SET | Sport & Educational Travel European Tours

Christmas Markets - Germany

Lille - France

As the bustling, vibrant capital of Northern France, Lille is a cosmopolitan city filled with rich culture and architectural delights. The buzzing city centre with its brightly lit shopping malls and stylish restaurants contrasts the quaint old town with its maze of tiny cobbled streets and lovely little shops.

If Lille does not appeal to you during the summer season, why not visit between the end of November and Christmas Eve when you can enjoy the added bonus of joining in the Christmas festivities of an exciting melée of market stalls and entertainment?

Christmas Markets - Holland

Valkenburg / Maastricht

An alternative destination for your overnight Christmas market is Valkenburg, in the South Limburg hills of Holland.
Hundreds of traditional market stalls are set up in caves and quarries providing a unique, almost magical atmosphere for Christmas and its preparation.
The market is within a short walking distance of Maastricht, a Roman town on the river Meuse, that can provide an absorbing walking tour the next day, with plenty of interesting history.

Cologne

From the first week of Advent until Christmas Eve, the city centre of Cologne is filled with the traditional Christmas markets, the festive atmosphere of which delights visitors, young

and old. The Christmas markets at the Cathedral, on the Alter Markt or the Neumarkt are all available for you to browse at your leisure with your young charges able to practice their German. Extended day trip is possible, for longer stays accommodation is at a youth hostel in the Cologne area.

Aachen

As an alternative to Cologne, the beautiful city of Aachen on the German border boasts fine traditional Christmas markets from the end of November to Christmas Eve. With Aachen being located 4.5 hours from Calais, it is possible to visit the markets on an extended day trip or an overnight stay.

Overnight prices are available on request.

Sample Itinerary

Day trip to Lille
03.00-04.00	Depart School Services stop
07.15	Check in at Dover
10.45	Ferry docks in Calais (local time)
12.30	Coach arrives in Lille Free time in Lille / Christmas Markets
17.30	Depart Lille
19.00	Check in at Calais
20.30	Ferry docks in Dover (local time)
23.30-00.30	Coach arrives School

Day trip to Aachen
23.00-00.00	Depart School Services stop
03.00	Check in at Dover
06.30	Ferry docks in Calais (local time)
11.00	Coach arrives in Aachen Christmas markets / free time
20.00	Check in at Calais
21.30	Ferry docks in Dover (local time)
00.30-01.30	Coach arrives School

Modified 06/02/2015