• 6 Breakfast (B)
• 1 Lunch (L)
• 1 Dinner (D)

• Frankfurt: Get together with your new Contiki fam and acquaint yourself with Germany’s most sophisticated city.
• Frankfurt: Drink in the festive atmosphere of Frankfurt’s Christmas market and enjoy a glass of traditional gluhwein
• Sankt Goar: Take a scenic glide down the river, past fairytale castles, Baroque spires and timbered German houses.  
• Koblenz: Enjoy a wine tasting in the picturesque village of St.Goar, in the Rhine Valley
• Cologne Cathedral: Get to know the historical city. Climb the cathedral for panoramic views and then refresh with a beer on the ‘Party Mile’.
• Cologne: Browse amid the twinkling lights of Cologne’s Christmas Markets
• Stuttgart: Stroll the illuminated trail around Stuttgart’s Christmas Garden.
• Nuremberg: Discover Nuremberg’s history, heritage and hard times on a walking tour with a local guide.
• Nuremberg: Learn the secrets of Nuremberg’s local delicacy at an exclusive gingerbread-making class
• Munich: Lace up your comfy boots, it’s time for a walking tour of Munich – with a local guide on hand to impart historical and cultural wisdom.
• Stuttgart: Tour the fairy-tale turrets of Neuschwanstein Castle
• Munich: Dine on regional favourites at a local restaurant in Munich

Visit the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site and spend time learning about and reflecting on its history. This is a solemn visit to the site of the first regular concentration camp established by the Nazi regime.

The memorial preserves the history of those imprisoned and persecuted there while documenting the wider system of Nazi terror. It offers an important opportunity for remembrance and thoughtful engagement with a difficult chapter of European history.

Explore Munich’s Old Town Christmas markets among stalls selling traditional crafts and seasonal treats. Follow the scents of roasted almonds, doughnuts and mulled wine through streets bright with festive lights.

Munich’s Christmas market tradition is among Germany’s oldest, and its central setting brings Bavarian heritage into the heart of the celebrations. Browse at your own pace and soak up the warmth of a city gathering outdoors in winter.

Visit Neuschwanstein Castle and discover the fairy-tale turrets commissioned by Bavaria’s King Ludwig II. Take in the dramatic architecture and its Alpine setting on a tour of one of Germany’s most recognisable castles.

Built in the 19th century, Neuschwanstein reflects Ludwig’s fascination with medieval romance rather than the practical needs of a fortress. Its theatrical design has since influenced popular images of storybook castles around the world.

Contiki

Explore Frankfurt on an orientation tour and get acquainted with a city where a modern skyline meets a historic centre. Its compact streets and public squares offer a different perspective on one of Germany’s major financial hubs.

Discover the contrast between Frankfurt’s contemporary character and its older civic traditions while getting your bearings with your Contiki group. This introduction makes the city’s festive streets easier to explore.

Browse Frankfurt’s Christmas Market beneath a towering festive tree, with a vintage carousel and stalls selling ornaments, candles, roasted nuts and grilled sausages. Enjoy an included glass of gluhwein amid the lights and winter bustle.

Look out for Bethmännchen, Frankfurt’s traditional marzipan biscuits, and the city’s colourful LGBTQ Christmas market. The mix of local treats, handmade gifts and lively gathering places gives this market its distinctly Frankfurt character.

Cruise the Rhine Valley past hillside castles, church spires and timber-framed houses on a scenic journey towards Sankt Goar. From the water, see why this stretch of river has long inspired stories, paintings and travel writing.

The Rhine’s steep slopes are also home to vineyards that produce some of Germany’s best-known wines. Settle in for views of riverside settlements and winter landscapes shaped by centuries of trade and winemaking.

Sample local wines at a Rhine Valley cellar in the Sankt Goar area. Taste the region’s produce close to the river and vineyards that give its winemaking traditions their setting.

Germany’s Rhine wine country is particularly associated with Riesling, a grape whose character reflects local soils and climate. This tasting offers a closer connection to the landscape seen from the river, turning scenic views into a flavour of the region.

Explore Cologne Cathedral, the immense Gothic landmark at the heart of the city. Take in its twin spires, intricate stonework and the scale of a building that dominates Cologne’s skyline.

