A holiday time bucket list trip to magical Strasbourg, France, in the Alsace Region, and to Stuttgart, Germany, to see and experience two of Europe's "best and most famous" traditional Christmas markets!

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Then we'll travel to holiday decorated & festive Paris for two spectacular days and nights!

 

What a magical and memorable trip this will be!

 

We'll spend the first four nights based in Strasbourg, known as the "Capital of Christmas," to experience Strasbourg's Christkindelmarik, Europe's oldest Christmas Market dating back to 1570.

 

We'll meander through the town squares in Strasbourg's old town... exploring the 300 plus outdoor wooden market stalls filled with Christmas artisan goods, decorations and local products for sale... seeing the majestic great Christmas tree (among Europe's tallest) in Place Kléber... marveling at the historic buildings with their beautiful colors and festive lights... listening to Christmas carols... tasting Alsatian holiday food delicacies... sipping hot chocolate and Strasbourg's famous mulled wine.

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With our local guide we'll visit Strasbourg's city-center squares and streets where Christmas markets are located, including -- Place de la Cathédrale, Place du Château, Place de la Grande Boucherie, Place du Marché aux Poissons, and rue du Palais Rohan.

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Strasbourg is one of Europe's most beautiful cities, a UNSECO World Heritage Site protected city with historic storybook architecture and the magnificent Strasbourg Cathedral, constructed from 1176-1439, that rises from the center of the city and is the sixth tallest church in the world. There will personal free time for guests to take a boat ride on the Ill river that divides the city... or visit a museum... or do holiday browsing and shopping on your own.

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Known as one Europe's gastronomic capitals, Strasbourg has many wonderful restaurants offering the delicious Alsatian, German and French cuisine.

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We'll take a day trip to Germany to visit the Stuttgart Christmas Market. With over 250 ornately decorated stalls, and a tradition of more than 300 years, the Stuttgart Christmas Market is one of the loveliest in Germany and one of the oldest and largest in Europe. 

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On Friday we'll travel by high-spend train, traveling 1st-class from Strasbourg to Paris where we'll stay the next two nights in holiday decorated Central Paris. 

 

Being in Paris at Christmas time is a special holiday treat!

 

We’ll stay two nights in a personally-selected premiere/signature/luxury boutique hotel in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district, located a short distance from Paris's major attractions, shopping, restaurants, and famous Left Bank sidewalk cafes. 

 

In Paris we'll take a morning Paris food tour focused on bistros and markets led by a local food expert. We will stroll the charming streets of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Left Bank, exploring the culinary culture of Paris. Our guide will introduce us to the basics of French cuisine and take us to meet the owners of tiny food shops, taste artisanal products, and enliven our senses to the amazing culinary traditions for which France is known the world over.

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Another morning we'll take a tour led by a food expert focusing on Paris's pasties and chocolate. We'll learn how Paris came to be the center of the chocolate world. As we visit chocolate shops to indulge in chocolate tasting, we’ll learn the history behind this delicacy. We'll learn about truffles, pralines, ganache and what makes them different. And of course... we'll learn about the evolution of the celebrated Parisian treat, the macaron. We'll stop at a variety of confectionery shops, where we will compare and contrast macaron flavors, products, and techniques used. 

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Afternoons are free for personal holiday shopping... at Paris's grand department stores: Galeries Lafayette, Printemps and Le Bon Marchon, all festive, glittering and decorated for Christmas... or at the luxury designer stores on Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré, Ave des Champs-Élysées, Ave Montaigne and Ave Georges V: Chanel, Hermès, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Longchamp, Guerlain ... or at the small fashion, fabric and antiques boutiques in Sevres Bayylone and Saint-Germain-des-Prés... or at the specialty gourmet food shops by Place de la Madeleine: Hediard, Fauchon, Maille, and Ladurée.

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So many choices... what fun it will be to do your holiday shopping for family and friends in Paris!

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Plus free time to explore Paris on your own... see the Eiffel Tower, Champs-Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, and Place de Concorde... visit a Paris art museum - The Louvre, Musse, d'Orsay, Musee d'Orangerie, Centre George Pompidou,  Musee Picasso or Musee Rodin... admire the architecture and stain-glass in Saint Chappelle, Basilica Cathedral of Saint Denis or Church of Saint-Sulpice... relax in a green garden chair in Luxembourg Gardens or The Tuileries... enjoy an apéritif and people watching at a sidewalk cafe.

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We'll take an evening river cruise on The Seine to view Paris at night -- traveling past Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, and Pont Neuf.

 

We'll enjoy group dinners at local bistros... take after-dinner strolls along the Seine River.

 

Optional before breakfast group pleasure walks are offered through Paris neighborhoods... through Luxembourg Gardens & The Tuileries... along The Seine & through Isle de Saint Louis. 

 

The Alsace-Germany Christmas Markets & Paris Holiday Time Tour Is Designed To Provide:

• A fabulous pre-Christmas vacation visiting two extraordinary European cities.

• A friendly and fun small group environment. 

• Many activities -- including tours with local guides in Strasbourg, Stuttgard and Paris... and free time for personal  sightseeing, exploring, shopping and relaxing. 

• Optional before breakfast morning pleasure walks.

• Recommendations of local restaurants, bistros and cafes to explore on your own... yet everyone is invited to join local cuisine group meals (at own expense) at personal-selected restaurants.

• Concierge service & support – fully escorted tour, personal & customized service for a WORRY-FREE vacation!​ 

 

What's Included:

• 7 Days / 6 nights, in personally-selected premiere/signature/luxury hotels.​​​

• Daily hotel breakfasts.

• Strasbourg:

  • Welcome Reception for guests to meet everyone and review the week's itinerary. 

  • Strasbourg Christmas Market Tour with local guide.

  • Day trip to Stuttgart to visit the historic German Christmas market.

  • Boat ride on the Ill River.

  • Evening strolls to see the lights and listen to the Christmas carols.

  • Free time for personal exploring, sightseeing and holiday shopping.

  • Optional before breakfast pleasure walks through Strasbourg.

• Paris Activities:​

  • Paris Markets & Bistros Food Tour with local food expert guide.

  • Paris Pastries & Chocolate Food Tour with local food expert guide

  • Evening cruise on the Seine River to view the "City of Light" at night.

  • Free time for personal exploring, sightseeing, shopping & relaxing.

  • Optional before breakfast pleasure walks through Paris neighborhoods, gardens and along The Seine.

  • Farewell Dinner with tradition French cuisine and French wines.

• Palace, cathedral, museum and garden entrance fees for all group activities and day trips.

• France TGV Train 1st-Class Transportation - high-speed train from Strasbourg to Paris

• Train Station Hotel Transfers – transfer from Strasbourg hotel to Strasbourg train station and from Paris train station to Paris hotel.

• Concierge service & support.

 

Arrival/Departure Cities: 

Arrival City: Strasbourg, France

Departure City: Paris, France

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Trip Cost:  

• $6,975 – 7 days / 6 nights per person in double occupancy shared hotel room. Tour cost does not include airfare.

• Added cost for private single room hotel accommodation option - $1,750

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Space Is Limited -- Reserve Early!

Small Group Tour. Limited to 15 Guests.