Christmas Market Sampler Itinerary at a Glance: Day 1 Arrival in Munich Day 2 Nuremberg Day Trip Day 3 Munich At Leisure Day 4 Munich to Salzburg Day 5 Salzburg’s Lake District Day 6 Salzburg at Leisure Day 7 Salzburg to Vienna Day 8 Vienna Day 9 Vienna Day 10 Departure from Vienna
Christmas Markets Do note that most Christmas markets open late in November and finish on either December 24 or 26. Some may stay open later in Vienna, but, for the most part, the markets are for the Advent season. They are often open all day and into the evening, but they look better and are most lively in the evenings, when the locals join in the festivities after work. Many markets have great food and some have wonderful concerts. We are happy to share a complete list of each city’s markets prior to your travels. Why Exeter International?
At Exeter International we have been creating memories and crafting our trademark extraordinary journeys to Central Europe, Russia, Scandinavia, and Central Asia for 25 years. Our specialty is to distill the best of the best in iconic places that are on so many people’s travel must-do list.
We are not a call center of nameless, faceless people. We do not try to be everything to everyone. We are a small team of specialists. We are all committed to providing the best travel experiences to our destinations. Each member of our team has travelled extensively throughout our destinations, giving them insider knowledge lacking in many other tour operators.
Our Extraordinary Experiences are different, unusual, and often closed to the general public. We can offer special insider access that takes you beyond the typical tourist sites. We know how important it is to remain authentic and increasingly going beyond the well-known sites is what is important to our guests—discovering the little-known museum or street market that adds to their experience. We do this through our local knowledge, cultivating our extensive contacts and regularly visiting each destination to enable us to share the most up-to-date insider information with you, our valued partner.
The most important part of your trip will be your guides. Guides come in many quality levels, especially in our part of the world. We have worked with a core group of the best of the best for over 20 years. We know them like family and if they weren't the best, they wouldn't work for us. Simply stated, a guide can make or break your experience. You should have 100% confidence in who is introducing you to your guide and the level of guiding that you are going to get throughout the countries you will be visiting. The best does indeed cost more and we pay our guides at the very top of the market, with pride.
You'll also want to know what kind of vehicle your tour will include. We use luxury late-model vehicles, often Mercedes, Audi, BMW, or Volkswagen, depending on the size of the vehicle you need. You'll want to see things that may or may not be open to the public and go in early or after hours before the crowds whenever possible. We also make every effort to skip lines whenever possible. Avoiding long museum lines is one of our top priorities and we work hard to minimize the wait time to get into the most popular sights in each city, maximizing your time in each destination.
You'll want impeccable planning and someone to bounce ideas off of before your trip and speak English as well as you do while planning your trip so there are no cultural misunderstandings when you arrive. You'll also want someone to talk to if your trip is not perfect when you get home. These are all ways that we distinguish ourselves from all other companies.
A lot goes into our travel program design. We arrange the program so that it is flawless and effortless for our travelers from the time they set foot in the first city until they leave us. The expertise to set up an itinerary like this comes after years of investing in staff on both sides of the Atlantic, and this too is a value that is incorporated into our traveler's trips with us. Day 1
Munich
Arrival into Munich, where you will be met by your driver for your transfer to your hotel in the center of the city.
After time to drop off your luggage, your guide will meet you at your hotel to take you on an overview walking tour of Munich’s Old Town.
Stroll through the gorgeous city center. See the historic Frauenkirche church. This site was originally occupied by a small chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, before this new church with the distinctive copper onion domes was erected in the 15th Century. It is one of Germany’s largest Gothic buildings, able to accommodate a congregation of up to 20,000. You can take the elevator to the top of one of the over-300- feet-tall onion-domed towers for a good view of central Munich. You will also see the Marienplatz (Mary’s Square), which has been Munich’s focal point since it was first laid in the 1300s. Originally a marketplace, the square was later used for public events like fairs, proclamations, and executions. Don’t miss the Viktualienmarkt, the open-air food market frequented by locals and tourists alike. It’s a great place to pick up a fresh pretzel for a snack.
Your guide will also give you a brief introduction of the Munich Christmas markets, where to find them and what to expect at each.
Exeter Services Arrival Transfer; Guide (3 Hours)
Hotel Charles Day 2
Nuremberg Day Trip
Walk to the train station today to meet your departing high-speed train to Nuremberg, just over an hour away.
Upon arrival, a local guide will meet you to introduce you to the city. With a past that goes all the way back to the Holy Roman Empire, Nuremberg is steeped in history. It was the cradle of the German Renaissance and was one of the main towns of the Third Reich.
