Join Matthias Next Christmas!
Dear Travelers,
I hope you had a festive and relaxing holiday season! Even though the new year is only a few days old, I would like to direct your attention to December 2026. I am very excited to host the Old-World Christmas cruise from December 6 through 15. I welcome you to join me on this luxurious river cruise where we discover European Christmas markets and more in Germany, France, Switzerland, and Italy.
The cruise starts in Cologne, Germany, my most favorite city in Germany. Cologne is the fourth-most populated city in Germany. The city’s most famous landmark is the medieval Cologne Cathedral (“Kölner Dom”), the tallest cathedral in the world. It took more than 600 years to build this church until construction was completed in 1880. German engineering knows that good work takes time. The Cologne Cathedral houses the Shrine of the Three Kings and is one of the most visited sights and pilgrimage destinations in Europe.
I grew up in Piesport, a small wine village in the Moselle River Valley (or “Mosel” in German), about 100 miles southwest of Cologne. My family grew, bottled, and marketed wine, and our main customer base was in Cologne. Most Saturdays my father and grandfather would deliver our family’s Mosel Riesling wine to restaurants, pubs, and private customers in Cologne. I was always eager to join them. The wine my parents made was served in Cologne alongside Cologne’s famous local beer called “Kölsch” in local brewery pubs by the well known “Köbes”(the term for the waiters in these pubs who are known for being quick-witted, occasionally a little abrupt, but with their heart in the right place). I look forward to visiting Cologne again, pay my respects to the Cathedral, maybe take the 500 plus steps to the top of the Cathedral’s south tower for the view of the city and Lower Rhine region, enjoy the Christmas market on the Cathedral plaza, and maybe venture across the Rhine river to Cologne-Deutz and visit one of my family’s former customers called the “Lommerzheim Gaststätte,” which is still a true, original, local “Kölsch” pub.
On board the marvelous MS Amadeus Riva, we are sailing south on the Rhine River to the next stop in Koblenz. The Rhine is the second-longest river in Central and Western Europe (after the Danube); the river starts in the Swiss Alps and ends by emptying into the North Sea in the Netherlands. Its journey spans about 765-820 miles (1230-1320 km) through six countries: Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.
Koblenz, which is just an hour from my home village of Piesport, is special to me. Turns out I married an American woman whose great great grandparents emigrated from the Koblenz area. In Koblenz, the Mosel River flows into the Rhine River; the confluence of these two rivers is called the German Corner (or “Deutsches Eck” in German). From the German Corner, you can see across the Rhine River to the fortress “Festung Ehrenbreitstein,” which was built as part of the "Festung Koblenz" (Fortress Koblenz) by Prussia between 1817 and 1832. This area had often been invaded by the French, but the fortress was never attacked.
After strolling through the streets of this 2,000 year old town, or enjoying an optional excursion to the gorgeous wine town of Rüdesheim, the Riva takes us further along the Rhine River where we will pass The Lorelei about 40 miles south of Koblenz. The Lorelei is a 132-metre-high (433 ft), steep slate rock on the right bank of the River at Sankt Goarshausen in Germany and part of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lorelei (or Lorelie) is a name of German origin meaning "murmuring rock" or "alluring rock," derived from Old German words for 'lureln' (murmuring/lurking) and 'ley' (rock). The heavy currents and a small waterfall in the area (still visible in the early 19th century) created a murmuring sound. The combination of the murmuring sound and the special echo that the rock produces, to act as a sort of amplifier, gave the rock its name. The murmuring is hard to hear today owing to the urbanization of the area. However, the rock and the murmur it creates have inspired various tales. For example, a famous folklore story refers to a legendary siren on a Rhine River cliff who lured sailors to their doom with her song, symbolizing enchanting but perilous beauty. She is also famously featured in Heinrich Heine's poem "Die Lorelei," and her name can be found in the famous TV series Gilmore Girls.
Photo © by Marko Kruse
Next stop is Heidelberg, home of Germany’s oldest and one of Europe’s most prestigious universities. Heidelberg is also famous for its romantic cityscape, the Heidelberg Castle, and the Baroque old town. The town of Speyer on the Rhine is another optional stop. And Speyer, I will not miss. Speyer’s Cathedral dates back to the end of the 11th century and is a UNESCO heritage site offering much to learn about the Holy Roman Empire that built this basilica.
We can look forward to several traditional Christmas culinary traditions in the old world: there is the famous “Glühwein,” which we translate as “mulled” wine in English. It is red or white wine gently heated with spices (like cinnamon) and citrus, served hot in a mug. It’s a staple at German Christmas markets. Then there is “Lebkuchen” (or gingerbread), also delicious. But what really tops all of these is the famous Christmas Stollen (a traditional German fruitcake with a rich almond paste filling, dense butter and sugar coating, and a variety of fruit flavors). I bake a stollen every year using my Aunt Marianne’s recipe; she made the best stollen ever. The Christmas stollen offered at the Christmas markets in Europe are all worth trying! Enjoy a slice of stollen and a mug of tasty “Glühwein!”
Next stop: Alsace region in France where we will be visiting Strasbourg and off-the-beaten path villages like Gertwiller and Obernai. The Alsatian culture is a true blend of German and French influences. We will explore a stunning Gothic Cathedral in Strasbourg and France’s oldest Christmas market, taste Gertwiller gingerbread (“Lebkuchen”), and sample the famous wine and beer selection produced in Obernai. What I really like about the Alsace visit is that we go beyond Strasbourg and venture deeper into the rural treasures of the Alsace region.
The second half of Old-World Christmas continues on land. We disembark the Riva in Switzerland and discover the great Swiss cities and alpine regions of Basel, Lucerne, Lugano, and Como. We will visit the Christmas Markets in Basel and Lucerne, enjoy local culinary treats and artisan crafts, and explore stunning Swiss scenery. I especially look forward to enjoying the breathtaking views from Mount Pilatus. You can enjoy listening to me decipher the Swiss German spoken in Basel and Lucerne. I will do my best; however, it is good to know that I can count on the local tour guide who will travel with us through Switzerland.
Last but not least – Milano, Italia. Viva Italia! This will be a new destination for me. I have visited Florence, Sienna, and Rome in the past but never Milan. Milan is the regional capital of Lombardy, in northern Italy, and the second-most populous city in Italy. It is a major international center of industry, finance, science, communications, fashion, art, and tourism. I look forward to the guided tour to learn more about Milan, check out the Italian version of a Christmas market, and more. I know that I will take some time to enjoy one (or more) espressos in a café just watching people walking by.
Old-World Christmas offers a unique and festive way to start the month of December. You will return home with amazing memories and ideas to add to your own family’s holidays. I hope that you will join me in discovering these "Old-World" cities, villages, and Christmas markets for 10 days in December this year. This will be a fun trip, a good mixture of sightseeing and discovering but also “down time” to relax and enjoy the old world.
Reach out to Reservations@CountryTravelDiscoveries.com if you have any questions or want to learn more about this trip!
Yours,
Matthias
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