TORONTO — Insight Vacations has no fewer than eight Christmas Markets journeys in its ‘2018-19 Seasons – Autumn, Winter and Spring’ lineup.

“Travel during the festive season adds such a significant touch to the overall experience and we received positive feedback from our loyal Canadian agents about the increasing popularity of our Christmas Markets program,” says Brad Ford, President, Insight Vacations Canada. “The holiday season is a time to build incredible memories and our carefully curated Insight Experiences are so rich in festive cheer, sampling local specialties and unique highlights that will create memories to last a lifetime and allow guests to experience Christmas like never before.”

 Here’s a look at three of the trips:

Alpine Christmas Markets

This 10-day itinerary takes clients through traditional German towns and the snow-frosted Alps. Munich embraces the holiday season with a flourish, and “there is no better place for guests to begin their trip”. Highlights include Christkindlmarkt and Salzburg, where a Local Expert takes travellers to Mozart’s family home, and where travellers can take in the 500-year-old Christmas Market in front of the cathedral. In Strasbourg guests will explore France’s largest and Europe’s oldest Christmas Market. Meanwhile Zurich is home to Europe’s biggest indoor Christmas extravaganza, held inside the main railway station with a three-storey Christmas tree, draped with twinkling Swarovski crystals.

Christmas Markets of Poland, Prague & Germany

Clients on this nine-day regional journey through Poland, Czech Republic and Germany start with time in Krawków, where the Christmas Market takes place on the Main Market Square with roasted chestnuts and traditional ‘oscypek’ cheese with cranberries. With a Local Expert, guests journey on for picturesque views from Prague Castle, which give way to the decorated Old Town Square with its giant Christmas tree draped in twinkling lights and surrounded by decorative wooden stalls. Then it’s on to Germany, known by many as the ultimate European destination for Christmas Markets, with stops in Dresden and Berlin.

Christmas Markets of Austria & Bavaria

This nine-day itinerary begins in Vienna with a private walk through the opulent Schönbrunn Palace. Once at the Viennese Christmas Market, a local stallholder is on hand with Viennese winter desserts paired with Glühwein. The trip then heads to Salzburg and on to Oberammergau and its colourful painted chalets, and King Ludwig II’s fairy-tale castle in Neuschwanstein. A final day is spent in Munich at the Christmas Market of Marienplatz, complete with carol sing-alongs, tasty treats and a tree lit up with 3,000 candles.