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Magical Christmas Markets – Tour A
Destination:
Germany – Austria
Date:
November 26 – December 6, 2021
Price:
$3,150 (based on single occupancy)
Are you ready for some Christmas magic? Why wait until December 24 when you can start in November? Drop Me Anywhere Tours for Women kicks off the season with two Magical Christmas Markets Tours in Germany and Austria.
During our 10-days together, we’ll hit up at least 12 Christmas markets, each with its own style. From big city celebrations to small town traditions, we’ll enjoy the magic along with the locals. Depending on which of our two tours you choose, you’ll begin in either Stuttgart, Germany or Salzburg, Austria and sparkle your way through the wonderful food, local crafts, music, and glühwein (I’ll explain when we meet). Check out the itinerary below, hit me up with any questions, and start dreaming about a magical holiday season.
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Itinerary
Day 1 – Home to Stuttgart
Today you’ll depart your home and fly overnight (if traveling from North America) to Stuttgart, Germany.
Day 2 – Arrive in Stuttgart/Esslingen, Germany
After a wonderful night’s sleep in your oh, so comfortable airplane seat, you’ll awaken and say “guten Morgen” to Germany. Once you’ve landed at Stuttgart Airport, you’ll make your way to our hotel in Esslingen. It’s an easy 35-minute bus ride and 6-minute walk, or a 17-minute taxi ride, to the hotel. If enough of our tour friends arrive at similar times, I’ll be able to come meet you and we can ride the bus together. Not to worry, we’ll talk before you arrive.
We’ll stay in the Medieval city of Esslingen, about 1/2-hour from Stuttgart. Why Esslingen and not Stuttgart? Because Stuttgart, as metropolitan as it is, isn’t the most beautiful or interesting of cities (sshh, don’t tell the locals I said this). But Esslingen, with its monuments, churches, and medieval half-timbered buildings, is a gorgeous, small city to walk through and stay in.
After we’re all settled into our hotel and you’ve grabbed a refreshing shower and quick bite to eat, we’ll join our local guide for a leisurely walk along Esslingen’s cobblestone streets where we’ll get to know the history and see the squares and the most beautiful nooks and crannies of the former Free Imperial City.
This evening, we kick off the first of many Christmas market visits—enjoying a welcome drink—with two in Esslingen. (Sure, you’ll be tired. But the goal is to stay awake until at least 10pm in order to quickly adapt to your new time zone.) This is another reason to stay in Esslingen, as their Medieval Christmas Market is one of the best I’ve been to. This combination of Renaissance fair and Christmas Market harkens back to what the city might have offered in past centuries. We’ll also visit the square next door and enjoy the traditional Christmas Market. You’ll have your choice of traditional Christmas Market food throughout the square. When you get tired, there’s no worries as our hotel is within walking distance.
Hotel: Hotel am Schillerpark
Day 3 – Esslingen/Stuttgart, Germany
Quick quiz (what? I didn’t know there’d be a test!); who invented the automobile? Nope, it wasn’t Henry Ford (he invented the production line). It was Karl Benz. After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll head over to the Mercedes Museum where we’ll learn more about Herr Benz and his life, which brings us through the history of the automobile as it relates to the world through these times. We’ll then head into Stuttgart for a bit of free time for you to wander the city and then meet back up to enjoy an evening of food, shopping, and glühwein at the Stuttgart Christmas Market.
Hotel: Hotel am Schillerpark
Included Meals: B
Day 4 – Esslingen, Germany to Innsbruck, Austria
This morning we’ll hop the train for the approximate 4 ½-hour journey to Innsbruck, Austria where we walk through the old city to arrive at our hotel on the banks of the River Inn. After getting settled in your room, you’ll have a few hours to check-out the Old City, grab a sauna and swim at the hotel, or maybe grab a Glühwein before dinner. This evening, we’ll enjoy dinner together at a local restaurant.
