2013 Christmas Markets

3-Day or 4-Day Break

Day 1 Travel from your local joining point for a Channel crossing and onward to your hotel in Belgium.

Day 2 Enjoy a full day included excursion to the city of Cologne whose Christmas magic strikes a very festive note with no fewer than six Christmas markets. The four main markets take place at the Cathedral and on the Alter Markt, Neumarkt and Rudolfplatz, with a medieval Christmas market (small charge) also outside the Chocolate Museum. There is a floating Christmas market onboard MS Wappen von Mainz (KD Riverboats) from late November alongside the old quarter. Each of Cologne’s Christmas markets has its own distinctive appeal. There is also plenty of entertainment on offer as Christmas approaches – a variety of Christmas concerts, nativity scene displays and a huge temporary ice rink on Heumarkt. Do not miss the opportunity to enjoy an afternoon optional cruise on the Rhine, aboard a vessel of the famous KD (Koln-Dusseldorf) Line. Celebrate the festive season in style, as you cruise against the backdrop of the winter cityscape of Old Town Cologne with live music. Stay in Cologne until early evening. B

Day 3 (3-day holiday) – A short visit to Bruges, with its quaint canals and tempting shops, before returning to the U.K. B
(4-day holiday) – Included excursion to the German city of Aachen. Every year in the weeks prior to Christmas, the squares and alleys around Aachen’s town hall are transformed into a festive paradise of brilliant illumination and colourful splendour. The range of goods offered is overwhelming – from grand precious objects down to modest trinkets, the most impressive gifts down to everyday utensils – it is no wonder that the Aachen Christmas Market has long since become a must for all the town's inhabitants and visitors alike! B

Day 4 A short visit to Bruges before returning to the U.K. B

B=Breakfast

* Achen only featured in 4 day break

Accommodation

You’ll stay for two or three nights in a 4-star hotel such as the Mercure, Holiday Inn or Ramada Plaza in Liège or the Holiday Inn or Radisson Blu in Hasselt. All hotels will have a lift and bar. All bedrooms will have T.V., telephone and hairdryer.

Extras

• Optional excursions
• Single room supplement £65 (3 days), £89 (4 days)
• Travel insurance from £31.95