Compare Castles & Christmas Markets of Alsace by Girls' Guide to Paris
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 7 days |
| Price From | $ 4,295 |
| Price Per Day | $ 614 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Luxury |
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| Countries Visited | |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included |
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| Description |
When you were little did you ever dream of a true winter wonderland, a Christmas fantasy where elves were busy working on your toys? Now you are grown up and all that is forgotten but there is a place where that sense of Christmas magic can still be found. That place is the Alsace region of France, home of Castles, Rieslings, the Vosges mountains and charming Christmas markets. During this festive adventure we'll also get to experience the seasonal wonderland of Basil Switzerland just across the border. Medieval castles, storybook villages, twinkly lights and hearty meals will inspire and transport you and set you in the mood of the season. Nothing quite equals the Christmas mood as what you find in the Alsace and Switzerland, with its lights, markets, mulled wine and music. We will plunge into this special atmosphere in style, mixing historic visits of castles, luxury accommodation and authentic cuisine off the beaten track. While Paris boasts of its brasseries, and Provence its cafes, Alsace has its winstubes which are cozy wine bars, with tiled stoves, carved chairs and hearty fare. |
Day 1 – December 2nd, Wednesday
Accommodation: Le Parc Hotel
Arrive in Strasbourg, either via train (under two hours from Paris) or by plane (easy connections via Paris).
Our first stay will be at a stunning 4 star spa hotel in the charming town of Obernai located just 20 minutes from Strasbourg. Depending on your arrival time, you will be able to enjoy some quality spa time to acclimate and settle after your travels.
For our first evening, we’ll visit the local Christmas market for a little walk and shop and then enjoy a cozy authentic dinner in the hotel’s Winstube.
Day 2 – December 3rd, Thursday
Accommodation: Le Parc Hotel
What better place to start our day than with a medieval castle? We’ll visit Haut-Koenigsbourg which dates back to 1147 and boasts turrets from which one can look out as far as the black forest. Each room has some element that is dressed up for Christmas.
We’ll enjoy a simple satisfying lunch in the quirky and delightful Taverne du Château on the property which has a cute souvenir shop which you can peruse while waiting for your meal.
After lunch we’ll visit the bucolic towns of Riquewher and Ribeauville that inspired Beauty and the Beast. They both have markets and ambience galore.
We’ll return to our hotel in the late afternoon, in time to have another dip in the delightful pools of the hotel before a gourmet dinner at the gastronomic restaurant at the hotel.
Day 3 – December 4th, Friday
Accommodation: Krafft Hotel
Today we’ll check-out of the hotel and head to the mountains to visit one of the most picturesque villages in France, Kaysersberg. Here, we’ll stroll through the paved winding streets lined with charming half-timbered buildings and then enjoy a wine tasting at the world-famous Domaine Weinback winery. After, we’ll have a savory lunch at Flamme and Co. which has reinvented the traditional Alsatian pizzas with a modern twist.
In the afternoon we’ll visit the Eco-museum. This is an open-air museum/village made up of typical Alsatian homes that are 200 years old or more. Here you’ll see craftsman at work, enjoy beautiful, rural, traditional Alsatian Christmas decor and you might even spot Pere Noel riding by on a horse-drawn sleigh. Witness, feel and even taste what life used to be like in Alsace. Christmas comes to this open-air museum with gusto as the houses are festooned with seasonal décor. You’ll smell vin chaud brewing in one of their many hands-on workshops.
Then we’ll cross the border into Switzerland and arrive at our lovely 4-star hotel on the banks of the Rhine. We’ll have time to wander riverfront before having a delicious dinner with a view at the hotel’s prized restaurant.
Day 4 – December 5th, Saturday
Accommodation: Krafft Hotel
Today we’ll explore this enchanting cosmopolitan city with its incredible chocolatiers, charming streets and world-famous museums.
In the morning we’ll take a little boat to the other side of the river, amble up the streets to the glorious Cathedral and the impressive Christmas market in the square that surrounds it.
Basel is the museum city, with the highest concentration of museums of any city, with its crown jewel being the Kunstmuseum where we’ll have a gourmet lunch followed by a trip of its incredible collection of everything from old masters to Picasso and beyond.
Later we’ll have time for some prime shopping and a visit to the scrumptious Läderach Chocolatier.
There’s nothing more swiss than fondue, so tonight we’ll be transported to a Mountain Chalet in the heart of the town to feast on this cheesy delight.
Day 5 – December 6th, Sunday
Accommodation: Hotel Du Dragon
We’ll check-out this morning and head back to France. Our first stop will be Mulhouse, a former factory town that has been re-imagined by artists and artisans. Every year, a special Christmas fabric is made that is unique to that year. We’ll get to view the 2020 fabric and have an opportunity to purchase this as well as other items at their own Christmas market.
Then we’ll head north to the town of Colmar and visit its little Venice, enjoying a lunch at Wistub Brenner.
Afterwards we’ll head to Strasbourg where we’ll stay in the lovely design hotel Hotel du Dragon, a luxury hotel which exudes modern French-Alsatian charm – a quiet oasis steps from the river.
After dropping off our bags, we’ll visit the Historic wine cellar of Strasbourg Hospital, an ancient cellar where you can see the oldest barrel-stored wine in the world and have a trip and tasting.
Tonight we’ll enjoy a traditional Alsatian meal of Choucroute at the cozy and authentic Maison des Tanneurs which overlooks the river in an 16th century setting.
Day 6 – December 7th, Monday
Accommodation: Hotel Du Dragon
We’ll start our day with a two-hour boat trip of Strasbourg where you’ll learn a little bit of history starting from the middle ages to the Neustadt to the modern European institutions.
After a hearty Alsatian lunch, we’ll trip the famous Strasbourg Christmas market, called Christkindelsmärik. This market has been operating near the cathedral in Strasbourg ever year for over 450 years, making it the oldest in Europe. Sip vin chaud (mulled wine) to warm your bones as you shop for loved ones (or yourself). If we get peckish, we’ll nosh on Alsatian specialties that we find at the market from bretzels (pretzels) to tarte flambée, (Alsatian pizza). Whilst shopping, we can also sample some of the unique Alsatian specialties which abound all over the central part of the city.
In Strasbourg it is de rigueur to make a stop inside the enormous Gothic cathedral of Strasbourg, which dates back nearly 1000 years, and light a candle. There will be an option to go up to the top of the church to enjoy a panoramic view of the city.
To cap off our journey together, we’ll reminisce while enjoying the stylish cuisine at Les Haras Brasserie.
Afterwards we’ll view the lights on the 100 ft. Christmas tree, which is placed in the Place Kléber before heading back for a relaxing rest.
Day 7 – December 8th, Tuesday
Sadly, it’s time to head home, or onwards, either by train or by plane, but first we’ll have a hearty breakfast together!
