Thursday 21st: Travel to Hull for the P&O overnight ferry to Rotterdam.
Friday 22nd: On arrival in Rotterdam, we disembark after breakfast and head to the
German border town of Aachen. It’s brightly lit Christmas market is set around the
Cathedral and Town Hall. This lovingly decorated "Christmas village" on the market square
has everything your heart could desire. One local speciality you really must try is the
Aachen Printen, a kind of gingerbread. Every year before Christmas the squares and
streets around the Aachen Town Hall are transformed into a paradise of lights and colours,
festive sounds and seductive smells. The glorious fair in the Christmas City, which has
been erected with great care and sentiment, fascinates both the young and the old. We
continue on to the Michel & Friends Hotel in plenty of time for our evening meal.
Saturday 23rd: After breakfast enjoy a scenic drive through the Eifel National Park
providing us with some photograph opportunities. Afterwards visit Bad Munstereifel, a
historical spa town in the Eifel Mountain range. It is one of the rare towns in the Rhineland
region to have kept its medieval ramparts intact.
Sunday 24th: Today is free to explore Monschau. Throughout the weekend there are free
and exciting programmes including live brass band concerts and Santa Claus who will be
visiting Monschau's Christmas market in the afternoons and evenings. The many stalls
offer not only delicacies such as Bratwurst, mulled wine, German gingerbread, Lebkuchen,
Printen, or the popular "Monschauer Dütchen", but also brilliant decorations, artistic craft,
and interesting gift ideas. The Monschau Christmas Market extends from Richters Eck
through Rurtrasse along the town's church and monastery to the middle of it all on the
market square where there is a large and beautifully decorated Christmas tree. There is
even a Christmas House in Monschau: throughout the months of March to December, this
typical building offers Christmas decorations for sale on all 3 floors.
Monday 25th: Sadly it’s time to leave Monschau and head to Valkenburg in Holland to
explore the town famous Christmas Market in the municipal caves. Considered as the
largest and oldest underground Christmas Markets in Europe this year the doors will open
for the 26th time. You’ll be surprised by the lovely settings and decors, which are in full
harmony with the numerous stands offering Christmas gifts and other luxuries are very
inviting to visitors who want to spend time in a musical setting and a fancy equipped
Christmas cave. We continue on to the port of Rotterdam to embark for your overnight
voyage to Hull.
Tuesday 26th: We arrive in Hull in the morning and then we head to Leeds Christmas
Market. The market is in the centre so you can either enjoy the atmosphere of the market
or head for the high street shops. We depart early afternoon and return home.