The Prices of Christmas Market Tours to Eastern Europe
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There's nothing quite like the charm of Christmas markets to get you into the holiday spirit. With twinkling lights, cozy wooden stalls, the scent of mulled wine, and the sound of festive carols, Christmas market tours around Eastern Europe offer a magical way to celebrate the season. These tours take you to some of the most enchanting markets, where you can shop for handmade gifts, savor seasonal treats, and soak up the holiday atmosphere. In this article, we'll explore the costs of Eastern Europe's Christmas market tours, highlight some of the best options, and share insights into destinations that bring the magic of the holidays to life.
To help you plan the perfect festive getaway, we've carefully analyzed a variety of Christmas market tours through Eastern Europe. By comparing price ranges, tour quality, included amenities, and the overall holiday experience, we've identified the best value options for travelers. Whether you're dreaming of visiting iconic markets or discovering hidden gems, we've found tours that blend affordability, charm, and unforgettable seasonal memories. So, grab your winter coat and get ready to experience the holidays in Eastern Europe like never before.
Why does Eastern Europe appeal to Christmas market enthusiasts?
Eastern Europe is famous for its Christmas markets, which blend festive cheer with traditional craftsmanship. Dubrovnik, Mykonos, and Athens are foodie destinations with fantastic cuisine and world-class restaurants. Prague is known for its world-famous old town, local beer, wild nightlife, historic landmarks, and the Charles Bridge. These tours let you dive into the best markets and holiday destinations in a convenient way at an affordable price. You'll travel stress-free while creating amazing holiday memories.
How much do Christmas Market Tours in Eastern Europe cost?
The average price per day for Christmas market tours in Eastern Europe is $457, based on our analysis of 15 tours. While the overall prices can vary greatly, when we look at the daily price of these tours, the costs range from $177 to $732 per day.
Budget-friendly tours average around $275 per day, while higher-end luxury tours average about $628 per day.
Budget tours will usually provide less luxurious accommodation, have larger group sizes, and visit less expensive destinations. They will also sometimes have you pay for more activities on your own instead of including everything up front.
Mid-range tours often provide a step up in accommodation and transportation, and include more guided activities.
Luxury tours usually provide the highest levels of service, luxury hotels, more gormet food choices, comfortable transportation, and offer more all-inclusive payment options.
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The Best Tours in Eastern Europe
Budget-Friendly Tours
Budget-friendly and affordable Christmas market tours in Eastern Europe average $275 per day, with daily prices from $177 to $333. Budget tours usually include hotels, meals, and activities that are not quite as nice as other tours. Often, they might only include transportation, lodging, and some activities, leaving you on your own to pay for meals and other attractions during the tour. This can be a very convenient and economical way to visit France without spending too much money, as it gives you control over the amount you spend on meals and extra services. If you're looking for a really great option, check out Dreamy Christmas Markets: Budapest to Munich here.
Mid-Range Tours
For typical Christmas market tours in Eastern Europe that fall in the middle range of prices, the average cost is $468 per day. Daily prices range from $362 to $517. Taking this step up in price from the cheaper tours to mid-range will often get you plenty of extra amenities and service for a great price. These tours usually include very comfortable hotels, meals at delicious local restaurants, comfortable transportation, knowledgable guides, and entry to many of the top attractions. One of the best tours is Christmastime from Budapest to Vienna 2026.
Luxury Tours
Luxury Christmas market tours in Eastern Europe average around $468 per day, with daily costs ranging from $545 to $732. At this price, you'll be very well taken care of and pampered on your journey through the scenic destinations. Knowledgable guides, the best accommodation options, the finest restaurants, comfortable transportation, and quick entry into attractions are all part of the itinerary. Every luxury and detail has been planned and thought about so that you don't have to deal with any hassle, you simple show up and enjoy your vacation. One of the best luxury tours here is Christmastime from Budapest to Vienna 2025.
Which tour companies offer christmas market tours?