Today you can pop in the Albrecht Dürer House to see the workshop of the greatest artist of the German Renaissance. You can see the historical exhibitions at the castle, once the seat of Holy Roman Emperors.
Your guide will take you to visit the Main Market Square with its elaborate Gothic fountain.
All of this was totally destroyed during WWII and has been painstakingly rebuilt.
You will have ample time to explore Nuremberg’s Christmas market – it’s perhaps the most famous in all of Germany. If the weather cooperates, you can even take a stagecoach tour around the market.
First class return tickets are include to head back to Munich this evening.
Exeter Services Guide (3 Hours)
Hotel Charles Day 3
Munich at Leisure
Enjoy your day at leisure. You will have a list of all of the Christmas festivities as well as our favorite sites in an around Munich to explore on your own.
You may want to head a bit outside the center to the Tollwood Winter Festival. It’s a bit of a hybrid of Christmas Market, circus productions and more.
Exeter Services None
Hotel Charles Day 4
Munich – Salzburg
Your driver will meet you today for the short journey to the station to meet your first class train to Salzburg. Upon arrival, Your driver will meet you and will transfer you to your hotel in the historical center of the city.
This afternoon, your guide will meet you in the hotel lobby for an overview walking tour of historic Salzburg. Salzburg's Old Town with its world famous baroque architecture is one of the best-preserved city centers in Europe and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Hohensalzburg fortress, strategically located on a hill overlooking the old town, is one of the largest medieval castles in Europe. Originally built in the 11th century as a simple bailey with wooden walls, the structure was gradually expanded and strengthened in the following centuries. Because the fortress actually never came under a military siege and was surrendered without a fight to Napoleon’s army, this is one of the best-preserved castles in Europe.
You will also see the Salzburg Cathedral, a 17th-century Baroque building which was the site of Mozart's baptism. You can also see the Benedictine St. Peter’s abbey, the oldest monastery in Austria. The Romanesque abbey church, still in use today, was dedicated in the 12th Century. Its interiors were refurbished in the Rococo style in the 18th Century. The abbey also houses the oldest library in Austria including 800 ancient manuscripts and some 100,000 volumes, focusing on medieval church history, art history, and items relating to the local history of Salzburg,
Salzburg’s most famous son is of course Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and you will get a chance to visit his birthplace. His family lived here for 27 years and today you can see items from Mozart’s childhood.
All throughout your sightseeing today, you’ll also be noticing sites from The Sound of Music, including Mirabel Gardens (“Do-Re-Mi”), the abbey, and the cemetery where the family hid from the Nazis. Your guide will also show you around the Christmas market in the center of Old Town.
Exeter Services Station Transfers; Guide (4 Hours)
Hotel Sacher Salzburg Day 5
Salzburg’s Lake District
Enjoy a morning at leisure.
This afternoon your guide and driver will take you through Salzkammergut, the Lake District. This gorgeous region is dotted with picturesque towns, lakes and mountains and gives you a glimpse into the stunning landscape that has made this region so famous.
St. Wolfgang is one of the most beautiful towns in the area and the Christmas market here and in St. Gilgen are truly local and authentic. As time allows, you can also stop in the lakeside village of Strobl, which is also decorated for the season.
Finally, if you’re interested, stop by Mondsee to see its colorful market square and stop at the cloister church used as the wedding church in The Sound of Music.
Exeter Services Vehicle, Driver & Guide (4 Hours)
Hotel Sacher Salzburg Day 6
Salzburg at Leisure
Enjoy your day at leisure. We suggest heading to Hellbrunn to visit the very large and wonderful Christmas Market. You will also have our list of all of our favorite sites to visit on your own.
Exeter Services None
Hotel Sacher Salzburg Day 7
Salzburg – Vienna
Your driver will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to the train station for your departing train. First class tickets are included for this three hour train and you will have your choice of times.
Arrival into Vienna, where your private driver will welcome you for your transfer to your deluxe hotel in the center of the city. It’s located in the Spittelberg neighborhood – site of one of our favorite local Christmas markets – right outside your door!
This afternoon your guide will meet you in your hotel lobby. Vienna is a wonderful city to see on foot, as most major sights are located very close together. During your walk this morning with your guide, you will see the soaring St. Stephens Cathedral with its unusual colored ceramic tile roof. Your guide will take you through the interior of the cathedral and, if you have the energy, you can climb to the top of the steeple for a spectacular view over central Vienna!
Afterwards, you can continue on your walking tour of the Hofburg Palace complex. Your guide will take you into the lavish private living quarters of Empress Elizabeth and Emperor Franz Joseph from the 18th and 19th centuries. Empress Elizabeth (Sisi) was the Austrians’ Princess Di and prior to entering the Imperial Apartments, there is an exhibition of her life, which is quite interesting.
