Day 1: London to Remagen
We begin our journey on a mid-morning Eurostar departure from St Pancras International to Brussels, then continue on to Cologne on a high-speed train. We transfer to a local train and travel along the banks of the mighty Rhine to Remagen and our hotel, the Hotel Pinger, for a three night stay.
Day 2: Cologne
Today we venture to Cologne, renowned for many years for its wonderful traditional Christmas Markets. The oldest of Cologne's Christmas Markets is the Neumarkt in the heart of the shopping district. With its beautifully decorated stands and mouth-watering fare, the Neumarkt is considered one of the best markets in Europe. One of its specialities is the production of decorative plates with illustrations of the Christmas Markets. The charming Alter Markt, famed for its local crafts, is a firm favourite with children because of its fairground rides, puppet theatre, Santa's grotto and many toy stands. The Cathedral Christmas Market, so called because it is set against the backdrop of Cologne's magnificent landmark, is the most elaborately decorated with great attention to detail. There are over 150 charmingly illuminated wooden pavilions as well as the largest Christmas tree in the Rhineland, and numerous stalls selling sweet delicacies and glühwein (mulled wine) from festively decorated Christmas mugs.
Day 3: Rüdesheim
Today's excursion is by train to the Christmas Markets in Rüdesheim. Our journey takes us through the most scenic part of the Rhine Gorge and past the famous Lorelei rock. Every year towards the end of November Rüdesheim welcomes more than 120 stands from 12 nations offering their products, specialities and traditions in a beautiful market atmosphere. In addition, many shops have an excellent selection of Christmas decorations and presents. The Rüdesheim wine growers open their cellars with winter specialities, and cosy restaurants welcome weary shoppers with sumptuous local cuisine. Europe's largest nativity scene can be found on the market square, complete with life sized figures, and there are numerous events throughout the festive pre-Christmas season, from concerts and parades to nativity plays and other Advent celebrations. We stay for a while to see the wonderful Christmas lights before returning to Remagen in time for dinner.
Day 4: Remagen to London
We leave Remagen by local train heading north to Cologne, where we join the high-speed service through to Brussels. Here we change for our Eurostar to St Pancras International, arriving late afternoon.
