Day 1 - Standard Premier Class Eurostar to Liège
We depart St Pancras International on the Eurostar service to Brussels in Standard Premier Class. We enjoy a light meal and drinks on board during the journey. On arrival in Brussels, we continue by First Class rail to Liège, where we stay for four nights at the Hotel Mercure Liège Centre.We enjoy dinner together tonight at the hotel. (E,D)
Day 2 - Exploring Aachen and its Christmas Market
You are free to relax in the hotel or explore Liège until late morning when we travel to Aachen by coach, just a short journey across the German border. Here you will be free to visit the town known as the 'Christmas City'. The streets around the Town Hall are filled with stalls where you can find many traditional German giftsi ncluding Aachen Printen, a delicious local speciality gingerbread. The city itself was built on Charlemagne's former palace and you can still see his influence throughout the city. The stunning gothic architecture of the cathedral and the golden shrine of Charlemagne inside are well worth a visit. (B)
Day 3 - Liège Christmas Market
On your doorstep is Belgium's largest Christmas village, with more than 180 stalls around the city's Place du Marchéand Place Saint- Lambert. Truly a great place to sample local Belgian produce amidst a festive atmosphere, illuminations, decorations and wonderful Christmas aromas in 'the glowing city'. (B)
Day 4 - Valkenburg’s Christmas Markets
Our excursion today is by coach into the Netherlands to visit the picturesque town of Valkenburg. If weather permits we will make a stop en-route at a point where you can admire the fabulous view of the three counties we visit on this tour. The small town of Valkenburg boasts the oldest and largest subterranean Christmas Market in Europe, the Gemeentegrot (or Town Cave).The labyrinth of passages holds many great ideas for seasonal gifts, and in the Roman part of the cave, visitors can enjoy a drink and listen to seasonal music. But that'snot all, as the Velvet Cave (or Fluweelengrot) also boasts an array of interesting Christmas themes. (B,D)
Day 5 - The journey home to Brussels and London
Our journey home begins by First Class rail to Brussels. Here we join the connecting Eurostar service and travel in Standard Premier Class to St Pancras International. (B,E)
E=Eurostar Meal, B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner
These meals, where shown are included in the price of your holiday
