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Christmas Markets of...
 

Christmas Markets of Eastern Europe

15 days |  18 days with Berlin extension
15 days |  18 days with Berlin extension
Group size1538 travelers
Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars

20
Physical activity
shoppers at an outdoor christmas market in prague
collection of christmas ornaments in a market stall
christmas tree close up
Evening shot of a central Christmas Market on Gendarmenmarkt square in Berlin Germany
OverviewItineraryDates & pricesReviewsTraveler photosHotels, flights & FAQ
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Celebrate the holiday season among Eastern Europe’s joyous markets.

Each winter, the cities of Eastern Europe burst into celebration as artisans, crafters, and other vendors take to the streets with their festive wares. You’ll take in the sparkling atmosphere as you journey along the Danube from the two-sided city of Budapest to Vienna, unrivaled for its beauty and majesty. Then, visit the castles and cathedrals of Prague and explore medieval Kraków before ending in modern Warsaw.

Your tour package includes

  • 13 nights in handpicked hotels
  • 13 breakfasts
  • 5 dinners with beer or wine
  • 1 wine tasting
  • 6 sightseeing tours
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Included highlights

  • Eastern European Christmas markets
  • Hungarian State Opera House
  • Matthias Church
  • Belvedere Palace
  • Ringstrasse
Read more
Start planning today

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Day-by-day itinerary

Print itinerary
Overnight Flight1 night
Day 1: Travel day

Board your overnight flight to Budapest today.

Budapest3 nights
Day 2: Arrival in Budapest
Included meal: Welcome dinner

Welcome to Hungary! Meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers at tonight’s welcome dinner.

Day 3: Sightseeing tour of Budapest & Christmas market visit
Included meal: Breakfast

Discover the major landmarks of the city that straddles east and west.

  • Trace this nation’s stormy history at Heroes' Square
  • View the Gothic Hungarian Parliament Building located on the banks of the Danube
  • Step inside the recently restored Hungarian State Opera House for a guided tour of the incredible new-Renaissance style masterpiece
  • Cross the Danube and ascend Castle Hill and take in the breathtaking views from Fisherman’s Bastion
  • Visit the medieval Matthias Church, once the site of Hapsburg coronations
  • Get an introduction to Budapest’s lively Christmas markets and explore the bustling stalls at your leisure

Enjoy free time in Budapest or add an excursion.

Wine Cellar Dinner & Unicum Liqueur Tasting

From $149 per person

Day 4: Free day in Budapest
Included meal: Breakfast

Spend a free day in Budapest or add an excursion.

Budapest Cooking Class & Lunch

From $219 per person

Vienna3 nights
Day 5: Transfer to Vienna & Christmas market visit
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner, Wine tasting

Travel west through the Danube basin en route to Vienna, Austria and get settled into your hotel.

Sit down for an included dinner. Then, enjoy a mulled wine tasting at another of the city’s Christmas markets.

Day 6: Sightseeing tour of Vienna & Christmas market visit
Included meal: Breakfast

Get transported back to the Age of Empires on a guided tour of Vienna.

  • Step inside Belvedere Palace, home to the world's largest collection of paintings by artist Gustav Klimt, and admire the palace's impressive gardens
  • Travel down the Ringstrasse, passing the Parliament building, Vienna State Opera, and Kunsthistorisches Museum
  • See the grand Hofburg Palace, the Hapsburg’s preferred winter residence
  • Spend free time exploring the city’s Christmas markets

Enjoy a free afternoon or add an excursion.

Traditional Viennese Heurigen Evening

From $165 per person

Day 7: Free day in Vienna
Included meal: Breakfast

Spend a free day in Vienna or add an excursion.

Bratislava

From $135 per person

Prague3 nights
Day 8: Prague via Lednice Castle
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Drive through the pastoral landscapes of Bohemia on your way to Prague, one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. En route, stop in Moravia to enter Chateau Lednice, a gorgeous castle on the Austrian border.

