18 of the best Christmas market river cruises

Times

13 hours ago

When it comes to Christmas markets, it's hard to beat the ones held across mainland Europe. Steeped in tradition, Germany, France and Austria have held festive markets for hundreds of years, with some dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries. City squares, often overlooked by grand town halls and magnificent cathedrals, are filled with stalls decked out with twinkling lights selling toys, local crafts and gifts. The aroma of gingerbread and spices fills the air and warming mugs of glühwein and plates of pretzels and bratwurst provide tasty treats. Here's our pick of the best Christmas market river cruises.
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££ | Best suited to 21+
Enjoy the winter scenery from land and water on a leisurely four-night festive break with Great Rail Journeys. Travelling from London to Cologne by train, you'll then join one of the comfortable, modern ships operated by Amadeus River Cruises. Passing fairytale landscapes, where hillsides are topped with castles and possibly a sprinkling of snow, the cruise features a Christmas-themed gala dinner. Stops include Rüdesheim, where the market is different from most as it features a diverse selection of food, drink and crafts from 12 countries.
££ | FAMILY-FRIENDLY | Best suited to 21+
If time is short, Riverside Luxury Cruises offers three-night sailings on the Danube which visit Passau, Linz, Melk and Vienna when the markets are in full swing. You'll sail in luxury on Riverside Mozart which is one of the most unusual ships on the Danube. Double the width of traditional vessels, it carries 162 passengers in large cabins. The space means it has extra amenities, including four restaurants. And when it's time to burn off some of the festive calories the ship has an extra-large gym and a pool.
£ | Best suited to 21+
Ambassador Cruise Line's ocean ships are small enough to access rivers and this six-night cruise, which starts and finishes in Tilbury, sails up the Elbe to visit Hamburg where the main market is held in front of the city hall; others nearby include the forest-themed market next to St Peter's, the oldest church in the city. The cruise also visits Amsterdam, which has markets throughout the city including a particularly magical option near the skating rink on Museumplein.
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£ | Best suited to 21+
A giant twinkling Christmas tree forms the centrepiece of Cologne's most famous market, held in front of the city's landmark cathedral. It's one of the seven main markets in Cologne and a stop on several of the line's wide choice of five and seven-night festive itineraries, which take place on three comfortable adults-only ships aimed at British travellers. As well as sailings in the run-up to the festivities, there are trips that span Christmas and New Year.
£££ | Best suited to 21+
Nuremberg, known as the 'gingerbread capital of the world', has one of the largest Christmas markets in Europe. There are about 200 stalls filled with hand-carved toys, crafts and gifts, and the irresistible scents of roasted chestnuts, spices and grilled sausages linger in the air. You can visit it on sailings with boutique line Uniworld, where every day brings a different market. You'll also visit the fairytale market at the Volksgarten in Linz, which is home to one of Austria's largest wooden cribs, with life-size, hand-painted figures; short nativity plays are performed throughout the day.
• Best Christmas markets in Germany
£ | Best suited to 21+
Geared to UK travellers, Riviera offers flexible itineraries with the choice to fly or travel by Eurostar and high-speed rail to reach your ship, along with the option of shorter four-night sailings that pack in four different Christmas markets. A mini-break will still provide time to soak up the atmosphere in Rüdesheim and Koblenz before seeing big-city festivities in Cologne and Bonn. There's even more Christmas cheer this season as guests get a complimentary drinks package.
• Best river cruises in Europe
£ | Best suited to 21+
For a Christmas cruise with a difference, CroisiEurope has a nine-day itinerary on the lesser-known Elbe aboard its modern paddlewheel vessel, which is built to navigate the river's low water levels. It starts in Berlin, so there's plenty of time to explore the numerous markets in Potsdam before sailing on to culture-rich destinations including Magdeburg, Wittenberg and Meissen. The celebratory itinerary includes the chance to attend Christmas services in Dresden, and a special Christmas Eve dinner.
croisieurope.co.uk
££ | Best suited to 21+
With its Austrian roots, it's no surprise that Amadeus embraces the yuletide tradition with Christmas-decorated ships sailing on a variety of cruises on the Rhine and Danube. On the Rhine you'll visit Strasbourg's Christmas market, founded in 1570 and the oldest in France, which is set against the backdrop of the city's distinctive single-spired cathedral. Other excursions take in the village of Gertwiller, famous for its gingerbread, and Obernai, where a crib with life-size figures takes centre stage in the marketplace. On the Danube there are sailings between Vienna and Nuremberg, with the chance to visit the market in front of Schönbrunn Palace and enjoy a mulled wine party.
amadeus-rivercruises.co.uk
• Best cruise lines for solo travellers• Best Christmas markets in Europe
££ | Best suited to 21+