Hotel: Das Innsbruck Hotel
Included Meals: B, D
Day 5 – Innsbruck, Austria
This morning, we’ll meet up with our local guide for a walking tour along the cobblestone streets of Innsbruck’s Old City. We’ll learn about the famous Golden Roof, the oh-so-interesting Emperor Maximillian, stroll down Maria-Theresien-Straße, and admire the stunning architecture. Afterwards, enjoy some free time; perhaps a bite to eat, some sightseeing on your own—your included Innsbruck Card will get you free transportation as well as free or discounted admission on some wonderful attractions, including lifts into the mountains, admission to the Alpine Zoo, and various museums—before meeting up in the late afternoon for an adventure. Tonight, put on your walking shoes as we’ll walk to 6 Christmas markets across the city with a goal of enjoying a glühwein (or a kinderpunsch) at each one.
Hotel: Das Innsbruck Hotel
Included Meals: B
Day 6 – Innsbruck, Austria
Following a breakfast fit for the queens we are, we’ll head over to the Hofburg Imperial Palace to see how royalty really lived. The palace, completed in 1500, was home to various royals over the centuries including Emperor Maximilian, Maria Theresa, Archduke Karl Ludwig, the beloved Empress Elisabeth (Sisi), and Emperor Franz Joseph. From here, we’ll walk 5-minutes down the road to visit the Court Church where we’ll see the 28 life-size bronze statues watching over the tomb of Maximilian I. Apparently, they didn’t watch particularly well, as Max isn’t actually in the tomb (come join us to find out why). You’ll have the rest of the day to explore independently. You can take the Hop-on/Hop-off Sightseer Bus and get your sparkle on at Swarovski Crystal World, continue with more royalty at Ambras Castle, take a cable car into the mountains, or check out the Olympic Ski Jump. All of these (and more) are included in your Innsbruck Card. Tonight, dinner on your own at a restaurant or Christmas market and perhaps a sauna in the hotel.
Hotel: Das Innsbruck Hotel
Included Meals: B
Day 7 – Innsbruck, Austria to Großarl, Austria
This morning we’ll head up into the Alps to the small city of Großarl (pronounced Grossarl), Austria. This place has been a favorite of mine since I discovered it in 2017. Today is an easy day as, once we’ve arrived at our small, family-owned hotel, we’ll have some free time. You might want to take the local bus into town (it only takes 15 minutes) to look around and maybe have a coffee, lunch, or do some shopping at the wonderful local art shops. Or maybe you’ll want to have a bite or a drink (or both) at the hotel and bask in their three saunas. Tonight, we’ll enjoy an included, gourmet dinner at the hotel. Maybe an after-dinner sauna?
Hotel: Dorfer Hotel and Chalet
Included Meals: B, D
Day 8 – Großarl, Austria
“Just hear those sleigh bells jingling….Come on it’s lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.” Yup, today we’ll head out for a sleigh ride in the winter wonderland of Hüttschlag. Just a-half-hour from Großarl, Hüttschlag lies within Hohe Tauern National Park, the biggest national park in the Alps. We’ll climb aboard our horse-drawn sleigh for an unforgettable ride through the valley, surrounded by the Alps. Afterwards, we can stop for tea in the village and visit their Christmas market (much smaller and more traditional than most we’ve visited) before returning to our hotel to warm-up. This evening, we’ll head into town to enjoy Großarl’s traditional Advent market. Walking through their market is as if you’re walking in a Currier and Ives Christmas card. In fact, the feature photo on this tour listing is one I took at this market. we can grab a bite to eat, drink glühwein, shop for local handcrafts, and walk the Nativity Path up to the church where we’ll see a variety of Nativity scenes created by the local “Crib Club” throughout the years. This is truly magical and I can’t wait for you to join me this year.
