PLEASE NOTE: Price is per person and based on two people sharing a twin/double room. Single room supplements and upgrades are not included.
Itinerary
8 Day Itinerary
Dec 21
Local departure by coach or Door-to-Door service, then to Belgium for an overnight stay.
Dec 22
Continue to Reutte in the Austrian Tyrol for a five-night stay.
Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Dec 23 - Bavarian Castles
Join us today on our superb included excursion to Germany and to the Bavarian town of Füssen. En route we pause at the village of Hohenschwangau home to the spectacular Hohenschwangau Castle and the famous Neuschwanstein Castle. King Maximilian, the father of King Ludwig II, acquired Hohenschwangau castle as a ruin in 1832. He rebuilt it according to the original plans and after completion the castle was used as the summer and hunting residence of the Bavarian royal family. Neushwanstein castle is the famous fairy-tale castle built by Mad King Ludwig and is one of Germany’s most popular images. It was the inspiration behind Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty’s Palace and also seen in the film ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’.There will be time at leisure in Hohenschwangau village where you can photograph Neuschwanstein castle (weather permitting). We continue to nearby Füssen, a charming town located on the edge of the Alps and also the highest in Bavaria! There will be free time to explore before we return to our hotel later this afternoon. Before dinner we enjoy a torch lit walk around Reutte. Please note that entrance to the castles is not included.
Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Christmas Eve - Innsbruck
Our optional excursion takes us to Innsbruck, the capital of the Tyrol. Located on the River Inn and at the foot of the Karwendel Alps, Innsbruck is the fifth largest city in Austria. Perhaps visit the Swarovski crystal shop, which is turned into a Christmas grotto during the festive period. If you fancy escaping the hustle and bustle of the centre, climb aboard the Hungerburgbahn funicular (at own cost) where you are guaranteed breathtaking views over Innsbruck. Be sure to discover the old quarter with its charming arcaded streets, the famous Golden Roof, stroll along the Maria Theresien Strasse with its bustling shops or climb the Tower of the City for magnificent views of the city. Please remember that Christmas Eve in Austria is a traditional religious festival. This may mean that facilities in towns, villages and hotels may close early. After free time we return to the hotel for our evening meal.
Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Christmas Day - Free Time or Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Merry Christmas! Spend the day at leisure or perhaps enjoy an included excursion to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.Garmisch in the west, and Partenkirchen in the east, were separate towns for many centuries, and still maintain quite separate identities. Garmisch and Partenkirchen remained separate until their respective mayors were forced by Adolf Hitler to combine the two market towns in 1935 in anticipation of the 1936 Winter Olympic Games. Today, the united town is casually referred to as Garmisch, much to the dismay of Partenkirchen's residents. Most visitors will notice the slightly more modern feel of Garmisch while the fresco-filled, cobblestoned streets of Partenkirchen offer a glimpse into times past. Tonight we enjoy a turkey dinner at the hotel.
Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Boxing Day - Oberammergau
Enjoy our included excursion to the traditional Bavarian village of Oberammergau, setting of the famous Passion Play, which takes place here every ten years. See the beautiful painted houses before we return to Reutte for an included, traditional horse and carriage ride through local countryside.
Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Dec 27
Travel north to Belgium for an overnight stay.
Meals - Breakfast
Dec 28
Return home.
Meals - Breakfast
Accommodation
You will stay for five nights at the 4-star Hotel Zum Mohren in Reutte.
Overnight stays in Belgium will be in city-style hotels.