Tours → Central Europe
9 Days / 8 Nights · Private · Max 30 Guests
Eight Christmas markets, from the Romantic Road to Saxony's toy towns — each one more magical than the last.
Nutcrackers & Notables
From $5,299 per person
★★★★★ 4.9 · 272 Reviews on TripAdvisor
At a Glance
A 9-day all-inclusive private Christmas tour from Rothenburg to Prague, through the Erzgebirge toy workshops of Seiffen, Dresden's Striezelmarkt, Weimar, Erfurt, and Wartburg Castle — visiting eight Christmas markets in total.
This tour focuses on the Christmas markets of central Germany and the cultural treasures and rich history of the region, venturing far beyond Bavaria into the atmospheric heart of German Christmas tradition.
The journey begins in medieval Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where a guided walking tour reveals the medieval ramparts, towers, and cobbled lanes before the Christmas markets on the Main Square. The world-famous nightwatchman walking tour adds atmosphere. Then onward to Nuremberg for the Christkindlesmarkt — the oldest and most famous Christmas market in Germany, with 400 years of tradition — plus a guided tour of the Romanesque castle with its Imperial Apartments and Sinwell Tower.
Prague Castle — one of the world's largest — anchors a full day in the Golden City, with a walking tour through Jewish Prague, the Old Town Square, and the Astronomical Clock. The Erzgebirge chapter is truly unique: a full day in Seiffen, the legendary toy village in the Ore Mountains, where you'll visit the famous church and tour the Glasser company's workshops to see hand-made decorations being crafted.
Dresden, one of Germany's most beautiful cities, brings the Frauenkirche, the Green Vault, and the Striezelmarkt — Germany's oldest Christmas market. Weimar offers UNESCO World Heritage status and Classical Weimar heritage, while Erfurt's Augustiner Monastery — where Luther stayed — and Wartburg Castle, where Luther translated the Bible, add profound historical depth. Eight Christmas markets in total: Rothenburg, Nuremberg, Prague, Seiffen, Dresden, Weimar, Erfurt, and Frankfurt.
Highlights
✦Rothenburg Christmas Market with nightwatchman tour
✦Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt — 400 years of tradition
✦Prague Castle — one of the world's largest castles
✦Seiffen toy village — Glasser workshop tour of hand-made decorations
✦Dresden Striezelmarkt — Germany's oldest Christmas market
✦Frauenkirche and Green Vault in Dresden
✦Wartburg Castle — where Luther translated the Bible
✦UNESCO Classical Weimar and Christmas Market
✦Erfurt's Augustiner Monastery and historic tramway tour
✦Eight Christmas markets across Germany and Czech Republic
✦Frankfurt Christmas Market farewell dinner
Your Journey
This is the other Germany at Christmas — the route east from medieval Rothenburg through Nuremberg's legendary Christkindlesmarkt, into Prague's fairy-tale Old Town, up through the Ore Mountains where nutcrackers and wooden ornaments have been handcrafted for centuries, and on to Dresden, Weimar, and Erfurt. Eight markets, centuries of tradition, and the craftsmanship that makes German Christmas famous worldwide.
Day 1 · Departure
Day 2
Nuremberg & Christkindlesmarkt
Nuremberg's Imperial Castle surveys the city from above, while below, the Christkindlesmarkt — four hundred years old — fills the Hauptmarkt with the scent of Lebkuchen and the warm glow of handcrafted stalls. The drive to Prague brings dinner and the promise of tomorrow.
Nuremberg
Hotel in Prague
Breakfast, Dinner
Rothenburg → Nuremberg: ~1.5h, Nuremberg → Prague: ~3h
✦Nuremberg Castle Tour
✦Christkindlesmarkt Nuremberg
Day 3
Prague Castle & Old Town
Prague Castle is one of the world's largest, its Gothic spires rising above a city of a hundred towers. The Old Town Square's Astronomical Clock performs its medieval show, the Jewish Quarter tells its own quieter story, and the afternoon road to Seiffen leads into the wooded Ore Mountains.
Prague
Hotel near Seiffen
Breakfast, Dinner
Prague → Seiffen: ~2.5h
✦Prague Castle Tour
✦Old Town Square & Astronomical Clock
Day 4
Seiffen — Toy Town of the Ore Mountains
Seiffen is Christmas distilled into a single village. The iconic church, the Glässer workshops where nutcrackers and smoking men are still handcrafted, the shop-lined streets where every ornament has a story — this is where Germany's Christmas traditions were born.
