Travel back through centuries as you walk along cobblestone streets through grand cities and historic towns bedecked with twinkling Christmas trees and lined with wooden huts gleaming with handcrafted treasures. Iconic Christmas Markets are plentiful and are on full display for your pleasure: Budapest’s Vörösmarty Square, where all products sold in the market are guaranteed as traditionally handmade; Vienna with its impressive Christmas Markets that seem to majestically appear around every corner; Nuremberg’s festive Christkindlesmarkt, the largest and oldest Christmas Market in Germany; and Regensburg’s Christmas Market at Thurn and Taxis Castle, considered one of Bavaria’s most beautiful and romantic—along with many others throughout your journey—are yours to explore.
Highlights
Visit the vibrant Great Market Hall brimming with vendors selling everything from food to souvenirs
Tour "Vienna by Night" Christmas Markets at the Maria Theresaplatz Christmas Market
Explore Melk Abbey, one of Europe’s most revered Baroque monasteries
Take a guided bike ride along the Danube and through the scenic Strudengau Valley
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Budapest is one of Europe’s most regal and storied cities—and many of its most iconic sights can be seen right off the banks of the Danube. Your tour through this sprawling World Heritage city offers splendid views from the historic Buda Castle of the twin cities on both river banks. You’ll also visit Fisherman’s Bastion and see the marvelous Royal Palace, St. Stephen’s Basilica, Heroes Square, and more. Later, explore Vörösmarty Square Christmas Market, the largest and most popular Christmas Market in Budapest. Alternatively, you can hike to Castle Hill, walk along Fishermen’s Bastion, and take in all the iconic sites of Budapest with an active exploration.
“Queen of the Danube” tour and Vörösmarty Square Christmas Market
OR Castle Hill Hike
The “City of Waltzes” offers a treasure trove of gems just waiting to be discovered. Join a tour showcasing its regal splendors, such as the majestic Opera House and the former Imperial Palace of the Habsburgs before concluding in Vienna’s historic city center. Afterward, you’ll visit the Christmas Markets where you can purchase delightful delicacies and hand-made gifts. If you prefer a more active adventure, then join a guided bike along the Danube River. Cap the day off with “Vienna by Night” Christmas Markets at the beautifully decorated Town Hall (Rathaus), Vienna’s largest Christmas Market.
“Imperial Vienna” tour with Christmas Markets
OR Vienna City Tour by Bike (Illuminated Christmas Markets) by Night
High on a rocky outcrop lies the Melk Abbey, one of Europe’s most revered Baroque monasteries. Visit this magnificent and storied abbey, which now houses a museum chronicling its history and a famous library with countless medieval manuscripts. Alternatively, go on a guided bike ride around Melk. During the evening, enjoy a scenic cruise through the Strudengau Valley.
Melk Abbey visit
OR Melk bike tour
Scenic Cruising Strudengau Valley
Join a walking tour of this 2,000-year-old city, noted for its Gothic and Italian Baroque architecture and St. Stephen’s. Go in search of Bavarian-style crafts at the Christmas Market. Alternatively, you can travel through the serene Austrian Alps to Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart. Your full-day excursion in Salzburg includes a walking tour of the UNESCO-designated Old Town, its magnificent cathedral and Christmas Market, which is a feast for the senses. For the active adventurer, join a guided bike tour along the Danube.
Regensburg is one of Germany’s best preserved medieval cities, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Join a guided walking tour showcasing the city’s architectural highlights, including the Old Town Hall and the Porta Praetoria before visiting the Old Town Christmas Market. As an alternate option, sample some of Bavaria’s specialties—beer, sausage and pretzels. Or bike to Walhalla where you will see the neo- Classical white marble temple inspired by the Parthenon in Athens. Later in the day, you’ll be treated to one of Bavaria’s most beautiful and romantic Christmas Markets at Thurn and Taxis Castle, where you can watch artisansmake their unique arts and crafts.
Enjoy a scenic morning cruise as the ship crosses the Continental Divide via the Main- Danube Canal to Nuremberg. Join a city tour of WWII highlights and then walk through Nuremberg’s cobblestone streets to the Imperial castle and 900-year-old city ramparts. Alternatively, you can taste your way through the city with a Franconian specialties tour, which introduces you to Bratwurst, Rotbier (red beer) and Lebkuchen (gingerbread). Later, you can visit Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt (Christmas Market), one of the world’s largest and most famous Christmas Markets. Stroll along as the aroma of mulled wine and gingerbread fill the air and browse through over 100 red and white canvas-topped booths offering an assortment of unique treasures, toys and seasonal goodies.
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Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
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Cat. E
Piano Deck. Fixed Windows, 160 sq. ft.
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Cat. D
Piano Deck. Fixed Windows, 160 sq. ft.
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Cat. C
Violin & Cello Deck. French Balcony, 170 sq. ft.
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Cat. BB
Cello Deck. French Balcony & Outside Balcony, 210 sq. ft
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Cat BA
Violin Deck. French Balcony & Outside Balcony, 210 sq. ft.
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Cat AB
Cello Deck. French Balcony & Outside Balcony, 235 sq. ft
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Cat. AA
Violin Deck. French Balcony & Outside Balcony, 235 sq. ft.
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Cat. AA+
Violin Deck. French Balcony & Outside Balcony, 250 sq. ft.
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Suite
Violin Deck. French Balcony & Outside Balcony, 350 sq. ft.
Notes
Single supplement is 50%, except for Suites which are 100%.
I could not be happier with my Adventure Life experience, from beginning to end. I travel a lot, and I think your company and personnel do an outstanding job. I truly appreciate your professionalism, attentiveness, and flexibility. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend your company and would be happy to serve as a reference.
Constance Block
TrustScore 4.8 | 254 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
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1 day ago
The holiday of a lifetime. The company is Alaksa-owned and thhat makes a big difference to the experineces you get i.e. meet genuine First Nations tribes people. The amount of wildlife was beyond my expectation, and seeing everything on sucha small, intimate boat made it even more spoecial and unique.
Liz O
1 day ago
Adventure Life covered all the details in planning our trip to Ireland. Any questions we had were answered immediately. Any trip glitches, which always happen when traveling, were resolved immediately. There were no worries, just fun!
Kathleen Weller
1 day ago
It was an outstanding, up-close, educational vacation of nature, culture, history, animals and geology! It was everything they promised! Binoculars were plentiful on the boat, but I'm glad I brought my own. Food was excellent. Rooms had black-out shades. Pack/wear multiple layers of clothing (I carried a small backpack when off the ship). Crew were delightful and very accommodating! Remember to jump FEET FIRST first when taking the optional polar plunge! Spend as much time outdoors as you are able and ENJOY!!!
Janet Dutton
6 days ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
1 week ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.