A number of fantastic tour companies offer Christmas market tours in Eastern Europe. These are a few of the best, because they offer the highest rated service, provide the best overall quality, and have the most five-star guest reviews to prove it.
Avalon Waterways
Focusing on river cruise tours through Germany, France, Hungary, and the Netherlands, Avalon Waterways is a well established tour provider. Most participants on their tours are adults and their tours range in length from 5 days to 4 weeks. Some of their offerings cater to families with children. Most of the tours provided by Avalon Waterways are high-end and luxurious with a top-tier level of service.
See All Tours from Avalon Waterways
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection is a large company with a focus on river cruise tours through Germany, Austria, Hungary, and France. Most participants are adults and the tours range in length from 8 days to 3 weeks. The tours offered by Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection are usually luxurious, high-end, and provide a top-tier level of service.
See All Tours from Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
Collette
Collette is a large international travel company offering tours all over the world. Some of their most popular destinations include the U.S., Italy, Great Britain, and France. The company appeals to travelers of all ages, with many tours focusing on families with children. Many of the tours fall into the mid-range price category. The company's adventures often highlight activities such as wine tasting, island hopping, and camping.
Travel Talk
Travel Talk is a large international travel company offering tours all over the world. Some of their most popular destinations include Bulgaria, Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. Budget travelers will appreciate the relative affordability of the company's offerings.
See All Tours from Travel Talk
Christmas Markets Destinations in Eastern Europe
Wondering where christmas markets tours visit in Eastern Europe? With a variety of stops and destinations along the way, there's something for everyone.
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. It's divided into two section, Buda, and Pest, which are separated by the Danube River and connected by the Chain Bridge. The Buda side is the hilly side. There's a funicular that runs up to the top of Castle Hill. The Pest side is flat with promenades and beautiful architecture. It also has a lively nightlife.
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia. It sits along the Danube River and is a less touristy, but still beautiful, European city. It's surrounded by vineyards and mountains, so the setting is picturesque. The city also has many great walking and cycling trails. Bratislava's old town is beautiful and a fun place to explore.
Prague
Prague is the capital city of the Czech Republic. It's also the country's cultural and tourism mecca. The city has a world renowned old town that has a beautiful square and many baroque buildings. The old town is filled with Gothic churches and the famous Astronomical Clock, which dates back to medieval times. Through the area is the Vltava River and the famous Charles Bridge.
Riga
Riga is the capital of Latvia and its a cultural city with a lot to offer visitors. The city has a beautiful old town with lively squares and many cozy restaurants. There's also an active nightlife scene.
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Other popular destinations for christmas markets tours through Eastern Europe include Cesky Krumlov, Decin, Parnu, Trakai, and Litomerice.
Christmas Market Tours vs. Independent Travel: Pros and Cons
When choosing between booking an organized tour or planning your own trip, consider the key factors of each travel style.
Organized Tours
Pros- Let someone else organize the trip, don't worry about logistics
- Many tours will make your reservations and schedule transportation for you, so you can avoid the hassle
- Guides know which markets have the best atmosphere.
- Make new friends by meeting like-minded travelers.
- Schedules may limit your flexibility.
- Weather problems might limit what you see during the tour.
Independent Travel
Pros- More flexibility over your schedule.
- More time to make purchases at the shops
- More work to plan a route to visit the best markets.
- You need to know the market schedules ahead of time.
- Hotels fill up quickly during the holiday season.
Which is cheaper?
Can you save money by traveling independently instead of joining guided Christmas market tours? It's not a simple yes or no. Tours usually include key expenses such as lodging, transportation, meals, entry fees, guides, and activities, which you'd need to manage and pay for individually on your own trip. To figure out the difference, compare the total tour price with the cost of making your own arrangements. Depending on your choices—like opting for budget hotels or premium dining—the cost of a tour might be higher or lower. Be sure to examine the tour inclusions carefully when comparing.
Also, before booking a tour, make sure you know exactly what is included as tour companies sometimes change their itineraries or included amenities to keep them updated with seasonal changes and customer interests.
More Tour Options
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