Seiffen
Hotel near Seiffen
Breakfast, Dinner
✦Seiffen Church Visit
✦Glässer Workshop Tour
✦Seiffen Christmas Shopping
Day 5
Dresden & Striezelmarkt
Dresden's Striezelmarkt is one of the oldest Christmas markets in Germany, set against a city that rose from wartime destruction to become a jewel once more. The Frauenkirche, the Green Vault's treasures, the Zwinger's baroque perfection — Dresden earns its nickname, The Jewel Box.
Dresden
Hotel in Dresden area
Breakfast, Dinner
Seiffen → Dresden: ~1.5h
✦Dresden Orientation Tour
✦Frauenkirche & Green Vault
✦Striezelmarkt Christmas Market
Day 6
Weimar & Erfurt
Weimar is small but mighty — UNESCO-listed for Classical Weimar, the Bauhaus, and Goethe's manuscripts. Its Christmas market carries an intellectual charm that matches the town. Erfurt follows with the Augustiner Monastery where Luther once stayed.
Weimar / Erfurt
Hotel in Erfurt
Breakfast, Dinner
Dresden → Weimar: ~2.5h
✦Weimar UNESCO Tour
✦Weimar Christmas Market
✦Augustiner Monastery Check-in
Day 7
Erfurt, Wartburg Castle & Frankfurt
Erfurt reveals itself by historic tramway — Art Nouveau neighborhoods and the medieval Merchants' Bridge with its shops built directly on the span. Wartburg Castle near Eisenach is where Luther translated the Bible, the walls still heavy with reformation history. The return to Frankfurt includes a final Christmas market visit and a farewell dinner.
Erfurt / Eisenach / Frankfurt
Hotel in Frankfurt
Breakfast, Dinner
Erfurt → Eisenach: ~1h, Eisenach → Frankfurt: ~3h
✦Erfurt Tramway Tour
✦Wartburg Castle Tour
✦Frankfurt Christmas Market & Farewell
Day 8 · Return
A quiet transfer to Frankfurt Airport. Behind you: eight Christmas markets, three countries, and the kind of experience that turns every future Christmas into a reminder of the one you spent in Germany.
Frankfurt
Breakfast
✦Airport Transfer
What's Included
✓Door-to-door transportation throughout the tour
✓7 breakfast buffets
✓Welcome dinner in Rothenburg and additional dinners with beverages
✓Farewell dinner in Frankfurt
✓7 nights accommodation in quality hotels
✓All entrance fees, taxes, and local guide fees
✓Nuremberg Castle guided tour
✓Prague Castle guided tour
✓Seiffen workshop visit
✓Inside visits at all castles and museums (not drive-by tours)
✓Tour director services throughout
✓Airport transfers from/to Frankfurt Airport
✓Money-back satisfaction guarantee
✓Free cancellation up to 24h before departure
✗Air fare
✗Personal expenses
✗Lunches
✗Gratuities for driver and local guides
Love what you see? Tell us your preferred dates — we'll tailor every detail to your group.
Plan Your Journey →Our Promise
Money-Back Guarantee
Not satisfied? Full refund. We've been doing this since 2004 — it hasn't happened yet.
Flexible Booking
Change dates up to 30 days before departure. Life happens — we get it.
No Hidden Costs
The price you see includes everything. Entrance fees, transport, guide — no surprise extras.
Secure your dates with just $500 deposit per person.
Your Guide
Alessandro & Team
Born in Füssen at the foot of Neuschwanstein, Alessandro grew up with castle stories as bedtime tales. A historian by training and a storyteller by nature, he and his carefully selected team of local guides have accompanied thousands of guests through Central Europe's most remarkable places.
Per Person Pricing
2 Guests
$5,299
4 Guests
$4,599
6 Guests
$4,299
All-inclusive — accommodation, private transport, guides & entrance fees
Your Next Step
Make This the Trip You'll Talk About for Years
Tell us your preferred dates and group size. We'll craft a personalized itinerary — no payment required until you're completely satisfied.
Plan Your JourneyNo payment required. We'll design a draft itinerary — free of charge, no obligation.
Peak season (June–September) books out 4–6 months ahead.
Common Questions
Door-to-door transportation throughout the tour, 7 breakfast buffets, Welcome dinner in Rothenburg and additional dinners with beverages, Farewell dinner in Frankfurt, 7 nights accommodation in quality hotels, All entrance fees, taxes, and local guide fees, Nuremberg Castle guided tour, Prague Castle guided tour, Seiffen workshop visit, Inside visits at all castles and museums (not drive-by tours), Tour director services throughout, Airport transfers from/to Frankfurt Airport, Money-back satisfaction guarantee.
The Nutcrackers & Notables is a 7-day private tour. Including arrival and departure days, plan for 9 days total.
Starting from $5299 per person (based on 2 travelers). Group discounts available for 4+ and 6+ travelers. Secure your dates with a $500 deposit per person.
Further Reading
