15-Day Prague to Budapest Christmas
5 Good Reasons To Do This Trip!
Strudel in Salzburg, chimney cakes in Prague, and doughy, crispy langos in Budapest. This trip takes “calories don’t count at Christmas” to the next level.
Soak your cares away in the thermal springs of Karlovy Vary’s, a town straight out of a snowglobe full of crisp winter air and steamy natural pools.
From Prague to Budapest, it’s mulled wine o’clock at every stall. Twinkling lights, sizzling sausages and vibes so merry they’ll have you humming carols all year long.
Roll up your sleeves and conquer the art of making apple strudel in Salzburg – because nothing says “Merry Christmas” like a steamy plate of gooey, appley goodness fresh from the oven!
Burghausen Castle isn’t just long – it’s the longest in the world. Stretching over a kilometre, it’s packed with snow-dusted moats, frosty towers and enough history to make your head spin.
Trip Details
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Missed out on a trip? Let us know and we’ll be in touch about future dates!
Price
- $1,900 deposit.
- 2-week cooling off period applies.
- Lifetime Deposit. If you need to cancel, your deposit is transferable to other trips.
- Twin Share: we’ll match you with a roomie if you’re travelling solo.
- Private supplement available: $1,896 AUD, max 4 spots
Trip length
15 days, 14 nights
Meeting point
Hotel Metropolitan, Prague, Czechia
Ending point
Atrium Fashion Hotel, Hungary
Group size
Maximum 12
Participation requirements
Please see our “Is this trip right for you?” section under the Participation Tab.
Included
- Arrival and departure transfer
- Meals: 14 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 9 dinners
- Private vehicle transportation and trains
- 14 nights boutique and premium accommodation
- A top-rated and English-speaking Tour Leader
- All listed activities and more!
Not included
- International Flights
- Travel insurance (mandatory)
- Additional hotel nights & late checkouts
- Drinks and other personal expenses
- Tip kitty (See FAQs for more information)
Click the tabs to find out more
Day 1: Welcome to Prague!
Welcome to Prague! Your driver will be waiting to greet you at the airport with “Vasele venoce!” or “Merry Christmas” in Czech. Both the festive decorations and the cheery atmosphere will be your first major hint that, yes – it’s Christmas time!
You might be itching to get out and start exploring the markets right now, but don’t worry – you’ll get to that! Instead, spend the evening gathering together with your Christmas-loving Patchie crew and head to a traditional restaurant for your first meal. Cosy up with great conversation, a meet-and-greet with your guide and winter specialties like svařák, (Czech mulled wine) and a steaming bowl of žemlovka, otherwise known as goulash. Are you feeling in the Yuletide spirit yet? Tomorrow is your first introduction to European Christmas markets!
Accommodation: Hotel Metropolitan (or similar), Prague, Czech Republic
Included: Dinner
Day 2: Explore Prague’s Christmas Markets
Follow your nose this morning to the smell of warm cinnamon, roast pork sizzling over an open fire and vats of svařák bubbling away under strands of twinkly lights. The beating heart of Prague’s Christmas markets are the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, just five minutes from each other on foot. Take in the Baroque, Rococo and Gothic architecture while also taking in a feast of dishes that are the perfect fuel for your wintery wanders around the city.
As if the spired skyline and makeshift, timbered village of stalls weren’t magical enough, you’ll explore the market through your taste buds, sampling traditional classics like trdelnik, also known as chimney cakes, and palačinky, Prague’s version of crepes. There are plenty of savoury dishes too, including the famous pit-roasted pork and halušky, made with cabbage, potatoes, and, you guessed it, more ham! If you’re lucky, fat snowflakes will begin to fall, turning this already charming Christmas scene into a full-blown snow globe.
