Alpine Christmas Markets

(10 reviews)

From:

CAD $4,730

9 Days

Best Rate: Guarantee

Trip Type: Group Tour

Activity Level: Easy

There is nothing quite like Christmas among the Alps with the festive Munich Christmas Market, Salzburg’s snow-capped spires and an indulgent cup of Glühwein.

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Price based on per person in Double Room for departure 24 Nov 2025

Experience Overview

There is nothing quite like Christmas among the Alps with the festive Munich Christmas Market, Salzburg’s snow-capped spires and an indulgent cup of Gluhwein. Your Local Expert brings Mozart’s history to life before a visit to Salzburg's Christmas market. After tasting the festive treats, the culinary delights continue with a traditional dining experience at Swarovski Crystal Worlds. If that is not enough to summon your holiday spirit, a stroll through the medieval cobbled streets of Freiburg will certainly do the trick, not to mention the fairytale surroundings of Strasbourg, where the sweet scent of cinnamon is carried on the breeze at the oldest Christmas market in France.

Highlights

Dining Summary

5 Dinner (D)
8 Breakfast (B)

Additional Included Highlights

Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.

Authentic Dining

Munich: Join your Travel Director for a warm and friendly Welcome Dinner, an opportunity to get to know each other over a meal with wine.
Salzburg: At the Christmas Market, meet a local stallholder and taste the delicious gingerbread with a fragrant cup of Glühwein.
Innsbruck: Savor a special dinner at Swarovski Crystal Worlds.
Black Forest: Indulge in a delightful dinner of local German specialties, accompanied by wine.
Zürich: You'll enjoy good food, wine and a well-laden table with a touch of Grossmünster charm during your cozy dinner.

Insight Choice

Munich: Embark on a culinary walking tour in the heart of the city.
Wurzburg: Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Würzburg Residence with a Local Expert.

Insight Experiences

Experience a musical demonstration at Mozart's birthplace in Salzburg.
Salzburg: Visit the house where Mozart was born in 1756. Enjoy a pianoforte demonstration and examine letters, memorabilia, and musical instruments of the great composer, plus a fascinating collection of portraits.

Make Travel Matter

Zürich: Uncover the old town of Zürich during a fun and educational walking tour. Join Diana and her team who are raising awareness on social issues, such as food insecurity, and supporting the community. This experience advances United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 10 & 12: Reduced Inequalities & Responsible Consumption and Production.

Top Rated Highlights

Munich: During your orientation of the city with your Travel Director, see Feldherrnhalle in the Odeonsplatz, the Palace of the Dukes of Wittelsbach, the English Garden, the Hofbräuhaus, St. Peter's Church and the famous Marienplatz.
Salzburg: With a Local Expert, see Mozart's family home and the 500-year-old Christmas Market in front of the cathedral. You'll also view the Hohensalzburg fortress and see Residenz Fountain when you spend some time in the Old Town.
Innsbruck: Nestled amidst majestic mountains, Innsbruck is a beautiful city offering a unique combination of nature, history, and culture. Stroll the streets of the picturesque Old Town, with your Travel Director, learn about its history and admire the Baroque and Gothic architecture.
Innsbruck: Visit the magical Swarovski Crystal Worlds. This attraction features installations by international artists, designers and architects who have interpreted the crystals in their own ways.
Innsbruck: Meet your coachman and enjoy a delightful horse-drawn carriage ride, surrounded by the mountains and valleys of Tyrol.
Lorrach: Explore the town located on the borders of Germany, France and Switzerland and see the ruins of Rotteln Castle.
Lindau: Your Travel Director takes you to the Harbor and Old City Hall. Walk the medieval streets of this island-town and browse the shops on Maximillium Strasse.
Freiburg im Breisgau: Enjoy a romantic walk through the medieval cobbled streets of Freiburg and soak in the magic of its Christmas Markets. See the medieval Münster and spend time in the historic old quarter.
Strasbourg: Exploring the Christmas Markets is like stepping directly into a fairytale, where glittering lights and the scent of cinnamon enchant your senses. Here you visit France's oldest Christmas Markets, set in front of the Cathedral. Spend time in the atmospheric neighborhood of La Petite France.
Zürich: Enjoy the traditional Christmas Markets in Zurich's Old Town.