Germany and Austria form the heartland of the Christmas market scene, but similar events can be found throughout Europe. In Budapest, the enchanting market in Vorosmarty Square is the longest running in the city, with handcrafted traditional gifts, children dressed as angels singing carols, choirs, free music recitals and the chance to warm up with a bowl of Hungarian goulash. It's one of the stops on AmaWaterways' seven-night Iconic Christmas Markets cruise, which runs from Budapest to Nuremberg — home to Christkindlesmarkt, one of the oldest Christmas markets in Germany.
£££ | FAMILY-FRIENDLY | Best suited to 4+
Gingerbread is perfect for Christmas, and with this cruise line the young and young at heart can join a gingerbread and marzipan-making workshop at Café Simon in Passau, where four generations of the Simon family have perfected the sweet recipes. The seven-night sailing on the Danube also features a scavenger hunt in the tiny Slovakian capital Bratislava, and a visit to Oberndorf, the Austrian town where Silent Night was first performed on Christmas Eve in 1818. Note that Tauck is one of the few lines that offer a Christmas market cruise to families.
• Best family-friendly cruise lines
££ | Best suited to 21+
Take in four countries on a Christmas market river cruise between Regensburg and Budapest with Emerald Cruises. You'll be immersed in local and international festivities and traditions at each diverse port of call; in Regensburg, visit one of the region's most atmospheric markets, set against the backdrop of Thurn and Taxis Palace. The seven-night cruise ends in Budapest: if there's no need to rush home, add a hotel stay in Prague, where you'll find a range of festive-themed activities to choose from.
£ | Best suited to 21+
Leger offers good-value breaks with coach travel from pick-up points throughout the UK. The four-night cruise, which starts and finishes in Cologne, begins with a stop in the pretty winemaking town of Rüdesheim, which hosts the Christmas Market of Nations where more than 100 stalls sell specialities from a dozen countries. Then it's on to Koblenz, at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers, before an overnight in Cologne to see the famous marketplace in front of the cathedral and smaller markets dotted around the old town.
££ | Best suited to 21+
Swap Christmas pudding for Black Forest gateau on sailings through Germany and beyond with Travelmarvel. This expanding line is the value-for-money alternative to all-inclusive sister brand APT; its three Contemporary ships sail on itineraries such as the week-long Christmas market river cruise on the Rhine and Moselle. Stops include the Black Forest Open Air Museum in Vogtsbauernhof for a cake-making demonstration followed by the all-important tasting.
travelmarvel.com
£££ | Best suited to 21+
Enjoy the best of both worlds on an 11-night itinerary that combines a land tour with a river cruise. Your journey begins in Zurich and from here you'll travel to picture-postcard Lake Lucerne, the jet-set Alpine village of Gstaad and lakeside Montreux. Then board your ship, which will be adorned with Christmas decorations, to sail from Strasbourg — which has one of the largest festive markets in Europe — to Amsterdam. This sailing features a lesser-known Christmas market in the spa town of Baden-Baden as well as big hitters including Cologne.
££ | Best suited to 21+
A high spot in this five-night trip is a visit to Heidelberg Castle, which towers above the Neckar Valley. The castle's giant 16th-century wine barrel, holding about 220,000 litres, would certainly have provided plenty of festive cheer in times gone by. Afterwards there's time to stroll around the Christmas market spread through the streets and squares of the old town at the foot of the castle hill. This round-trip Cologne sailing also takes in the markets in Mainz and Strasbourg, which is credited with having one of the oldest in Europe.
nicko-cruises.de
££ | Best suited to 21+
Add a taste of Noël to your December with Viking's itinerary on the Seine. The ship docks for three nights in Paris, providing plenty of time to see the sights and take in beautiful window displays at Galeries Lafayette and other big-name department stores. Atmospheric stops include Rouen, where half-timbered houses are adorned with ornate decorations and the town square by the cathedral hosts the Christmas market. Excursions include a trip through Normandy to the picturesque fishing village of Honfleur with a tasting of warming apple brandy.
viking.com
£££ | Best suited to 21+
The luxury 12-passenger hotel barge Panache is a wonderful choice for anyone looking for the ultimate intimate cruise experience. It can also be chartered by families and groups of friends. Resembling a floating house party, with a personal chef providing gourmet meals, this leisurely sailing will take you along canals through Alsace and Lorraine. There's a drive to Colmar to take a look at the town's six Christmas markets and a visit to Strasbourg's chocolate museum to see seasonal treats being made. Another highlight is Haguenau festive market with its impressive nativity scene.
europeanwaterways.com
££ | Best suited to 21+
Take in four markets on this five-night sailing along the Rhine. The cruise takes in the contrasting markets in the cities of Mainz, Bonn and Cologne, plus the traditional wine town of Rüdesheim. The sailing from Mainz to Düsseldorf is aboard the Spirit of the Rhine, which is exclusively for Saga guests. It's a short walk from the docking spots to the city centres and interactive maps and headsets are provided to make it even easier. Fares include a chauffeur-driven home pick-up service or free airport parking.
travel.saga.co.uk