A women's journey · December 3–10, 2026
Seven women. Five Christmas markets. One week of Germany in December.
Heidelberg, Rothenburg, Nuremberg, Regensburg and Munich — eight days through the markets people fly across the world to see, with a group small enough to fit around one table.
$4,800 · $800 holds your spot · your own room, always
- Rated 5 stars by past travelers
- Maximum 7 women
- Private room included
- Secure checkout via WeTravel
What this actually is
Germany at Christmas,
with six other women.
Eight days, five cities, and the five Christmas markets that make December in Germany worth the flight. A private coach between them. Seven nights in boutique hotels. And a group capped at seven — small enough that by Nuremberg you'll know everyone's name and what they're shopping for.
We start in Heidelberg with a mug of Glühwein and end in Munich under a Christmas tree the size of a building. In between: a medieval walled town, a UNESCO river city, a royal palace courtyard lit by thousands of lights, and a fairytale castle in the Alps.
This trip is for you if…
- Christmas markets are on your list and you want to do them properly.
- You'll happily bundle up and walk 2–3 miles in the cold.
- Cobblestones and a few hills don't worry you.
- You love castles, old towns and handmade things.
- You intend to get your Christmas shopping done. All of it.
- You'd rather travel with six women than with sixty.
Activity level: Moderate
What's handled for you
- Private coach between every city.
- Seven nights in boutique hotels, centrally located.
- A TDJ facilitator with the group the entire week.
- Local guides in Heidelberg, Nuremberg and Bavaria.
- All entrance fees, including both castles.
- Airport transfers in Frankfurt and out of Munich.
Women only · adults of all ages
5.0
verified traveler reviews on WeTravel
“The level of planning was exceptional—every detail was thoughtfully handled… It was not only seamless but genuinely fun.”
Darcy M. · Vietnam · Verified WeTravel review
“I never had to plan a thing. Everything was taken care of for me… It was a 5-star experience in every way.”
Trina C. · New York City · Verified WeTravel review
The whole point
Five markets, and not one
of them is the same.
Why five?
Because Germany's Christmas markets aren't interchangeable — a 400-year-old market inside a working city is nothing like a craft market in a royal courtyard, and you only learn that by standing in both.
- Nuremberg. The Christkindlesmarkt — the oldest and best known in Germany, 180+ stalls — plus the Sister Cities Market, where twenty stalls sell what Nuremberg's partner cities make.
- Regensburg. The Lucrezia craft market for handmade ceramics and textiles, then the Romantic Christmas Market inside the courtyard of the Thurn & Taxis Palace — a royal residence still lived in, lit by thousands of small golden lights.
- Rothenburg ob der Tauber. The Reiterlesmarkt inside medieval walls, and Käthe Wohlfahrt's Christmas Village, which is exactly as excessive as it sounds.
- Munich. Marienplatz under a towering tree, 150+ stalls, the Kripperlmarkt for hand-carved nativity scenes, and the Kaiserhof Residenz where goldsmiths and glassblowers work in front of you.
- Heidelberg. Where we start — Universitätsplatz to Kornmarkt, spiced almonds, your first collectible Glühwein mug, and the castle lit above the river.
Leave room in your suitcase. Everyone says that. Everyone still runs out of room.
One thing worth knowing
You get your own room.
There is one package on this trip and it is a private room — not an upgrade, not a supplement you have to ask about. Seven nights, seven doors that close.
On a winter trip that matters more than it sounds. You will come back cold, with wet boots and a bag full of things wrapped in tissue paper, and there will be somewhere to put all of it and no one to negotiate with about the heating.
“Many women join our journeys solo and end up forming deep, lasting friendships. The environment is warm, inclusive, and designed for connection.”
— The Dandelion Journals
Seven women, one private coach, and a lot of Glühwein.
Day by day
Frankfurt in, Munich out,
five cities in between.
Two nights Heidelberg, two nights Nuremberg, three nights Munich, and a private coach for everything in between. Tap any day to open it.
Day 1Arrive Frankfurt, on to Heidelberg
We meet at Frankfurt airport by 1:00 PM and drive an hour through winter countryside to Heidelberg. Check into the hotel in the historic centre, then straight out into the markets — Universitätsplatz to Kornmarkt, spiced almonds and bratwurst, and your first Glühwein in a mug you get to keep.
