12 days · 8 countries
Europe Escape Christmas & New Year
From AED 12,065per person, twin share
Explore Europe over the festive season and enjoy the ultimate winter holiday! Discover Europe’s most famous destinations over 12 days.
- Duration
- 12 Days / 11 Nights
- Route
- Starts and ends in Rome
- Countries
- Austria, France, Switzerland, Italy, Vatican City, Germany, Netherlands and Belgium
- Activity level
- Moderate (3 of 5)
- A fast-moving coach tour with a hotel change most nights, guided walking tours of up to three hours and some sites with plenty of steps. You carry your own bags, including up hotel stairs where there is no lift
- Accommodation
- 11 nights in 3- and 4-star hotels throughout
- Meals
- 11 breakfasts and 6 dinners
- Group
- Group tour, up to 34
- Guide
- English-speaking tour leader throughout, with a local guide in Florence
- Transport
- Air-conditioned coach
- Best time to go
- Runs in December over Christmas and New Year: cold across Europe, with a good chance of snow in the Swiss Alps and possibly in Munich too
Tour overview
Celebrate the 12 days of Christmas in style with this Europe Escape Christmas & New Year tour! Discover some of Europe’s most famous destinations including Paris, Venice and Munich. Visit Germany's Rhine Valley, spend Christmas Day in Amsterdam, celebrate the New Year in Rome and explore the majestic Swiss Alps!
Highlights
- Explore Venice, Italy’s floating city
- Marvel at the scenery along Brenner Pass
- Visit Innsbruck; a beautiful Austrian city
- Explore Munich; capital of Bavaria
- Enjoy a German meal in one of Munich's historic restaurants
- Cruise along the Rhine River
- Indulge in a wine tasting in the Rhine Valley
- Visit the iconic Riekermolen Windmill
Show all 19 highlightsShow fewer highlights
- Enjoy a local cheese and clogs demonstration in the Netherlands
- Cruise the canals and see the displays of the Amsterdam Light Festival
- Enjoy Christmas dinner in Amsterdam
- Visit Ghent, a beautiful medieval city in Belgium
- See the sights of Paris on a driving tour
- Visit Burgundy; a French wine region
- Marvel at the views on a scenic Swiss mountain drive
- Stop at idyllic Lake Como
- See the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa
- Discover Florence with a local guide
- Spend New Year’s Eve in Rome
Route and hotels
Where the tour goes and where you sleep, night by night.
Rome
Day 1 · start
Venice
1 night · Day 1
Hotel Venezia
Innsbruck
Day 2 · on the way
Munich
1 night · Day 2
Mercure Munich Neuperlach Sued
Rhine Valley
1 night · Day 3
Mercure Hotel Frankfurt Eschborn Helfmann Park.
Amsterdam
1 night · Day 4
Hampton by Hilton Amsterdam Schiphol
Ghent
Day 5 · on the way
Paris
2 nights · Days 5–6
B&B HOTEL Paris Nord 18ème
Show all 15 stopsShow fewer stops
Burgundy
Day 7 · on the way
Swiss Alps
2 nights · Days 7–8
Alpenrose Hotel and Gardens
Lake Como
Day 9 · on the way
Tuscany South
1 night · Day 9
Antica Tabaccaia Resort
Pisa
Day 10 · on the way
Florence
Day 10 · on the way
Rome
2 nights · Days 10–11
Excel Roma Montemario
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1
Start of tour in Rome – Venice
Rome is the starting point, where your tour leader and the group set off for Venice. On arrival, the city’s sights are there to look out for, among them St. Mark’s Square, the Rialto Bridge and the Grand Canal. The evening is free, and the optional Evening in Venice excursion shows the city the traditional way, by water taxi and gondola.
Included
- Free evening to explore Venice on arrival
Optional extras
- An Evening in Venice · AED 535 per person
- Travel
- Rome → Venice by coach
- Overnight
- Venice
- Hotel
- Hotel Venezia
Day 2
Innsbruck – Munich – Bavaria
Meals included: BreakfastDinner
The road continues through the Brenner Pass, with countryside views along the way, and a stop in Innsbruck before reaching Munich, Germany, in the afternoon. An orientation tour covers the highlights of this Bavarian capital, and in the evening, dinner is included at a local restaurant, offering a taste of Germany.
Included
- Scenic drive through the Brenner Pass
- Comfort stop and orientation tour in Innsbruck
- Orientation tour of Munich with your tour leader
- Dinner at a historic Bavarian restaurant
- Travel
- Venice → Innsbruck → Munich (Bavaria) by coach
- Overnight
- Munich
- Hotel
- Mercure Munich Neuperlach Sued
- Meals
- Breakfast and dinner
Day 3
Bavaria – Rhine Valley (Christmas Eve)
Meals included: BreakfastDinnerChristmas Eve finds the tour in the Rhine Valley, with a Rhine River cruise past medieval towns, dramatic cliffs and castles that line the riverbanks. Afterwards, a local wine merchant offers a Rhine Valley wine tasting. In the evening, Christmas Eve is celebrated with an included dinner in a local restaurant.