Well-being

Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

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Trip Details

Product Code: 19535

Tour Type: Group Tour

Accommodation: Deluxe

Transport: Private

Guide Language: English

Travel Styles: Family, 55+, Luxury

Tour Operator: Insight Vacations (CA)

Supplier Code: 1.60A

Starts: Munich, Germany

Finishes: Zurich, Switzerland

Duration: 9 days

Departures: Guaranteed

Physical Rating: Easy

Includes

Price

Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $4,730 ($526 /day)

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Munich

Welcome to Germany. Meet your Travel Director this afternoon for an orientation of the city that will show you some of the city’s major sights, culminating in the Marienplatz, with its soaring Town Hall and Glockenspiel. Here, the Christkindlmarkt will be in full swing, an entrancing festival of light and music. In the evening, join your Travel Director and fellow guests for a welcome dinner with wine.

Accommodation: Munich Marriott
Meals: Dinner

Day 2: Free Time in the Bavarian Capital Relaxed Start

Explore Munich with Insight Choice. Choose to join a Local Expert for a foodie walking tour in the city center. Alternatively, visit the famous Residenz, and see its museum and Treasury. This afternoon, consider joining an optional experience to explore the romantic royal palaces of the Bavarian Alps.

Accommodation: Munich Marriott
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3: Lake Chiemsee, Salzburg and Innsbruck

Travel alongside the tranquil waters of Lake Chiemsee on your way to Salzburg in Austria, where the spires and domes of the Old Town are often draped in snow in December. Visit Mozart's birthplace to learn more about his life, and sit down to a musical demonstration on his original pianoforte. Enjoy a visit to Swarovski in the afternoon followed by a highlight dinner. Head through the mountains to your Innsbruck hotel.

Accommodation: AC, Innsbruck
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 4: Innsbruck at Leisure Relaxed Start

Enjoy a horse & carriage ride in the morning. Immerse yourself in the festive atmosphere of the Old Town and Christmas Markets, set in front of the Golden Roof, graced by beautifully preserved medieval facades.

Accommodation: AC, Innsbruck, Hotel Grauer Bär, Innsbruck
Meals: Breakfast

Day 5: The Black Forest via Lindau

Travel through the Alberg tunnel, Austria’s longest road tunnel, as you return to Germany and pause in the tiny island-town of Lindau. Walk through the maze of ancient streets down to the harbor. Across the lake, often shrouded in mist, look for the rising silhouette of snow-capped peaks. After time to explore, continue along the shores of the Bodensee to your hotel in the Black Forest.

Accommodation: Hotel Stadt Lörrach, Loerrach.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 6: Freiburg Sightseeing

Visit Freiburg in the morning, a lively university city with a charming Christmas atmosphere. Walk from the medieval Münster through the heart of the historic old quarter, past colorful stalls offering a range of festive goodies from the Black Forest.

Accommodation: Hotel Stadt Lörrach, Loerrach.
Meals: Breakfast

Day 7: Strasbourg and Alsace Experience Relaxed Start

Cross the Rhine to the region of Alsace, wedged between the Black Forest and the Vosges Mountains. This area has changed nationality four times since 1870! Arrive in Strasbourg, the City at the Crossroads, where the Christmas Market is the oldest and one of the largest in France. Spend time in a cozy neighborhood of timbered fairy-tale buildings, with Christmas shops and a gingerbread bakery, warm with fragrant promise. Return to Germany and venture to a local restaurant for a delightful dinner of local specialties, accompanied by wine.

Accommodation: Hotel Stadt Lörrach, Loerrach.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 8: The Swiss City of Zürich Relaxed Start

Cross the Swiss border and head for Zurich where a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® visit takes you through the streets of Zurich. Enjoy the traditional Christmas Markets in Zurich's Old Town. Toast to the culmination of your Yuletide journey during a festive dinner with wine at a local restaurant with its own microbrewery.

Accommodation: Mövenpick Hotel Zürich-Airport.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 9: Depart Zürich Relaxed Start

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast before checking out. Transfers are available from your hotel to Zürich Airport.Transfers are available from your hotel to Zurich Airport every 20 minutes between 4:00am and noon and from 4:00pm to 11:30pm.

