We will visit 7 Christmas markets in 7 days .... Frankfurt, Dinkelsbuhl, Rothenburg, Heidelberg, and Baden-Baden in Germany and then Strasburg and Colmar in France. As we will be moving from hotel to hotel, it is recommended that you pack light for ease of transporting your luggage.
From Washington Dulles
Include breakfast
Mini-van
Depart at 5:10PM on Aer Lingus Flight 0116 ... Please arrive at the airport between 1:30PM and 2:00PM to give yourself plenty of time to check-in at the Aer Lingus counter, make it through security, and make your way to our departure gate. Once you have made it to the terminal please meet us at Vino Volo at gate B63 (top of the escalators from the tram) for a complimentary toast!
We are scheduled to arrive at Frankfurt airport at 10:05AM where we will then proceed through customs and collect our luggage. After we pick up our rental mini-van at Avis, its on to the city center to visit our first Christmas Market. Our hotel is within easy walking distance from the market (Joe will have dropped off your luggage). Once we have checked in and had a few minutes to unwind, we will gather for dinner together at a nearby restaurant.
About 2.5 hours away is the charming German town of Dinkelsbuhl, where we will spend the night and take in their Christmas market.
Just about 40 minutes away from Dinkelsbuhl is the crown jewel of Germany's Romantic Road, Rothenburg. This is where we will spend our third night. After taking in Rothenburg's famed Christmas Market we will have dinner at Der Holl Tavern in Rothenburg's oldest building dating back to AD 900.
Two markets on Day Five! About a two hour drive from Rothenburg is Heidelberg, Germany where we will stop at lunchtime to visit their market. Later in the afternoon, we will drive one hour south into the Black Forest to our destination of Baden-Baden. We will visit their mostly indoor market in the evening. We, of course, will be spending the night in Baden-Baden.
It is only a short drive across the border into France and our destination of Strasbourg. The Strasbourg market is one of the largest markets in Europe and most well known. Our hotel is located within walking distance of the market.
We have the option this day of driving about an hour south to Colmar to check out their market or we can have a second day to enjoy Strasbourg.
Our flight from Frankfurt leaves at 10:50AM, so we will be leaving Strasbourg quite early to make the 2 hour drive to the airport.