(There he is, sitting at his desk, dreaming about an AmaWaterways Christmas Markets River Cruise. When suddenly, Scott realizes he shouldn’t just be dreaming – he should write a blog post about such an extraordinary adventure! 🤣 So…)

Hey everybody! This is Scott coming to you from another gorgeous day here in Florida. It’s 82° F with mostly clear skies and a light breeze out of the southwest. You can smell a little bit of the saltwater from the nearby Indian River. Otherwise, the air quality is excellent today. It’s as close to perfect as one can get without being on a cruise. ⛴

So, it’s a little hard to remember that the holiday season is right around the corner! lol 😂 At least when we lived in New York, the weather would get cold, there would be snow on the ground, and people would be bundled up, not wearing flip-flops, t-shirts, and shorts, on their way to the beach!

Nevertheless, Thanksgiving is indeed next week, and Christmas is a little over 5 weeks away. If you haven’t started making your plans, you’d better chop chop! And, what better plan is there than a river cruise in Europe to take in all of the magical Christmas Markets in countries like Amsterdam, Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, and Switzerland? If there’s a better plan, I can’t think of it! Just imagine the holiday romance shared by couples in love! Or, the joy of the little ones and their grandparents on a multigenerational Christmas adventure! Or, the Yuletide memories made with friends on a group river cruise!

Why AmaWaterways?

As far as I can tell, AmaWaterways is among the best river cruise lines for a Christmas Markets river cruise. With AmaWaterways, you’ll “experience the deep-rooted holiday traditions of Europe at its most festive time of year and get caught up in the magic of the holidays with visits to some of the world’s most timeless Christmas Markets. Warm up with a mug of steamy glühwein while at the Cologne Christmas Market located in front of its UNESCO-designated Gothic cathedral. Let the “Capital of Noël,” Strasbourg, the oldest and largest Christmas Market in France, captivate you the way it has for so many others for centuries. Meander through Heidelberg’s majestic Christmas Market nestled idyllically amongst the historic squares of the Old Town. And while in Gengenbach, marvel at the world’s largest Advent calendar, where every evening at 6:00 PM, the brightly lit windows of the neo-classical town hall open and behind each one is a picture by a famous artist, such as Andy Warhol. Cherish all the glory of the season in grand European style as you cruise along” the rivers of Europe.

Beyond their expertise in Christmas Markets river cruising, AmaWaterways is, simply put, an extraordinary company with extraordinary river cruise ships, extraordinary crew, extraordinary food, extraordinary excursions, and extraordinary accommodations. I suggest you read more about it on a page we dedicated exclusively to AmaWaterways.

What Should You Expect?

Have you ever had Glühwein? I’ll admit, it’s a bit of an acquired taste for some people. I liked it immediately, but Laura could take it or leave it. What is it? Glühwein is a mulled wine served hot. I think it’s the spices that throw her because she definitely likes her wine. I remember freezing my you-know-what off in the Alps at the Zugspitze. When you get to the top, there’s nothing like the Glühwein they sell up there to warm you right up! I’m not sure if it’s particularly good or not, but that day, it was the best Glühwein I’ve ever had! lol 😂 It’s that sort of warm your body/warm your spirit thing that adds magic to the Christmas Markets experience. Of course, there is more than just Glühwein to warm you up. Some of my favorite foods come from this part of the world. But, it’s the warmth of the people that really makes all the difference.

Then there’s the fun of it all! The decorations, the singing of Christmas carols by little children dressed as angels, the Nutcrackers, the Christmas Trees, thousands of lights, cathedral tower bells ringing, and so much more! You’ll “wander the stalls of Europe’s most traditional and enchanting Christmas Markets, including Regensburg and Salzburg, shopping for handcrafted toys and gifts, sipping hot mulled wine, and inhaling the fragrance of gingerbread and roasted chestnuts.”

Can You Imagine Yourself Here?

Yes? Then let’s make it happen! Make your next Christmas one to remember! Take an AmaWaterways Christmas Markets River Cruise and experience an extraordinary adventure through the Christmas Markets of Europe! All you have to do is fill out this form, and we’ll handle the rest! Because, when you cruise with AmaWaterways, Extraordinary Adventures gives you complimentary White Glove Service! Our White Glove Service is a complete end-to-end service brought to you through our strategic partnership with AmaWaterways. We’ll arrange your car service and transfers, book your flights*, reserve your hotel stays, provide recommendations and guidance for every part of your adventure, and much more – doing our part to help make it that much more extraordinary!