Begin your trip in the gateway to Germany, Frankfurt, where you can spend some time visiting the Museum of Modern Art or St Paul's Church. After Frankfurt visit Germany's oldest university in Heidelberg and the spa town of Baden-Baden where you will experience the first Christmas market and perhaps purchase a representative cuckoo clock. Head deeper into the atmospheric Black Forest region passing gorgeous Lake Constance before arriving at the archetype storybook castle, Neuschwanstein. Stop in the town that has been performing the Passion Play every decade for centuries before arriving in Munich with stops at some architectural marvels before strolling the Christmas market warmed by a mug of hot spiced wine. Classical music seems to fit the season and there's no better place to hear it than in Salzburg, Austria home to Mozart, where you should stock up on the Mozartkugeln treats to take back home as gifts. Soak up the medieval ambience of Rothenburg, the quintessential German town where a stone wall surrounds the half-timbered buildings with their decorative gables and window boxes. In Nuremberg nibble on the local sausages flavored with marjoram and sometimes cooked in a flavorful onion and vinegar stock as you check out the town's Christmas market, the Christkindlesmarkt. One of the most popular souvenirs are Nuremberg Plum People, a tradition dating back to the 17th century of making folk art dolls from dried plums. Guided tour of the magnificent baroque city of Würzburg with a palace so splendid it is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. Some final time in Frankfurt to shop along the Zeil, commonly referred to as the Fifth Avenue of Germany, and pick up some last Christmas gifts.

Roundtrip flights on available carrier
Transportation by modern air-conditioned coach
Professional English speaking guide
Roundtrip airport transfers
8-night hotel accommodations
Breakfast daily (B) and two dinners (D)
Visits and excursions as per the itinerary
Admission to Neuschwanstein Castle, St. Jacob's Church, Kaiserburg Castle and Wurzburg Residence