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Christmastime from Budapest to Frankfurt 2026

13 days
•
From Budapest to Frankfurt-am-Main
4.6 (234 reviews)
  • Christmas market with festive lights, a tall decorated tree, and half-timbered buildings.
  • Decorated Christmas tree with illuminated string lights at a city square.
  • Parliament building along the riverbank in daylight.
  • Elegant palace with horse-drawn carriage under a clear sky.
  • A grand palace with a formal garden, city skyline in the background.
    View all
  • Colorful riverside town with church and boats.
  • Aerial view of town and river with green surroundings.
    View all

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Plan your adventure:
Gold Operator
Avalon Waterways
River Cruise
Cruise scenic waterways for effortless exploration
Group Tour
Join a group and forge lifelong friendships
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

    Budapest

    Budapest
    Meals
    Dinner

    Optional Activities

    • Photography on the Royal Palace grounds
    • Explore Budapest's Christmas traditions
    Landmarks
    Royal Palace
    Itinerary Image 1
  2. Day 2

    Vienna

    Vienna
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Austrian Cookie Tasting while sailing

    Optional Activities

    • Optional Excursion: Royal Waltz Concert
    Landmarks
    Bratislava
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2
  3. Day 3

    Vienna

    Vienna
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided City Tour of Vienna including Imperial Palace complex, Vienna Opera House, and St. Stephen's Cathedral

    Optional Activities

    • Browse Christkindlesmarkt Christmas market
    • Relax in a Viennese café
    • Guided Optional Excursion to Schönbrunn Palace
    Landmarks
    Imperial Palace
    Vienna Opera House
    St. Stephen's Cathedral
    Schönbrunn Palace
  4. Day 4

    Krems - Melk

    Krems - Melk
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided Walk of Krems
    • Guided Tour of Melk's Benedictine Abbey including frescoed ceilings, statues, library, and ornate pipe organ
    Landmarks
    Melk Abbey
    Wachau Valley
    Itinerary Image 1
  5. Day 5

    Passau

    Passau
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided City Walk of Passau

    Optional Activities

    • Browse Passau's Christkindlesmarkt near St. Stephen's Cathedral
    • Full-day Guided Optional Excursion to Salzburg
    Landmarks
    St. Stephen's Cathedral
  6. Day 6

    Regensburg

    Regensburg
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided City Walk of Regensburg including Altes Rathaus and Porta Pretoria

    Optional Activities

    • Browse Regensburg's Christmas markets and sample regional fare
    Landmarks
    Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall)
    Porta Pretoria
  7. Day 7

    Nuremberg

    Nuremberg
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Christmas Traditions Lecture on board
    • Guided Sightseeing of Nuremberg (medieval architecture, gilded fountain, Gothic cathedral, and Kaiserburg Castle) OR Guided Tour of the historic Nuremberg Rally Grounds

    Optional Activities

    • Browse Nuremberg Christmas Markets and sample Bavarian fare
    Landmarks
    Kaiserburg Castle
    Nuremberg Cathedral
    Nuremberg Rally Grounds
  8. Day 8

    Nuremberg - Munich

    Nuremberg - Munich
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided City Tour of Munich including Nymphenburg Palace and Old and New Town Halls of Marienplatz
    Landmarks
    Nymphenburg Palace
    Marienplatz
  9. Day 9

    Nuremberg

    Nuremberg
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Optional Activities

    • Stroll through Nuremberg's festively lit streets
    • Shop for Christmas gifts
  10. Day 10

    Bamberg

    Bamberg
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided Sightseeing Tour of Bamberg including nativity scenes
    • Christmas Traditions Lecture on board while sailing

    Optional Activities

    • Browse Bamberg's Christmas markets and sample traditional German fare
    Landmarks
    Bamberg
  11. Day 11

    Würzburg

    Würzburg
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided Sightseeing Tour of Würzburg including Old Main Bridge, fortress, and baroque Bishop's Residence

    Optional Activities

    • Guided Optional Excursion to Rothenburg with visit to Käthe Wohlfahrt German Christmas museum
    • Browse Würzburg's Christmas markets
    Landmarks
    Old Main Bridge
    Würzburg Prince-Bishop's Residence
    Rothenburg
  12. Day 12

    Miltenberg

    Miltenberg
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided Tour of Miltenberg including medieval half-timber homes and Germany's oldest inn
    • German Cookie Baking Demonstration on board while sailing
    Landmarks
    Miltenberg
  13. Day 13

    Frankfurt

    Frankfurt
    Meals
    Breakfast

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What's Included

Expand All
  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • Additional Services
  • Transport

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • Optional
  • Additional Services

Operated by

Avalon Waterways

Gold Operator
Rating
4.6 (234 reviews)
Response time
within 1 day
Response rate
79%
Cancellation policy

Avalon Waterways Ship

  • Avalon Illumination
    Avalon Illumination
    Part of Avalon's cutting-edge fleet of Suite Ships®, the Avalon Illumination came onto the river cruising scene with a bang. This… Read more
    Built
    2014
    Guests
    84 - 166
    Crew
    47
    Length
    135 m / 443 ft
    Suites
    67
    Staterooms
    16
    Gross Tonnage
    2775 gt
    Beam
    12 m / 39 ft
    Cruising Speed
    12 kn / 22 kph / 14 mph
    Staterooms / SuitesDeck PlansDining

Reviews from other tours by Avalon Waterways

  • Charles5.0•September 2025
    We would like to thank our Statesman Attendee that took care of all our needs in our room 107. He was friendly and...
    Show more
  • Julie5.0•August 2025
    Unforgettable, stress-free trip.
  • Klaus5.0•July 2024
    Led by Nour
    ship was excellent, food and drinks were great, adventures perfectly organized,all crew members were extremely...
    Show more

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Dates & Availability

Select departure month and travellers

Select Date

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
1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
Upcoming departures
  • From Monday
    29 Nov, 2027
    To Saturday
    11 Dec, 2027
    English
    This departure date is available and will 100% depart
    Guaranteed departure
    Avalon Passion
    From:
    US $11,797 per person
    Taxes
    $432
    2027 Version
    View this tour

Want to read it later?

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Good to Know

Tour ID: 288029

  • Currencies
    €
    Euro
    Austria and Germany
    Ft
    Forint
    Hungary
  • Plugs & Adapters

    As a traveler from USA, Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa you will need an adaptor for types C, E, F.

    Type C
    Hungary
    Type E
    Hungary
    Type F
    Hungary
  • Vaccines
    • These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
    • Tick-borne encephalitis - Recommended for Austria.Germany.Hungary. Ideally 6 months before travel.
    • Hepatitis A - Recommended for Hungary. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis B - Recommended for Hungary. Ideally 2 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 October 31st, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after October 31st, 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.
  • People also viewed

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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