Guide

From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination. Munich: During your orientation of the city with your Travel Director, see Feldherrnhalle in the Odeonsplatz, the Palace of the Dukes of Wittelsbach, the English Garden, the Hofbräuhaus, St. Peter's Church and the famous Marienplatz. Innsbruck: Nestled amidst majestic mountains, Innsbruck is a beautiful city offering a unique combination of nature, history, and culture. Stroll the streets of the picturesque Old Town, with your Travel Director, learn about its history and admire the Baroque and Gothic architecture. Lucerne: During your orientation with your Travel Director, see the emotive Lion Monument, Jesuit Church and Chapel Bridge. Heidelberg: Explore one of Germany's most enchanting cities during your orientation with your Travel Director.

Meals

4 Dinner with Wine (DW) 8 Breakfast (B) Mainz: Enjoy getting to know your fellow travelers as you savor a delicious Welcome Dinner in a local restaurant. Salzburg: At the Christmas Market, meet a local stallholder and taste the delicious gingerbread with a fragrant cup of Glühwein. Innsbruck: Savor a special Highlight Dinner at Swarovski Crystal World. Heidelberg: Toast the culmination of your travels at a rousing Celebration Dinner with wine.

Transport

Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available). If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport. Innsbruck: Meet your coachman and enjoy a delightful horse-drawn carriage ride, surrounded by the mountains and valleys of Tyrol. Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.

Accommodation

Mainz: The Hilton Mainz is a traditional hotel set in an ideal location to explore the historic Old Town. Munich: The Westin Grand Munich is a modern hotel located in the fashionable Bogenhausen district. Lucerne: Set in a stunning location, the modern Hotel Astoria offers three award-winning restaurants and a rooftop garden, lounge and bar.

Others

Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary. Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels. We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door. Salzburg: Visit the house where Mozart was born in 1756. Enjoy a pianoforte demonstration and examine letters, memorabilia, and musical instruments of the great composer, plus a fascinating collection of portraits. Mainz: Witness half-timbered houses and Baroque buildings surrounding the magnificent Dom Cathedral. Rothenburg ob der Tauber: Fortified by ancient walls, picturesque and unspoiled, Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a fairytale come true at any time of year. It dazzles in December, with its 500-year-old Reiterlesmarkt lending a festive air to the cobbled streets and medieval buildings. Salzburg: With a Local Expert, see Mozart's family home and the 500-year-old Christmas Market in front of the cathedral. You'll also view the Hohensalzburg fortress and see Residenz Fountain when you spend some time in the Old Town. Innsbruck: Visit the magical Swarovski Crystal Worlds. This attraction features installations by international artists, designers and architects who have interpreted the crystals in their own ways. Vaduz: Admire the Royal family's residence, Vaduz Castle, which overlooks the capital and is surrounded by year-round snow peaked mountains. Mount Pilatus: Enjoy a spectacular journey to the summit of Mount Pilatus to witness a panorama of snow-capped peaks as you take in the pristine mountain air. Rhine Falls: Visit these spectacular falls. "Guests are always amazed and intrigued by the vast amount of beautifully decorated sweet treats on offer in Germany during the festive period." "Munich is the capital of beer, so taking guests into the famous Hofbräuhaus, at any time of year, gives them a small idea of what it’s like to attend Oktoberfest." "It's magical to see how a group of guests comes together over the course of our trip. I can always tell when that's happening because suddenly the enthusiasm is palpable." Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

Hygieneprotocol

All guests travelling with Insight Vacations through December 31, 2022 are required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, which may include a booster shot to keep the vaccination status current and valid, depending on the travel destination. Children not eligible for vaccination and/or booster at the time of travel must provide a verifiable and negative Covid-19 test result, taken within 72 hours prior to the start of the tour (taking time zones into consideration) for all tours departing until December 31, 2022. While highly recommended, COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters are no longer required for guests traveling with us from January 1, 2023 onward. It is your client’s responsibly to comply with specific vaccine and/or booster requirements imposed by airlines and/or authorities in the destinations visited, as well as requirements for accessing restaurants and venues, which may be more restrictive than the above. No refunds will be given if they are unable to undertake some or all of their vacation due to failure to comply with these requirements.

Not included:

Others

Other activities and services are not included

Flights

International flights not included.

Optional

Optional experiences are available on this tour for an additional cost.

Insurance

Insurance not included.

