Rows of twinkling lights and the candy aroma of mulled wine — ’tis the season that Christmas markets come alive.
But if visiting one Christmas market is not sufficient, a new cruise explores 20 markets in a single journey.
Luxury river cruising firm European Waterways‘ new “Christmas Markets Cruise” departs from Strasbourg, France and sails by way of Alsace-Lorraine, a French area close to the border of Germany.
Passengers go to markets aboard Panache, a 12-passenger lodge barge, that has six junior suites — every with an connected rest room — plus a communal eating space, cocktail bar and heated spa pool.
European Waterways’ “Christmas Markets Cruise” will set sail on three dates in 2024, beginning in late November.
Source: European Waterways
The cruise prices $7,990 per particular person — based mostly on double occupancy. Alternatively, visitors can constitution the complete barge for $87,000, Derek Banks, managing director of European Waterways advised CNBC Travel.
Daily guided excursions, wine and meals — ready by an onboard chef — are additionally included on the cruise.
The Christmas markets
The seven-day itinerary consists of guided excursions to 13 Christmas markets in Strasbourg, six in Colmar and one in Haguenau.
Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace and the self-proclaimed “capital of Christmas,” is house to France’s oldest Christmas market, Christkindelsmärik.
Here, visitors can discover 13 Christmas markets unfold throughout town’s Old Town, and wander by way of Place Gutenberg and la Petite France — historic elements of Strasbourg.
The Strasbourg Christmas market, the oldest Christmas market in France, attracts 1000’s of holiday makers annually.
Frederick Florin | Afp | Getty Images
Colmar, a city and commune in Alsace, is thought for its colourful half-timbered houses and medieval structure. Here, visitors can discover Old Colmar’s six Christmas markets — together with a gourmand market, native produce markets and a youngsters’s Christmas market.
Half-timbered homes in Colmar adorned with Christmas lights through the vacation season.
Source: European Waterways
Guests may even go to Haguenau, house to the one Christmas market in north Alsace that’s open daily from late November to December. The small city is legendary for its conventional Alsatian Christmas market expertise, and outdated nativity scene product of wooden and clay, in accordance to Alsace’s tourism authority web site.
On high of Christmas markets, the cruise consists of “extra, holiday-related guided excursions,” Banks stated. These embrace visits to the Meisenthal Glass Bauble manufacturing unit in Lorraine — house to traditional mouth-blown glass baubles — and Musée du Chocolat, Strasbourg’s Chocolate Museum.
(*20*)
Guests watch as chocolate is poured on the Musée du Chocolat in Strasbourg, France.
Source: European Waterways
This 12 months, European Waterways’ final Christmas cruise departed on Dec. 10, however reservations for 2024 and 2025 are actually open, an organization consultant advised CNBC Travel.
Other Christmas-themed cruises
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises organizes related holiday-themed cruises on board a bigger ship. The firm’s Christmas cruises are hosted on a triple deck 128-passenger cruise ship that has 64 cabins.
The luxurious cruise line has seven vacation season itineraries accessible from November to December.
Uniworld’s Christmas-themed cruises begin at $2,299 per particular person.
Source: Uniworld Boutique River Cruise
“Our most sought-after Christmas market itinerary, the eight days ‘Classic Christmas Markets,’ stands out as a favourite amongst our visitors,” an organization consultant advised CNBC Travel.
The itinerary consists of visits to 9 Christmas markets and sails from Germany’s Nuremburg to Frankfurt, making stops at Bamberg, Rothenberg, Würzburg, Wertheim and Wiesbaden.
The “Classic Christmas Markets” cruise is priced between $2,299 and $6,899 per particular person — relying on the room kind, in accordance to the firm’s web site.
“We supply Christmas market cruises in a number of European locations to showcase completely different regional traditions to our visitors. Within every area, the markets chosen characterize … well-known, and a few hidden gem, markets,” the consultant stated.
Uniworld additionally organizes holiday-themed cruises that cease in a number of nations. This features a 13-day “Grand Christmas & New Year’s” cruise that visits Austria, Germany and Hungary, and an 11-day “Enchanting Christmas & New Year’s” cruise that sails by way of Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary.