Trip Introduction
After enjoying our 2017 river cruise, and wanting to see more Christmas Markets, we decided to combine the two and embark on a Uniworld Christmas Markets Cruise. We also thought it would be fun to have James’ parents join us for a trip to Europe. So, in December of 2018 we headed back to where they speak German.
Wednesday, 12/12/2018 – Departures and Meetings
The first part of the trip was easy with two flights from Des Moines to Chicago and then on to Newark. Since James’ parents were flying from Florida, we connected with them in New York before our overnight flight to Vienna.
Thursday, 12/13/2018 – Arrive in Vienna
The overnight flight went well, and we arrived on a cold and cloudy day in Vienna. We were arriving two days before our cruise started to give us a chance to acclimate in order to make the most of the time on the ship. After arriving at our hotel on the northwest side of town, we checked-in and headed to the Christmas Market in front of Schönbrunn Palace. After looking at the various stalls and getting a bite for lunch, we toured the once summer home of the Habsburg family when they ruled much of Europe. Because of the cold, we did not venture far into the gardens before deciding to return to the hotel to warm up and rest. Later, we enjoyed a meal at the hotel before turning in for the night.
Schönbrunn Palace with the Christmas Market in front
Crafts for sale at one of the market stalls
We imagined the gardens would be beautiful if it wasn’t so cold
Friday, 12/14/2018 – Historic Sites in Vienna
The weather on Friday was a little warmer, though still overcast. We took the subway into the heart of historic Vienna and spent the day looking at the historic buildings and enjoying some of the shops. This included breakfast at Café Schwarzenberg, which is the oldest café on Ringstrasse (the ring road around the old city) opening in 1861. The City Center has an interesting mix of new architecture mixed with the historic buildings. We also spent time inside St. Stephen’s Cathedral with its iconic tile roof.
A small tree market outside Karlskirche (St. Charles Church)
Inside Café Schwarzenberg
A building in the city center with detailed painting on the façade
The glazing of this modern structure reflects the nearby historic buildings
A tree stands at the entrance to the market wrapping around St. Stephen’s
The main altar inside St. Stephen’s
A side chapel in St. Stephen’s
The pipe organ of St. Stephen’s
A market in Maria-Theresien-Platz in front of the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History)
Festive lights suspended between the buildings in historic Vienna came on at dusk
Saturday, 12/15/2018 – Horses and a Ship
Saturday was a busy day. We awoke a little early to pack our things and headed back to the city center. We had tickets to a morning show to see the Lipizzaner stallions at the Spanish Riding School at the Hofburg Palace in the heart of Vienna. We had seats at one of the ends and a great view of the show (photos are not allowed during the performance as flashes might upset the performers). After the show we returned to our hotel to collect our things and took a taxi to the pier where we boarded the S.S. Beatrice, our ship for the cruise. The weather was above freezing, but a cold, light rain was falling so we spent the afternoon relaxing and getting familiar with the ship.
The remnants of light snow on the sidewalks near the Vienna State Opera building
The performance area at the Spanish Riding School
Ornate chandeliers hung above the dirt floor
Sunday, 12/16/2018 – A Guided Day Around Vienna
Sunday was the first day we saw sunshine as we went on a guided tour with our shipmates. We started on a coach into the city center where we had free time to explore the market in front of Vienna’s City Hall. After a little shopping, a local guide took us walking through the historic district sharing stories about the buildings. In the evening we went on an optional excursion to hear classical music performed at Klosterneuberg Monastery outside of town.
The Burgtheater is the Austrian National Theater
The entrance to the Christmas Market at Vienna’s City Hall
Nutcrackers for sale at a market stall
This large stall selling glass ornaments caught the attention of people passing by
A market in a smaller platz (square) near the Constitutional Court building
Sunlight brings out the colors of the roof tiles on St. Stephen’s Cathedral
The Ferris wheel in Prater Park waits for warmer days
The painting above the altar at Klosterneuberg Monastery reveals the importance of music
The pipe organ in the monastery’s chapel
A singer performed while a classical quartet played
Monday, 12/17/2018 – A Stop in Dürnstein
Overnight, the ship left Vienna and headed up the Danube. We woke up the next morning passing by high hills covered in grape vines. We stopped in the morning at the town of Dürnstein. Legend tells us that King Richard was held captive in the castle that stands in ruins above the town on his way home from the Crusades. We had a guided walking tour into town and listened to the organ in their abbey. With our free time, Julie and James stopped by a grocery store before trying some saffron tea at a nearby grower’s exhibit. We returned to the ship and spent the afternoon enjoying the view as we sailed through the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Wachau Valley, passing vineyards, castles, and towns along the river.
Looking out our cabin window at hills with vineyards along the river
The S. S. Beatrice docked at Dürnstein
The town of Dürnstein with its blue bell tower and ruins on the hill
The bell tower of the abbey is visible from almost anywhere in town
The view of the river from the abbey entrance
The interior of the abbey was surprisingly ornate, if not heated
We enjoyed the performance of the organ inside the abbey
Grapes still hang on some of the vines we passed returning to the ship
The fortified gothic parish church in Weißenkirchen in der Wachau
The ruins of Hinterhaus Castle above the town of Spitz, Austria
Schloss Schönbühel (Schönbühel Castle) has watched over the river since the 12th century
The Melk Abbey is a Benedictine monastery founded in 1089 with a Baroque structure from the 1700’s
Tuesday, 12/18/2018 – Linz and Some Cider
On Tuesday we docked in the city of Linz, Austria. James and his dad had booked an excursion that included a walking tour of town followed by a trip into the countryside to visit a local cider maker. Julie and James’ mom opted for a morning walking tour with free time in the afternoon. On the walking tours, we visited the Linzer Mariendom (New Cathedral) built in the late 18- and early 1900s, which is the largest in Austria. It has a gothic exterior and detailed stained-glass windows in an otherwise austere interior. The cider maker was a small, family run pear farm with a modern addition to their walled house/barn complex where we learned about the cider industry and trials of small farmers in the larger European Union economy.
