This was my first escorted tour and something that stood out to me was the friendships and comradely that developed throughout the week. It was a large group of people from different places and walks of life that all shared a common interest and enjoyed a memorable week together, also the two Collette tour managers made the week with their organisation, knowledge and friendliness.

Our trip began with an overnight stay in a hotel in Wurzburg. This gave our Collette tour manager Gregg the opportunity to introduce himself and give a brief explanation on what to expect during the tour before heading to a local restaurant for a traditional dinner.

The following morning we joined our river cruise ship and travelled through Rothenburg, Nuremburg, Regensburg, Passau and Vienna exploring the beautiful Christmas markets that each place had to offer. Each place was enchanting and unique offering a mixture of history and culture with seasonal market stalls and decorative shops.

At each port of call we enjoyed a guided city tour followed by free time to explore the Christmas Markets, all with traditional and unique gifts, decorations and food.

My favourite moment during this trip was seeing Vienna during the evening. With an overnight stop here we experienced the glow of the Christmas lights, the decorative Christmas trees and stall but seeing the whole city lit up on a festive evening was spectacular.