Welcome dinner at a local restaurant, then an optional walk to the Alte Brücke, where you touch the bronze monkey's mirror for luck and watch the lights come off the Neckar.
Welcome dinner
Day 2Heidelberg Castle & a full day of markets
Funicular up the hillside and a guided walk through Heidelberg Castle — red sandstone ruins, the giant wine barrel, and the whole Neckar valley below you.
The afternoon is the markets. Lunch is a choose-your-own affair among the food stalls; dinner is together in the Old Town.
Breakfast · Dinner
Day 3Rothenburg ob der Tauber, then Nuremberg
North along the Romantic Road to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Germany. Inside the walls: half-timbered houses, the Reiterlesmarkt, and Käthe Wohlfahrt's Christmas Village. Lunch in a tavern on the square.
An hour and a half on to Nuremberg, arriving late afternoon. Check in, then dinner at a local favourite.
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 4Nuremberg — the Christkindlesmarkt
A private guided walk through the fortified old town: gothic gates, the Hauptmarkt, and Kaiserburg Castle above the rooftops.
Then the markets. The Christkindlesmarkt is the oldest and most famous in Germany, 180-plus stalls of it. Next door, the Sister Cities Market sells crafts and food from Nuremberg's partner cities around the world. Lunch is yours among the stalls — bratwurst over open flame, potato soup, and the city's own lebkuchen. Dinner together.
Breakfast · Dinner
Day 5Regensburg, a palace courtyard, and on to Munich
An hour and a quarter to Regensburg — a UNESCO-listed medieval town on the Danube, all narrow alleys and Gothic spires. We start at the Lucrezia craft market on Neupfarrplatz, where the stalls are handmade ceramics, textiles and hand-bound journals, much of it by local women.
In the afternoon, the Romantic Christmas Market in the courtyard of the Thurn & Taxis Palace — a royal residence that is still lived in, lit by thousands of small golden lights against the stone. It is the one people talk about afterwards.
Ninety minutes on to Munich and Le Méridien, steps from the centre. Dinner on your own.
Breakfast · Lunch
Day 6Munich — Marienplatz and everything around it
A full day on foot. Marienplatz turns into a Christmas village under an enormous tree, 150-plus stalls of hand-painted ornaments, wooden toys, Glühwein and cinnamon almonds.
Optional: climb the 306 steps of Alter Peter for the rooftops and the Alps in the distance. Nearby, Germany's largest Kripperlmarkt sells handmade nativity scenes, and at the Kaiserhof Residenz you can watch goldsmiths, fur tanners and glassblowers at work. Dinner together.
Breakfast · Dinner
Day 7Neuschwanstein, Hohenschwangau & a carriage through the snow
Two hours south into the Bavarian Alps. A horse-drawn carriage takes us up through the forest to Neuschwanstein — the castle Sleeping Beauty's was drawn from — for a guided tour of the Throne Room, the Singer's Hall and King Ludwig II's extraordinary bedchamber. Then Hohenschwangau, where he grew up.
Lunch in the mountains, back to Munich by early evening, and a last dinner together.
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 8Auf Wiedersehen
Breakfast, then a private transfer to Munich airport. There is one more Christmas market between Terminals 1 and 2, and if your timing allows, it would be rude not to.
Breakfast
Details can shift with local conditions — when they do, we replace them with something equivalent.
From our travelers' cameras
Germany in December,
as our group saw it.
The honest cost
What your money covers —
and what it doesn't.
Included
- Seven nights in boutique hotels — your own room
- Private coach between all five cities
- Airport transfers: Frankfurt in, Munich out
- A TDJ facilitator with the group the whole week
- Local guides in Heidelberg, Nuremberg and Bavaria
- Neuschwanstein & Hohenschwangau, with carriage ride and alpine lunch
- Entrance fees and access to every site listed
- Welcome and farewell dinners, plus the meals listed by day
- Pre-trip support, group calls and a packing list
- Standard gratuities
Not included
- International flights to Frankfurt and home from Munich
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended — see FAQ)
- Extra baggage or weight fees
- Alcohol outside the listed meals
- Meals during free time and market strolls
- Personal purchases and everything you buy at the markets
- Room service and extra gratuities for guides or hotel staff
No hidden line items. What you see here is the whole picture.
Reserve your place
$800 holds your spot.
