Make this festive season truly magical; take a look at our Christmas departures for your 2023 festive getaway inspiration. Now is the time to book.

Austria, Hungary & Slovakia, and Germany & France are perhaps some of the most picturesque destinations to visit over Christmas. The towns and cities come to life with fairy lights as you surround yourself in different cultures to experience different traditions, and browse the stalls for authentic gifts at the Christmas markets. 

Experience Austria’s many Advent and Christmas traditions on ‘A Musical Christmas on the Danube’ while enjoying a special music and sightseeing programme including a performance of ‘The Nutcracker’ ballet at the Hungarian State Opera House, a special Christmas Eve dinner and an optional Midnight Mass in a Hungarian church in Budapest.

Discover the magical Christmas market ambience of Germany and France on ‘Christmas on the Rhine’; cruise from Cologne to Strasbourg and Colmar revealing the fairy-tale scenery and historic towns of the Rhine with their traditional Christmas atmosphere. Sample mulled wine, roasted chestnuts and seasonal treats during independent exploration by foot at ports of call including Heidelberg, Mainz, Speyer and Koblenz.

Or stay in the traditional Tirolean village of Obsteig on ‘Winter in Tirol’ with a horse-drawn sleigh ride and winter walks included. Enjoy an Advent evening with music and storytelling, and roasted chestnuts, mulled wine and a Gala Dinner.

For warmer-climes, opt for a Nile cruise this Christmas between Thebes and Nubia on the ‘most luxurious steamship on the Nile’ with Christmas party and gala dinner. The weather is cooler in Cairo and around the Nile-Delta region in December so you won’t have to deal with the stifling heat of the summer months, yet it’s still warm, sunny and beautiful.