Christmas Markets on the Rhine

Amsterdam in mid-December is a city transformed, its 17th-century canal ring strung with lights and the markets along the Singel flower market and Museumplein already in full festive operation. Board Emerald Destiny today and settle in for the evening as the ship prepares to head south along the Rhine. There is time before departure to walk Nyhavn’s Scandinavian counterpart along the waterfront or visit the Rijksmuseum if you arrive early enough, but the real journey begins tomorrow as Germany comes into view.

A second morning in Amsterdam before Emerald Destiny begins her passage south toward Cologne. The Jordaan neighbourhood on the western canal ring is the most characterful part of the city for an early morning walk: independent coffee shops, the Anne Frank House and the floating flower market are all within easy reach of the dock. Cologne arrives tomorrow with its Christmas market in full swing beneath the Cathedral.

Cologne’s Christmas market is one of the most celebrated in Germany, spread across six separate market locations in the old town with the Cathedral market directly beneath the twin Gothic spires as its centrepiece. The market has operated for over 600 years and the range of handmade crafts, Glühwein stalls, roasted nuts and traditional food from the Rhine region is exceptional. The included Cologne Christmas markets and beer experience gives you access to the old town’s best stalls alongside the local Kölsch beer culture. The Cathedral itself, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that took 632 years to complete, is worth an hour of any visit regardless of the market.

Koblenz sits at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle, and the Deutsches Eck, the sharp promontory where the two rivers visibly meet, is one of the most atmospheric spots on the entire voyage in December light. The Christmas market in the old town clusters around the Jesuitenplatz and along the riverfront, with craft stalls and mulled wine vendors making the best use of the waterfront setting. The included orientation walk covers both the market and the historic old town before Emerald Destiny continues south.

Emerald Destiny docks at Ludwigshafen while today’s excursion takes you inland to Heidelberg, one of the most romantic cities in Germany and home to a Christmas market of particular character. The red sandstone ruins of Heidelberg Castle, lit at night above the Altstadt, give the city a medieval drama that is amplified in the festive season. The market in the Marktplatz and along the pedestrianised main street combines traditional German craft stalls with the university town’s particular energy. The included guided tour covers both the castle and the Christmas market.

Emerald Destiny docks at Kehl on the German bank of the Rhine while today’s excursion crosses into France to Strasbourg, home to one of the oldest and most celebrated Christmas markets in Europe. The Christkindelsmärik has operated since 1570 and the historic city, with its half-timbered Alsatian architecture and the Gothic Cathedral of Notre-Dame rising above the market square, is the most visually spectacular market destination on this entire voyage. The included guided tour gives you the full context of Strasbourg’s unique Franco-German cultural identity alongside the market itself.

Breisach is a small hilltop town on the Rhine where the river forms the border between Germany and France, and the Christmas market here has a distinctive charm that larger city markets cannot replicate. The included guided tour of Breisach covers the medieval Münster church on the hilltop with its sweeping views over the Rhine plain and into the Vosges mountains of Alsace. The proximity to Colmar, one of the most beautiful small towns in France and home to a Christmas market of extraordinary quality, makes this an excellent day for those wanting to extend their exploration across the border.

Emerald Destiny arrives in Basel on 22 December, three days before Christmas, and the Swiss city makes a fitting final port for a voyage built entirely around the festive season. Basel’s Christmas market on Barfüsserplatz is consistently ranked among Switzerland’s finest, with the medieval cathedral and the Basel Minster visible behind the market stalls. The old town’s winding lanes, the Tinguely Museum and the remarkable concentration of contemporary art galleries that have made Basel one of the art world’s most important cities are all worth exploring before your airport transfer. Disembark this morning and transfer to EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg for your flights home.