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Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

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ChildrenUnder 18

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Christmastime in Alsace & Germany (Northbound) 2026

5 days
From Basel to Frankfurt-am-Main
4.8
2 traveler reviews

No departure dates available

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Plan your adventure:
River Cruise
Scenic waterways and effortless exploration
Fully Guided
An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Low Intensity
Travelers can expect some light physical activities
Guided in English
Group Size 30 - 160
Ages 8+
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Zürich or Basel to Breisach

    Meals
    Dinner

    Optional Activities

    • Stroll through city center
    • Browse festive illuminations
    • Sample Christmas delicacies including waffles, gingerbread, sweets and Swiss raclette
  2. Day 2

    Breisach to Strasbourg

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided Tour to explore Freiburg's medieval city center (Activity Classic option)
    • Guided Tour to Black Forest to experience local traditions and Christmas mood (Activity Classic option)

    Optional Activities

    • Guided Optional Excursion to visit the charming village of Colmar with half-timbered medieval and early renaissance buildings
    • Browse Breisach's Christmas market to sample pretzels, mulled wine, and Black Forest cake
    • Live entertainment on board
    Landmarks
    Black Forest
    Freiburg
    Colmar
    Itinerary Image 1
  3. Day 3

    Strasbourg

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • City Sightseeing including gothic cathedral with stained-glass, ancient murals and astronomical clock
    • Visit La Petite France District

    Optional Activities

    • Guided Optional Excursion to wine country village in beautiful Alsace
    • Stroll through glowing winter markets of Strasbourg
    Landmarks
    Strasbourg Cathedral
    La Petite France
  4. Day 4

    Speyer to Frankfurt

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided Tour including Heidelberg Castle and the Great Vat (world's largest wine barrel)
    • Visit local German Christmas Markets in Heidelberg (Activity Discovery option)

    Optional Activities

    • Explore sights and sounds of Speyer Christmas markets
    • Sample seasonal handiwork at Speyer Christmas markets
    Landmarks
    Heidelberg Castle
    Great Vat
  5. Day 5

    Frankfurt Disembarkation

    Meals
    Breakfast

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What's Included

Expand All
  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • Additional Services

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • Optional
  • Additional Services
  • Transport

Operated by

Avalon Waterways

Gold Operator
Rating
4.6(234 reviews)
Response time
within 2 days
Response rate
84%
Cancellation policy

Traveler Reviews

4.8
Overall rating based on 2 Reviews
  • Itinerary
    4.0
  • Transport
    4.5
  • Guide
    4.5
  • Accommodation
    5.0
  • Food
    4.5
  • 4.6

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  • M
    January 6th, 2020
    After a bad start (to do with booking) it exceeded our expectations
    Traveled in December 2019
  • D
    July 26th, 2016
    The cruise felt like a fairy-tale as we visited a few of the Christmas markets. The crew on the ship was friendly....
    Show more
    Traveled in December 2014
Can’t find the answer to your question?
Reach out to the experts at Avalon Waterways with your enquiry, they usually respond within 2 days.

No departure dates available

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Good to Know

Tour ID: 145522

  • Currencies
    Euro
    France and Germany
    Fr.
    Swiss Franc
    Switzerland
  • Plugs & Adapters

    As a traveler from USA, Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa you will need an adaptor for type J.

    Type J
    Switzerland
  • Vaccines
    • These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
    • Tick-borne encephalitis - Recommended for Germany.Switzerland. Ideally 6 months before travel.
  • Visa
    • Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
    • Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
  • Payment information
    • For any tour departing before August 3rd, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after August 3rd, 2026, a minimum payment of $250 is required to confirm your booking with Avalon Waterways. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 95 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
    • The following cards are accepted for "Avalon Waterways" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
  • Cancellation Policy
  • Accessibility
    Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0

Select departure month

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2028

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec