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A Magical Christmas Markets Holiday in Austria and Italy

An Enchanting Winter Tour of Venice, Bolzano and Merano + Innsbruck, Austria!

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$2,998 USD *
regular price: $4,998
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7 days | 6 nights

Exploring Medieval Christmas Markets and
Holiday Treasures in Northern Italy and Austria

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On this very special Culinary Adventure you will explore the numerous Christmas markets in Bolzano, Merano, Verona and Venice…including a full day visiting the famous Christmas market in Innsbruck, Austria. Upon arrival into Verona on your first day, you will be driven up from the Veneto region into the lesser known, but equally beautiful South Tyrol province of Northern Italy. This area could be dubbed as a region of fortresses of both mountains and men, as the sunny side of the Alps experienced a long, arduous history of fighting between the Latin and Nordic territories throughout time. Castles and walled cities, remnants of military forts from the First and Second World Wars, Roman ruins and prehistoric dwellings can all be visited here. As Trentino is not yet on the mass tourism map, you can have the opportunity to explore this authentic destination, which is happy to open its doors to share its traditions at Christmas time. The picturesque villages wait to host you and teach you to make some of the hearty dishes cherished during those chilly winter days. Your tour has been designed to introduce you to a magical time in the medieval villages of Northern Italy, allowing you to experience hands-on cooking focused on holiday recipes, wine tastings, product tastings, daily excursions…and shopping! If you love the holiday season, then you must join us on this incredible sojourn through the winter wonderlands of Northern Italy and Austria.
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Itinerary Accommodations Map FAQ Testimonials
VACATION HIGHLIGHTS
Please note: Tour inclusions can change depending upon seasonality and weather conditions.
6 Nights, 7 Days Accommodations
Round-trip Transfers (Verona & Venice)
Licensed Tour Host & Guides During Tour
6 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 4 Dinners
Alpine Farmhouse Visit with Tastings
Dolomites Christmas Cooking Class
Merano Christmas Markets Grappa Tasting
Distillery Tour with Tastings
Hands-On Christmas Baking Class
Innsbruck, Austria Christmas Markets Tour
Hofburg Palace Tour in Innsbruck
Bolzano Christmas Markets Excursion
Mulled Wine Tasting in Bolzano
Guided Venice Markets Tour with Bacaro
Venice Christmas Fair Excursion
While our tours are designed as soft adventure experiences, walking, climbing stairs, and in rare cases mild hiking may be required. If you have mobility issues, you should speak with one of our culinary travel specialists to determine if this tour is appropriate for your situation.
AVAILABLE DATES
Christmas weeks run from Wednesday to Tuesday in order to take full advantage of the Christmas Markets that are primarily open on weekends. Please click on the orange "Check Pricing & Dates" button above to view available departures.
SAMPLE ITINERARY
Please note: Actual itineraries are subject to change due to seasonality.
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Day 1
Arrival into Verona | Transfer to Senale | Welcome Dinner
Once you arrive at the Verona Porta Nuova Train Station, your tour leader will welcome you and bring you to the private transportation that will take you to your hotel located in the small, charming town of Senale on the Nonsberg plateau. This beautiful mountain village has welcomed travelers to a small monastery hospice since 1194. After you have settled in, meet for a "Bordy", a welcome herbal drink prepared to the recipe of Hildegard von Bingen, followed by a welcome dinner, where you will enjoy a five-course meal in the Cervo Restaurant.
Day 2
Northern Italian Breakfast
Enjoy a special Tyrolean breakfast served in the restaurant daily. Each morning the offerings change with a range of fresh fruit juices, homemade jams, natural yogurt from the dairy farm, freshly made cakes and sumptuous hot and cold dishes using produce from local farms such as eggs, bacon, cheeses and the traditional bread: the Paarlbrot.
Alpine Farmhouse Bakery & Dairy | Lunch | Winter in the Dolomites Christmas Cooking Class Dinner
This morning you will meet your host for a gentle walk through the forest to the nearby Roatnockerhof farmhouse. Agriculture has always been the mainstay of the economy in Alta Val di Non. The father and son team at the organic Roatnockerhof farm prepare the traditional mountain breads daily and delicious raw milk cheeses. This is a step back in time as you witness the threshing and sorting of grains by a 19th century machine which is still used to achieve the best quality grains for baking their breads. It used to be essential for the inhabitants of the Alps to prepare non-perishable food supplies for the long winter months. The sour dough dry breads made of rye, wheat and spelt as well as cumin, bread clover, fennel and sometimes aniseed are often eaten together with cheese, locally smoked sausages and ham. A glass of local red wine or elder berry juice make the perfect accompaniment over lunch. After lunch enjoy time at your leisure. In the early evening try your hand at making some of the traditional, wintery dishes Trentino is known for and then enjoy your dinner together after the course.
Day 3
Northern Italian Breakfast
Enjoy a special Tyrolean breakfast served in the restaurant daily. Each morning the offerings change with a range of fresh fruit juices, homemade jams, natural yogurt from the dairy farm, freshly made cakes and sumptuous hot and cold dishes using produce from local farms such as eggs, bacon, cheeses and the traditional bread: the Paarlbrot.
Excursion to Christmas Markets in Merano | Grappa Tasting | Christmas Baking Class with Dinner
Christmas cheer is in the air! Wrap up warm to visit the charming city of Merano and see its Christmas market on the banks of the Passer River, along with the most important sites in this old spa town loved by Empress Elisabeth of Austria. The private guide will take you on a walking tour to see its elegant buildings, the Gothic parish church of St Nicholas, the Kurhaus and shopping arcades on the 13th century Laubengasse. Have some time to do a little shopping and lunching on your own before the private transfers and tour leader pick you up for the afternoon visits and class, first to a distillery to discover how locals restore the fire in their veins through the warming range of traditional 'Treber' or grappa made from the marc of local grapes and distillates from local fruits and wild bitter herbs. On return to Senale enjoy a baking class before dinner together.
Day 4
Northern Italian Breakfast
Enjoy a special Tyrolean breakfast served in the restaurant daily. Each morning the offerings change with a range of fresh fruit juices, homemade jams, natural yogurt from the dairy farm, freshly made cakes and sumptuous hot and cold dishes using produce from local farms such as eggs, bacon, cheeses and the traditional bread: the Paarlbrot.
Excursion to Innsbruck Christmas Market | Hofburg Palace Tour | Traditional Tyrolean Dinner
Bundle up! You're heading to the Alps! After breakfast, the private transfers will take you to Innsbruck, Austria. First have a guided tour of the Imperial Palace. The Hofburg Palace was completed in the 1500s, but the aesthetic that has been carried through to contemporary times can be attributed to Empress Maria Theresa who lived there during the 18th century. She was the only female to rule during the reign of the Habsburgs and her fifteenth child was the infamous Marie Antoinette. Following the tour have some time lunching on your own before time to visit the city's Christmas market, considered to be one of the most beautiful and romantic in the entire Alpine region! It is located in the Old Town, in front of the famous Golden Roof and surrounded by beautifully preserved historic facades. Walking through the market, you will find Christmas ornaments, handicrafts and other winter treats. Taste some kiachln (traditional, hot donuts) to keep you warm while you mingle with the locals and peruse the stalls. In the late afternoon the transfers will take you back to the hotel in Senale for a traditional dinner to mark the final evening in the Tyrol.
Day 5
Northern Italian Breakfast
Enjoy a special Tyrolean breakfast served in the restaurant daily. Each morning the offerings change with a range of fresh fruit juices, homemade jams, natural yogurt from the dairy farm, freshly made cakes and sumptuous hot and cold dishes using produce from local farms such as eggs, bacon, cheeses and the traditional bread: the Paarlbrot.
Excursion to the Christmas Markets in Bolzano | Lunch | Arrival in Venice
In the northern part of the region, where German is spoken and the Christmas atmosphere fills the wintery air, the city of Bolzano hosts one of the biggest Christmas markets in Italy. The private transfer will drop you in the center so you can enjoy a walking tour before having some time to wander the lovely narrow streets for some shopping and stopping at the various sites and cafés for a hot cider or tea. The tour leader will accompany you for a cup of the most wonderful drink of all: a hot, mulled wine that you can sip as you stroll. You will enjoy lunch in a Bolzano tavern before the private transfer to the beautiful city of Venice, where you will be delivered to your hotel close to St Mark's Square.
Day 6
European Breakfast
Start your day with a smile as you enjoy a scrumptious breakfast with a selection of fresh, local produce and seasonal ingredients served in the plush setting of the hotel's restaurant.
Guided Markets Tour | Venice Christmas Fair | Bacaro Lunch
In this Merchants of Venice tour, enjoy a trip to the belly of Venice exploring the Rialto Markets. Learn the secrets of the day's catch and enjoy the sights and sounds of this historic city centre market before a light lunch and cichete. For centuries Venetian merchants would talk business over cichete and ombra – a euphemism referring to grabbing a quick bite and something to drink in the shade. This Venetian style tapas is traditionally served in "bacari" where you can still enjoy these bite-sized delicacies, including tiny tramezzini, triangular sandwiches stuffed to bursting. After lunch join your tour leader to see Venice's traditional arts, Murano glass jewelry, marbled paper and Carnival masks at Venice's Christmas Fair in Campo Santo Stefano before free time to explore the narrow alleys crisscrossed by canals
Day 7
European Breakfast
Start your day with a smile as you enjoy a scrumptious breakfast with a selection of fresh, local produce and seasonal ingredients served in the plush setting of the hotel's restaurant.
Check-Out and Departure
After breakfast a private transfer will take you to Venice Marco Polo airport, for your return home, or to other points along your grand journey. Buon viaggio!
Venice, ItalyVerona, ItalySenale, ItalyBolzano, ItalyMerano, ItalyInnsbruck, Austria
WHAT A GREAT TOUR!!! Please allow Cindy and I to express to you all just how much we enjoyed our Christmas Markets tour with Epitourean! In particular, I wish to point out the extraordinary efforts of Cinzia (tour host). In every instance she was on top of the situation, was extremely knowledgeable about all cultural, historical and gastronomic details of our incredible journey. We look forward to taking another tour with you in the future.
John and Cindy Lu - December 2021
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