Arriving by rail, experience five magical Christmas markets along the Danube on this seasonal cruise, browsing the stalls in front of some of the region's most magnificent castles and palaces

Your festive holiday begins as we meet at London St Pancras, where you meet the Tour Manager and travelling group, ready to board the Eurostar to Paris. From the French capital, we switch to a regional service and travel in First Class to Stuttgart, a charming city on the Neckar River.

Arriving in the evening, we check in to our central hotel for an overnight stay. Tonight, we eat our first dinner together in the hotel restaurant, and as you enjoy your meal, you can look forward to the seasonal cruise ahead.

After breakfast this morning, we board a train to Vienna via Munich, travelling in First Class. In winter, Vienna is an enchanting place to visit, with stately Baroque buildings around every corner and magnificent Gothic churches to explore. As we arrive, you can look forward to tomorrow's tour of the city and to browsing the stalls at Vienna's famous Christmas markets.

From the station, we transfer by coach to our elegant cruise ship, which is decked out in its Christmas finery. We're greeted by our friendly crew and enjoy a welcome drink while taking in the waterside views from the lounge.

After settling into your cabin and familiarising yourself with our ship's facilities, we indulge in our first five-course dinner on board.

After breakfast this morning, we board a coach for a guided tour of the elegant city of Vienna. With our expert guide, we pass the illustrious Ringstrasse boulevard, the world-renowned Opera House and the monumental parliament building.

After lunch on the ship, you can choose between two excursions. The first is a trip to Schönbrunn Palace, once the summer residence of the ruling Habsburg family. During the festive season, the forecourt is transformed into a magical Christmas market. Listening as the live band plays festive melodies in front of the beautifully decorated tree, you can wander the stalls selling handmade goods, art and gourmet treats.

Your second option is to return to Vienna, where you can stroll along the scenic boulevards, marvel at the striking St Stephen's Cathedral or enter one of the countless museums and galleries that bring the city's history to life. Don't forget to indulge in a slice of famous Sachertorte, a delicious Viennese cake, at one of the city's grand coffeehouses.

Today brings a tour of one of the Wachau Valley's most magnificent sights: Melk Abbey. Standing atop of a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube, this golden 11th-century complex is a wonder of Baroque architecture. We disembark at Emmersdorf and tour the abbey's beautiful church, historic library and ornate halls.

Back on the ship, we enjoy lunch as we sail through the picturesque Wachau Valley to the riverside village of Dürnstein, where you may be tempted to sample the local produce or simply wander the charming streets and admire its powder-blue church tower.

Returning to the ship in the evening, we enjoy a festive afternoon in the lounge with the opportunity to try decorating gingerbread before we sit down to dinner.

After breakfast, we board a coach for a tour of Passau, a charming German city whose Old Town is filled with Baroque architecture. In the heart of the city, the Old Town's Cathedral - St Stephan's, home to the world's largest cathedral organ sounds - rises dramatically overlooking the city. The Old Town, constructed by Italian Baroque masters in the 17th century, is filled with soaring towers, picturesque landscapes, enchanting promenades and winding alleyways.

After lunch on the ship, you have free time to explore the city independently. You might like to visit the Veste Oberhaus, a 13th-century hilltop fortress and one of the largest surviving castle complexes in Europe.

Returning to our ship in the late afternoon, we begin sailing toward Regensburg, enjoying the ever-changing scenery from the lounge. We indulge in a delightful Christmas-themed afternoon tea of mince pies, stollen, gingerbread, pigs in blankets, turkey and stuffing sandwiches, with mulled wine. In the evening, we enjoy dinner on the ship as we continue sailing.

Today brings one of the highlights of your festive cruise: a visit to Regensburg, a beautifully preserved medieval city home to one of Germany's most enchanting Christmas markets.

Arriving in the morning, we enjoy a guided sightseeing tour of the UNESCO-listed Old Town before returning in the afternoon for an atmospheric market experience. One of the highlights of our tour is St Peter's Cathedral, a grand 13th-century building with stunning stained-glass windows in the heart of the Old Town.

After lunch on the ship, we make our way to the market. Situated around the beautiful Thurn and Taxis Castle, this lantern-lit market is a feast for the senses. As you stroll among the craft stalls selling homemade goods with the scent of roasted chestnuts in the air, you can relish the feeling of having stepped back in time. After enjoying the enchanting atmosphere, browsing the stalls and tasting local delicacies, we return to the ship for dinner.

Unwind during a free morning as we continue to cruise toward Nuremberg. You might like to put on warm clothes and step out onto the ship's deck to enjoy panoramic views of the riverbanks or enjoy a massage in the wellness centre.

In the afternoon, we disembark and set out on a guided sightseeing tour of Nuremberg, a former Free Imperial City during the Middle Ages and a centre of art and intellectual life during the Renaissance. Among other landmarks, we see the imperial Kaiserburg castle overlooking the Altstadt marketplace. There's a unique charm to the city, from the quaint traditional figurines lining the market stalls to the striking stone sculptures and murals that vividly depict rich medieval history.

With free time after the tour, you can explore the city's Christmas markets, walking through twinkling lights, sipping mulled wine and soaking up the seasonal atmosphere before we return to our ship for dinner.