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Frankfurt And On To Mainz
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Frankfurt And On To Mainz

Welcome to Germany. From the Rhine Valley to the Alps, experience lively cosmopolitan cities, historic old towns and breathtaking natural scenery. Transfers from Frankfurt airport to your Mainz hotel depart at 09:30 and 12:30. Mainz has been a bustling and important town since the time of the Romans. Join your Travel Director and fellow guests at 18:00, for a walk through the Cathedral Quarter to witness the magnificent architecture of the city’s Dom. At a local restaurant, enjoy a pleasant evening of good food and wine during your Welcome Dinner.
Day 2 Day 2: Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber And The Romantic Road To Munich
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber And The Romantic Road To Munich

Head to fortified Rothenburg ob der Tauber, overlooking the winding Tauber River. Once through the medieval walls, you are immediately transported back into the 16th century, as cobblestone streets lead you to the medieval Market Square with its Town Hall. Perhaps visit Tilman Riemenschneider’s ‘Holy Blood’ altarpiece in St Jakob’s Church or pop into the Christmas shop where you’ll find the festive spirit all year round? Follow parts of the Romantic Road to fun-loving Munich.
Day 3 Day 3: The Bavarian Capital Of Munich Relaxed Start
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: The Bavarian Capital Of Munich Relaxed Start

During your orientation you will see Victory Arch and the university, concluding in the Marienplatz with its soaring Gothic Town Hall and colorful Glockenspiel. The rest of the day is at leisure. Why not try a foaming stein of beer at the world-famous Hofbräuhaus?
Day 4 Day 4: Lake Chiemsee To Salzburg Relaxed Start
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Lake Chiemsee To Salzburg Relaxed Start

Travel alongside the beautiful Lake Chiemsee and cross the Austrian border to Salzburg, ‘alive with the Sound of Music.’ Walk with your Local Expert through the formal gardens of Mirabell Palace and admire the city skyline, crowned by the majestic Hohensalzburg Fortress. Cross the Salzach River to see Mozart’s birthplace on the Getreidegasse, a lively shopping street lined with charming wrought-iron signs. Visit Mozart's birthplace to learn more about his life, and enjoy a musical interlude performed on his original pianoforte. For those arriving before Christmas, visit the festive Christmas Market and meet a local stallholder for a taste of traditional Lebkuchen and a fragrant cup of Glühwein. Follow the narrow lanes of the Old Town to the domed cathedral and the splendid Residenz Fountain, before having time at leisure to enjoy as you please. In the evening, perhaps visit an Austrian chalet for dinner, drinks and the opportunity to learn about life in the countryside?
Day 5 Day 5: Innsbruck
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Innsbruck

In the morning, a scenic journey takes you through snow-capped mountains to Innsbruck. See the magnificent Golden Roof in the Old Town, then loose yourself in the festive atmosphere as you spend some time exploring Innsbruck's magical Christmas Markets. The giant Christmas tree dominates the square and is adorned in lights and decorations. Browse the market stalls, selling handmade trinkets that make perfect gifts for friends and family, along with delicious local treats of home-made biscuits, jams and delicious, soul-warming Glühwein. Next, delight in a visit to the magical world of Swarovski Crystal, followed by a Highlight Dinner.
Day 6 Day 6: Liechtenstein And Lucerne By The Lake Relaxed Start
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Liechtenstein And Lucerne By The Lake Relaxed Start

Meet your coachman and take in the delightful scenery and pure fresh air on a horse-drawn carriage ride. Next, depart for Lucerne traveling through delightful scenery abounds as you make your way to the Arlberg Tunnel. Stop in Vaduz, capital of the Principality of Liechtenstein, one of Europe’s smallest countries. Cross the Swiss border and continue to lakeside Lucerne. Your Travel Director will show you the covered wooden Chapel Bridge and you’ll learn about the poignant history of the Lion Monument. Then you are at leisure to shop for Swiss watches or delicious chocolate.
Day 7 Day 7: Lovely Lucerne
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Lovely Lucerne

Start the day with a spectacular cable car ride with incredible views up Mount Pilatus. Back in Lucerne, you are free to admire the superb baroque Jesuit Church, stroll along lakeside promenades, or explore the old walls and watch towers of the medieval fortifications. Perhaps join a cruise along Lake Lucerne?
Day 8 Day 8: Heidelberg
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Heidelberg

Stop at Schaffhausen to see the Rhine River thundering over the Rhine Falls. Cross the German border and venture deep into the Black Forest. Following the Rhine Valley north, head for the town of Heidelberg, set on the banks of the river Neckar and dominated by its magnificent red sandstone castle. Stroll through the old town with your Travel Director. Perhaps see the old Student Prison? In the evening, enjoy good food, wine and company at your Celebration Dinner.
Day 9 Day 9: Depart Frankfurt Airport
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Depart Frankfurt Airport

A transfer to Frankfurt airport’s Terminal 1 arrives at 09:00 and Terminal 2 at 09:15.

9 days tour

Winter Wonderland (Classic, 9 Days)

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Winter Wonderland (Classic, 9 Days)

Day 1: Frankfurt And On To Mainz

Day 2: Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber And The Romantic Road To Munich

Day 3: The Bavarian Capital Of Munich Relaxed Start

Day 4: Lake Chiemsee To Salzburg Relaxed Start

Day 5: Innsbruck

Day 6: Liechtenstein And Lucerne By The Lake Relaxed Start

Day 7: Lovely Lucerne

Day 8: Heidelberg

Day 9: Depart Frankfurt Airport

Experience Style

Accomodation level

Experience Type

Physical Rating

Age range

Who talk about us:

Best cities to travel to

America

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania