The Magic of the European Christmas Markets
Heidelberg along the Neckar River
The Christmas season in both France and Germany is a very special time. Cities are alite in a warm glow that cannot be replicated at any other time of the year. The Christmas markets in France and Germany are all unique and offer an array of products that are distinct and, in many cases, homemade. Everywhere you go you will be able to enjoy sumptuous seasonal treats both savoury and sweet all with the tradition warm mulled wine.
Join us as we experience the very best of the Christmas season in France and Germany. We’ll travel to Lyon to experience the magic of its festivities before boarding CroisiEurope’s MS Victor Hugo. We’ll make stops Heidelberg and in several small hamlets and towns that each offer their distinct flavour of the season. We will complete our holiday in Strasbourg, where holiday enchantment abounds and thousands of lights sparkle to create a bewitching atmosphere.
Travac’s Magic of the European Christmas Markets is priced starting at only $5199 + taxes based on double occupancy and includes return airfare from Ottawa; all transfers; 3 nights accommodation in Lyon; 4 nights aboard CroisiEurope’s MS Victor Hugo; 3 nights accommodation in Strasbourg; meals, drinks, and shore excursions while on board the ship; city tours of Lyon and Strasbourg; and the services of a Travac Tours Director. Join us for this unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime adventure this holiday season!
Tour Itinerary
Day 1
Ottawa to Lyon
Today we will depart Ottawa for Lyon, France via Paris with Air France.
Day 2
Lyon
After arriving into Lyon in the early morning, we will be transferred by private motor coach to our downtown hotel. Lyon is known as the gastronomic capital of France and the food is sure to be amazing. Plus, it has an incredible depth of history dating back to Roman times, plenty of interesting museums, and fantastic public art from dazzling trompe-l’oeil murals to classical statues. While less touristy than Paris, it offers a full array of attractions that make it a special part of the French culture. It is also a very walkable city with many attractions close to the centre of the town.
Day 3
Lyon
We will begin our day with a half-day guided city tour of Lyon. The rest of your day is free to explore. Don’t forget to take an evening stroll into the markets as a large part of the downtown core has been lit up for the Festival of Lights to make your experience even more unforgettable.
Day 4
Lyon
Today is a free day to enjoy the festive season in Lyon. Your Travac Tours Director will advise you of any optional excursion ($)
Day 5
Strasbourg
Today we will depart Lyon for Strasbourg. Upon arrival, we will drop off luggage at our ship then embark on a panoramic tour of the city. You will then have free time to enjoy the festive season in Strasbourg and its famous Christmas markets. At 6 pm, we will board our ship, the MS Victor Hugo. After you’ve comfortably settled into your cabins, the crew will be introduced at a welcome cocktail. Tonight, we’ll enjoy dinner and an evening of entertainment on board. Our ship will begin to cruise to Mannheim.
Day 6
Heidelberg to Eberbach
This morning we’ll arrive in Mannheim, our starting point for the tour of Heidelberg and its castle (exterior only).
Heidelberg is Germany’s oldest and most famous university town. The late 18th- and 19th-century Romanticists were especially inspired by this riverside setting. After a guided tour of the old town, you’ll enjoy some free time wandering through the local Christmas markets. Soak up the atmosphere, jump on the old-time carousel like a kid, enjoy the scrumptious food, and throw back a beer or sip on mulled wine. There’s no better way to welcome the season than being at the heart of the festivities. After our tour, we’ll return on board our ship in Heidelberg.
We’ll spend the afternoon cruising the Neckar River towards Eberbach. We’ll pass by what the Germans call the “Romantic Four”—Neckargemünd and its wonderfully decorated half-timbered homes dominated by Dilsberg Castle above the city; Neckasteinach and its four castles that form a ribbon around the river bends; Hirschhorn, its castle, and former Carmelite cloister; and lastly, our arrival point at the quaint city of Eberbach. Enjoy some free time to stroll through the vibrant, inspiring town located on what was once an old trade route linking Mannheim to Prague.
