It’s the perfect year to indulge in those delicious aromas of spiced gingerbread, gluhwein and roast chestnuts. Fares for some seasonal river cruises are down by more than 60 per cent — and there’s still plenty of capacity.
Many people have decided to remain put after 2020’s cancelled Christmas and uncertainty in travel.
To visit Germany, Austria and Hungary you can choose to travel along the Main, Elbe or Danube rivers. You also have the option of visiting France, Germany and Austria via the Rhine and Seine. In Belgium, the inland waterways are decorated with garlands and Christmas trees.
The cost of some river cruises is down more than 60% A cruise boat on Rhine is shown.
Every meal is included. Lunch and dinner are usually served with complimentary wine, beer and other soft drinks. Also, be sure to check out no-single supplement offers.
You will find Christmas village squares transformed into wooden villages with colorful fairy lights, music and decorated with wood chalets. In Germany, Cologne has seven markets while Mannheim has one of the largest with 200 stalls, vintage merry-go-rounds and a children’s train.
Head to Austria and you’ll find choirs singing carols at the Viennese Dream Christmas market in front of Vienna’s City Hall. You can also learn how to make cookies and candles inside.
You can walk in sunlight or snow at Oingt in France. It is located an hour away from Lyon and has a beautiful Nativity scene inside the church. There are also 150 cribs scattered about.
Escape to a fairytale world
You will find Christmas village squares transformed into wooden villages with fairy lights strung on the roofs. The Frankfurt market is shown here
Tui River Cruises’ A Festive Fairy Tale sailing on TUI Skyla departs from Frankfurt to Koblenz, Mainz, Mannheim, Plittersdorf, Rudesheim and Strasbourg on December 23. Seven nights are from £1,148 pp, with flights from Heathrow and £120 excursion credit (tui.co.uk, 0203 451 2688).
Supplements are not all the same
Avalon Envision visits Breisach, the gateway to the Black Forest, on the Christmastime In Alsace & Germany sailing through Switzerland, Germany and France. Five nights are reduced from £1,513 pp to £569 pp on the December 12 sailing from Basel to Frankfurt, with no solo supplement (avalonwaterways.co.uk, 0330 058 8243).
Find out the secret recipe
Dresden is known for being the Florence of The Elbe. Visit the Striezelmarkt to see a local bakery and get a recipe for Christstollen (spiced apple bread). Viking Astrild’s Christmas Along The Elbe ten-day cruise from Berlin to Prague starts at £2,995 pp, departing December 5, including seven guided tours (vikingrivercruises.com, 0800 319 66 60).
Holidays at Half the Price
SS Maria Theresa’s Danube Holiday Markets cruise includes plenty of merry activities. The lobby of the ship is shown in this picture
Book by November 30 to save 50 per cent on SS Maria Theresa’s all-inclusive seven-night Danube Holiday Markets cruise on December 16, now £1,849 pp, down from £3,699. Champagne is also included. Visit Budapest’s Vorosmarty Square, where the smell of baked bread and meat on open fires drifts across the market. Passau: Watch the glassblowers, woodcarvers, and confectioners in action (uniworld.com; 0808 1689110).
Be glad for the Rhone
Sail to the South of France on AmaKristina’s Colours Of Provence seven-night cruise from Lyon to Avignon on December 16. Oingt: Visit the cribs, and then enjoy hot chocolate at Place de la Mairie. From £1,708 pp (amawaterways.co.uk, 0800 626 0126).
Enjoy the atmosphere
Making merry: Buy gifts for your loved ones at Strasbourg’s atmospheric Christkindelsmarik
Shop for lovely hand-painted decorations in Strasbourg’s atmospheric Christkindelsmarik during Emerald Cruises’ seven-night Christmas Markets On The Rhine river cruise. The Amsterdam to Basel trip via Cologne, Koblenz, Mannheim, Heidelberg, Kehl and Breisach starts at £1,645 pp (includes £800 pp discount and departs on December 12 (emeraldwaterways.co.uk, 0808 301 3352).
Calvados and honey
During Viking Fjorgyn’s Paris round-trip along the Seine, stop in Rouen, where the Christmas market takes place in front of the cathedral. It’s just the place to warm up with Normandy mulled cider or hot calvados and honey. Eight days from £2,445 pp on December 5 and 12 sailings (vikingcruises.co.uk, 0800 319 66 60).
Get the coach
Germany boasts some of Europe’s finest Christmas markets. These are traditional gingerbread and sweets stalls in Koblenz
New ship Spirit of the Rhine’s Christmas Markets Of The Rhineland cruise departs on December 12 and includes visits to markets in Koblenz, Bonn, Cologne and Dusseldorf. Four nights from £499 pp, including insurance and coach travel via Eurotunnel or ferry (saga.co.uk, 0808 258 2978).
Beer and chocolate
You can find beer and chocolate on the illuminated square of Bruges in Belgium.
There’s still availability on MS Grace’s new Yuletide Spirit: Brussels To Amsterdam seven-night departures are on December 6, 13 and 20 with prices from £2,190 pp, plus air fare. Visits include Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw for a short concert, and a festive fix of beer and chocolate in Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp (tauck.co.uk, 0800 810 8020).
Capital interest
MS William Wordsworth’s Danube’s Imperial Cities & Yuletide Markets sailing from Budapest on December 7 includes guided tours and markets in Budapest, Bratislava and Vienna. The six-night cruise starts at £1,079 pp, including flights from some regional airports (rivieratravel.co.uk, 01283 523431).
Save money for the new year
Scenic Jade’s Christmas & New Year river cruise includes a classical concert in the Palais Liechtenstein, Vienna
Extend your Christmas cheer by sailing on Scenic Jade’s 15-day Christmas & New Year river cruise, departing on December 20. Enjoy a cruise along the Main, Danube and Rhine rivers from Amsterdam to Budapest. After that you will be welcoming in 2019 in Vienna at a private classical concert held in the Palais Liechtenstein. Prices from £4,195 pp, including savings of £900 pp (scenic.co.uk, 0808 301 7599).
Sehen the lights
Revel in the glittering night-time illuminations during three overnight moorings on Crystal Ravel’s all-inclusive cruise. Seven nights are from £2,931 pp, including a £290 pp saving and complimentary visits to five Christmas markets. Departs Budapest on December 8, with calls to Dürnstein, Melk, Passau and Vilshofen (crystalcruises.co.uk, 020 7399 7603).
£339 cruise only
Konigswinter has its Christmas market under Drachenburg Castle’s illuminated Turrets
The fully renovated Viva Tiara’s Dusseldorf round trip starts at £339 pp (cruise only) including meals, drinks and tips. Choose from November 24 to December 18 three-night sailings on the 76-cabin vessel, with visits including Konigswinter, which holds its Christmas market beneath the illuminated turrets of Drachenburg Castle (viva-cruises.com/en, 0330 818 7271).