Continue on to Prague and sit down for an included dinner.

Day 9: Sightseeing tour of Prague & Christmas market visit
Included meal: Breakfast

Discover why Prague is known as the City of One Hundred Spires on a guided tour.

  • Visit Prague Castle, from which Charles IV governed the Holy Roman Empire
  • Admire the soaring Gothic vaults of St. Vitus Cathedral
  • Walk down to the Malá Strana district to sip a coffee at a local cafe
  • Cross the elegant Charles Bridge for breathtaking views of the city
  • Stroll through Old Town Square to view the 15th-century Astronomical Clock

Then, learn about the city’s Christmas markets from your local guide before taking time to explore on your own.

Enjoy a free afternoon in Prague or add an excursion.

Walking Tour of Prague's Jewish Quarter

From $159 per person

Day 10: Free day in Prague
Included meal: Breakfast

Spend a free day in Prague or add an excursion.

Brandýs Castle & Concert

From $245 per person

Kraków2 nights
Day 11: Transfer to Kraków
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Pass through the dramatic landscapes of Moravia before reaching the historic Polish city of Kraków.

Sit down for an included dinner this evening.

Day 12: Sightseeing tour of Kraków & Christmas market visit
Included meal: Breakfast

Meet your local guide for a tour of Kraków, Poland’s former royal capital.

  • Discover Wawel Hill, perched high above the Vistula River
  • Visit Wawel Cathedral, where Polish kings were crowned
  • Stroll through Glowny Square
  • Pass beautiful Sukiennice Cloth Hall, the Jagiellonian University, and Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory
  • Visit some of Poland’s best Christmas markets and take free time to explore

Enjoy a free afternoon in Kraków or add an excursion.

Auschwitz

From $89 per person

Warsaw2 nights
Day 13: Transfer to Warsaw
Included meal: Breakfast

Travel to Warsaw today.

Then, enjoy free time in Poland’s capital city or add an excursion.

Chopin Recital & Dinner

From $165 per person

Day 14: Sightseeing tour of Warsaw & Christmas market visit
Included meals: Breakfast, Farewell dinner

On a guided tour, get to know Warsaw, a city all but destroyed during World War II and painstakingly rebuilt since 1944.

  • See the Chopin Monument at Łazienki Park and walk through the Old Town
  • Visit the Jewish Ghetto and the Jewish Memorial
  • Discover Starego Miasta Square’s Renaissance facades and Baroque townhouses
  • Walk through the Old Town
  • Enter the Museum of Warsaw to learn about the city’s history
  • Enjoy free time to explore Warsaw’s best Christmas markets

Celebrate your trip during a farewell dinner this evening.

Flight Home
Day 15: Departure
Included meal: Breakfast (excluding early morning departures)

Transfer to the airport for your flight home or extend your stay to explore Berlin, Germany.

Extension to Berlin
Inviting markets, cobbled streets, trendy restaurants—find all this and more in the German capital. This reinvigorated cultural center buzzes with life, and you’ll spot all the city’s highlights during a guided sightseeing tour.
Berlin3 nights
Day 15: Berlin via Poznań
Included meal: Breakfast

En route to Berlin, Germany, stop in the Polish city of Poznań to enjoy free time.

Day 16: Sightseeing tour of Berlin
Included meal: Breakfast

A local guide introduces you to the monuments of Berlin’s intricate past as well as the signs of its re-emergence as a vibrant cultural center.

  • Discover the Brandenburg Gate, the symbol of a reunited Berlin
  • See the Holocaust Memorial and the Berlin Wall's East Side Gallery
  • Journey down Unter den Linden, the city’s most elegant boulevard, passing the Reichstag and Museum Island

Enjoy a free afternoon in Berlin or add an excursion.

World War II Walking Tour

From $109 per person

Day 17: Free day in Berlin
Included meal: Breakfast

Spend a free day in Berlin or add an excursion.

This evening, enjoy a farewell drink as you celebrate your trip with your fellow group members.