Meals: Breakfast

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Tour Operator

Insight Vacations (CA)

Part of The Travel Company (TTC) family of brands, Insight Vacations began operations in 1978 and is based in Cypress, CA. Journeys are featured to destinations, such as the U.S. and Canada, Europe, Latin America, North Africa, Asia, the UK and Ireland. The company offers are a variety of tours under the classifications of Regional Journeys, Country Roads, Discovery Journeys, Easy Pace trips, and Special Interest tours. Insight is the ideal name for the tour operator, as the journeys provided by Insight Vacations allow travelers to gain further insight into whatever destination they wish to explore. For example, Discovery Journeys are the ideal choice for first-time visitors to Europe. Itineraries include Dine-at-Home or Farm-to-Table experiences so travelers can learn more about how locals live and dine. Regional Journeys allow trip-goers to see a specific location in Europe that they have always wanted to see – Poland, Switzerland, Italy, etc. The carefully planned trips enable customers to immerse themselves in one specific region or country and to become acquainted with its culture, traditions, and people. For anyone seeking travel off the beaten track, Insight Vacations offers Country Roads – trips that lead travelers off the well-tread tourist trail to explore hidden gems where visitors can savor the local produce with Farm-to-Table dining. Some trips are offered under the Easy Pace travel style – the ideal trip choice for trip-goers who wish to slow their pace during their vacation. During these tours, vacationers stay at least 3 nights at each destination, giving them some additional time to explore a place and enjoy it. Regardless of the travel style, many of the vacations offered by Insight Vacations begin with Relaxed Starts – giving travelers time to sleep in a little, spend more time at breakfast, or explore an area on their own. The tour company prides itself on providing business class tours that features luxury coaches with 40 seats. While most coach touring operators provide vehicles with 53 seats, Insight Vacations has re-configured its motor coaches to hold up to 40 guests. This gives passengers extra leg room while traveling and offers them more space and privacy.

In Business Since 1978

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Reviews

Ren - Traveled, March 2025

Tour Director and Driver were lovely. It's a decent 'opener' to seeing different places and around the Christmas season too, but I was left on the fence regarding my overall satisfaction for the money paid. For what I assumed was easy pace, and a 'smaller' travel group wasn't the case. We had quite a few older tourists who also felt it was too rushed, and they have used Insight Vacations multiple times. There should be a 'cap' of 20 people maximum on the tour as at times you feel like cattle being herded through places and felt like a dollar value rather than guests. I did enjoy the German and French Christmas markets, going up to the snow in the mountains, the horse and carriage ride and the Swarovski Museum, but it's definitely not enough time to explore with being back on a bus and moving on, especially with some places you stay, geographically, do not make sense due to travel distances. I was thankful that there were multiple night stays, but still distances travelled can be long and doesn't truly give you a chance to explore the towns you are staying in. Like many other reviews, Zurich needs to be removed. It's pointless and the hotel is awful which is surprising because the Movenpick brand in Australia is quite good. Food was average and my meal at the farewell dinner was inedible. Who cooks a 'pasta dish' and plates it up with no flavour or sauce?!? The Tour Director and our Driver were nice though. I'd probably give Insight Vacations another shot, but not this particular tour.

Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/07/2025

Anonymous - Traveled, February 2025

Be careful which day you go to large markets. May be too crowded. Rooms vary in size at each hotel. You may always get the small one. Children (from 5yrs old!) are allowed. Bus seat rotation isn’t always great. Early starts most mornings not 9 am as advertised. Tour guide wasn’t firm enough with sick passenger allowing vomiting passenger onboard. Extra excursions not always options. Environmental tour was a waste of time.

Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/07/2025

Anonymous - Traveled, April 2024

It was an amazing experience and was my very first tour . Going on my own I was jittery but as soon as I met our tour guide I was at ease . I couldn’t speak high enough of what he didn’t know wasn’t worth knowing, I would recommend insight vacations to anyone who thought of touring as it was an experience that will live on. Unbelievable experience don’t hesitate even if you go on your own you’ll have an unbelievable holiday.

Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/07/2024

Fiona P. - Traveled, April 2024

Everything about the tour was exceptional our tour guide was truely great she had a lot of interesting local knowledge and had away with the travelers . The itinerary was wonderful and accomodation very nice this is the second time I have done a Christmas tour with insight and have enjoyed them both. The itinerary was interesting and busy enough but not to busy that you were overwhelmed. It allowed enough freetime.

Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/07/2024

Anonymous - Traveled, January 2025

The coach driver had excellent driving and navigation skills. Was able to negotiate very tiny roads and park a bus in tight situations. Our tour guide had a excellent knowledge if the areas we travelled through. Was great with all the organisational tasks needed for a smooth trip. I felt the hotels could have been more centrally located to get around by yourself. Felt the markets were very crowded and couldn't walk around easily to see the stalls. Could the markets be closer to our accommodation. Could the no of people on this tour have been alittle less.