Hotel: Dorfer Hotel and Chalet
Included Meals: B
Day 9 – Großarl, Austria to Salzburg, Austria
I hope you’ll have enjoyed these last couple of relaxing days, as we’ve got a busy one today. Following our scrumptious breakfast, we’ll board the bus back down the mountain and hop the train for our short journey to the city of Mozart and the Sound of Music. After checking into our hotel, the unique Guest House of the Seminary of the Trinity Church, located within walking distance of all good things, we’ll walk 10-minutes to the the DomQuartier Museums. These four-museums-in-one offer spectacular art, history, and architecture. We’ll walk through 1,300 years of history in this former residence of the prince-archbishops, see the spectacular cathedral, and stroll through the Cabinet of Curiosities (yes, it’s as strange as it sounds).
After a couple of hours, we’ll take a short walk to Mirabellplatz (we’ll grab lunch on the go) where we’ll join our Sound of Music Tour. During this four-hour search for Captain von Trapp (because, oh, Christopher Plummer in that film), we’ll visit the Pegasus Fountain in Mirabell Gardens where Maria and the kids danced, the gazebo that Maria and the Captain first kissed, and where Liesl and Rolf sang, “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” the convent, and the church where Maria and the Captain were married, and many other locations. It’s also a great way to see the surrounding area. After a busy day, we’ll enjoy an included dinner at a local restaurant.
Hotel: Gästehaus Priesterseminar Salzburg
Included Meals: B, D
Day 10 – Salzburg, Austria
Late this morning, we’ll take the 50-minute bus-ride to Berchtesgaden, Germany for a very special day; the arrival of the Krampus. Believed to originate from a pagan ritual for the winter solstice, the running of the Krampus happens only once-or-twice per year at Christmastime across Germany and Austria. These hairy creatures, with horns on their heads and bells hanging, arrive in town and go door-to-door scaring people, whacking the backs of legs with birch sticks and spreading black shoe polish on the faces of naughty boys and girls (have you been naughty or nice?). We can enjoy the Berchtesgaden Christmas market and head back to Austria. Tonight, we’ll walk across the Danube to the Old City to enjoy the sparkling Christmas market in Cathedral Square. A great way to enjoy a last bit of magic with our new friends.
Hotel: Gästehaus Priesterseminar Salzburg
Included Meals: B
Day 11
Today we say auf Wiedersehen as you head off to either the Salzburg Airport or, perhaps, catch a train back to Stuttgart if you’ve booked a roundtrip from home. (It’s about a 5-hour journey but you’ll probably need to stay an extra night in Stuttgart to do this.)
Included Meals: B
What Does it Cost?
Really? Can you put a price tag on magic? Ok, here you go.
Price based on Single Rooms – US $3150.00*
A $300 non-refundable deposit reserves your space
Early Bird Discount – Reserve with your deposit by July 28, 2021 and get $150.00 off
Final payment due by October 22, 2021
*Please get in contact to find out about the shared-room discount.
What's Included?
What’s Included?
- Nine nights in 3-4 star hotels.
- 9 breakfasts and 3 dinners including a beer, wine, or soda with included dinners.
- All ground transportation between cities and on excursions (though some of this transportation will be by foot (well, I guess it will be by feet, unless you plan to hop). Please read the “Important Things to Know” section.
- Travel with a journalist published in National Geographic, CNN Travel, AFAR, MSN, Fodor’s, Unearth Women, easyJet Traveller, Trivago Magazine, and Cruise Industry News. (Yup, that’s me!
- Tour leader with 20-years’ experience.
- All included activities listed in the tour description including all museum admissions.
- Taxes and tips for all included meals and accommodations. Tips for local walking tours and step-on guides will be at the traveler’s discretion.
- Tip for me, your tour leader (I’m the owner of the company so, I’m good, thanks).
- Scheduled group Zoom chat in the month prior to departure.
- Email tips sent every-other-week beginning two-months prior to our departure (including recommended apps, handling credit cards and money during the trip, packing tips specific to this trip.
- Independent pre or post-tour extension advice that I am able to assist with.
- Some fun surprises along the way.
What’s Not Included?
- Airfare and arrangements to from home to the start of the trip and back. Any air or ground transportation not listed as part of the tour.
- Passport or visa fees. Airline luggage fees. Any fees charged that are not part of the tour.
