Christmas Markets River Cruise with Ama Waterways

Dream Vacations promotes an Ama Waterways Danube River cruise showcasing iconic European Christmas markets. The cruise travels from Nuremberg to Budapest, visiting markets in Regensburg and Vienna, culminating in Budapest's Vörösmarty Square. A three-night pre-cruise stay in Prague is also highlighted, featuring sightseeing and Christmas market exploration. The cruise includes luxurious amenities, such as spacious staterooms, award-winning dining with complimentary drinks, and a range of shore excursions catering to various activity levels. Booking information encourages contacting Dream Vacations for this memorable experience.

Transcript

Today, we're exploring something pretty magical, yeah, and festive European Christmas markets, yeah, we're not just talking about shopping here right now. This is a total cultural experience. And you know what? Our listeners are interested in experiencing this themselves? Yes. So we brought in the perfect people to help us make that happen. Joining us are travel experts, Greg and Laurie Shuss of Dream Vacations.. They are here to give us the inside scoop on how to plan the ultimate Christmas market adventure. When we think about European Christmas markets, you know what comes to mind for me is that it's really about it's about the traditions and the culture that are so tied into the holidays. So okay, I need you, like, Paint me a Picture here. When I think about these markets, I'm picturing, like, you know, cobblestone streets, maybe a light dusting of snow, twinkling lights strung across these like cute little wooden stalls. But like, what else? What are some of the sounds, the smells that make these markets so unforgettable. Oh, I think the smell of gingerbread and roasted chestnuts is just divine. The sound of carolers singing in different languages, and all those hand crafted ornaments just sparkling under the glow of the lanterns, it really is magical. It sounds amazing. And we're not just talking about any Christmas markets, we're diving into some of Europe's most iconic ones. Yes. So let's start with Nuremberg Christ Kindles marked, this is Germany's oldest and largest Christmas market. It is. I hear they have these traditional prune men and Rausch men figures, yes. And it actually dates back to the 16th century. Wow. And they have an opening ceremony where they actually have a Christ kind a young woman that's chosen to represent the Christmas spirit, and she recites a Prolog and opens the market officially. It's really a beloved tradition. Oh, that's so cool. Now, I also read about the romantic market in Regensburg at thern and Texas castle. Yes, that sounds beautiful.  That one is set against a backdrop of a Baroque palace, and it's just very romantic with lights that reflect off the Danube River and you have that illuminated castle in the background.