After breakfast today, we transfer to Nuremberg station, where we board a train to Frankfurt, travelling in First Class. Arriving in the afternoon, we check in to our hotel before an afternoon at leisure in the city.

With a skyline of towering skyscrapers, Frankfurt is an economic powerhouse, home to most of the country's financial institutions. But in the heart of the Old Town is Römerberg, a charming square lined with historic buildings. During the festive season, this square is home to a lovely Christmas market that stretches from the square to the quayside on the river. Dating back to the 14th century, this market has developed its own recipes for baked marzipan, a delicious festive treat.

You're welcome to explore the market at leisure, enjoying the sights, sounds and scents as the dusk begins to fall. In the evening, we gather at the hotel for our final dinner of the holiday.

The Danube brims with festive charm, with picture-perfect squares filled with scents of the season surrounded by charming half-timbered buildings. Twinkling lights, handcrafted gifts and the Christmas markets' warming food and drink add to the cheerful atmosphere. From Vienna to Passau, Regensburg, Nuremberg and Frankfurt, these historic and idyllic towns have epitomised the joy of the holidays.

After breakfast, we board a high-speed train to Brussels, travelling in First Class. In the Belgian capital, we board the Eurostar to London St Pancras, where your festive holiday concludes and you are free to make your own way home.

Deutsche Bahn, headquartered in Berlin, operates trains to all parts of Germany and neighbouring countries. The rail company offers a range of services in different train fleets. For long-distance journey, Deutsche Bahn operates the Intercity Express (ICE) trains that boast comfortable seats with adequate legroom. There's WiFi accessibility and charging socket at every seat. The onboard catering service makes meals, drinks, and snacks available during the journey. There are various generations of ICE trains - ICE 1, 2, 3, and 4. ICE 3 can reach a top speed of almost 190 mph. ICE 4 trains come with family area, children's area, and quiet zone along with newly modelled ergonomic seats.

There are a host of services that operate regionally, connecting different German cities and nearby regions. Interregio Express links 2 regions without stopping at all stations along the route, whereas the Regional Express is used for local connections as well as long distance services. Regionalbahn connects cities to their hinterlands, and the S-Bahn is ideal for travelling between cities.

Step aboard the high-speed international rail service, linking London St Pancras to Paris and Lille in France, Brussels in Belgium and Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Eurostar's Standard Class coaches feature two seats on either side of the central aisle, most of which are arranged in an 'airline' seating configuration with drop-down tray tables. There are two tables for four per carriage. Passengers travelling in Eurostar Standard Class coaches can take advantage of the Bar-Buffet which sells a range of snacks, meals, and hot and cold drinks - including Champagne!

The highest class of Eurostar travel available for leisure customers is Plus class. In your dedicated Plus carriage you'll find a less dense seat configuration, meaning the seats are larger and you have ample space to relax and stretch out. As part of the service, you'll enjoy complimentary drinks and refreshments, served at your seat by friendly, helpful waiting staff.

For the class of travel used on your chosen tour, please refer to the 'What's Included' section of the tour page.

Situated in the heart of Stuttgart, directly opposite Stuttgart Central Station, this 5-Star hotel is perfectly placed for shopping and sightseeing. It offers a restaurant serving a variety of international fare, a restaurant serving regional dishes, a lounge and a spa featuring a sauna, a steam bath and a fitness room. Guest rooms are equipped with free Wi-Fi, flatscreen TV, tea & coffee-making facilities, ironing equipment, minibar, hairdryer and complimentary toiletries.

Joining the fleet in 2019, the MS Amadeus Star is a 'masterpiece of design' and offers impeccable cabin spaces with 70 deluxe cabins and 12 Amadeus suites. Made up of 4 decks, the ship features several facilities including the panorama bar, restaurant, river terrace, as well as a wellness centre where you can book a relaxing massage, or arrange one of many beauty treatments. The sun deck on board also provides a fitness suite, which is open all day. Each bedroom comes with a spacious ensuite bathroom, a mini bar, a flatscreen television, walk-in wardrobe, and either a double or twin bed. Some rooms also offer panoramic windows or a balcony.

Flight upgrades are available. For information regarding the types of upgrades offered by the airlines we use, call our expert team for details.

Spending a night in London before your tour can make such a difference to the first day of your holiday - you can arrive in the capital in good time, relaxed and ready to join your Tour Manager the next morning. You may even want to take in a show on the West End or dine in one of London's famous restaurants. Perhaps on your return to London, you would like to break your journey with an overnight stay before continuing home.

We can book a wide range of hotels in central London or, for our holidays beginning with a flight, at Heathrow, Gatwick, or Manchester Airport for the night before or after your holiday. If you require a quote for single occupancy at any of the hotels, please contact us on 01904 734 805.

Buying tickets for UK train services can be a tricky business - there are so many fares to choose from, each with different rules and restrictions. As you are connecting with an international departure, we strongly recommend that you book a fully flexible ticket to ensure that should the departure times for your holiday change, your rail ticket can allow for these changes.

We can book fully-flexible UK rail tickets from your local station to join your holiday whether this be a European holiday from St Pancras or a UK holiday. The prices are competitive and tickets are not restricted to a particular train or time of day, and in most cases offer you a free choice of routes.

For an up to date quote from your local station, please ask one of our Tour Advisors.