Itinerary

22^nd December

Ferry to Calais and overnight stay in France.

23^rd December – Baden-Baden, Gengenbach & Oberharmersbach

We make our way to the spa town of Baden-Baden. Set against the backdrop of the luscious and enchanting Black Forest, reminiscent of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales, Baden-Baden is a magical and elegant town built on thermal springs, which has made it an ideal spa getaway for centuries. Later, we travel to our second stop of the day, the pretty town of Gengenbach, boasting romantic half-timbered houses and charming winding streets, with an opportunity to see the world’s largest advent calendar.

We continue to our hotel in Oberharmersbach, where we spend the next five nights.

Christmas Eve – Freiburg

We travel to the charming medieval town of Freiburg, a city full of beautiful, cobbled squares. Not to be missed is Münsterplatz, a plaza in the heart of the city, home to Freiburg’s famous food market and the Historisches Kaufhaus, or Merchant’s Hall. Towering above the square is the grand cathedral, the eleventh-century Freiburger Münster.

Christmas Day

Christmas Day is a lovely day of leisure and celebration at our hotel. We start the day with a cold buffet breakfast, and then have a traditional turkey dinner at lunchtime, with a delicious Black Forest Gâteaux. Later in the evening, we enjoy a 5-course candlelit dinner and live music.

Boxing Day - Scenic tour of the Black Forest (Schiltach, Rottweil & Triberg)

On Boxing Day, we tour the hauntingly beautiful Black Forest, home to centuries of German history. First, we travel to Schiltach in the very heart of the Black Forest. This lovely destination is full of half-timbered houses, straight out of a fairytale.

The town centre, or 'Städtle', offers a chance to see how this small town looked centuries in the past.  Our tour continues with time to experience the colourful and picturesque town of Rottweil. Famous for its medieval centre, in appearance very little has changed since the 16^th century. The last stop of the day is Triberg, which is famous for having the world’s largest cuckoo clock (which is the size of a two-storey building), the highest waterfall in Germany, and is the birthplace of the original Black Forest Cherry cake recipe! 

27^th December - Optional excursion to Strasbourg (£18pp) 

We travel to France on an optional excursion to Strasbourg, known as the Capital of Christmas and home to France’s oldest Christmas market. Here we can enjoy the welcoming atmosphere and explore the mesmerising blend of French and German styles of architecture on display, lit up with spectacular illuminations for the festive season, as well as visit the Musée alsacien, Palais Rohan, and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg to learn more about the region’s history and traditions.

28^th December – Heidelberg & overnight hotel in France

We leave Oberharmersbach and head to the beautiful town of Heidelberg. Built on the banks of the River Neckar, the city is surrounded by lush green hills and boasts a castle and Baroque-style Old Town full of grand and beautifully preserved buildings. We continue to our overnight hotel in France where we enjoy a light evening meal.

29^th December

Ferry from Calais to Dover.

The spectacular Black Forest, a wonderful blend of mystical dense forest, wooded mountains, lush green meadows, enchanting villages, historical towns and cities and picturesque shimmering lakes. Bordered by the Rhine Valley to the west and south, it takes its name from the Romans, who referred to the thick forested mountains.

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