I watched a Hallmark movie a few years ago set at a Christmas market in Germany.
You know the one.
Cobblestone streets, twinkling lights strung between centuries-old buildings, a woman selling handmade ornaments, mulled wine warming everyone’s hands. The whole thing looked almost too beautiful to be real.
And I remember thinking — does it actually look like that?
It does. And it’s been that way for over 600 years.
That’s why I’m taking a small group to the Christmas markets of Austria and Germany this December. And if you’ve ever felt like Christmas has lost a little of its magic, I want to make the case for why this trip might be exactly what you’re looking for.
American Christmas vs. European Christmas
Let me be honest about something. Christmas here — and I say this with love — has become a to-do list. Shopping and shipping and schedules and stress. We’re so busy doing Christmas that we forget to actually feel it.
The Christmas markets are the opposite of that.
Entire towns transform into something out of a storybook. Handmade crafts from local artisans. The smell of roasted chestnuts drifting through the square. Carolers echoing off buildings that have stood for centuries. And a pace of life that actually lets you stop, look around, and take it all in.
It’s Christmas the way it was meant to feel.
Why This Itinerary Is Different
If you’ve ever looked at a river cruise through Europe at Christmas, you already know the appeal. Your hotel moves with you. You wake up somewhere new every day without touching your luggage.
This trip does the same thing without the river cruise price tag.
We’re based in one beautiful hotel in Innsbruck for the entire week. Every day we venture out to a different destination — Salzburg, Munich, Oberammergau, Seefeld in the Alps — and come back each night to the same room, the same bed, the same place to exhale. One suitcase. Zero repacking.
And the experiences woven into this itinerary are not the kind you’d stumble into on your own.
A horse-drawn carriage ride through the Alps. A visit to Linderhof Palace. Dinner at St. Peter Stiftskulinarium — one of the oldest restaurants in the world, tucked inside a Salzburg monastery that has been welcoming guests for centuries. A train ride to Seefeld with a taste of schnapps waiting at the end.
These aren’t optional add-ons. They’re the whole point.
Who Goes on a Trip Like This?
I get this question a lot. So let me tell you.
It’s the woman who has always wanted to see Europe at Christmas but didn’t want to navigate it alone. It’s the couple celebrating a milestone who wants something more meaningful than a resort. It’s the friends who have been saying “we should do a trip” for years and finally decided this was the one. It’s the person whose kids are grown, whose schedule finally has some breathing room, and who is ready to do something just for themselves.
It’s people who appreciate beautiful things and want to actually feel their vacation instead of just surviving it.
The Details
The trip is December 12-19, 2026 through Austria and Germany. Fully guided by Collette, one of the most trusted names in group travel. Starts at $3,699 per person from Portland, with other departure cities available. Flights are included.
I have 14 spots. The deposit deadline to hold your place is June 13, 2026.
If any part of this has been calling your name, I’d love to talk. Send me an email at melissa@thesingingsuitcase.com, or grab all the details and reserve your spot here.
The world looks different at Christmas in Europe. Come see it for yourself.
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