When you exit the Hofburg, your guide will show you some of the most famous coffeehouses of Vienna and will give you an introduction to the many Christmas markets in Vienna.
Exeter Services Station Transfers; Guide (4 Hours)
Hotel Sans Souci Day 8
Vienna
This morning your private driver and guide will meet you and will take you to the famous Schönbrunn Palace, the summer home of the Hapsburgs. The design of Schönbrunn is bound largely with the personality of Maria Theresa, one of the Hapsburg’s greatest Empresses. Originally designed by Johann Bernhard Fischer Von Erlach, Maria Theresa gave Nikolaus Pacassi the contract to expand the summer palace. The palace stands today as a combination of Austrian Rococo and Classic Baroque symmetry.
Today you will tour the highlights of the Imperial staterooms and then have time to explore the wonderful Christmas market located right in the palace courtyard.
Exeter Services Vehicle, Driver & Guide (4 Hours)
Hotel Sans Souci Day 9
Vienna
Today, meet your guide and board the local tram to head to the nearby Belvedere Palace and Gardens. This palace, built as the summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy, is situated on a gently sloping hill. The two main palaces (upper and lower) are linked by formal French gardens and both now house wonderful art collections. Upper Belvedere holds a wonderful collection of 19th- and 20th-century art, while the lower palace houses a fine collection of art and sculpture from Vienna’s Golden Age (approximately 1683 to 1780).
This is one of the most amazing collections of Klimt in the world and you will have ample time to explore the exhibition.
This is also the site of another favorite Christmas market, and you have time to explore here as you wish.
As time allows, on the way back your guide will take you to the Naschmarkt, not far from your hotel, for a glimpse into one of the best markets in Vienna. This market dates to the 16th century and now features a huge array of food, from fresh fruits and vegetables, to spices, bread, and pastries. There are also several small restaurants featuring different cuisines—the perfect place to stop for an afternoon respite.
Exeter Services Guide (4 Hours)
Hotel Sans Souci Day 10
Vienna - Onward
Your driver will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your onward flight.
Exeter Services Departure Transfer What's Included
Cost of the Program: $7,300 per person, based on two guests traveling together $5,800 per person, based on four guests traveling together
Accommodations Munich Classic Room for 3 night(s) at the Charles Hotel Munich; tax and breakfast included.
The Charles Hotel is Rocco Forte’s newest hotel in their expanding Germany portfolio. Located just steps from the Maximilianstrasse—the main shopping and cultural promenade in Munich—but within the grounds of the city’s botanical gardens, you could not ask for a better location in central Munich. The hotel is completely new construction with large rooms, all overlooking either the gardens or the historic neighborhood. This hotel offers the largest rooms in the city with bathrooms that rate among the finest in the world: crème-colored marble from top to bottom, rainforest showers and deep-soak tubs. Guests can also indulge in the expansive Spa and Wellness Club, which includes a serene swimming pool and a large fitness center. The Charles is chic and modern, but nestled in one of Munich’s most historic neighborhoods and just a short stroll to all the top sights.
Classic Room: These spacious rooms feature 430 square feet of space and offers a king bed or two twins. Views in this category can be of the Old Botanical Gardens or of the historic neighborhood.
Salzburg Deluxe Room for 3 night(s) at the Hotel Sacher Salzburg; tax and breakfast included.
The Hotel Sacher is Salzburg’s only grand hotel offering the best location in the city. It is located in the very heart of Salzburg on the shores of the Salzach River just across the bridge from Old Town. The river views are breathtaking and the charm of bucolic Salzburg is awe-inspiring.
The historical building, built in 1866, has housed members of the royal families, statesmen and famous artists such as Max Reinhardt and Richard Strauss. In 1988, the Gürtler family bought the famous hotel and began the large-scale renovation turning the building into the 5-star property it is today. The rooms and suites were decorated with unique art works while special attention was given to color. Despite all the changes, the traditional atmosphere and local charm of the hotel remained intact. The Hotel Sacher features all the amenities of a 5-star deluxe hotel and more, offering a fine dining restaurant, piano bar and of course a café offering the original and delicious Sacher Torte!
Deluxe Room: These rooms offer between 323 and 377 square feet of space. These rooms can be in the traditional style or the new contemporary-traditional style of the suites, featuring lighter colors. Rooms in this category have an option of one king or two twin beds. This is our recommendation for an entry level room, as the size is generous and some have views of the Old Town.
Vienna Luxury Room for 3 night(s) at the Sans Souci Wien; tax and breakfast included.
