Cruising Down the River to a Christmas Market
Holiday river cruises in the dead of winter offer a unique opportunity to celebrate Christmas and New Year's in several different venues - in several different countries.
The winters in Europe tend to be milder than those in the northern portion of the United States and the rivers are cold, but free of ice.
If the thought of a chilled nose is bothersome, then it's probably best to take a cruise in warmer climes, those south of the equator.
South America, Australia, and the Far East offer cruises in the winter; there's also the Nile.
However, I would venture to say that they do not offer the same holiday atmosphere or quite the same snow-laden ambiance as those on the European favorite rivers, the Rhine and the Danube.
Many cities in Europe are known for their festival of lights during the holiday season and open outdoor market places are thriving.
Nuremberg, Passau, Vienna, Amsterdam, Cologne, Mainz, Frankfurt, Prague, Budapest and many smaller cities in between are all fully decked out in true "northern" (i.
e.
cold-weather) spirit.
Christmas Markets are at their peak in Germany, with over 2500 sprinkled about the country.
These markets draw upward of 160 million visitors to German cities and small towns.
That figure does not include the markets throughout the rest of Europe; the total figure must be really huge.
Christmas Markets have spread across the channel to England and some have even popped up in the United States.
These markets generate about $8 billion in sales each year and to say that they have a huge impact on local economies is a gigantic understatement.
In Germany, in particular, the holiday spirit is carried out to the maximum.
Special seasonal food, handicrafts, Christmas decorations, gluehwein, and even store windows are part of the winter scene.
The largest and most famous Christmas Market is in the town square of Nuremberg.
Beginning at Nuremberg, on a Danube Christmas cruise, it's possible to visit several towns where many Christmas traditions began.
Venturing down the Danube brings a chance to see the spectacular Wachau Valley in Austria, which is even more beautiful with a coating of snow.
Budapest would provide a glimpse of specialties of the former east bloc countries.
The same festive spirit holds true for a Christmas cruise on the Rhine; the cities may be different, but the ambiance and holiday festivities would be the same.
The temperatures throughout Europe aren't as variable as those in the United States.
For instance, the average temperature in Paris in December ranges from 39 to 46 degrees.
In Amsterdam, it's 36 to 44 degrees, with an all-time high of 59 degrees.
(Who knows, you may get lucky.
) The best chances of seeing snow are in Prague, with temps averaging 26 to 36 degrees, and Vienna, 30 to 39 degrees.
Nuremberg, 34/42 degrees; Cologne, 30/43; Budapest, 28/38.
A traveler can expect snow, rain, or perfectly clear, blue skies.
But, to top it off, the tourist crowds will be smaller, the prices will be smaller, and the chance of fitting in with the "home folks" will be much greater.
The fun, adventure, and great Christmas shopping will be worth the cost of the trip itself.
Ready? It's time to work quickly, as many, if not all of these cruises are already booked for 2009.
In fact, it's now possible, and quite advisable, to make reservations for the 2010 Holiday season.
Here's an abbreviated list of possible Christmas river cruises: AMA WATERWAYS offers Holiday cruises on the Rhine and Danube and one cruise from Paris to Amsterdam.
Other cruises link Prague and Budapest via Austria, and one tour takes you from Zurich to Lucerne, than via riverboat on the Rhine from Basel to Amsterdam.
AVALON WATERWAYS runs a trip from Prague to Frankfurt CROISIEUROPE offers 20 different Christmas/New Years river cruises on the Seine, Rhone, Rhine, Danube, Moselle and in Belgium, Holland, and Spain, as well.
Many of these are only three or four days and could be considered a "taster" cruise for a longer voyage in the summer.
GRAND CIRCLE TRAVEL cruises the Seine from Paris to Rouen, the Rhine from Basel to Amsterdam and the Danube from Nuremberg to Vienna.
UNIWORLD offers about a dozen cruises on the Danube, Rhine or Seine.
VIKING RIVER CRUISES has several different agendas.
Vienna to Nuremberg on the Danube; Vienna to Passau and then to Budapest; Nuremberg to Prague.
On the Rhine, from Cologne to Strasbourg, Mainz and back to Cologne.
For information on visiting Germany, including a list of all 2500 Christmas Markets: Come to Germany.
And don't forget there are many other countries with festive holiday celebrations.
