Christmas in the Black Forest

Description
This Christmas, take in the breathtaking scenery of the Black Forest, renowned for its thick, dark green coniferous trees, half-timbered houses, and rushing waterfalls. Be inspired by fairytale-like villages nestled amongst the mountainside and elegant German towns, such as Baden-Baden and Freiburg. This fantastic tour provides the perfect chance to explore the Black Forest, famous for its cuckoo clocks, watchmaking traditions and picturesque towns.Itinerary (Coach)
22nd DecemberFerry to Calais and overnight stay in France.nn23rd December - Baden-Baden, Gengenbach & OberharmersbachWe make our way to the spa town of Baden-Baden. Set against the backdrop of the luscious and enchanting Black Forest, reminiscent of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales, Baden-Baden is a magical and elegant town built on thermal springs, which has made it an ideal spa getaway for centuries. Later, we travel to our second stop of the day, the pretty town of Gengenbach, boasting romantic half-timbered houses and charming winding streets, with an opportunity to see the world's largest advent calendar.We continue to our hotel in Oberharmersbach, where we spend the next five nights.nnChristmas Eve - FreiburgWe travel to the charming medieval town of Freiburg, a city full of beautiful, cobbled squares. Not to be missed is Münsterplatz, a plaza in the heart of the city, home to Freiburg's famous food market and the Historisches Kaufhaus, or Merchant's Hall. Towering above the square is the grand cathedral, the eleventh-century Freiburger Münster.nnChristmas DayChristmas Day is a lovely day of leisure and celebration at our hotel. We start the day with a cold buffet breakfast, and then have a traditional turkey dinner at lunchtime, with a delicious Black Forest Gâteaux. Later in the evening, we enjoy a 5-course candlelit dinner and live music.nnBoxing Day - Scenic tour of the Black Forest (Schiltach, Rottweil & Triberg)On Boxing Day, we tour the hauntingly beautiful Black Forest, home to centuries of German history. First, we travel to Schiltach in the very heart of the Black Forest. This lovely destination is full of half-timbered houses, straight out of a fairytale.The town centre, or 'Städtle', offers a chance to see how this small town looked centuries in the past. Our tour continues with time to experience the colourful and picturesque town of Rottweil. Famous for its medieval centre, in appearance very little has changed since the 16th century. The last stop of the day is Triberg, which is famous for having the world's largest cuckoo clock (which is the size of a two-storey building), the highest waterfall in Germany, and is the birthplace of the original Black Forest Cherry cake recipe!nn27th December - Optional excursion to Strasbourg (£18pp)We travel to France on an optional excursion to Strasbourg, known as the Capital of Christmas and home to France's oldest Christmas market. Here we can enjoy the welcoming atmosphere and explore the mesmerising blend of French and German styles of architecture on display, lit up with spectacular illuminations for the festive season, as well as visit the Musée alsacien, Palais Rohan, and the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg to learn more about the region's history and traditions.nn28th December - Heidelberg & overnight hotel in France We leave Oberharmersbach and head to the beautiful town of Heidelberg. Built on the banks of the River Neckar, the city is surrounded by lush green hills and boasts a castle and Baroque-style Old Town full of grand and beautifully preserved buildings. We continue to our overnight hotel in France where we enjoy a light evening meal.nn29th December Ferry from Calais to Dover

Coach Bullets
- Return coach travel & ferry crossings- First & last night on a bed & breakfast basis in France (last night with light evening meal)- 5 nights at the Bären Hotel, Oberharmersbach (JG 3 rating) with dinner & breakfast (includes cold buffet breakfast, traditional Christmas lunch and a 5-course candlelit dinner on Christmas Day)- Welcome drink- Excursions to Baden-Baden, Gengenbach, Freiburg & Heidelberg- Scenic tour of the Black Forest (Schiltach, Rottweil & Triberg)Optional excursion to Strasbourg (£18pp)

Search Bullets
- 5 nights at the Bären Hotel, Oberharmersbach (JG 3 rating) with dinner & breakfast (includes cold buffet breakfast, traditional Christmas lunch and a 5-course candlelit dinner on Christmas Day)- Excursions to Baden-Baden, Gengenbach, Freiburg & Heidelberg- Scenic tour of the Black Forest (Schiltach, Rottweil & Triberg)

JG3
Hotels with a JG3 rating tend to be a more formal style of hotel, often part of a hotel chain, or are very-welcoming family-owned properties. Generally, they offer a greater range of facilities and services, and bedrooms tend to be a little more spacious with additional features. Public areas are larger and include lounge seating, bar and restaurant with good quality food served either buffet style or waiter service.Bären Hotel, Oberharmersbach (JG3 rating)
The Bären Hotel in Oberharmersbach offers guests traditional and comfortable en-suite rooms. The hotel has a restaurant, bar and free WiFi in public areas. Situated close to the Harmersbach River, Bären Hotel is ideally situated for our itinerary.