Christmas Markets: Budapest to Amsterdam

Your journey begins in Budapest, the capital of Hungary and one of Europe’s most diverse and vibrant cities. Divided by the Danube, with Buda on one side and Pest on the other, this city became united in 1873 when a newly built bridge connected the two. This afternoon, board your all-inclusive luxury Scenic Space-Ship and settle into your suite. Many have a window that converts into a Scenic Sun Lounge, allowing uninterrupted views of ever-changing landscapes and life along the riverbanks. Relax and raise your glass to the days ahead at this evening’s welcome reception.

Budapest is an architectural treasure trove comprising styles from Gothic to Art Nouveau and everything in between, well known for its hot springs, thermal baths and vibrant nightlife. The city comes alive during the festive season, with elaborate decorations, charming Christmas markets, ice skating rinks, traditional foods and trams covered in twinkling lights. Scenic Freechoice: Budapest in depth – explore this magical city by coach, starting in Buda to see the Varkert Bazar before crossing the Margaret Bridge to Pest’s Szechenyi Square and Elizabeth Square. Hospital in the Rock – go underground to explore the labyrinths beneath the city’s castle district, built as a secret WWII hospital and later converted to a nuclear bunker. Guided hike of Buda – a beautiful hike through the Buda district, taking in the Varkert Bazar, landscaped gardens and great views over the Danube.

Relax on board this morning as you cruise towards Vienna, perhaps enjoying a coffee in your suite as the scenery drifts by. Arrive in the Austrian capital this afternoon – a centre of art, music and culture that fostered the geniuses Mozart and Beethoven. See the world’s most beautiful boulevard, The Ringstrasse, lit up with dazzling Christmas displays, and enjoy the city’s musical heritage in full festive swing. Scenic Pearl remains docked overnight, so this afternoon you are free to wander the city. Scenic Enrich: Classical Concert at Palais Liechtenstein – breathe in the opulence of this evening’s exclusive private classical concert, with a glass of fine Austrian Sekt and the timeless music of Strauss and Mozart performed by a renowned orchestra. Seated in Vienna’s largest secular Baroque hall, accompanied by ballet dancers and vocalists and surrounded by world-famous art, this is a concert you’ll remember for a lifetime.

Wake with Vienna on your doorstep. Slow down and spend a full day exploring, or venture further afield – shuttles are available in the afternoon to the Christmas markets in the city centre. Scenic Freechoice: Kunsthistorisches Museum – visit this superb museum housing pieces from ancient Egypt through to the 18th century, including the largest collection of works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Guided tour of Vienna – a city tour by coach and on foot along the famous Ringstrasse, taking in the Urania, Stadtpark, the Strauss Monument and the State Opera. Schonbrunn Palace – explore the former summer residence of the Habsburg family, with ornately designed rooms and impressive gardens; the palace courtyard hosts Christmas markets to enjoy after your visit. Excursion to Bratislava – Slovakia’s capital since 1993, with its glorious Old Town, well-preserved hilltop castle and brutalist socialist architecture.

Dock in the small, picturesque town of Krems in Austria’s Wachau Valley before cruising on to Durnstein. Scenic Freechoice: Gottweig Abbey – founded in the sixth century, with spectacular frescoes and the largest Baroque staircase in Austria. Wachau Valley wine tasting – visit a local winemaker to learn the age-old traditions of winemaking. UNESCO Wachau Valley e-bike experience – a bicycle tour along the Danube to the village of Krems. Christmas magic in Krems – immerse yourself in this UNESCO-listed old town, where a 700-metre pedestrian zone glows with twinkling lights, artisan huts and festive music from late November to Christmas; a guided tour through medieval alleys and Baroque landmarks, followed by mulled wine, roasted chestnuts and regional apricot treats. Later, dock at Durnstein, a picturesque World Heritage-listed town on the Danube, where the Christmas market in the courtyard of Durnstein Castle begins to glow in the afternoon.

After a short stop in Brandstatt, arrive in Passau – set at the meeting point of three rivers close to the Austrian border, its charming Italianate Old Town strung with festive decorations and the air scented with gingerbread and spices from the Christmas market. Scenic Freechoice: Full day excursion to Salzburg – cross into Austria, home of Mozart and The Sound of Music, visiting Mozart’s birthplace and the vast Hohensalzburg Fortress. Full day excursion to Cesky Krumlov – a World Heritage-listed Czech town with well-preserved Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture. Highlights of Passau – a walking tour of the brightly coloured, Christmas-decorated buildings along the waterways, visiting St Stephens Cathedral and sampling Sengzelten, a Bavarian delicacy similar to tarte flambee.

