: R42550
Everyone believes in fairytales at Christmas time. Once upon a time, people gathered on cobblestone squares to buy the special tools & ingredients they needed to make the treats of the season. They kept warm with hot spiced wine, music, & games while they shopped & chatted with the local tradesmen. Those were the first Christmas markets, five hundred years ago. Today, though the light comes from twinkling electric bulbs rather than torches, bonhomie & fun still prevail.
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| Starting from | R42 550 |
| Package Validity | Set departure date: 19 DEC 2016. *** Book & pay by 30 JUN 2016 & SAVE R8000 per couple, discount already included in the price *** |
| Duration | 7 nights |
| Destination | Germany |
| Starts in | Nuremberg |
| Ends in | Frankfurt |
{tab Description}
- All transfers on arrival & departure days
- 7 nights cruise in a riverview stateroom on-board the River Dutchess
- All dining & unlimited beverages on-board including fine wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks, specialty coffee & tea & bottled water
- Captain's Welcome & Farewell Receptions
- Welcome & Farewell Gala Dinners
- 6 excursions, including "Choice is Yours"
- Guided "Taste of Christmas", "Village Day," & "Gentle Walking" programs
- Visit 2 UNESCO World Heritage sites
- Assistance of an English-speaking local expert & experienced Uniworld Cruise Manager
- On-board local entertainment
- Port charges & upgrade fee
* This cruise operates between 28 NOV 2016 - 19 DEC 2016. Enquire with your Travel Agent regarding availability & rates on other dates.
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Nuremberg (embark)
Arrive at Nuremberg Airport, where you will be transferred to the ship.
{tab Day 2}Nuremberg
Your tour of the medieval walled city of Nuremberg—famous for its gingerbread & its long toymaking tradition—shows you the highlights & takes you inside Castle Kaiserburg, which looms over the city. Shop for one-of-a-kind gifts & sample wonderful regional delicacies & seasonal treats at Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt, the largest & oldest in Germany. In the evening, enjoy a Captain’s Welcome Reception & Gala Dinner.
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Bamberg
As you explore the quirky, narrow lanes of Bamberg’s Old Town, look for signs of the city’s famous Nativity Walk, which links 40 churches, museums & public spaces displaying Nativity & New Testament scenes. Some of the figures in the scenes were carved centuries ago. Browse through delightful shops decorated for the holidays & search for treasures at the city’s four Christmas markets—a traditional market, another featuring medieval cultural programs & two focused on local arts & crafts.
{tab Day 4}Kitzingen (Rothenburg), Würzburg
Travel along the “Romantic Road” to Germany’s best-preserved walled city, Rothenburg. Get a sense of life as it might have been during the Middle Ages as you walk past half-timbered houses en route to one of Germany’s oldest & most celebrated Christmas markets. If you wish, you may stop in at a delightful museum that displays toys dating back to the 17th century. Take a break from shopping to sample a schneeball—a “snowball” of sweet, deep-fried dough covered in powdered sugar or chocolate.
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Würzburg
The town of Wurzburg owes many of its most notable monuments to the ambitious building programs of the wealthy prince-bishops of the Schönborn family, who controlled the town in the 17th & 18th centuries. Their spectacular episcopal residence is just one of your destinations today. The opulent Wurzburg Residenz is an extraordinary baroque palace & a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 300-room palace took nearly 60 years to complete & contains the world’s largest ceiling fresco (created by Venetian painter Giovanni Battista Tiepolo), as well as what is often described as the world's most beautiful staircase. You’ll also visit the town’s 200-year-old Christmas Market for one-of-a-kind presents & souvenirs. Later in the day, share some homemade seasonal treats with a family in an idyllic German village.
{tab Day 6}Wertheim, cruising the Main River
Join your local guide for a walk through the town of Wertheim, where you can look across the Main River to Bavaria before continuing to the Pointed Tower. Stop in at the historic Wertheim Market Square, lined with half-timbered buildings & shops selling artisanal glass & Franconian wines in round bottles. Later, enjoy a cup of mulled wine & a stollen (traditional German fruitcake) baking demonstration by a master baker in a private village wine estate.
{tab Day 7}
Frankfurt
On the last full day of your journey, dive into the energy of sophisticated Frankfurt, roaming from its historic heart to its landmark skyscraper, Main Tower. Take an elevator to the top of the tower for a view of the 50 skyscrapers that reveal the importance of this European hub, which people from 200 nations call home. An enormous lighted Christmas tree marks Römer Square, where you’ll find pretty timber-framed houses surrounding a famous Christmas Market. Explore the area on foot with your guide, then amble on your own through the market. Or, opt instead to explore the spectacular 10-story Zeil shopping mall & the Kleinmarkthalle with a local guide who will introduce you to the delectable tastes of the season. In the evening, enjoy a Captain’s Farewell Reception & Gala Dinner.
{tab Day 8}
Frankfurt(disembark)
Disembark the ship & transfer to Frankfurt International Airport for your flight home.
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