One package, one price, your own room. The balance is split into three monthly payments — and the earlier you book, the more of them you get.
Private room
Solo Room — all seven nights
$4,800per person
Your own room in every boutique hotel, for the whole week. There is no shared-room option and no single supplement to pay — this is the price.
The actual payment schedule
$800 today, at booking
$1,333.34 due September 4, 2026
$1,333.34 due October 4, 2026
$1,333.32 due November 3, 2026
These are the real dates in WeTravel, not an estimate. The schedule doesn't move — so booking after September 4 means the same balance divided into two payments instead of three, and after October 4, into one.
Checkout is handled by WeTravel, the booking platform we've used for every Dandelion Journals trip. Booking closes November 3, 2026.
If you're thinking of coming alone
Most people do.
Almost everyone on a Dandelion Journals trip books without a travel companion. Not because they wanted to go alone — because the trip they wanted didn't line up with anyone else's December.
Nobody is sharing a room
There is only one package and it is a private room. No roommate matching, no supplement, no awkward first night.
Seven women, eight days
By Nuremberg you will know everyone. A group this small doesn't need icebreakers — it just happens over the second mug of Glühwein.
You're never navigating Germany alone
Airport meet-and-greet, private coach city to city, local guides, and a TDJ facilitator with the group the entire week.
Women only, all ages
Our trips are designed for adult women who are curious, easy-going and up for the cold.
From women who have travelled with us
Every trip. Every review.
Five stars.
“Every day offered meaningful connections with the people, culture, and history of the country. The level of planning was exceptional—every detail was thoughtfully handled, from simple comforts like water during transfers to incredibly knowledgeable guides who brought each place to life.”
Darcy M. · Vietnam · March 2026
“I had a fantastic time. The trip included interesting and educational experiences with a wide variety of activities… I can't wait for my next trip with the Dandelion Journals!”
Amy B. · Roatán · February 2026
“I spent four days with Elizabeth and Heba, and I never had to plan a thing… It was a 5-star experience in every way.”
Trina C. · New York City · November 2025
Before you book
The questions people actually ask.
How cold is it, really?
December in southern Germany runs around freezing — think 30–40°F in the day, colder at night, with a real chance of snow in the Alps. It is properly cold, and it is also exactly why the markets look the way they do. Thermal base layers, a warm coat, waterproof boots, gloves, hat, scarf. We send a full packing list.
How active is this trip?
Moderate. You'll walk 2–3 miles across a day, over cobblestones and some hills, and stand during guided tours. If a full day of city sightseeing sounds fine to you, you'll be fine here.
Do I have to share a room?
No. There is one package and it is a private room for all seven nights. No roommate matching, no single supplement.
How does paying work?
$800 holds your spot today. The balance is charged automatically in three payments — $1,333.34 on September 4, 2026, $1,333.34 on October 4, and $1,333.32 on November 3. You can also pay in full at checkout. Because the dates are fixed, booking earlier means more, smaller payments. Booking closes November 3, 2026.
Do I need travel insurance?
It's strongly recommended and it isn't included. Shop for what suits you. We and many of our past travelers have used Travel Insured International and find their policies comprehensive and reasonably priced.
Which airports should I book?
Fly into Frankfurt (FRA) and home out of Munich (MUC). We meet at Frankfurt airport by 1:00 PM on December 3 and transfer to Munich airport on the morning of December 10.
Do I need a visa?
U.S. citizens don't need a visa for stays under 90 days. Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your return date.
Is this trip for solo travelers?
Absolutely — most women book on their own. With seven people and a private coach, the group comes together fast.
Do I have to join every excursion?
No. We recommend it, but if you'd rather sit out an activity and have a quiet morning with a coffee, that's fine wherever the schedule allows.
What about dietary restrictions?
We accommodate dietary needs and restrictions — tell us when you book. This is also a non-smoking trip: accommodations, activities and transfers.
Still deciding? Email letsgo@thedandelionjournals.com or call +1 (678) 692-6584. A real person answers.
December 3–10, 2026
Seven women are going to Germany.
One of them could be you.
Eight days, five cities, five Christmas markets and a castle in the Alps. $4,800 with your own room every night, and $800 holds your place while the rest splits across the autumn.
Booking closes November 3, 2026
The Dandelion Journals · luxury travel designed for connection