This luxury boutique hotel features a prime location adjacent to the Museum Quarter, right in the heart of Vienna. The hotel’s interior design is cool and contemporary and inspired by Philippe Starck. The hotel’s 63 rooms and suites are all individually designed and feature many historic elements of this 1870’s building, including parquet flooring and high ceilings.
The hotel offers a small restaurant and bar as well as a large holistic wellness center that includes a small fitness center and a lap-pool.
Luxury Room: This lovely room includes approximately 325 square feet of space and offers a choice of one queen or two twin beds. The room’s décor features photo art by Hubertus von Hohenlohe. Bathrooms feature a shower only (no tub) and views are of the city or the quiet interior courtyard.
Meals No meals included, other than breakfast as described above. Your final documents will include our top recommendations. Your guides will recommend restaurants that fit your exact needs daily.
Services Private vehicle, driver and guide at your service as described. The timing for each day is noted in your program.
Exeter International’s local offices are available for your assistance 24 hours per day while you are traveling. Our local staff may also assist you with restaurant reservations and purchasing of additional theater and museum tickets at your request.
Transportation Transportation is included as noted. Unless otherwise noted, all transfer service is with a driver only, not a guide. In general, drivers have limited English-speaking skills. Timing for each day is noted in your program.
Guides Hand chosen for their knowledge on local history, art, and architecture. Guides are at your disposal as noted in your itinerary.
Tickets All entrance tickets as described in the program.
Exeter International Travel Information BAGGAGE The vehicles reserved for your itinerary can accommodate up to two medium-sized suitcases per person. If you intend to travel with additional luggage, please advise your travel consultant so appropriate arrangements may be made. In general, we schedule a sedan for parties of two, a minivan for parties of three to four, and a minibus for parties of five or more.
SIGHTSEEING Sightseeing arrangements have been made with your special interests in mind. Your drivers and guides are at your disposal as indicated in the itinerary. Within those time and mileage guidelines, you are free to modify your program as you please. Should you require additional time or mileage, the costs will be quoted on request and may be paid for locally in the local currency or U.S. Dollars.
Every effort has been made to confirm that scheduled sightseeing venues will be open at the time you plan to visit them. However, individual estates, museums, gardens and other points of interest can change their hours of operation at short notice. In the event that a particular attraction is closed on the day or time of your visit, your guide will offer alternative arrangements or rearrange your sightseeing to accommodate these unexpected events.
OPTIONAL EXPENSES Charges for extra meals, transport, sightseeing services or other optional additions to your established itinerary are your responsibility and must be paid locally in the local currency.
GRATUITIES Gratuities are not included in your tour price. Gratuities are at your own discretion. We recommend $30 per person, per day for your guide and $15 per person, per day for your driver. For your airport or station transfer, a gratuity of $20 is customary, based on service. Dollars, Euros and any local currency are all accepted.
DINING WITH YOUR GUIDE On days when dinner and lunch costs have not been included in your itinerary (or in your tour cost), you may, at your discretion, choose to invite your guide to dine with your party. You are under no obligation to do so but, if you do extend such an invitation, the guide is your guest and you will be responsible for the cost of his/her meal.
Booking Conditions PAYMENTS Exeter International must receive a deposit of 25% of the total program cost before reservations for your independent travel program can be initiated. The balance of payment is due 60 days prior to departure. No reservations are made on your behalf until this deposit has been received. Availability and pricing is subject to change until this deposit is received. All deposits are nonrefundable.
CANCELLATION Written cancellations received less than 60 days prior to departure are subject to the following forfeit of tour cost: 59–14 days prior to departure, 50% of total tour cost 14 or less days prior to departure, 100% of tour cost
REFUNDS We regret that refunds cannot be issued for arrangements confirmed on your itinerary but unused once your tour has begun. INSURANCE Exeter International strongly recommends the purchase of travel insurance to protect your investment. You will find insurance costs noted on your invoice and insurance coverage information in your original booking packet.
PRICES AND ARRANGEMENTS Once an itinerary is finalized and final payment has been made, a $100 revision fee will be charged if the itinerary is changed.
The tour price includes planning, handling and operational charges. Rates are quoted in U.S. Dollars on the current rate of exchange and tariff as of 2020. Exeter International reserves the right to increase tour prices to cover increased costs, tariffs and taxes, and to reflect fluctuations in foreign exchange markets. Devaluation of a foreign currency will be weighed against any tariff increases imposed. Exeter International does not breakdown costs involved in any Small Group or Individual Travel Program.
All arrangements are subject to availability and modification if necessary. Prices are subject to change if necessary until paid in full.
Exeter International www.exeterinternational.com 111 South Dakota Avenue | Tampa, Florida 33606 Phone: 813 251 5355 | 800 633 1008 | Fax: 813 251 6685