Magnificent Europe Christmas Markets

Welcome to Amsterdam. You’ll be met on arrival and transferred you to your ship.

Amsterdam is the Netherlands’ capital, known for its artistic heritage, elaborate canal system and narrow houses with gabled facades, legacies of the city’s 17th-century Golden Age. Its Museum District houses the Van Gogh Museum, works by Rembrandt and Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum, and modern art at the Stedelijk. Cycling is key to the city’s character, and there are numerous bike paths.

Spend today on your preferred activity. Tonight, enjoy a gala welcome dinner.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE: Perhaps cruise the canals on a glass-top boat or visit the Old Amsterdam Cheese Store for a cheese tasting matched with wine.

This morning will be spent cruising through Germany. Disembark in Andernach and enjoy a Signature Experience here. Andernach is a town in the district of Mayen-Koblenz, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, of about 30,000 inhabitants.

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE: Princess Heide von Hohenzollern will graciously welcome you into her home, Namedy Castle. Wander through the castle and its manicured gardens, before savouring a morning tea, where a pianist sets the mood.

Cruise through the Rhine Gorge to Rudesheim and set out on your chosen activity. Afterwards, wander through the Christmas market and perhaps pick up a souvenir or two. Rüdesheim am Rhein is a town in the Rhine Valley, Germany. It’s known for winemaking, especially of Riesling wines. In the center, Drosselgasse is a lane lined with shops, taverns and restaurants. Nearby, Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet is a museum of automated musical instruments. Medieval Brömserburg Castle is home to the Rheingau Wine Museum, exhibiting wine paraphernalia from ancient times to the present.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE: You might like to visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum. Alternatively, visit a historic wine cellar for a tasting of Rhine Valley wines.

Step ashore in Miltenberg and set out on a guided exploration. Wander through cobblestoned streets and admire the town’s enchanting half-timbered houses before time at leisure. Miltenberg is a town in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany. It is the seat of the like-named district and has a population of over 9,000.

Würzburg is a city in Germany’s Bavaria region. It’s known for lavish baroque and rococo architecture, particularly the 18th-century Residenz palace, with ornate rooms, a huge fresco by Venetian artist Tiepolo and an elaborate staircase. Home to numerous wine bars, cellars and wineries, Würzburg is the centre of the Franconian wine country, with its distinctive bocksbeutel (bottles with flattened round shapes).

Your day unfolds on your terms thanks to a choice of activities today. With the afternoon at leisure, you may wish to visit the Christmas Market.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE: Seize the day and walk to the 18th-century Wurzburg Residence. Alternatively, travel to Rothenburg, or join a hike to Marienberg Fortress.

Celebrate a magical Christmas Day as you enjoy a relaxing morning sailing towards Bamberg, where you’ll disembark for a guided walking tour. You’ll also enjoy a traditional Christmas feast on board your ship with all the trimmings.

This morning gives you the chance to choose your sightseeing activity. This afternoon, continue cruising on the Main-Danube Canal. Having taken 32 years to construct, the canal links the North and Black seas.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE: Perhaps journey through Nuremberg’s World War II sites. Or join a tour focused on Nuremberg’s medieval history.

In Regensburg, explore its atmospheric World Heritage-listed city centre. With a history dating back to the Roman times, this incredible city was the first capital of Bavaria. Your tour will finish with a tasting at Regensburg’s historic sausage kitchen, thought to be one of the oldest working restaurants in the world. Regensburg, a Bavarian city on the Danube River in southeast Germany, is known for its well-preserved medieval core. The 12th-century Stone Bridge, a 310m-long icon with 16 arches, crosses the river to the old town. The 13th-century Regensburg Cathedral, a twin-spired Gothic landmark, is home to the Regensburger Domspatzen choir. Walhalla, a Parthenon replica just east of the city, honours illustrious Germans.

Passau, a German city on the Austrian border, lies at the confluence of the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers. Known as the Three Rivers City, it’s overlooked by the Veste Oberhaus, a 13th-century hilltop fortress housing a city museum and observation tower. The old town below is known for its baroque architecture, including St. Stephen’s Cathedral, featuring distinctive onion-domed towers and an organ with 17,974 pipes. Salzburg is an Austrian city on the border of Germany, with views of the Eastern Alps. The city is divided by the Salzach River, with medieval and baroque buildings of the pedestrian Altstadt (Old City) on its left bank, facing the 19th-century Neustadt (New City) on its right. The Altstadt birthplace of famed composer Mozart is preserved as a museum displaying his childhood instruments.

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE: Be welcomed by a Jagdhornblaser – a hunting horn blower – into a rustic, traditional restaurant on the Gaisberg mountain overlooking Salzburg. Enjoy a welcome drink as you soak in the scenery before savouring a delicious lunch, followed by show featuring music from the classic film, ‘The Sound of Music’.

Visit the statuary-adorned Melk Abbey. You’ll then cruise through the Wachau Valley to Durnstein, where you can roam its cobblestoned lanes at your leisure. Or perhaps join your wellness host for a hike to the castle ruins.

Melk is an Austrian town on the River Danube, west of Vienna. It’s known for the 11th-century Melk Abbey, a vast monastery built high above the town. Gold statuary adorns its domed Abbey Church, and the huge library houses medieval manuscripts. The Marmorsaal is a baroque hall with a ceiling fresco and red marble walls. South of Melk, gardens surround Renaissance Schallaburg Castle, which hosts cultural exhibitions. Dürnstein is a small town on the Danube river in the Krems-Land district, in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It is one of the most-visited tourist destinations in the Wachau region and also a well-known wine growing area.

Arrive in Vienna and set out on a city tour. Take in the city’s many landmarks along the Ringstrasse, as well as St Stephen’s Cathedral. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure to explore. This evening is set aside for your magical Signature Experience.

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE: After dinner, head to the princely family of Liechtenstein’s City Palace in the heart of Vienna, where we have arranged an exclusive cocktail party and private recital, just for you. A full orchestra will perform classical masterpieces by Mozart and Strauss, and you will also be enchanted by an operatic recital.

Head out on your choice of tours before setting sail for Hungary. Tonight, bid farewell to 2025 in style with New Year’s Eve celebrations in full swing.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE: Perhaps visit the 1,441-room Schonbrunn Palace and its gardens. Otherwise, tick another country off your list and journey to Slovakia’s Bratislava.

Choose your sightseeing option in Budapest today. The afternoon is yours at leisure to further explore.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE: Enjoy a city tour of Budapest taking in its historic monuments, including Heroes’ Square and St Stephen’s Cathedral before a visit to the Great Market Hall for some tastings of local produce. Alternatively, board a funicular to Castle Hill, then walk to Fisherman’s Bastion. Or you may wish to relax in the thermal water pools at one of Budapest’s famous baths.

Sadly, the time has come to say goodbye and be transferred to the airport. Interested in extending your European holiday? Ask our Travel Advisors about our incredible range of accommodation, touring and cruise packages.