Accommodation: Hotel Metropolitan (or similar), Prague, Czech Republic
Included: Breakfast & Lunch
Day 3: Karlovy Vary
Rise and shine because you’re headed for Czech spa town extraordinaire – Karlovy Vary! You’ll be driven 2.5 hours to reach this colourful Bohemian village nestled along the Ohře River. Watch out the window as the hustle of city life in Prague fades to scenes of winter in the countryside.
Thaw out from your icy adventures this afternoon at the steaming thermal pools and saunas – the perfect respite from the bitter cold and a great way to relax with a bit of peace and quiet – or chat it up with the gals. It is a spa day after all!
Whether or not these hot springs are truly therapeutic is up for debate, but the fact that Europeans have been flocking here since Charles IV found them in the 14th-century is surely a testament to their healing power.
Accommodation: EA Atlantic Palace Hotel (or similar), Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
Included: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 4: Explore Karlovy Vary
A local guide is ready and waiting to show you Karlovy Vary’s stately colonnades and romantic Art Nouveau buildings this morning. Explore on foot, learning more about this healing centre and its ‘accidental’ discovery in the town also known as Carlsbad. Carlsbad = ‘Karl’s bath’… get it?!
The Czech Republic might be best known for its famous beer, but today you’ll sample a tipple of a different sort – becherovka. This herbal liqueur’s trademark flavours are bitter with hints of clove, orange and cinnamon. Tour the Jan Becher Museum to uncover more about its creator and how becherovka is made, before finishing with a tasting of this libation whose recipe and emerald hues are a closely guarded secret. You’ll have the opportunity to seek out dinner on your own this evening. Don’t miss the chance to grab the city’s claim to culinary fame, karlovarské oplatky, for dessert. These traditional sweet wafers make for a great take-home!
Accommodation: EA Atlantic Palace Hotel (or similar), Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
Included: Breakfast & Lunch
Day 5: Nuremberg
Trade in the Czech Republic for your second country of the trip today – Germany! It’s another 2.5 hour drive until you’re saying a cheerful “Frohe Weihnachten!” to the fairytale city of Nuremberg. While this historic town is worthy of a visit in its own right, the Christkindlmarkt here is extra special. It’s one of the oldest Christmas markets in Europe with its beginnings stretching back to the 16th century.
Meet up with our local guide who will take you through both the nooks and crannies as well as the must-see spots, unravelling hundreds of years of Yuletide tradition. This Bavarian city is already lovely, but add towering pine trees decked out in tinsel and ornaments and the smell of glühwein and gingerbread swirling through the air, you’ll truly feel like you’ve stepped inside a Christmas carol! This also happens to be one of the best Christmas markets for handmade souvenirs – so grab your wallets.
Accommodation: Novotel Nürnberg Centre Ville Hotel (or similar), Nuremberg, Germany
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Breakout: Traditional Christmas Gifts in Nuremberg
You’ll spend the trip sifting through a sea of beautiful trinkets, ornaments and gingerbread women over the next few weeks. Looking to pick out something truly special on your Christmas market trip through Europe? Look no further than Nuremberg’s Christkindlmarkt.
There are a few traditional gifts that you might want to snatch up for your own before you even arrive at your celebrations back home. Zwetschgenmännle, also known as prune men, are one such memorable souvenir. These quirky figurines are dressed in different outfits and made from a combination of walnuts and, yes, actual prunes! A Rauschgoldengel is another favourite, a glittering, one-of-a-kind angel to decorate your Christmas tree – just like the one hovering in Nuremberg’s square.
Day 6: Rothenburg
Today you’ll hop aboard your first train journey of the trip, chugging deeper into Bavaria. After two hours of countryside views on pause outside your window, you’ll arrive in the storybook Medieval village of Rothenburg. Known formally as Rothenburg ob der Tauber, your visit here comes with a warning – this is another one of the best Christmas markets for shopping.
Spend your day walking the cobbled streets that are so charming they inspired the Brothers Grimm and Disney’s Pinocchio. Head back to Nuremberg by train this evening, watching small hamlets surrounded by snowy pastures and forests glow in the evening light. If you still have the energy, head back out into the Christmas markets before calling it a night. Tomorrow you’re headed for yet another country!
Accommodation: Novotel NürnbergCentre Ville Hotel (or similar), Nuremberg, Germany
Included: Breakfast & Lunch
Day 7: Salzburg
You may have whet your appetite for European train travel yesterday, but today you’ll really get a taste for this iconic way of travelling. Make your way three hours south through Munich to the birthplace of Mozart – Salzburg, Austria. You’ll cross into your third country of the trip while onboard.
This afternoon, it’s a break from Christmas market adventures, but not from indulging in sweet treats. Roll up your sleeves and get to work marinating apples and stretching dough to make the famous apple strudel and Salzburger nockerl, a sugary soufflé served with tart jam. Lunch is also on the docket so don’t worry too much about giving in to your sweet tooth!
Accommodation: Goldenes Teaterhotel (or similar), Salzburg, Austria
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Day 8: Lake Wolfgangsee Christmas Villages
Step aside Hallstatt, there’s a new Austrian lakeside-village in town! Drive out to Lake Wolfgangsee where you’ll cruise between the villages of St Gilgen, St Wolfgang and Strobl, each with their own unique Christmas markets and traditions. Far removed from the often-chaotic Christmas markets you’ll find in big cities, these are a window into the past and a classic method of transportation. Gliding from town to town by boat is worth the trek here alone.
See the Salzkammergut Nativity and floating Peace Lantern in St Wolfgang, visit Strobl’s advent market and follow the 11-metre high candles through the charming streets of St Gilgen. Soft melodies from folk musicians, Baroque architecture and candlelit vigils further seal the deal that this is one of the world’s most underrated Christmas markets in the world.
Accommodation: Goldenes Teaterhotel (or similar), Salzburg, Austria
Included: Breakfast & Lunch
Day 9: Halsbach Forest Christmas
Weave your way back into Germany this morning, inching closer to possibly the most distinctive Christmas market so far. If you haven’t caught any glimpses of snow yet, now is your best chance and we promise this backtracking is well worth your time!
The Halsbach Forest Christmas market is another Bavarian gem. Imagine heavenly voices rising through the trees, nativity scenes, walking beneath a canopy of pine needles by candlelight and sipping hot mulled wine and munching on bratwurst. Despite its small size there are still a hundred different stalls to visit and a ‘cool’ surprise, hidden away in the forest. Head on to Burghausen this evening to catch some zzz’s before exploring tomorrow. Can you believe you’re only halfway through your trip and you’ve already explored Christmas markets in three different countries?
Accommodation: Dormero Hotel (or similar), Burghausen, Germany
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Day 10: Burghausen Castle
It’s day 10 and time to visit the world’s longest castle! At 1,051 metres in length, Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung (as it’s known in German) lords over the Salzach River and city centre like a menacing giant from its perch. You’ll check this Medieval fortress out, with moats, drawbridges and courtyards aplenty, following your costumed guide through hundreds of years of history.
But the best part about visiting the Burghausen Castle at Christmas time? It has its very own Christkindlmarkt! Crouching in the shadow of the castle, these markets are situated in The Pits, Berghausen’s winding alleyways. Do your own shimmying past other merrymakers as you explore the stalls through clouds of steam and the wafting scent of fried potatoes and candied almonds.
Accommodation: Dormero Hotel (or similar), Burghausen, Germany
Included: Breakfast
Day 11: Vienna
Back to Austria you go this morning, on your longest train ride yet, at five hours. But that leaves plenty of time to enjoy the falling snow and mountain scenery out your window or to grab a coffee from the restaurant car. Connect the dots via Salzburg before arriving in the Austrian capital of Vienna.
The ‘City of Music’ wows with its wide boulevards, Baroque palaces, and, of course, Christmas decorations fit for royalty. What better way to get to know Vienna than through a visit to the Christkindlmarkt? Scattered throughout the city, the most popular one is in front of City Hall. While you’ve no doubt discovered that each market has its own delicious food favourites, go in search of Vienna’s kartoffelpuffer, otherwise known as potato pancakes, and kaiserschmarrn, Viennese pancakes, they’re worth the hunt.
Accommodation: MOOONS Hotel (or similar), Vienna, Austria
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Day 12: Viennese Concert
You’ve been to seven different Christmas markets in less than two weeks! Take some much needed rest this morning at your hotel, sleeping in and lounging in your room. For those with itchy feet, there’s plenty more to see in Vienna from the Schönbrunn Palace to Beethoven’s grave.
This evening is a special treat and something that every visitor should do in Vienna – a classical music concert. Listen to music dreamt up by the great composers like Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert before enjoying dinner at the venue or a local restaurant.
Accommodation: MOOONS Hotel (or similar), Vienna, Austria
Included: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 13: Budapest
Take a 2.5-hour train ride this morning, glimpsing at the Danube River on and off as you snake your way from Vienna to Budapest. Hit the ground running with both a food tour and a visit to the Christmas markets, all while walking through the city’s jaw-dropping medley of architecture, from Art Nouveau to Soviet.
Budapest’s Christmas markets are the stuff of legends. Often rated as the best in the world, they sprawl throughout this Central European capital, connected by food stalls along the way. You’ll start to see how proud Hungary is of its culinary heritage on a food tour that skirts the markets and stops by local vendors too. Sample famous Hungarian dishes like langos, fried bread smeared in sour cream and toppings, and spicy goulash of course! After you’re finished meeting Budapest through your tastebuds, wander around the markets in search of more treats.
Accommodation: Atrium Fashion Hotel (or similar), Budapest, Hungary
Included: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 14: Szentendre
Savour your very last European train journey this morning as you head south along the Danube once again, this time to the village of Szentendre. It’s just 40 minutes and you’ll be transported to a world that feels very far from the Christmas chaos back in Budapest – let alone the beginning of summer back home. Szentendre boasts an interesting history and is touted as one of the most beautiful small towns in all of Hungary.
It also just so happens to have a quaint Christmas market that is the perfect last glimpse of European Yuletide. These markets are known for their particularly artistic flare – a great excuse to grab a few last-minute souvenirs. Head out tonight for one last merry-making farewell dinner with the Christmas-loving Patchie crew!
Accommodation: Atrium Fashion Hotel (or similar), Budapest, Hungary
Included: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 15: Farewell Friends!
It’s time to wave goodbye to Christmas wonderland and watch as the markets disappear beneath the clouds! Savour your last sips of forralt bur, grab your Yuletide trinkets and get ready to take to the skies. Be sure to exchange info with your fellow Patchies so you can plan your next adventures and wish each other, “Merry Christmas!” too!
Included: Breakfast
Trip Map
Good to Know
WEATHER
Christmas markets are held outdoors, and it can get quite cold. Make sure to wear appropriate, warm clothing so you can fully enjoy this magical experience. Of course, you can always warm up with a glass of hot mulled wine, but it’s still best to have your layers, scarves, gloves, and hats on.
FOOD
As you stroll through the markets, the smells of delicious food will greet you from every direction. Some of the all-time favorites, which you can enjoy at most markets, include different types of sausages (wursts), raclettes, potatoes in various shapes and forms, pretzels, gingerbread, and the list goes on. But make sure to also keep an eye out for, and try, some of the local specialties at each market, such as the nockerl soufflé in Salzburg and chimney cakes called trdelník in Czechia.
Is This Trip Right For You?
You love to travel but don’t like being herded around B-grade attractions… just the mere idea of joining a ‘big bus’ tour makes you want to run for the hills.
You also know, however, that some places are worth the wait.
You’re open-minded and open-hearted. You try to embrace the little things. You understand that even in the best vehicles, the air-con sometimes breaks. This is just part of the adventure, and you choose to be gracious.
You also love the idea of living a day fully, and then returning to unique, interesting accommodation!
You enjoy trying new food, visiting new places, and making new friends. You make a great travel buddy and you love to share experiences with others. You understand that to fit in with local cultures, sometimes that could involve trying something you haven’t tried before, or sitting on the floor to eat with a nomad family.
If that sounds like you, you’d make a great Patchie.
Frequently Asked Questions
Prior to the payment of your full balance, the final price may change if there is significant variation in the AUD:EUR exchange rate. Our trip pricing is determined by what the exchange rates are at the time of publishing the trip.
The pricing on this trip is based on an exchange rate of 1 AUD: 0.61 EUR
A deposit of $1900 is required to hold your spot. Payment can be made by credit card (fees apply) or bank deposit.
There is a cooling-off period of 2 weeks. (Applicable to all bookings made 110 days in advance.)
We have implemented a ‘lifetime deposit’ guarantee. Deposits are not refundable, but they are transferable at any time, right up until the first day of the trip.
The final balance of the trip is required 120 days in advance of the departure date. Our suppliers require upfront payment well in advance to guarantee availability.
Please refer to the full terms and conditions for further information.
This is the most frequently asked question we get!
Nearly everyone is in their 50s and 60s, with some people above and below (but of course, everyone is welcome!)
Most Patchies come alone and are matched with a room-mate. Remember, you don’t need to pay for a single supplement if you come solo. We will place you with a similarly-aged roommate.
The typical Patchie has travelled a LOT, is a well-seasoned adventurer, and is not easily thrown by small things. However, many Patchies tell us that this is their first ever group tour. Many of our guests have avoided tours to this point as they’re not attracted to being herded around in large groups.
Oh, and one last thing:
Patchies are warm, generous, and kind. We knew it would be like this, but we weren’t expecting it to be *quite* like this. We’re so blessed as a business to have the customers we do; we consider ourselves to be some of the luckiest people in the world.
So long as you have a general level of health and fitness, you’ll be fine. To enjoy this trip, you’ll need to be able to spend time on your feet and regularly walk for 2-3 hours. Daily activities might include walking on uneven and hilly ground, getting on and off various forms of transportation and occasionally climbing some stairs. You may also encounter over-the-bath showers in some of the accommodations.
All activities are optional, meaning that if you don’t feel like it, you can skip it, but it will be impossible to enjoy your trip if you’re not able to do a walking tour for a full afternoon. Unfortunately, this tour cannot accommodate people requiring walking aids.
You don’t need a visa to travel to European Union countries.
Most of our trips have a tip kitty because many cultures have interesting and diverse rules when it comes to tips. We’ve found it to be the easiest way to combat over-tipping, under-tipping or having the tip fall into the wrong hands. Our goal is for guests to relax and know that the complexities of tipping are taken care of, on their behalf.
We’ll be updating this section with the tipping amount and how it’s distributed, soon.
This trip begins in Prague, Czechia and ends in Budapest, Hungary. We ask that you fly into Václav Havel Airport International Airport, as that is where your hotel transfer will be waiting for you. Included in the cost of your trip is a departure transfer from the trip finish hotel to the Budapest Ferenc Liszt International airport.
There are several 1 and 2-stop flights available from Australia and New Zealand that transit through Middle East countries (UAE, Qatar) to Prague. The similar routes are available for your return flight from Budapest.
Try to arrive before midday on the start day, although earlier would be recommended. If possible, come one day early to settle in. We can organise additional hotel nights for you at cost.
The opportunity to do laundry during your trip is possible and best left for stays that are for more than one night. Your guide will be able to assist with recommendations during your trip.
In the unlikely event of a health or security related incident during a trip, we’ve engaged a local partner to assist. From our experience, there is not one framework that fits all, and every incident is unique and requires a different approach. With all trips, your guides are your day-to-day support. While behind the scenes, there is an active line of communication – between your guide, the on-ground support team, and Australian Ops.
