
Submit your review | |
Christmas Markets pop up all over Europe during the weeks leading up to Christmas. Each year, we feature several winter wonderland tours during the holiday Christmas season. These outdoor markets feature unique decorations, beautiful, handcrafted arts, and endless opportunities to sample great food and countless varieties of glüwein, punch, and spiced drinks, served piping hot in souvenir mugs. This route features four contrasting cultures and languages. This tour visits Nürnberg, Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, and Budapest.
Your Adventure Starts Here!
Sunday, Day 1: Munich to Nürnberg – Join your Exploring Europe guide at Munich’s Central Train Station by 12:00 noon. Then, let’s hop on a fast train. In an hour, we will be in Nürnberg, home of Germany’s most famous Christmas Market. The town square has over 180 wooden stalls loaded with homemade crafts, local food, mulled wine, and Christmas cheer. Each stall is decorated with red and white cloth and has become the model for all other European Christmas markets. Enjoy a free afternoon. We will reconvene for dinner this evening to celebrate your winter holiday adventures. Sleep 1 night in Nürnberg. Dinner. NOTE: Transportation from the Munich Airport to the central train station is easy via taxi or local train. We will help and provide instructions.
Monday, Day 2: Prague – We will get an early start on our journey to Prague, making a stop or two along the way. Once in Prague, we’ll embark on an ambling walking tour through Prague’s historic old town. We’ll end our day with a traditional dinner in an authentic pub. Sleep for 2 nights in Prague. Dinner.
Tuesday, Day 3: Prague Castle – After breakfast, join your guide on a local tram crossing the Vltava River and up the hill to the largest castle complex in Europe. You’ll visit St. Vitus Cathedral, the Royal Palace (when available), St. George’s Basilica, and the “Golden Lane.” Enjoy lunch and the remainder of the day and evening on your own to experience more of Prague and its Christmas Markets. Your guide will be available to help plan activities, such as a concert, dinner, or a performance at the unique Black Light Theatre.
Wednesday, Day 4: Vienna – Enjoy a scenic ride through the Czech countryside. Later, you’ll arrive in Vienna, the capital city of Austria. Join an orientation walk with your guide and spend some free time exploring the Christmas Markets before dinner. Sleep for 2 nights in Vienna. Dinner.
Thursday, Day 5: Vienna – After breakfast, we will begin a walking tour concentrating on the royal Habsburgs and their importance to this city. You will visit the Opera House (when open), the Hofburg Palace, the Imperial Apartments, and the Royal Treasury. The remainder of the day and evening is free to explore another museum or a palace or slow down and enjoy the coffee café culture.
Friday, Day 6: Bratislava and Budapest – Bratislava, on the banks of the Danube River, is the capital of Slovakia. We’ll stop here to experience the pedestrian-only 18th-century town known for its cheery cafes and Christmas Market vibe. Then it is on to Budapest, the capital city of Hungary. Enjoy a walking tour and a panoramic cruise on the Danube River. See the massive Parliament Building, several outdoor Christmas Markets, and the Great Indoor Market Hall. Sleep for 2 nights in Budapest.
Saturday, Day 7: Budapest – We will visit Castle Hill for a panoramic view of the city and countryside. You’ll have the afternoon free to enjoy more of Budapest and perhaps take a relaxing plunge in a traditional public bath (swimming suit required). Later, we will meet for dinner to celebrate our final evening in Budapest. Dinner.
Sunday, Day 8: Your tour ends this morning – Have breakfast at our hotel. Your Exploring Europe tour leader will be available to assist with your exit plans if needed. Merry Christmas!
Itinerary specifics are subject to change.
Transportation by coach or minivan from the Munich Airport to your last hotel in Budapest.
Seven night’s accommodation in traditional hotels, guesthouses, and B&B’s. All rooms have private en-suite baths.
A guaranteed Small group with 6-18 travelers.
All tips and gratuities to guides, drivers, restaurant, and hotel staff.
Seven traditional breakfasts.
Four dinner dining experiences at some of David’s personal favorite restaurants. Eating well is a priority and you’ll enjoy fine regional fare featuring the best the locale has to offer.
Water is included with all group meals. Sodas, wine, beer, and other drinks are your responsibility.
All tours and admissions at no extra cost: Walking orientation tours in Budapest, Bratislava, Prague, and Nurnberg. Public transportation tickets where needed. opportunity to have a traditional public bath in Budapest. Guided tour of the Vienna Opera (when possible). Entrance and audio-guided tour of the Hofberg palace in Vienna. Visit Christmas Markets in Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, and Nurnberg, and much more (itinerary specifics are subject to change).
A full-time Exploring Europe guide and local experts dedicated to bringing to life the historical and cultural experience of the tour destinations.
David’s digital e-printed tour handouts detailing each day’s itinerary and experiences.
Free luggage tags and David’s custom-designed drawstring backpacks.
Our Unconditional Tour Price Guarantee that once locked in, with your deposit, will never cha
$50 Tour Alumni discount for each David McGuffin tour you’ve taken prior to this travel year.
Comprehensive Trip insurance. We strongly recommend comprehensive insurance for tour.
Fee for passports.
Beer, wine, spirits, and soda during the tour.
Laundry, phone, internet, and personal items
Extras and optional activities.
Anything not mentioned in the itinerary.
CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS:
Deposits- Deposits for tours are fully refundable for 30 days from your initial application and deposit date, unless otherwise noted. If you book a tour less than 90 days before its departure date, full payment is due immediately, and the entire tour cost becomes non-refundable after seven days. After these dates, deposits are not refundable and will be forfeited if you cancel your tour reservation.
Payments- Tour payments are due in full 90 days before your tour departure date. If you find you must cancel between 90-0 days before your tour departure, please contact us immediately. We will work with you to transfer your payments to another tour departing within 18 months. We strongly recommend that everyone purchase comprehensive travel insurance that covers tour cancellations, emergency medical, and other unexpected events.
Cancellations will be effective when the written notification is received at David McGuffin›s Exploring Europe by mail, e-mail, or fax.
You may download a tour application and send it to us with payment.
-OR-
You may return it by:
Walking and Physical Activity: We have planned this trip to provide maximum tour experiences. The basic nature of Europe does require some degree of physical activity to get out and see the sights, especially in the big cities. To help you plan, we’ve included a daily projection of physical activity. Here is the key for our walking activity ratings:
Light – Walking done on level surfaces with some hills and elevation gains. Two miles or less of required walking during the day.
Moderate – Walking done on paved and gravel paths and cobbled city sidewalks. To enjoy the full tour experience, some uphill and downhill walking is expected, as is standing while viewing sights or museums. Four to six miles of walking per day.
Strenuous – Walking done on rugged and rocky paths and city-cobbled sidewalks. There will be steps and stairs. Up to three hours standing in museums or experience sites. Up to eight miles of walking per day.
Your Choice – No matter what your walking ability, we will help you find alternative ways to enjoy and experience all Europe has to offer. To get the most out of our tours, you should be able to operate at the light level every day with spurts of moderate and strenuous.
Now that you’ve decided to join this tour, we are sure you’ll have some questions. Don’t worry. We are here to help you through each aspect of your tour from start to finish.
Join David as he shares impromptu moments from his travels in the United Kingdom. Watching these short 60-second segments are a great way to experience David’s travel style and adventures. Watch David Explores Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
David’s TRAVEL TALK TUESDAY almost-weekly broadcast and Video Series Blog.
Every week, when David is not traveling in Europe, he presents a LIVE broadcast on Zoom and Facebook. Check it out on Tuesdays at 7:30 PM Eastern Time.
Each Travel Talk Tuesday session is recorded. Watch them here.
David and his team have answered many travel-related questions, and they are all tucked away on his blog. But, no need to go there. Just type in a keyword in the search box at the top or bottom of this page (it’s the gray rectangle with a small magnifying glass icon), and you will get results for your query.
We are happy to answer your travel questions and give advice and suggestions. tours@davidmcguffin.com or 800-570-1351.
The Sicily tour was incredible! After touring with David, I felt that I had truly seen all that this special island has to offer: terrific historical sights, vibrant cities, incredible museums, majestic land and seascapes, as well as a delectable cuisine. Throughout the tour David was informative, hospitable and open to suggestions and adjustments. He has a very pleasant and accommodating persona and we were fortunate to have him as our escort. The guides he hires are excellent and really enhanced our experience. The only recommendation I have is to have a guide for EVERY excursion! Our driver, Paolo, was exceptional.
I have longed to go on safari since I was a teenager! When I learned about David's explorations BEYOND Europe, I couldn't wait to secure my spot! The Serengeti Safari was the first trip on my retirement agenda! I had high expectations, and this trip EXCEEDED every one of them. David has a network of skilled professionals at every bend in the road. I highly recommend this trip for anyone hoping to experience the beauty of Tanzania, its abundant wildlife, its rich cultural heritage, and its beautiful people!
This trip truly was a trip of a lifetime. The ability to see all of the animals in their natural habitat was really something so hard to describe in words. In so many ways it seemed surreal. I have visited over 50 of our US National Parks, so being able to visit and stay inside the Serengeti National Park made the trip even more special to me. Our guides were simply outstanding. They were knowledgeable and always made sure we had the best experience possible. Our accommodations were top of the line- even our safari tents were exceptional. If going on an African Safari is on your bucket list I highly recommend traveling with David!
This was our first of what I hope are many tours with David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe. We chose The Best of Scotland and Wales in 11 Days tour from 9/24/25 - 10/4/25. Our tour guide, David Gray, made this tour very special. He is very knowledgeable about the destinations on the tour but was also very personable……which made for a very relaxing tour experience. He’s just a nice man! Our driver, Ian, has a beautiful coach and really made us comfortable. He and David make a good team. We were able to go to places that I never thought I’d see because of them. The drive through The Highlands was breathtaking and something we will never forget. All of our hotels were very comfortable and close to the town centers they were in. We really liked our travel mates which also made for a very positive experience. This tour is very well thought out and planned. There was ample free time as well. My husband and I had a very memorable trip and we highly recommend David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe.
I have traveled with David for over a quarter of a century on 22 trips soon to be 23. I’ve traveled with as few as 3 total people and as many as an entire high school marching band. No matter where the destination or the adventure David has researched it and will have all the details taken care of before you ever get there. I often joke that on his trips all I ever worry about is getting to the airport on time- he takes care of all of the rest! I highly recommend David McGuffin’s Exploring Europe— I trust him explicitly and would never consider traveling abroad with anyone else. Knowing David and his wife Charlotte is a blessing in my life and traveling with them is always a pleasure.
Submit your review | |