- Transportation, admissions, meals and drinks during free time (except in Innsbruck where many are covered in your included Innsbruck Card).
- Transfers from/to airports to join and depart the tour.
- Tips for local walking and city tour guides and hotel housekeepers (at your discretion).
- Travel insurance. We recommend buying it prior to your trip. World Nomads is known to have good plans and Forbes has a list of recommendations.
- Any required COVID-19 testing per government regulations
- Medical treatment while on tour (again, we recommend travel insurance).
- Room charges including, but not limited to, mini bar, room service, restaurant and gift shop purchases, and laundry charged back to the room.
- Food, drinks, and other items purchased at Christmas markets.
- Extra drinks at not included with group dinners
Important Things
Important Things to Know (please read this)
All prices are based on SINGLE occupancy (after all, our theme is when you want to travel solo, but not alone). If you would like to share a room with a travel partner, please get in touch and we’ll discuss the share discounted price.
Minimum number for this tour to run is 6 people and the Maximum is 15. Please don’t book your flights until you receive confirmation that we’ve reached our minimum tour booking number. When looking into flights click the multi-city box which will allow you to enter both the tour arrival city and tour departure city. Trains between the two may also be possible. Should you need any assistance or information, please contact me via email at Carole@DropMeAnywhere.com or cbrosenblat@gmail.com. I can also recommend a travel consultant who would be glad to assist you.
Should Drop Me Anywhere need to cancel this tour due to Covid-19 restrictions, all monies collected (with the possible exception of train fares) will be refunded.
All efforts will be made to run the tour exactly as the itinerary specifies however, due to a variety of circumstance including, but not limited to, changes or cancellations in train, bus, or other transportation schedules, weather, unscheduled changes in operating hours, and local unrest. In these cases, we’ll make every reasonable attempt to include all scheduled activities.
In some cases, daily schedules might be exchanged (from one day to another) due to unexpected circumstances such as but, again, not limited to, business hours, weather, last-minute opportunities for unique, unscheduled events, or creating a better-timed day. Flexibility is key to enjoying your trip.
This tour uses public transportation as our means of travel between and within cities. We’ll usually walk from the transportation to our scheduled accommodations, restaurants, and activities. The walks are generally around 15-minutes maximum. You will be expected to be able to walk these distances, sometimes along cobblestone streets and rolling your luggage. (Don’t worry, it’s not that difficult and we won’t be running, but you will need to be sure you can do this.) You will also need bring your own bag(s) onboard trains and buses. Also, this means we’re reliant on train/bus schedules. Sometimes this means we’ll depart early in the morning (c’mon, 8:00am isn’t that early) in order to take advantage of better train schedules with fewer transfers.
What is your favorite kind of candy? Ha! Just being sure you’re reading this, so please be ready to answer this when we talk.
All travelers are requested to show proof of vaccination prior to final payment. Proof of Covid vaccine or immunity, and/or a negative Covid-19 test, may be required to enter countries. I will keep you up to date as to what the rules are for travel to our scheduled locations as well as returning to your home country as the trip departure gets closer.
Your passport must be valid for at least six-months after your date of return to your home country. If you are not an American citizen, please check to see if you require a visa to enter any countries on our itinerary.
Are you still with me? Just a couple more things.
Though we strive to be as inclusive and accessible as possible, if assistance is needed for movement or carrying your bags, please bring a friend to help. Due to the nature of this trip, they must be able to assist with your bags while carrying their own at the same time.
Terms and Conditions (it’s the legal stuff I’m required to tell you):
Drop Me Anywhere, LLC agrees to deliver the services and inclusions as listed for the tour to the best of their ability. Client acknowledges that unforeseen and unknown events can and do occur, due to no fault of the Drop Me Anywhere that can result in not receiving the tour and forfeiting some or all the monies paid to Drop Me Anywhere. These events include but are not limited to: postponing, rescheduling or cancelling of tour by Drop Me Anywhere, cancellation by traveler; removal of a client from a tour for non-payment or other violations as deemed necessary by the tour leader.