Construction began in the 13th century, in part to provide a fitting home for relics associated with the Three Wise Men. The cathedral’s long history and enduring place in city life make it more than a striking backdrop to the nearby festivities.

Browse Cologne’s Christmas markets, including the stalls gathered beneath a canopy of lights beside Cologne Cathedral. Explore festive displays, gift stands and seasonal food, with an ice-skating rink nearby.

Choose from treats such as cheese-coated Käsespätzle or sweet Kaiserschmarrn as you take in the market atmosphere. The contrast between illuminated stalls and the cathedral’s Gothic silhouette makes this one of the trip’s most distinctive festive settings.

Explore Heidelberg’s Christmas Market across seven locations in the Old Town. Wander between festive stalls set among historic streets and squares, with seasonal lights bringing warmth to the winter setting.

Heidelberg’s riverside Old Town is known for its historic buildings and romantic atmosphere. Its spread-out market invites you to experience more of the town than a single square, pairing traditional Christmas shopping with a sense of place.

Take in the ruins of Heidelberg Castle, which rise above the Old Town and the Neckar River. See the remains of a Renaissance-era residence whose weathered stone has become one of Heidelberg’s defining sights.

For centuries, the castle was associated with the Electors Palatine; war and later damage left the evocative ruins visible today. Its hilltop presence adds historical depth to a visit to Heidelberg’s festive streets.

Walk the illuminated trail through Stuttgart’s Christmas Garden at Wilhelma. Follow a circular route transformed by millions of points of light, with glowing displays set among the garden’s paths and plantings.

This is a different kind of festive experience from a market: the focus is on movement, colour and the atmosphere of an outdoor garden at night. The lights turn Wilhelma into a sparkling winter landscape made for an unhurried stroll.

Browse Stuttgart’s long-established Christmas market for wooden toys, ornaments and seasonal gifts. Warm up among stalls offering mulled wine and fresh gingerbread, with local choir music adding to the festive soundscape.

The market has a long history and remains a lively expression of the city’s Christmas traditions. Its decorated stalls, craft shopping and food aromas offer a classic German market experience with a distinctly Stuttgart setting.

Visit Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a remarkably preserved walled town, and enjoy a seasonal hot chocolate. Take in the town’s medieval character, from its enclosing walls to streets lined with historic buildings.

Rothenburg’s old-town setting has helped make it a symbol of traditional Germany. A warm drink offers a moment to savour the winter atmosphere and the sense of history contained within its walls.

Walk through Nuremberg with a local guide to explore a city shaped by emperors, trade and major events of the 20th century. Hear how its medieval heritage and Renaissance prosperity sit alongside the difficult history of the Nazi era and postwar trials.

This guided experience goes beyond Nuremberg’s festive appearance. Local insight helps place the city’s historic streets and landmarks within a broader story spanning roughly a thousand years.

Discover Nuremberg’s Christmas market among stalls filled with tinsel angels, wooden nutcrackers, coloured stars and twinkling lights. Browse festive crafts and sample local specialities as the market brings the city’s seasonal traditions to life.

Grilled Nuremberg sausages are a local favourite, while gingerbread is closely tied to the city’s culinary heritage. Together, the food and handmade decorations give this Bavarian market a character all its own.

Join an included gingerbread-making workshop in Nuremberg and see up close how the city’s famous festive treat is made. Pick up tips and enjoy the aromas of a speciality prepared according to traditions passed down through generations.

Nuremberg gingerbread, or Lebkuchen, has a centuries-old place in the city’s Christmas culture. This hands-on experience connects a market favourite with the craft and guarded family recipes behind it.

Explore Munich with a local guide on a walking tour of the Bavarian capital. See the main square, Marienplatz, and its famous Glockenspiel, where mechanical figures perform beneath the chimes of the New Town Hall.

Hear historical and cultural insights as you get to know the city beyond its Oktoberfest reputation. Munich’s civic architecture and busy central streets reveal the traditions behind its lively present-day character.

Dine on regional favourites at a local Munich restaurant, with dinner included, and experience the convivial atmosphere of a traditional beer hall. Expect steins, Bavarian dress and the sound of an oompah band.

Munich’s beer halls are long-standing social gathering places, valued as much for their shared tables and conversation as for their drinks. This evening pairs a taste of local cooking with the music and communal spirit of a Bavarian night out.