Route Search
My Account
Impressions
You are located in United States.Your booking will be managed in « $ ».
Share route:
Share Link on Facebook Share Link on Twitter Share Link on WhatsApp Share Link via E-Mail
Christmas comes just once a year, so immerse yourself in all things holly and jolly! Your adventure begins in Basel, where Switzerland touches borders with neighboring Germany and France for a true melting pot of cultures and traditions! Other stops include Kehl, an intriguing city that has alternated between French and German control throughout its thousand-year history, and Mannheim, home to one of the largest palace complexes in the world. Guided walks reveal each city’s history, while the Christmas Markets provide the chance to shop for hand-crafted gifts and sample the local culinary delights. Be sure to leave space in your suitcase for all the goodies you’re bound to find! Your adventure concludes in Frankfurt, Germany’s bustling financial hub where music and garlands and dazzling lights create an inviting winter wonderland.
There's a point where Switzerland, Germany, and France meet—that point is the Swiss city of Basel. By the Middle Ages, Basel was a center of culture and commerce, and by the 15th century, it was an epicenter for the printing industry. In fact, it was here that the world's first printed book was published. Today, Basel is known for its pharmaceutical industry, exciting art scene, impressive 13th-century Gothic cathedral, and its annual Carnival celebrations that attract visitors from around the world each February.
If any city has the right to feel like the rope in a Tug-o-War game, it's Kehl. First mentioned in 1038, its strategic location caused frequent territorial disputes between France and Germany, so whether the city was French or German often depended on the year! Today, Kehl is a vibrant German city sitting directly across the Rhine from Stasbourg, France. Connected to this sister city by four bridges, including a train, it is considered the "Gateway to Strasbourg".
Situated where the Rhine and Neckar Rivers meet is Mannheim, nicknamed the Square City for its grid layout (unusual in Germany) and the City of Inventions—birthplace of the automobile, bicycle, tractor, and more. Mannheim Palace, whose facade stretches the length of more than four football fields (437 yards/400 meters) is truly impressive, and is the second-largest Baroque palace after Versailles. Other highlights include the landmark water tower, Old Town Hall, St. Sebastian Parish, Mannheim Port, and more!
Mainhattan—it's a nickname that Frankfurt am Main has earned as home to more than 300 international credit institutions, the European Central Bank, and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. But today's bustling city has humble roots reaching back over 2,000 years, and a turbulent fate during WWII that saw bombing of much of its historic architecture. Post-war, Frankfurt rebuilt and is now a blend of modern skyscrapers and rebuilt treasures.