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River Duchess, 7 Night Classic Christmas Markets ex Frankfurt, Germany to Nuremberg, Germany
Cruise River Duchess, 7 Night Classic Christmas Markets ex Frankfurt, Germany to Nuremberg, Germany
Cruise Line Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Ship River Duchess
Destination EU Rivers
Brief Description 7 Night Cruise sailing from Frankfurt, Germany onboard River Duchess
Type of Cruise River
Departure Date 08 Dec 2025
Cruise Description Discover villages with fairytale houses and a friendly, festive atmosphere. Share traditional holiday goodies with the people who made them. Watch as modern children abandon their usual electronics and discover the enchantment of hand-carved wooden toys, as scents of cinnamon and roasting nuts fill the air.

Sail through Christmas country, trying Frankfurt’s famous apple cider and Nuremberg’s gingerbread. Throughout, cozy up to steaming mugs of glühwein (warm spiced wine) and do as the locals do by collecting different mugs from each stall and town you visit. Embrace the holiday spirit in Germany, the land where many Christmas traditions began, and find the magic of the season in the smiles that you meet along the way.

Please note that most Christmas Markets in Europe end their season on the 23rd of December and will not be available after that date.

Day 1 - Frankfurt (Embark)
Arrive at Frankfurt International Airport. If your cruise package includes a group arrival transfer or if you have purchased a private arrival transfer, you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the ship.

Day 2 - Frankfurt
Frankfurt is known as the “Mainhattan” of Europe, a financial powerhouse with soaring skyscrapers, but that’s done nothing to diminish the cultural heart of the city. Frankfurt’s old town, the Altstadt, is as charming as it gets, and 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 Welcome Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening.
Please note that most Christmas Markets in Europe end their season on the 23rd of December and will not be available after that date.

Day 3 - Cruising the Main River, Wertheim
Located at the confluence of the Tauber and Main rivers, Wertheim is a lovely village dating back over a thousand years. It epitomizes the friendly, slow-paced small-town atmosphere of many German villages; here, residents greet each other by name as they do their daily shopping for fresh bread and sausage in tiny shops. On your guided walking tour of the village, you’ll hear a lot about daily life in Wertheim, as well as facts about the town and its history. Its many well-preserved medieval buildings—complete with low doors and tiny windows—attest to the inconveniences of life in the Middle Ages.

Day 4 - Würzburg
This morning, you’ll head off to see the Würzburg Residence, a baroque-style palace famous for its gigantic ceiling fresco. Later, visit the town’s renowned Christmas Market, held in front of the old City Hall, for some one-of-a-kind gifts for friends back home. 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. One of the best ways to embrace a different culture is through encounters with local residents, which you’ll experience this afternoon in a typical Franconian village. Make new friends over hot drinks and homemade seasonal treats.
* Please note that most Christmas Markets in Europe end their season on the 23rd of December and will not be available after that date.


After Christmas Eve, the Würzburg Christmas Market will likely have ended its season and not be part of this tour. Würzburg Christmas Markets will be available from December 1, 2025 to December 23, 2025.

Day 5 - Kitzingen (Rothenburg), Schweinfurt
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
* Today’s lunch will be on your own.
Please note that most Christmas Markets in Europe end their season on the 23rd of December and will not be available after that date.

Day 6 - Bamberg
The fact that Bamberg still exists today is something of a miracle—it survived WWII bombing virtually unscathed. It’s a superb example of a medieval German city, one compact enough to explore on foot with a local expert. You’ll also have free time to visit not just one but four Christmas Markets and a captivating amount of nativity scenes located along nativity trail.
* Please note that most Christmas Markets in Europe end their season on the 23rd of December and will not be available after that date.

Day 7 - Nuremberg
For a holiday extravaganza, look no further than Nuremberg, which boasts the largest and grandest Christmas Market in all of Germany— and that’s really saying something. 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 the castle gardens and enjoy breathtaking views of the city, then walk through a maze of cobblestone lanes down to the central Market Square. There, spread out before the Church of Our Lady, is the largest Christmas Market in Germany.
* A special Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening.
Please note that most Christmas Markets in Europe end their season on the 23rd of December and will not be available after that date.

Day 8 - Nuremberg (Disembark)
Disembark the ship. If your cruise package includes a group departure transfer or if you have purchased a private departure transfer, you will be transferred to the Nuremberg International Airport for your flight home.
Sailing Dates
08 Dec 2025
Pricing
Please enquire for pricing
Cruise Itinerary
Date Port Arrive Depart
8 Dec 2025 Frankfurt, Germany
9 Dec 2025 Frankfurt, Germany
10 Dec 2025 Wertheim, Germany
11 Dec 2025 Wurzburg, Germany
12 Dec 2025 Kitzingen, Germany
13 Dec 2025 Bamberg, Germany
14 Dec 2025 Nuremberg, Germany
15 Dec 2025 Nuremberg, Germany
All itineraries and ports of call at the discretion of the cruise line subject to local weather conditions and may change without notice.

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