Christmas Markets of Frankfurt & the Mighty Rhine - JG Explorer

We travel by coach to Dover and take the ferry across to Calais. On arrival in France, we continue to our overnight hotel in Belgium.

This morning, we travel into Germany, with a scenic drive to the elegant spa town of Wiesbaden, arriving around lunchtime. We have free time to explore the Wiesbaden Christmas Market, set in front of the city’s grand neo-classical buildings and centred around the Schlossplatz and Market Church. There is time for lunch at leisure before continuing by coach to Frankfurt later this afternoon. On arrival in Frankfurt, we check into our hotel with time to freshen up before enjoying dinner together in the hotel this evening.

We leave Frankfurt and travel along the Rhine to Rüdesheim. Set among half-timbered houses and cobbled lanes, Rüdesheim’s Christmas Market - known as the "Christmas Market of Nations" - brings together festive traditions from across the world. We have time to browse the stalls, enjoy the seasonal atmosphere and find lunch at leisure, with a wonderful choice of local cafés, wine taverns and festive food stalls. Early this afternoon, we take the short ferry crossing across the Rhine to Bingen, before continuing by coach to the historic city of Mainz.

Mainz’s Christmas Market is set against the dramatic backdrop of the 1,000-year-old St Martin’s Cathedral and is one of the oldest and most atmospheric in Germany. Here we have free time to explore the stalls, enjoy dinner at leisure and perhaps pick up some final festive treats or handcrafted gifts before returning to our hotel later this evening.

Today is a free day to relax and explore Frankfurt at leisure. The city offers a wonderful mix of history, culture and festive cheer. December is a lovely time to discover the city’s Christmas markets, museums, riverside walks and lively shopping streets. The Römerberg Christmas Market in the historic Old Town is particularly atmospheric, set among timber-framed buildings and overlooked by the city’s medieval town hall. Later on, enjoy dinner at your leisure in the city or close to the hotel.

After breakfast, we travel south to the historic city of Speyer. Set along the Maximilianstraße and in front of its magnificent Romanesque cathedral - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - Speyer’s Christmas Market is one of the most charming in the region. We have time to browse the stalls and enjoy the festive atmosphere before continuing to Heidelberg in the afternoon. Here, the Christmas Market is spread across several picturesque squares in the Old Town, set against the backdrop of the famous castle, the Old Bridge and elegant baroque buildings. We have the rest of the afternoon and early evening to explore, shop for gifts and enjoy dinner at leisure, before returning by coach to our hotel later this evening.

After breakfast, we depart Frankfurt and travel towards the Netherlands, enjoying a scenic journey to Valkenburg. Famous for its atmospheric Christmas Market, Valkenburg is renowned for its festive streets, charming stalls and unique underground grotto markets. We have time to explore, soak up the seasonal atmosphere and perhaps enjoy a warming drink or a festive treat before continuing our journey.

In the early evening, we continue to our overnight hotel in Belgium, where there is time to freshen up before enjoying dinner together at the hotel.

This morning, we check out of our hotel and begin our journey back to Calais. En route, we stop in Dunkirk, allowing time to stretch your legs and enjoy lunch at leisure. We continue to Calais, in time to board the early evening ferry for our return crossing.