MONDAY, DECEMBER 7: Depart in the evening from your home airport.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8: Arrive at Nuremberg International Airport. Catch a taxi or Uniworld transfer to the ship. Settle into your cabin and then join your fellow travelers for dinner.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9: For a holiday extravaganza, look no further than Nuremberg, which boasts the largest and grandest Christmas Market in all of Germany. The “Gingerbread Capital of the World” pulls out all the stops during the holidays, as you’ll see for yourself on a panoramic tour guaranteed to put you in a festive mood. Stroll through castle gardens and enjoy breathtaking views of the city, then walk through a maze of cobblestone lanes down to the Market Square. There, spread out before the Church of Our Lady, is the largest Christmas Market in Germany. A special Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner will be prepared onboard the ship this evening as we prepare to set sail!
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10: After breakfast on the ship, we will disembark in Bamberg, a superb example of medieval Germany. The entire heart of historic Bamberg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is yours to explore today. Visit the splendid late-Romanesque Imperial Cathedral, two magnificent palaces and the old Town Hall. Legend has it that the bishop refused to give the town land for their town hall, so they built an artificial island for it, right in the middle of the Regnitz River. You’ll also see parts of Bamberg’s famous Nativity Walk, which links 35 churches, museums and public spaces that display Nativity scenes; some from hundreds of years ago. When the tour concludes, you’ll have time to explore Bamberg’s four Christmas Markets: the traditional one on the Market Square, one featuring medieval cultural programs and two markets that focus on local arts and crafts. Shuttles will be provided throughout the afternoon to take you between the ship and town.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11: Wake up this morning in port in Rothenburg. Rothenburg looks like something straight out of the pages of a storybook, with its medieval walls, cobbled streets, Gothic churches and Hansel-and-Gretel houses. Join a local expert for an insightful walking tour and then wander amongst the stalls at one of Germany’s oldest Christmas markets. Just before dinner, join your fellow travelers for a stroll to Würzburg’s glorious Christmas Market. Beautifully decorated wooden booths are illuminated by the soft glow of Christmas lighting, and the air is filled with the scent of roasted chestnuts and the sound of Christmas carols. As you roam among the booths, you can watch glassblowers and wood carvers at work and buy their handiwork. Today’s lunch will be on your own. Dinner and a good night’s sleep await on board our ship.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12: This morning, you’ll head off to see the Würzburg Residence. This 300-room UNESCO World Heritage–designated residence was constructed over a period of 60 years in the 18th century. An extraordinarily lavish palace, the magnificent grand staircase boasts the world’s largest ceiling fresco, painted by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, a spectacular Hall of Mirrors and an imposing Imperial Hall, which boasts a large oval dome and 20 half-columns. Later in the day, travel through Franconia’s rolling hills and farms to the picture-perfect village of Aschfeld, which features a historic church with a defensive wall that protected residents throughout the Middle Ages. After your visit to the Heimatmuseum at the Fortified Church, sample some homemade Christmas goodies such as cookies, stollen, and gingerbread, along with coffee and tea. Dinner will be served onboard.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13: Enjoy a slow start to your day after you awake in Wertheim, a lovely village dating back over a thousand years. While you’re still onboard, enjoy a warm drink and join a stollen (traditional German fruitcake) baking demonstration by a master baker. Then venture into town where you’ll see the dramatic ruins of Wertheim Castle standing high above the village as you ramble through the narrow streets, passing small bakeries and butcher shops. In the Market Square, you’ll see St. Mary’s Chapel, which was erected in 1447, and several other landmarks. After the tour you can stay in town to shop or visit the Glass Museum before making your way back to the ship. Our group will share worship and communion together in the evening onboard.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 14: Our last full day in Germany will be spent together in Frankfurt. While also a modern European city, Frankfurt’s charming old town, the Altstadt, has hosted some of the best Christmas markets on the continent for centuries. Opt to stay in town today for a “Taste of Christmas” walking tour featuring all sorts of sugary and savory treats, or alternatively, head out of town on an excursion to the Christmas market in Wiesbaden. A special Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening onboard the S.S. Emilie as we share one last night together.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15: After breakfast, we bid adieu to the S.S. Emilie with full suitcases and fuller hearts, warmed by the camaraderie of our week together, and head to the Frankfurt International Airport for our flights home.