Castles & Christmas Markets Of Alsace

Day 1

Arrival

Arrive in Strasbourg by plane, or by train from Paris, and check into the lovely Hotel du Dragon, in the centre of Strasbourg – your home for the for the first 3 nights of the trip.

Later, you will meet the group for a welcome drink in the hotel’s cozy lobby and then head out to dine on choucroute, a famous Alsatian delicacy.

Day 2

Strasbourg Christmas Market

Start the day with a two-hour boat tour of Strasbourg, where you will learn about the history of the region – from the Middle Ages to the Neustadt to the modern European institutions. Next, you will visit the historic wine cellar of Strasbourg Hospital, where you can see the oldest barrel-stored wine in the world and enjoy a tour and a tasting.

After a hearty Alsatian lunch, you will tour the famous Strasbourg Christmas market, the Christkindelsmärik, which has been set up near the Strasbourg cathedral every year for over 450 years making it the oldest in Europe. Sip vin chaud (mulled wine) as you get a head start on your holiday shopping. If you get peckish, you can nosh on Alsatian specialties found at the market, from bretzels (pretzels) to tarte flambée (Alsatian pizza). Whilst shopping, you can also sample some of the unique Alsatian specialties which can be found all around the central part of the city.

In Strasbourg it is de rigueur to make a stop inside the enormous Gothic cathedral of Strasbourg, which dates back nearly 1000 years, and light a candle. You can also choose to climb to the top of the church to enjoy a panoramic view of the city.

Tonight, you will get a chance to marvel at the lights on the 100-ft. Christmas tree in the Place Kléber before having dinner at a modern French gastronomic restaurant in town.

Day 3

Castle Visit and Obernai

Today, you will head out of town to visit the Haut-Koenigsbourg castle, which dates back to 1147. Here you will explore the many rooms, each decorated in some way for the Christmas season. You will enjoy a simple lunch at the Castle Tavern, where you can also shop for handmade souvenirs.

This afternoon, you will head out to the lesser-known town of Obernai and survey its Christmas market, famous for its authentic crafts and gastronomic specialties. Here you may want to sample Christmas beer, Alsatian foie gras, kugelhopfs, mannels, bretzels and more. You will get a chance to walk around this charming town and sit down for a hot cup of gluhwein (hot mulled wine) to warm up.

For the last night in Strasbourg, you will enjoy dinner in a little restaurant near the hotel that specializes in Flammekeuche, delicious Alsatian pizza.

Day 4

Eco-Museum and Mulhouse

This morning,  after checking out of the hotel, you will head to the Eco-museum. This is an open-air museum/village made up of typical Alsatian homes that are 200 years old or more. Here you’ll see craftsmen at work, enjoy beautiful rural traditional Alsatian Christmas decor and you might even spot Pere Noel riding by on a horse-drawn sleigh. Witness, feel and even taste what life used to be like in Alsace. Christmas comes to this open-air museum with gusto as the houses are decked out with seasonal décor.

After lunch at the museum, you will check into the Domaine de Beaupre,  chateau near the Vosges Mountains in the southern region of Alsace.

This afternoon and evening will be spent in Mulhouse, a former factory town that has been re-imagined by artists and artisans. Every year, a special Christmas fabric is made that is unique to that year. You will get to view the 2021 fabric, and there will be an opportunity to purchase this as well as other items at the Christmas market.

Later, you will go on a pub tour, see some street art and then dine at a special pop-up restaurant, which is only open for the holidays

Day 5

Vosges Mountains

Today, you will venture up into the mountains making a stop in Kaysersberg, a beautiful Alsatian village. You will then head to a cheese farm for a cooking class with the farmer and chef, where you will feast on the fruits of your labour and their own Meunster cheese. If you are lucky enough to have snow, you will get to take a dog sled ride into the forest or a snow-shoe hike.

After this big day, you will get to stay in and have a drink or two at the charming hotel. A superb dinner will be catered to the hotel.

Day 6

Eguisheim and Colmar

Saving the best and most famous for last, today you will visit the Christmas market of Eguisheim and Colmar. This is your last chance to do some shopping – you can stop by the post office to send some goodies back home.

You will have lunch in Colmar at la Table du Brocanteur, a gastronomic café surrounded by the owner’s antique and vintage collection. This afternoon, you will enjoy a wine tour and tasting, and learn about the myriad of both sweet and dry award-winning Alsatian wines.

You will have a farewell dinner with the group at a local haunt to toast to your new friendships, your sparkling purchases and your week spent in a real-life fairy-tale.

Day 7

Departure

Alas, after a hearty breakfast, it is time to leave by plane or train!