Day by day, with prices. Each one is reshaped around you.
Eight nights by first-class train from Munich to Berlin in December: a day in Salzburg, Rothenburg, Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt and Dresden's Striezelmarkt. Old-town 4-star hotels within walking distance of the stalls.
From €2,299 per person
Our designers’ take
Ten days connects the two Germanys most Americans want: Bavaria in the south and Berlin in the east, with Nuremberg and Dresden as the bridge. The train does it in comfortable hops, Munich to Nuremberg a little over an hour, Nuremberg to Dresden about 3 hours, Dresden to Berlin under 2, so no day is lost to travel.
3 nights in Munich (the Marienplatz market, a train day to Salzburg, a drive along the Romantic Road to Harburg and Rothenburg), 2 nights in Nuremberg (the Christkindlesmarkt and the WWII history walk), 1 night in Dresden (Striezelmarkt and the Frauenkirche market), 2 nights in Berlin (Brandenburg Gate, the Wall, Kreuzberg, Gendarmenmarkt). This is Germany Christmas Markets by Train, from 2,299 € per person in 4* hotels with first-class rail; we add a tenth night in Berlin or Dresden on request.
swap the market tours for a Neuschwanstein day from Munich, an evening on Nuremberg's beer cellars, the Zwinger and Elbe terraces in Dresden, and Museum Island plus a Spree boat in Berlin. The Munich and Rothenburg days of our Bavaria road trip slot in at the start, with a car only for the Romantic Road segment.
2 nights in Cologne or the Rhine Gorge, 2 in Heidelberg, 1 in Rothenburg, 2 in Nuremberg, 3 in Munich with Neuschwanstein, mostly by car. Good for wine drinkers and castle collectors who do not need Berlin.
With 7 days, pick Bavaria or Berlin, not both. With two weeks, add Hamburg or the Baltic, or cross to Alsace and Switzerland; see Europe in 14 days. The Germany guide covers market dates and Oktoberfest.
The most scenic train rides in Europe, from the Glacier and Bernina Express to the Orient Express: 2026 prices, seasons, best seats and how to link them.
Christmas market river cruise vs train: evening markets, docks, water levels, hotels, cost and accessibility compared, with 2026 dates and train routes.
Real per-person prices for private trips in France, Switzerland, Germany, Italy and Belgium by comfort level, country and length, and what the price includes.
Munich, Salzburg (Austria, a day trip), Rothenburg, Nuremberg, Dresden and Berlin, which is our published route. Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt and Dresden's Striezelmarkt are the two historic ones; Berlin's Gendarmenmarkt is the most elegant. Add Strasbourg or Colmar if you can extend to 12 days.
Train for the Munich to Berlin corridor, which is exactly what our 10-day Christmas trip uses: first class, seat reservations, hotels near each station. We add a car or a driver for the one day on the Romantic Road. Driving the whole route adds hours and parking costs in every city.
Daytime highs around 2 to 5 °C (35 to 40 °F), colder in Munich and Dresden, often damp. You will stand outside for two hours at a time with a Glühwein, so pack a warm coat, waterproof shoes, gloves and a hat. Hotels and trains are well heated; layers work best.
From 2,299 € per person for the Christmas itinerary with 4* hotels, first-class trains, private transfers, six guided tours and breakfast. A summer version with Neuschwanstein and Museum Island comes in slightly lower outside Oktoberfest. Flights, most meals and market spending are extra; your proposal lists every item.
Two minutes, three steps. Free and without obligation.