Arrive in Regensburg, boasting a staggering 2,000-year history and one of Germany’s best preserved medieval town centres. The city hosts five separate Christmas markets during the festive season, including the renowned Neupfarrplatz market – famous for blueberry and apple mulled wine and Original Regensburger Bratwurste – and the romantic market at Thurn und Taxis Palace, with Old Bavarian potato soup served in a loaf of bread and the scent of roasted almonds. Scenic Freechoice: Walking tour of Regensburg – a guided tour to the Old Stone Bridge, the Church of St James and the Porta Praetoria. Thurn und Taxis Tour – a guided tour of the castle followed by free time to explore the magical Christmas markets.

Arrive in Nuremberg, Bavaria’s second-largest city, home to one of the oldest and most famous Christmas markets in the world. The wooden booths of “the little city of wood and cloth” look plucked from a fairytale, with Spekulatius almond cookies, gingerbread and original Nuremberg Bratwurst having made this market world famous – and each town’s unique festive mug a collector’s item. Scenic Freechoice: Walking tour of the Old Town – the Imperial Castle, St Egidien’s Church and the market square. World War II tour – the main events that occurred in Nuremberg during the Nazi regime.

Dock in picturesque Bamberg, a World Heritage-listed town built on seven hills. A guided tour reveals the Old Town’s cobblestoned streets, the Town Hall on its own island, and the Old and New Residences. Don’t miss the Christmas market in Maximiliansplatz, sampling gingerbread, bratwurst and mulled wine among twinkling lights.

With its lavish Baroque and Rococo architecture, glamorous Wurzburg straddles the Main River in the heart of Franconian wine country. Scenic Freechoice: Guided city tour and Wurzburg Residence – a Baroque palace surrounded by manicured gardens, with valuable paintings and period furniture. Romantic Road to Rothenburg – travel to the well-preserved medieval old town along the famed Romantic Road, taking in the Gothic city hall before absorbing the magical atmosphere of the 500-year-old Christmas markets.

Relax on board this morning cruising towards Wertheim, perhaps booking a massage or relaxing in the Salt Therapy Lounge. This afternoon, dock in Wertheim on the banks of the Main and Tauber rivers, where colourful Christmas markets take over the town centre. Enjoy a guided tour, then transfer by coach to Miltenberg – one of Germany’s best preserved historic towns, home to hundreds of pastel-coloured half-timbered houses and the country’s oldest inn, Zum Riesen – for a further tour before reboarding.

Disembark after lunch in Rudesheim, surrounded by steep vineyards, with half-timbered houses lining cobbled streets and glowing Christmas markets taking over the main square. Visit Siegfried’s Musikkabinett Museum, arriving via mini train, to discover its weird and wonderful mechanical musical instruments, then explore the surrounding streets and local Christmas markets at your own pace.

Relax on board as you cruise through the picturesque Rhine Gorge, a 65-kilometre stretch dotted with some 40 hilltop castles spanning 1,000 years. Arrive in the 2,000-year-old city of Cologne, painstakingly restored after WWII, for a walking tour of the Old Town and the World Heritage-listed Cologne Cathedral – home to one of the most spectacular Christmas trees in the Rhineland, the centrepiece of the markets in front of the Gothic masterpiece.

Arrive this afternoon in picturesque Amsterdam, its labyrinth of narrow laneways and canals lined with beautifully preserved 17th-century buildings and charming cafes, historic squares decorated with festive Christmas trees. Scenic Freechoice: Canal cruise – a one-hour cruise along Amsterdam’s historic waterways, admiring Golden Age mansions and grand warehouses from the warmth of your canal boat. City walking tour – explore the maze of canals and bridges, with a taste of herring, a local delicacy. Excursion to Schermerhorn and Alkmaar – visit the World Heritage-listed 16th-century windmills of Schermerhorn and the charming town of Alkmaar.

Your journey concludes this morning. Farewell your fellow guests and Scenic crew, taking with you a lifetime of memories and Christmas cheer.