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Christmastime from Basel to Nuremberg 2026

10 days
•
From Basel to Nuremberg
4.6
234 traveler reviews
  • Cylindrical tower and traditional timbered buildings.
  • Red historic building and surrounding architecture.
  • Riverbank with historic buildings and greenery.
  • Church and cobblestone square under a blue sky.
  • Historic stone building with towers.
    View all
  • Aerial view of a large complex with towers and courtyard.
  • City view with a bridge over a river.
  • Hilltop fortress overlooking colorful buildings and a river.
  • Street with historic buildings and a church in the background.
  • Riverside view with historic buildings and a church spire.
    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

    Basel

    Meals
    Dinner (Four-course dinner with choice of appetizers, soups, salads, entrées and desserts or cheese, or alternative selections from Panorama Bistro's tasting menu)

    Included Activities

    • Explore Basel city center
    • Experience festive Christmas illuminations
    • Sample Christmas delicacies including waffles, gingerbread, sweets and Swiss raclette
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  2. Day 2

    Breisach - Black Forest - Strasbourg

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided tour to Freiburg's medieval city center (option 1)
    • Guided tour to the Black Forest (option 2)

    Optional Activities

    • Guided optional excursion to Colmar village
    • Browse Breisach Christmas market
    • Live entertainment onboard
    Landmarks
    Freiburg Medieval City Centre
    Black Forest
    Colmar
    Breisach Christmas Market
  3. Day 3

    Strasbourg

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • City sightseeing including gothic cathedral with stained-glass and astronomical clock
    • Visit to La Petite France district

    Optional Activities

    • Guided optional excursion to wine country village in Alsace
    • Browse Strasbourg winter markets
    Landmarks
    Strasbourg Cathedral
    La Petite France
    Strasbourg Winter Markets
    Itinerary Image 1
  4. Day 4

    Speyer - Heidelberg

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided tour including Heidelberg Castle and the Great Vat (world's largest wine barrel)
    • Visit to Heidelberg German Christmas markets

    Optional Activities

    • Explore Speyer Christmas markets
    Landmarks
    Heidelberg Castle
    Heidelberg Christmas Markets
    Speyer Christmas Markets
  5. Day 5

    Frankfurt - Rüdesheim

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided tour of Mechanical Music Museum in Rüdesheim

    Optional Activities

    • Browse winter markets and seasonal handiwork in Rüdesheim
    Landmarks
    Mechanical Music Museum
    Rüdesheim Christmas Markets
  6. Day 6

    Main River Village

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • German cookie-baking demonstration onboard
    • Guided tour of a picturesque Main River village

    Optional Activities

    • Live entertainment onboard
    Landmarks
    Main River Villages
  7. Day 7

    Würzburg - Rothenburg

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided sightseeing tour of Würzburg with Old Main Bridge, fortress, and Bishop's Residence

    Optional Activities

    • Guided optional excursion to Rothenburg
    • Visit Käthe Wohlfahrt German Christmas museum
    • Browse Würzburg Christmas markets
    Landmarks
    Würzburg Old Main Bridge
    Würzburg Fortress
    Bishop's Residence
    Rothenburg
    Käthe Wohlfahrt German Christmas Museum
    Würzburg Christmas Markets
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2
  8. Day 8

    Bamberg

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Onboard Christmas traditions lecture
    • Guided sightseeing tour of Bamberg with nativity scenes

    Optional Activities

    • Browse Bamberg Christmas markets
    • Sample traditional German dumplings, sausage, and Bavarian ale
    • Live entertainment onboard
    Landmarks
    Bamberg Medieval City Centre
    Bamberg Christmas Markets
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2
  9. Day 9

    Nuremberg

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided tour of Nuremberg's medieval architecture, gilded fountain, gothic cathedral, and Kaiserburg Castle (option 1)
    • Guided tour of historic Nuremberg Rally Grounds (option 2)

    Optional Activities

    • Browse Nuremberg Christmas Markets
    • Sample Bavarian fare including bratwurst, gingerbread, mulled blueberry wine
    Landmarks
    Nuremberg Medieval Architecture
    Nuremberg Gothic Cathedral
    Kaiserburg Castle
    Nuremberg Rally Grounds
    Nuremberg Christmas Markets
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2
  10. Day 10

    Nuremberg

    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 2 days
Response rate
75%
Cancellation policy

Reviews from other tours by Avalon Waterways

  • Charles
    September 8th, 2025
    We would like to thank our Statesman Attendee that took care of all our needs in our room 107. He was friendly and...
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  • Julie
    August 7th, 2025
    Unforgettable, stress-free trip.
  • Klaus
    July 28th, 2024
    Led by Nour
    ship was excellent, food and drinks were great, adventures perfectly organized,all crew members were extremely...
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Dates & Availability

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2027

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2028

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1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
Upcoming departures
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Ends on 24 Jun, 2026
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  • From Tuesday
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    9 Dec, 2027
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Good to Know

Tour ID: 288078

  • 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 September 23rd, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after September 23rd, 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
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May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec