In supplier order. Some entries may cover multiple days; optional experiences are described by the supplier.
Fly to Prague
Start your Christmastime escape with a flight to Prague, where you’ll be welcomed by your friendly tour manager. Afterwards, cross the Czech border into Germany for your holiday’s comfortable base, the Panorama Hotel in Oberwiesenthal, Germany’s highest town.
After checking in, you’ll be free to relax and get acquainted with the hotel’s amenities, before joining the rest of the group for a first dinner in Saxony.
Christmas Eve – Included Fichtelberg Railway ride and Oberwiesenthal visit
It’s Christmas Eve, and you’ll mark your first full day in Saxony with an excursion to nearby Cranzahl after breakfast. Here, you’ll board the historic Fichtelberg Railway, a narrow-gauge route which has served the mining towns of the Ore Mountains for almost 150 years. On this heritage railway journey, you’ll enjoy unobstructed views of the region’s most enchanting frozen vistas before returning to Oberwiesenthal. Back in the town, you’ll have the chance to soak up the festive atmosphere with a visit to its Christmas markets.
Return to the hotel for a festive German dinner in the company of your fellow guests.
Christmas Day – Day at leisure
Merry Christmas! Today will be free for you to spend exactly the way you want to with a full day at leisure in the hotel. If you’re keen for some gentle festive activity, the nearby walking trails offer a memorable way to mark your Christmas celebrations amongst some truly remarkable scenery. For those after a more relaxing day, the hotel’s spa facilities are the ideal choice, and you can spend time in the sauna or lounge in the purpose-built saltwater grotto.
Around lunchtime, you’ll be served a light buffet lunch to keep you ticking over into the evening. Afterwards, if you’re feeling energetic, you can also set out into nearby Oberwiesenthal for some self-guided exploration around your favourite spots from the previous day.
In the evening, gather for a traditional turkey dinner in the company of your fellow guests and perhaps enjoy a nightcap with a view at the hotel’s bar and terrace.
Boxing Day – Included Schloss Schwarzenberg excursion
Start the day with breakfast and join your tour manager for a coach trip into the heart of the Erzgebirge region.
Your first stop today will be Schwarzenberg, historically known as the ‘Pearl of the Ore Mountains’. You’ll learn about its colourful medieval past with a tour of its imposing castle. This grand building, which is thought to be over 800 years old, is a symbol of the town’s skyline and houses a museum space showcasing the Erzgebirge’s colourful past. Browse a collection of authentic carved artwork and learn how the town grew from a mining outpost to the community it is today. Afterwards, head into Schwarzenberg’s old town for a glimpse of its traditional architecture and festive decorations.
Continue by coach to nearby Annaberg, a former mining town which is renowned for its festive celebrations. Though you’ll be visiting on Boxing Day, the streets will still be dressed in their festive finery, and you’ll enjoy a more intimate introduction to this charming Saxon spot.
Later on, head back to the hotel for a buffet-style Boxing Day dinner awaits you at your hotel.
Included incense workshop and Frohnauer Hammer visit
After breakfast, your Saxon escape concludes today with an exploration of the region’s historic crafts industries, from festive wood carving to metalwork. Join your tour manager for a guided tour of a local incense workshop (Räucherkerzen), where you’ll learn about the Ore Mountains’ traditional handicrafts and its centuries-old production methods.
Afterwards, continue to the historic Frohnauer Hammer, a former iron mill and one of the region’s most important technical monuments, which showcases how the process of early metalworking and how the region became known for its metalworking.
End the day back at the hotel, looking back on a truly magical festive escape with your new-found friends over one last dinner.
Return to the UK
This morning, have breakfast and transfer back to Prague airport for your return flight to the UK.