Potsdam

From $165 per person

Flight Home
Day 18: Departure
Included meal: Breakfast (excluding early morning departures)

Transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Show full itinerary
Book for just $99 down

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Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars

Overall rating 4.5 out of 5

Based on 20 authentic traveler reviews
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    5 out of 5 stars

    Best trip ever!
    12/4/23 by 1st-time traveler Renee

    So glad that we took this trip for our first time to Europe. We were able to experience the cultures of 6 different cities. Spending 3 days in 4 of them gave us a chance to see much more on our own. Our tour guide, Paul, had fantastic suggestions for restaurants, museums, shopping or whatever caught...

    Read more +
    EF Go Ahead Tours replied on 1/16/24

    Hi Renee, Thank you for taking a moment to share ...

    Read more +

    4 out of 5 stars

    Eastern Europe Christmas markets
    12/4/23 by 2nd-time traveler Anonymous

    Lots of positives - detailed history lessons by a very seasoned tour director, professional and safe bus drivers, incredible Xmas markets, many highlights of 7 countries. I found it be very fast moving as time was limited in each country. It was more of a little taste of each country, and lots of c...

    Read more +

    5 out of 5 stars

    Awesome Christmas Market Tour
    12/4/23 by 19th-time traveler Melodee Ann

    I loved this tour & our Tour Director, Paul was amazing he went above & beyond all the time. He was available for any questions any of us had. He arranged many extras that we had the option to take. All the included & extra excursions we took were interesting & had great information. We love Christm...

    Read more +
    Show more reviews

    Traveler photos

    Hotels, flights & FAQ

    Here's the nitty-gritty—where you’ll stay, how you’ll get there, and what to know about your destination before you go.

    Hotels

    We handpick every hotel to strike the balance of comfort, location, and local charm. Specific accommodations will vary based on your departure date, but these are frequently used hotels for this tour and we're confident you'll be satisfied.
    Radisson Blu Beke Hotel
    Radisson Blu Beke Hotel

    This elegant, traditional hotel is located in Terézváros. Guests enjoy an indoor swimming pool, laundry services, and a restaurant. Nearby, you'll fin...

    Read more +
    MAXX by Steigenberger Hotel Vienna
    MAXX by Steigenberger Hotel Vienna

    This convenient hotel is located in the city center of Vienna, Austria. Guests enjoy the fitness area, on-site bar and restaurant, and spa. Nearby you...

    Read more +
    NH Prague City
    NH Prague City

    This modern hotel is located in the Smíchov district of Prague. Guests enjoy a gym and sauna, restaurants with terraces, and tennis court. Nearby, you...

    Read more +
    Qubus Hotel Kraków
    Qubus Hotel Kraków

    This modern hotel is located in the Kazimierz district of Krakow. Guests enjoy a jazz club, Turkish bath, and boat cruises. Nearby, you’ll find the Gh...

    Read more +
    Mercure Warszawa Grand
    Mercure Warszawa Grand

    This contemporary hotel is located in the city center. Guests enjoy two on-site restaurants, a gym, and free Wi-Fi. Nearby, you’ll find the Fryderyk C...

    Read more +
    Abba Berlin Hotel
    Abba Berlin Hotel

    This contemporary hotel is located in Berlin center. Guests enjoy a restaurant, lounge-bar, and fitness room. Nearby, you'll find exclusive boutiques ...

    Read more +

    Flights

    Round-trip flights are one more thing we handle to make your journey as smooth as possible. Our team of travel experts will find the best flight itinerary for you at a competitive rate, thanks to our partnerships with top airlines.
    Add our airfare package and you'll get:
    • Round-trip flight for your tour
    • Airport transfers at your destination
    • A great price locked in today
    • 24/7 support from our dedicated service team
    • Options for arriving early, staying longer, or requesting an upgrade
    • Flexible rebooking options if your tour itinerary changes
    • Find out more about flights

    FAQ

    Print FAQ

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