The entry to Linzer Mariendom
The gothic exterior of the cathedral
The high ceiling of the cathedral’s nave
One of the many detailed stained-glass windows of the cathedral
A life size carved wood nativity scene in Linz
The Linz Christmas Market was not yet open when our walking tour passed by
Two farm cats check out the visitors
A glass of pear cider reflects the stark black and white of the snow-covered countryside
Wednesday, 12/19/2018 – Passau and Deggendorf
Wednesday morning we left Austria and entered Germany stopping at the city of Passau. The border follows the river Inn which flows into the Danube here. Steep hills on either side made natural places for forts and tax collectors since the rivers brought commerce and trade. In the afternoon we took coaches to visit glass artisans and a horse drawn carriage ride in the countryside. In the evening all the passengers visited the countryside outside of Deggendorf where we were treated to a traditional meal. We returned to the ship late to learn that most of the crew had also been taken off board to clear some shallow water conditions in the river.
Veste Oberhaus fortress overlooks the Danube in Passau
A fresco on Passau’s Town Hall represent famous rulers of the area
The entry of St. Stephan’s Cathedral is a backdrop for Passau’s Christmas Market
Handcrafted glass snow people for sale
Looking over the countryside from our horse drawn carriage
The candle lit centerpiece at our dinner table outside Deggendorf
Thursday, 12/20/2018 – Regensburg
Overnight we continued up the Danube to Regensberg with its arched bridges. Our walking tour in the morning was under low clouds so the spires of the St. Peter’s Cathedral seemed to touch the sky. This historic downtown area had many narrow streets and even some stories painted on walls. In the afternoon we visited a private Christmas Market in the courtyard of Schloss St. Emmeram (the Thurn and Taxis Castle).
The old city walls are expressed in the walls of offices as you pass into the historic city center
One of Regensburg’s arched bridges extends into the foggy distance
Decorations are stretched across one of the narrow city center streets
A painting of David and Goliath adorns one building in town
A small market beckons
The bell towers of St. Peter’s extend to the low clouds
The chancellery was decorated with trees below the stained-glass
Inside Schloss St. Emmeram
A rotisserie runs preparing meets for the evening crowds
A tree stands in the center of the Christmas Market
Friday, 12/21/2018 – Nuremberg
Friday, we left the Danube and sailed along the Main-Danube Canal to reach Nuremberg. We took a coach ride in the rain through the city before visiting Germany’s largest Christmas Market. With sunset around 4p, we saw the market with its lights on before returning to the ship for our last dinner on board.
Gliding along the smooth waters on the Main-Danube Canal
Frauentortum (Women’s Gate Tower) is a remnant of Nuremberg’s medieval fortifications
The Sinwell Tower at Nuremberg Castle
One of the entrances to the massive Christmas Market in Nuremberg
A double decker carousel in the Christmas Market
Saturday, 12/22/2018 – From Nuremberg to Munich
Saturday morning we said goodbye to new friends and disembarked our cruise ship. The crew had arranged a taxi to the train station where we boarded a train to Munich. We arrived shortly after noon and took another taxi to the same hotel we stayed at during our June 2017 trip. After getting settled, the family took the subway into the old city and emerged at Marienplatz. After looking through some of the stalls in the market there, we decided to walk through The Residenz so James’ parents could see the art, jewels, and architecture.
The Munich City Hall above the stalls of the Marienplatz Christmas Market
Detailing on an ornate box in the Residenz
A wall decoration made of seashells and crushed glass
One of the complex wood floors inside the Residenz
Sunday, 12/23/2018 – Castles in Winter
Before leaving home, we had booked the same castles tour, visiting Neuschwanstein and Linderhof, from our previous trip. We wanted to let James’ parents experience the buildings and see them in a different season. It had been warm and rainy so while the snow was lower on the Bavarian Alps, the areas around the castles were still green under the heavy skies. The area around Neuschwanstein was still breathtaking in the winter. The grounds at Linderhof were less engaging since the water features had been winterized. After returning to Munich, we headed back into old town where we found a market with a medieval theme in a square near the university.
Neuschwanstein Castle sits on an outcropping hill with a snowcapped mountain beyond
Looking out from the footbridge above Neuschwanstein
The town of Füssen and its lakes below Neuschwanstein
The fountain at Linderhof Palace had been drained for the season
The entry to Linderhof Palace
The Mittelaltermarkt (Medieval Christmas Market) in Munich
Monday, 12/24/2018 – Last Day in Munich
Many Germans have family obligations on Christmas Eve so only a few of the Markets were open. We only went out for a little while visiting Marienplatz again and climbing the bell tower of nearby St. Peter’s. The rest of the day was spent packing and preparing for the trip home.
A tree stands above the stalls of the Marienplatz Christmas Market
Musicians play as part of Munich’s Rathaus-Glockenspeil
The glockenspiel also has jousting knights
Looking down on the Marienplatz Christmas Market from the bell tower of St. Peter’s Church
Tuesday, 12/25/2018 – I’ll Be Home On Christmas
Early Christmas morning we took a taxi from the hotel to the airport. There were not a lot of travelers, so we got through check-in and security quickly. Our flight to Newark was uneventful. There we said goodbye to James’ parents as they returned to Florida, and we caught flights back to Des Moines.
The sun rises on Christmas morning
We enjoyed spending time with James’ parents and seeing them experience the river cruise and the Christmas Markets. It was a wonderful experience we will never forget.