4-Star Düsseldorf & Cologne Christmas Markets
4 days from £229pp.
Visit: Dusseldorf Christmas Markets, Germany
Visit: Cologne Christmas Markets, Germany
About the Tour
Head to the glistening great cities of the Rhineland and enjoy German Christmas markets in the iconic settings Düsseldorf and Cologne with our 4-star stay. From the numerous markets of Cologne to the gingerbread houses of Düsseldorf, there will be plenty to get you in the festive mood with pretty little stalls offering you unique handcrafted gifts and plenty of mulled wine to keep the winter chills at bay.
Tour Includes
- 3 nights hotel with continental breakfast
- Convenient local joining points
- Travel by executive coach or upgrade to Silver Service or Luxuria
We offer flexible payment options
Once you have booked your tour either online, or by telephone ( 01709 787 463 ), you have the flexibility of how you pay off the remainder of your balance. You can:
- Use our balance payment facility online to make and track your card payments. You can pay as much as you want up until your final due date or pay it all, the choice is yours.
- Send payments via online banking.
- Send payments via cheque.
- Call us and make a card payment, either a small amount or as lump sum until your final due date.
Our contact and online banking payment details will be on your confirmation invoice to remind you of your choices.
Your Itinerary
Day 1
Local departure by coach, then to the Düsseldorf area for a three-night stay.
Day 2
Düsseldorf Christmas Market
Düsseldorf
Our included excursion takes us into Dusseldorf centre to spend the day exploring all the city has to offer. During the festive season, Dusseldorf’s Christmas Market, considered to be one of the most beautiful in Germany, takes place in several locations within the centre.
The main market is located on Marktplaz, with the backdrop of the City Hall and the statue of mounted Jan Wellem at its centre. Enjoy free time meandering through the many stalls whilst sipping a cup of Mulled wine or hot chocolate. Be sure to see the 100 year old merry-go-round, which has lovingly been restored.
From Marktplatz wander along Flinger Strasse, with its many huts modelled on Dusseldorf’s old town houses, to nearby Heinrich-Heine-Platz, home to the Engelchenmarkt (Little Angel Market). You’ll be spoilt for choice!
- Included meals: Breakfast
Day 3
Cologne & Bonn (23rd November 2017 departure)
Bonn
This morning we visit the majestic city of Cologne; this stylish and attractive city stands on the banks of the Romantic River Rhine. Here you can enjoy some free time to explore the many shops and boutiques.
During the Second World War around 90 percent of Cologne’s inner city was reduced to rubble. Today the Rhine metropolis is the fourth largest town and one of the most outstanding travel destinations in Germany and Europe.
The Cologne cathedral, famous around the world, dominates the panorama of the city and is still today the second highest building in Cologne after the telecommunications tower. Maybe take time to visit the famous Gothic Cathedral, with its most celebrated work the Sarcophagus of the Magi, thought to hold the remains of the three wise men. The local cuisine, with its many traditional pubs and restaurants, is highly varied and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Whether it’s relaxing on the Rhine promenade of drinking a Kolsch in one of the typical breweries – a visit to Cologne is always worthwhile!
We continue to the city of Bonn to visit the famous Christmas Market. The former capital of the ‘Federal Republic of Germany’, home to Germany’s largest University and birthplace of the brilliant composer Ludwig van Beethoven, Bonn has attracted visitors from all over the world for hundreds of years. Be sure to see many of the famous sights, including the old City Hall and the Münster, the city’s oldest church. Every year, Bonn's Christmas fair conjures up a festive atmosphere. Browse the many stalls whilst enjoying Gluhwein, gingerbread, potato pancakes and sausages.
- Included meals: Breakfast
Day 3
Cologne Christmas Market (27th November to 11th December 2017 departures)
Cologne
Today we visit Cologne and its Christmas market on our included excursion. Cologne’s history traces back more than 2,000 years when it was founded as a Roman colony. Today it has developed into a beautiful cosmopolitan city.
Advent magic spreads throughout Cologne at this time of year, when six idyllic Christmas markets open their gates to visitors. More than 160 stalls offer traditional goods and handcrafted gifts. Wonderful spicy aromas of cinnamon stars, baked apples and roasted almonds will fill the air and local wreath binders, glassblowers and blacksmiths will demonstrate their art. Start at the Christmas market in Cathedral Square where you will find a fascinating array of high-quality arts and crafts, many gift ideas and delicious food and drinks.
Continue onto the Old Town where the rustic ’Home of the Gnomes’ market takes place. Traditional stall and huts, pretty lanes and hidden Heinzelmännchen (house gnomes who are said to have done the work of the people of Cologne at night), give this market its particular charm. At Neumarkt you will find the Market of Angels with its charming chalets and high quality products. Just a ten minute walk from Neumarkt is the Fairytale Christmas market at Rudolfplatz. Here the motto of the sixty huts is the St. Nicholas Village which makes this market particularly popular with younger visitors.
In a picturesque setting overlooking the Rhine, the Cologne Harbour market at the Chocolate Museum will bring a maritime flavour to Christmas. With around 70 stalls this market is one of the largest in Cologne. Finally, there is the the dynamically artful and attractivly different Christmas market at Stadtgarten in the heart of the Belgium quarter. The Stadtgarten Christmas market traditionally only takes place in the afternoon. Whilst visiting Cologne be sure to indulge yourself is some typical culinary delights such as the famous ’Christstollen’ yeast cakes, ’Lebkuchen’ soft gingerbread cookies and Marzipan almond confections. Also try the mandatory ’Gluhwein’ a hot spiced wine in mugs perfect to warm chilly hands.