Day 7
Eberbach – Heilbronn – Heidelberg
Today you’ll travel from Eberbach to Heilbronn, the wine capital of historic Wurtemberg—an ancient Imperial Free City sitting within beautiful forests and vineyards. During your stroll through downtown, you’ll see the astronomical clock on the old City Hall in the market square; St. Kilian’s Church and its Renaissance-style belfry; and the Deutschhof, an old monastery that now houses the city museums. At Christmas time, the city overflows with music and traditional spices such as aniseed and cinnamon. Enjoy browsing the decorated stands brimming with crafts and souvenirs around St. Kilian’s Church, the City Hall, and the market square. We’ll have lunch in a local restaurant (included). After the excursion, we’ll return on board in Heidelberg. The rest of the evening is yours to do as you please. (L)
Day 8
Heidelberg – Speyer
We’ll spend the morning cruising. On arrival, join us for a tour of Speyer. The city is littered with impressive landmarks, including the UNESCO-listed cathedral and medieval ruins from the time when it was inhabited by one of the most important Jewish communities in Germany. Speyer also hosts a delightful and ethereal Christmas and New Year Market on the famous Maximilianstrasse in front of the Alten Münze (Old Mint). Tonight is our festive gala evening. Our ship will begin to cruise to Strasbourg.
Day 9
Strasbourg
Enjoy breakfast on board this morning before disembarking at 9:00am. We will be transferred to our hotel. You will have free time to explore Strasbourg before checking into your hotel in the afternoon.
Day 10
Strasbourg
Today is a day to explore on your own. Your Travac Tours Director will have ideas of things you can do today. Strasbourg is one of the most beautiful cities in France, if not in all of Europe. It is a vibrant city with a unique blend of French and German influences. Its historic centre, Grande Île, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and attracts visitors with its medieval architecture, picturesque canals, and cultural attractions. Its Christmas markets are heavily influenced by French and German cultures.
Day 11
Strasbourg
Today is another free day. Your Travac Tours Director will have an optional tour ($) to enhance your experience in the area.
Day 12
Return to Canada
We will depart the hotel after breakfast and head to Strasbourg airport. Flights are with Air France via Paris and arrive into Ottawa in the late afternoon.
Hotel Information
Pullman Lyon or similar
Hotel Address
44 Boulevard Vivier MerleLyon, France
69003
+33 4 12 05 03 70
MS Victor Hugo (ship)
Novotel Strasbourg Centre Halles or similiar
Hotel Address
Quai KléberStrasbourg, France
67000
+33 3 88 21 50 50
Cruising the Douro, River of Gold with CroisiEurope
June 16-28, 2026
The Douro river offers some of the best scenery of any river cruise in Europe.
Travac Tours is pleased to be offering a special cruise on the Douro and into the heart of Portugal and Spain’s wine country at an incredible price.
Travac’s river cruise includes round trip airfare from Canada, an eight day seven night river cruise on the Douro River with refined French cuisine (three meals a day), all your drinks with meals and at the bar (specialty drinks excluded), a gala dinner and evening, a host of onboard activities, two nights’ accommodation in the vibrant city of Lisbon with breakfast daily, one night’s accommodation in Fatima, one night’s accommodation in Porto, and the services a Travac Tours Director.
Space is limited- early booking is essential to take part in this fabulous adventure!
Tour Itinerary
Day 1
Ottawa to Lisbon
This late afternoon, we will depart Ottawa by chartered coach for Montreal, where we will board our overnight Air Transat flight to Lisbon.
Day 2
Arrival in Lisbon
Upon our arrival in Lisbon, we will be transferred to our hotel. Check-in is not available until mid-afternoon. Your Travac Tour Director will have a few options to help you discover this fabulous city. (B)
Your hotel for the next 2 nights – Hotel HF Fenix Urban or similar.
Day 3
Lisbon
After breakfast, we will depart for an included full-day tour of Lisbon led by a knowledgeable local guide. A stop will be made for lunch ($). Expect to return to the hotel in the early evening. (B)
Day 4
Lisbon to Fatima
We will travel North from Lisbon to Fatima after breakfast. Before checking in, we’ll visit an important religious pilgrimage site the Catholic shrine of Our Lady, one of the most famous in the world with lunch included. (B, L)
Your overnight hotel – Hotel Santa Maria or similar.
Day 5
Fatima to Porto
Enjoy breakfast before we continue north to Porto. Along the way, we’ll stop in Coimbra for a walking tour, with free time for lunch ($) before arriving in Porto. Upon arrival, you will board your ship, MS Gil Eanes, at 5:00 p.m. After settling comfortably into your cabins, join us for a welcome cocktail and crew introduction before dinner. In the evening, you may choose to take an optional CLASSIC / DISCOVERY excursion by coach to experience Porto by night. (B, D)
Your ship for the next 7 nights – MS Gil Eanes.
