasse” which offers a nice street view with the mountains seen in the back. The oldest part of town, the Altstadt, is a small area between the river and the semi-circle of road known as the Graben (now a street, but once the route of the old moat that surrounded this part of town). Delivery vehicles are allowed down the cobbled streets at certain times of day, but otherwise pedestrians can wander around uninterrupted. A good orientation point is the Sprungstadion Ski Jump—built in 1964 for the Winter Olympics—that sticks up rather incongruously on the southern side of town.

In a three-hour train ride by Speed Rail from Munich to Heidelberg Central Station, you will continue your Christmas Classic Vacation. Since the station is a little bit outside of the Old Town, where your hotel is located, your tour already includes a taxi transfer from Heidelberg Central Station to your hotel. Heidelberg is a beautiful historic town located along the banks of the Neckar River and the most significant sight is certainly the ruin of Heidelberg Castle, which towers above the city. Since your hotel is located right inside of the Old Town of Heidelberg, it is easy to explore historic Heidelberg by foot. Your tour package will include walking tour suggestions for the Old Town. Along the walking tour, you will see the Old Bridge from which you have a nice view of the Old Town and the castle ruins above. You will also pass by the “Marktplatz” (market place), which is the main square of Heidelberg, the “Peterskirche” (St. Peter’s Church) and the historic University of Heidelberg. Heidelberg’s University was founded in 1386 and it is the oldest University in Germany and with more than 30.000 students, it is still one of the most important universities in Germany today. If you want to enjoy a view over Heidelberg and the Neckar River, you may want to walk up to the grounds of the castle ruins or—for a small fee—take  the historic funicular up and down Heidelberg Castle. The historic Christmas Market is held on seven squares around the Old Town, featuring those typical stalls displaying Christmas handicrafts and local specialties. At night enjoy the splendid view of the illuminated castle.

Today, your 8 Day Christmas Classic Vacation Package ends. Depending on the departure time of your flight from Frankfurt International Airport, we will arrange a taxi transfer from your hotel to Heidelberg Central Station and a train from there to the airport. The train from Heidelberg Central Station to Frankfurt International Airport takes about an hour.