From the comfort and convenience of a river cruise boat seems the ideal way for a personal introduction to these fabulous Christmas Markets.
The winters in Europe tend to be milder than those in the northern portion of the United States and the rivers are cold, but free of ice.
If the thought of a chilled nose is bothersome, then it's probably best to take a cruise in warmer climes, those south of the equator.
South America, Australia, and the Far East offer cruises in the winter; there's also the Nile.
However, I would venture to say that they do not offer the same holiday atmosphere or quite the same snow-laden ambiance as those on the European favorite rivers, the Rhine and the Danube.
Many cities in Europe are known for their festival of lights during the holiday season and open outdoor market places are thriving.
Nuremberg, Passau, Vienna, Amsterdam, Cologne, Mainz, Frankfurt, Prague, Budapest and many smaller cities in between are all fully decked out in true "northern" (i.
e.
cold-weather) spirit.
Christmas Markets are at their peak in Germany, with over 2500 sprinkled about the country.
These markets draw upward of 160 million visitors to German cities and small towns.
That figure does not include the markets throughout the rest of Europe; the total figure must be really huge.
Christmas Markets have spread across the channel to England and some have even popped up in the United States.
These markets generate about $8 billion in sales each year and to say that they have a huge impact on local economies is a gigantic understatement.
In Germany, in particular, the holiday spirit is carried out to the maximum.
Special seasonal food, handicrafts, Christmas decorations, gluehwein, and even store windows are part of the winter scene.
The largest and most famous Christmas Market is in the town square of Nuremberg.
Beginning at Nuremberg, on a Danube Christmas cruise, it's possible to visit several towns where many Christmas traditions began.
Venturing down the Danube brings a chance to see the spectacular Wachau Valley in Austria, which is even more beautiful with a coating of snow.
Budapest would provide a glimpse of specialties of the former east bloc countries.
The same festive spirit holds true for a Christmas cruise on the Rhine; the cities may be different, but the ambiance and holiday festivities would be the same.
The temperatures throughout Europe aren't as variable as those in the United States.
For instance, the average temperature in Paris in December ranges from 39 to 46 degrees.
In Amsterdam, it's 36 to 44 degrees, with an all-time high of 59 degrees.
(Who knows, you may get lucky.
) The best chances of seeing snow are in Prague, with temps averaging 26 to 36 degrees, and Vienna, 30 to 39 degrees.
Nuremberg, 34/42 degrees; Cologne, 30/43; Budapest, 28/38.
A traveler can expect snow, rain, or perfectly clear, blue skies.
But, to top it off, the tourist crowds will be smaller, the prices will be smaller, and the chance of fitting in with the "home folks" will be much greater.
The fun, adventure, and great Christmas shopping will be worth the cost of the trip itself.
Ready? It's time to work quickly, as many, if not all of these cruises are already booked for 2009.
In fact, it's now possible, and quite advisable, to make reservations for the 2010 Holiday season.
Here's an abbreviated list of possible Christmas river cruises: AMA WATERWAYS offers Holiday cruises on the Rhine and Danube and one cruise from Paris to Amsterdam.
Other cruises link Prague and Budapest via Austria, and one tour takes you from Zurich to Lucerne, than via riverboat on the Rhine from Basel to Amsterdam.
AVALON WATERWAYS runs a trip from Prague to Frankfurt CROISIEUROPE offers 20 different Christmas/New Years river cruises on the Seine, Rhone, Rhine, Danube, Moselle and in Belgium, Holland, and Spain, as well.
Many of these are only three or four days and could be considered a "taster" cruise for a longer voyage in the summer.
GRAND CIRCLE TRAVEL cruises the Seine from Paris to Rouen, the Rhine from Basel to Amsterdam and the Danube from Nuremberg to Vienna.
UNIWORLD offers about a dozen cruises on the Danube, Rhine or Seine.
VIKING RIVER CRUISES has several different agendas.
Vienna to Nuremberg on the Danube; Vienna to Passau and then to Budapest; Nuremberg to Prague.
On the Rhine, from Cologne to Strasbourg, Mainz and back to Cologne.
For information on visiting Germany, including a list of all 2500 Christmas Markets: Come to Germany.
And don't forget there are many other countries with festive holiday celebrations.
From the comfort and convenience of a river cruise boat seems the ideal way for a personal introduction to these fabulous Christmas Markets.
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