Day 6
Porto – Regua
Join us for the excursions proposed: CLASSIC: Guided tour of Porto. We’ll leave for Porto’s city center by coach. Our first stop will be a tour of St. Francis Church. A stone’s throw from the Douro riverbank, it is among the most symbolic buildings in Porto. We’ll then head over to see the inside of Bolsa Palace—also known as the Stock Exchange Palace—a magnificent, neoclassical mansion in the heart of the historic downtown. The next stop will be an azulejo tile workshop. This tour is a unique occasion to discover this age-long art form. We’ll return to the ship.
DISCOVERY: Touring Porto via tram and visiting the tram museum followed by a tasting of some of the local specialties in the old city.
In the afternoon, we’ll cruise through the Douro Valley with its fabulous landscapes. Enjoy an evening of dancing or time at leisure in Regua tonight. (B, L, D)
Day 7
Regua – Vega De Terron
Join us on an optional CLASSIC / DISCOVERY excursion: the Casa de Mateus and the Douro museum. We’ll leave on foot for the Douro Museum to learn about the passionate history and wine-making heritage in the region, an experience combining traditional and modern approaches. We’ll continue on by coach for Mateus Palace, a beautiful 18th-century manor in Vila Real. This baroque-style manor belonged to the same family until a foundation was set up to preserve it in 1970. The dramatic splendor and details of the complex offer a unique visual relationship between geometry and space. Enjoy a stroll through the magnificent tree- and hedge-lined gardens, which include a romantic Mexican-cedar topiary tunnel. After, we’ll return to the ship in Pinhão by coach. In the afternoon, the cruise continues to the heart of the most famous vineyards in Porto to Vega de Terron. We’ll arrive in the evening. Enjoy an evening of Flamenco entertainment. (B, L, D)
Day 8
Vega De Terron – Salamanca – Barca d’Alva
Join us for the excursions proposed:
CLASSIC: Salamanca. This town of dazzling beauty houses some extraordinary Roman, Arabic, and Christian architectural treasures.
DISCOVERY: Salamanca tapas tour.
We’ll return on board in Barca d’Alva. Enjoy an evening of entertainment. (B, L, D)
Day 9
Barca d’Alva – Ferradosa – Pinhao
This morning will be spent cruising. Join us on an optional CLASSIC / DISCOVERY excursion: Port Wine Route and Pinhão. Tonight’s our gala dinner and evening. (B, L, D)
Day 10
Pinhao – Porto
Join us on an optional CLASSIC / DISCOVERY excursion: Guided tour of Lamego. This afternoon will be spent cruising. Enjoy an evening of Fado-themed entertainment. (B, L, D)
Day 11
Porto
This morning, enjoy time at leisure in Porto. In the afternoon, join us for the optional excursions proposed:
CLASSIC: Discover Guimaraes.
DISCOVERY: Quaint Afurada.
Enjoy an evening of traditional folk entertainment. (B, L, D)
Day 12
Porto
Enjoy one final buffet breakfast on board before disembarking the ship at 9:00am. After leaving the ship, we’ll visit the WOW Museum, a unique collective of six different museums, for a self-guided experience. Lunch will be on your own at your leisure. Following the museum visit, we’ll head to the hotel in time for check-in at 3:00pm. The remainder of your day will be free. (B)
Your overnight hotel – Hotel HF Ipanema Park or similar.
Day 13
Porto to Ottawa
Early this morning you will be transferred from the hotel to the airport for your flight to Montreal. On arrival in Montreal, there will be a chartered coach for your return to Ottawa. (B)
Itinerary and hotels are subject to change. Cruise itinerary is subject to change by cruise line.
Please note this is not an appropriate tour for individuals with walking disabilities or limitations. No walkers or wheelchairs are permitted. Accessible rooms are not available.
Hotel Information
Hotel HF Fenix Urban or similar
Hotel Address
Av. António Augusto de Aguiar 14LIsbon, Portugal
1050-016
+351 21 351 5000
Hotel Santa Maria or similar
Hotel Address
R. de Santo António 79, Cova da IriaFatima, Portugal
2495-430
+351 249 530 110
MS Gil Eanes (ship)
Hotel HF Ipanema Park or similar
Hotel Address
R. de Serralves 124Porto, Portugal
4150-702
+351 22 532 2121