- Included meals: Breakfast
Day 4
We leave our hotel this morning and commence our return journey home.
- Included meals: Breakfast
Your Excursions
Included Excursions & Visits
- Düsseldorf Christmas Markets
- Bonn Christmas Market (23rd November 2017 only)
- Cologne Christmas Markets (27th November to 11th December 2017 departures)
Optional Excursions & Visits
Notes
Single Room Supplement from £55.00 (4 days).
Frequently asked questions about our tours
Accommodation
You will stay for three nights at the 4-star Wyndham Garden Düsseldorf Mettmann located 10km from the heart of Düsseldorf. The hotel has a restaurant and lounge/bistro, plus a lift. The hotel provides the perfect base for exploring two of Germany’s finest cities.
Wyndham Garden Düsseldorf Mettmann
The Wyndham Garden Düsseldorf Mettmann hotel is located a short drive from Dusseldorf Airport and has good access to major highways and train station. The hotel is also close to local attractions such as the Dusseldorf Exhibition, Neandertalhalle event centre and the River Rhine. The hotels facilities include 24hr reception, 24hr room service, bar, currency exchange, fitness centre, gift shop, safe deposit box, dry cleaning service (fee), sauna, restaurant and Wi-Fi/internet access. All bedrooms include T.V, hairdryer, telephone and en-suite bathroom.
- English Speaking Staff
- Bureau de Change
- Guest Lounge
- Bar
- Restaurant
- Lift
- WiFi Available
- TV
- Hairdryer
- Bath and/or Shower
- Telephone
Frequently asked questions about accommodation
If you prefer, then you can join the tour at the hotel. To do this, we will require a copy of your passport for identification purposes and you must advise us at the time of booking.
No reduction will be given if you should choose to do this.
We are unable to guarantee that the hotel will be able to meet your dietary requirements. We find that the majority of European countries do not generally cater for vegetarians and that the meal supplied may well be what everyone else is having minus the meat.
We will of course endeavour to arrange for a vegetarian meal at the hotel. We do however suggest that you advise us of your dietary requests at the time of booking and recommend that you speak to the receptionist on arrival with regard to your request.
Travel Information
- Travel Options
- Extra Services
Executive coach
Our executive coaches feature air-conditioning, drinks machine, onboard toilet and reclining seat.
Silver Service
On most of our holidays you can upgrade to Silver Service, luxury coach travel, for comfort and style across Europe.
Relax and have a chat in the spacious rear lounge.
Servery on board offering a range of refreshments.
Enjoy the perfect temperature onboard with climate control.
Luxuria
Setting the standard in Luxury travel across Europe, our new and innovative Luxuria coach
Luxuria Coach Features
Deluxe armchair-style seats with leather exterior, central arm rests with cup holders and retractable calf rests give you a more comfortable journey.
Every seat has its own, fully interactive, touch screen T.V. offering a wide choice of entertainment so you can control what you want to watch and when.
4 seats face-to-face with tables. And with a total of 5 single seats available, these are ideal for passengers travelling independently.
Plug sockets and USB points at each seat mean you can keep your devices fully charged throughout your journey.
Stay overnight near Dover
Find out moreWhy not go the night before your holiday for a relaxing start? You can park for FREE for up to nine days at the Holiday Inn Ashford North and enjoy an overnight stay with English breakfast from just £38 per person. This offer is subject to availability and based on two sharing a twin/double room on a B&B basis. We’ll then collect you from the hotel on the day of departure and return you there at the end of your holiday.
To book this package, please call the hotel on 01233 713333, quoting ‘Leger Holidays’ and your booking reference. If your holiday is longer than nine days you can pay for additional days’ parking. Ask one of our friendly reservations team for more details when you book your holiday.
Single supplements and terms and conditions apply.
Join coach at Interchange
Find out moreOn most holidays if you’d prefer to join your tour coach at Stop 24 services, you can park your car in the car park which is accredited by the Park Mark safer parking scheme and is monitored 24 hours a day by CCTV. Payment for the parking is made on arrival using the self-service machines.
Excludes holidays to Ireland and the U.K. and tours travelling via Brittany Ferries.
Looking for your local joining point? Enter your post code below
*Please note pickups are subject to availability.
Frequently asked questions about travel options
Front row seats can be reserved for £14pp (up to 6 days duration), £22pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £25pp (9 days duration and over) on all European tours. In addition to this seats on the second row can be reserved for £7pp (up to 6 days duration), £14pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £15pp (9 days duration and over). This offer is only available for bookings of two or four persons on the front row and is subject to availability. Guaranteed front/second row seats cannot be reserved on transfer journeys to/from the U.K. interchange. Children under 15 years cannot occupy a front row seat due to French Law.
Please note: On some coaches the legroom on front seats may be slightly less than that available on other seats due to the presence of a modesty board in front.
If your tour is cancelled for any reason and front/second row seats are not available on your new tour you will be refunded the supplement. No other compensation will be payable.
Alternatively, we can take seating requests on your booking. However, requests are not guaranteed. All seat numbers are confirmed on travel documents approximately 7-10 days prior to departure.
Transfer coaches are routed approximately 2-3 weeks before departure and will depend on where passengers are booked to travel from on any particular date as to which route is taken. If you require further detailed information regarding the route to the port you can contact our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 two weeks before you are due to travel.
With regard to the route taken by the main tour coach, this is determined by the driver.
OR
Call our reservations team on:
01709 787 463
To book this tour, just give our friendly team a call on 01709 787 463 or book online at www.leger.co.uk