Client acknowledges that unforeseen and unknown events can and do occur, due to no fault of Drop Me Anywhere. No damages shall be due to a traveler for failure by Drop Me Anywhere to perform obligations related to delivery of tour services if such failure is a result of Acts of God (including fire, flood, earthquake, storm, hurricane, volcano eruption, or other natural disasters), pandemics, epidemics, war, invasion, acts of foreign enemies, cyber-attacks, hostilities (regardless of whether war is declared), civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, military or usurped power or confiscation, terrorist activities, nationalism, government sanction, blockage, embargo, labor dispute, strike, lockout or interruption or failure of any mode of transportation.
Entry to another country may be refused even if the required information and travel documents are complete. Travel documentation is subject to change. Living standard and practices at the destination with respect to the provision of utilities, services and accommodation may differ from those found in other areas of the world.
Drop Me Anywhere reserves the right to remove any traveler from a tour should it be determined that the traveler is adversely affecting the overall group dynamics, is a danger to herself or others, or is willfully ignoring the instructions of the Drop Me Anywhere tour leader or its representatives to the detriment or safety of the group. In the event a traveler is removed from a tour, Drop Me Anywhere will not refund any monies. Transportation costs to return home, airline penalties, and any other expenses will be the responsibility of the traveler.
In the event a traveler chooses to leave a tour prior to its scheduled conclusion, Drop Me Anywhere will not refund any monies for the unused portion of the tour arrangements. Transportation costs from tour departure point to the airport, airline penalties, and any other expenses will be the responsibility of the traveler.
Cancellation Policy
Deposits and scheduled payments are non-refundable. Final payments are non-refundable after the final payment date. If the Drop Me Anywhere cancels a tour due to insufficient travelers, prior to a tour being guaranteed, all payments will be refunded.
While all reasonable options will be considered should events impact the delivery of scheduled tour services, no damages shall be due to a traveler for failure by the Drop Me Anywhere to perform obligations related to delivery of tour services if such failure is a result of Acts of God (including fire, flood, earthquake, storm, hurricane, volcano eruption, or other natural disasters), pandemics, epidemics, war, invasion, acts of foreign enemies, cyber-attacks, hostilities (regardless of whether war is declared), civil war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, military or usurped power or confiscation, terrorist activities, nationalism, government sanction, blockage, embargo, labor dispute, strike, lockout or interruption or failure of any mode of transportation.
It is understood by the Client that each payment made to Drop Me Anywhere will be disbursed as required by the contractual terms that Drop Me Anywhere has entered into with each tour supplier/partner, in order to provide the services agreed to for the tour to which the Client is registered. As such, all required payments (deposits at any times and final payments after the due date are non-refundable. If a client does not pay a scheduled payment by the due date their trip may be cancelled and no monies already paid will be refunded.
Tours lacking enough travelers will be cancelled and clients will be notified via email. Drop Me Anywhere will make every effort to cancel tours lacking enough travelers prior to collection of final payment. All deposits and interim payments will be promptly refunded. Drop Me Anywhere is not responsible for any other cost incurred, including and not limited to flights, extra hotel room nights, and travel insurance premiums. Do not make non-refundable flight arrangements prior to a tour being guaranteed.
Accessibility
While Drop Me Anywhere has a commitment to e as inclusive as possible, accessibility laws vary by country and we cannot guarantee that all hotels, transportation, museums, historic sites, and other locations visited on a Drop Me Anywhere tour will be accessible for travelers of different abilities. We will make every effort to provide reasonable accommodation and an agreeable compromise should should a situation require due to physical ability. The traveler is expected to disclose any physical limitations which might affect the safety and enjoyment of the traveler or their fellow travelers prior to final payment. If assistance might be required with, but not limited to; walking, eating, carrying luggage, or following tour leader instructions, the traveler will travel with a responsible companion to assist with these needs.
Drop Me Anywhere, LLC is insured by Zurich Insurance Group.
Wow, I think we’re finally finished. Let’s get ready to travel!
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