Christmas markets holiday, Central Europe

Planet

Our travel between cities will be by train, making the most of the modern and efficient rail network. Not only is this one of the most environmentally sound methods of transportation, but it’s also a great way to see the countryside slip by and we travel from Munich to Budapest via Salzburg and Vienna.

Steps will be taken throughout your trip to further reduce our environmental impact while in country. For example, we encourage all of our travellers to dispose of their rubbish responsibly throughout, recycling en route. Small measures can make a big difference to the global picture and you will hopefully notice little actions as we go.

People

The very ethos of our style of travel is responsible; small groups on fully escorted tours, experiencing the very best of a region, a culture and a landscape, with a friendly local hand guiding the way. Our itineraries are designed to give our travellers real life experiences without compromising the part of the world we are exploring; to travel responsibly is at the heart of our commitment as a global tour operator.

Explore the Christmas markets of Central Europe, a haven of local handicrafts, tradition and festive spirit. Staying in small, locally owned hotels, this trip immerses travellers in over 370 years of tradition (Munich’s first recorded Christmas Market was held in 1642!), supporting local industry and skills, utilising a fantastic public transport network and visiting some of the most stunning cities in Europe.

This trip has been designed to ensure that as much financial benefit from our visit finds its way back into the local economies as possible. The markets themselves are full of small stalls promoting the work of local artisans and reflecting traditional skills, and our visits (and shopping habits!) and others like them, encourage these traditions to be maintained, often for generations.

Our visit helps create employment throughout the journey, from the staff in the hotels we use, to the cafes and restaurants where you’ll dine, to our very own local group leaders. Accompanied throughout by one of our English speaking local guides, you’ll explore each of these magnificent cities on foot with an orientation tour upon arrival and they will organise the market visits in each city, however, unlike a traditional ‘guided tour’ much of your time will be free to explore at your leisure. Our use of local guides is vital to this, they are perfectly placed to helps with recommendations, form the best markets to purchase specific goods, to pointing you in the direction of the top eateries for local specialities, to helping to organise any activities or sightseeing you might want to do.