Germany

Why we love sending travelers here

Germany rewards travelers who like a little structure with their adventure. Trains run on time, towns are walkable, and the festival calendar gives you a ready-made reason to go in almost any season.

What to do, when

• Late November–December: Christmas markets in Nuremberg, Cologne, Munich and along the Rhine and Danube.
• September–October: Oktoberfest in Munich, harvest Volksfests across Bavaria and the wine regions.
• April–June: Rhine and Moselle river cruises, spring wine festivals.

How we host it

Our Vintages & Volksfests group trips weave together festival days, river-cruise nights and quiet wine tastings. They're built from the community in our Vintages & Volksfests Facebook group.

Sample itinerary: Avalon Christmas Markets on the Rhine

One of our most-requested itineraries — an 8-day Avalon Waterways Christmas-market cruise on the Rhine. Dates and ports vary by year, but here's the shape of a typical sailing.

• Day 1 — Frankfurt, Germany. Arrive and embark. Welcome dinner aboard.
• Day 2 — Rüdesheim. Stroll the Drosselgasse, ride the cable car above the vineyards, and visit the Christmas market in the old town.
• Day 3 — Koblenz. Scenic morning cruising through the Middle Rhine UNESCO valley. Afternoon at Koblenz's market at the Deutsches Eck.
• Day 4 — Cologne. Seven Christmas markets within walking distance of the cathedral. A full day to wander.
• Day 5 — Mainz. Riverfront market, Gutenberg's hometown, and one of Germany's oldest cathedrals.
• Day 6 — Mannheim & Heidelberg. Excursion to Heidelberg's Christmas market beneath the castle.
• Day 7 — Strasbourg, France. The "Capital of Christmas" — the oldest market in France, dating to 1570.
• Day 8 — Breisach & Basel. Optional Black Forest excursion. Disembark and travel home.

Itineraries are also available on the Danube (Nuremberg, Regensburg, Passau, Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest). Ask us which sailing fits your dates — Avalon's Christmas departures sell out by mid-summer.