Included
- Christmas Eve cruise on the Rhine, past its castles
- Wine tasting with a local merchant
- Christmas Eve dinner at a local restaurant
- Travel
- Bavaria → Rhine Valley by coach
- Overnight
- Rhine Valley
- Hotel
- Mercure Hotel Frankfurt Eschborn Helfmann Park.
- Meals
- Breakfast and dinner
Day 4
Rhine Valley – Amsterdam (Christmas Day)
Meals included: BreakfastDinner
Christmas Day brings a stop at a Dutch windmill en route to Amsterdam, with a visit to a local farm to see how cheese and clogs, two Dutch icons, are crafted. On arrival in Amsterdam, a twilight canal cruise takes in the Amsterdam Light Festival displays, before the group gathers for a Christmas dinner.
Included
- Photo stop at a Dutch windmill
- Cheese and clog-making demonstration
- Twilight canal cruise, with the Amsterdam Light Festival displays
- Christmas Day dinner in Amsterdam
- Travel
- Rhine Valley → Amsterdam by coach
- Overnight
- Amsterdam
- Hotel
- Hampton by Hilton Amsterdam Schiphol
- Meals
- Breakfast and dinner
Day 5
Amsterdam – Ghent – Paris
Meals included: BreakfastDinnerThis morning’s stop is the port city of Ghent, Belgium, known for its well preserved medieval architecture, with time for a bite to eat and a stroll through the historic centre. Paris follows, with a driving tour through the French capital taking in landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum and the Arc de Triomphe, ahead of a local dinner.
Included
- Free time in Ghent to see its medieval centre
- Driving tour of Paris past the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe
- Travel
- Amsterdam → Ghent → Paris by coach
- Overnight
- Paris
- Hotel
- B&B HOTEL Paris Nord 18ème
- Meals
- Breakfast and dinner
Day 6
Paris: Free Day
Meals included: BreakfastToday is free to explore Paris as you wish. The optional Paris Like Locals excursion fills the day with a stop at a perfume museum, time at Galeries Lafayette, a macaron tasting, and free time in the Latin Quarter. The evening can finish with Montmartre and a Cabaret show.
Included
- Free day in Paris to explore at your own pace
Optional extras
- Paris Like Locals · AED 300 per person
- An Evening in Montmartre · AED 235 per person
- Parisian Cabaret with drinks · AED 400 per person
- Overnight
- Paris
- Hotel
- B&B HOTEL Paris Nord 18ème
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 7
Paris – Burgundy – Swiss Alps
Meals included: BreakfastDinner
Paris gives way to a lunch stop in Burgundy, right at the centre of French wine country, with well known wine to try or the Hospices de Beaune to visit. From there, the Swiss Alps come into view, where the tour stays for the next two days, among alpine surroundings and festive spirit.
Included
- Lunch stop in Burgundy wine country
- Scenic drive to the Swiss Alps for two nights
- Travel
- Paris → Burgundy → Swiss Alps by coach
- Overnight
- Swiss Alps
- Hotel
- Alpenrose Hotel and Gardens
- Meals
- Breakfast and dinner
Day 8
Swiss Alps: Free Day
Meals included: BreakfastA free day in the Swiss Alps is best spent on the optional Jungfraujoch excursion, billed as the journey to the Top of Europe. At Jungfraujoch, there is snow to play in, wide panoramas to take in, the Sphinx Observatory to visit and an Ice Palace to explore. In the evening, the optional Alpine Dinner Experience is a way to warm up.
Included
- Free day in the Swiss Alps, with time to explore the local village
Optional extras
- Jungfraujoch: Journey to the Top of Europe · AED 960 per person
- Alpine Dinner Experience · AED 215 per person
- Overnight
- Swiss Alps
- Hotel
- Alpenrose Hotel and Gardens
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 9
Swiss Alps – Lake Como – Tuscany
Meals included: Breakfast
The route continues into Italy, with a stop at Lake Como in the Italian Lake District, its lakeside villages, blue waters and mountain backdrops all on show. There is a spot for lunch here before the scenery gives way to Tuscany, a region known for its wine, food, art and architecture, where the group settles in at the hotel.
Included
- Stop at Lake Como for lunch
- Travel
- Swiss Alps → Lake Como → Tuscany by coach
- Overnight
- Tuscany South
- Hotel
- Antica Tabaccaia Resort
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 10
Pisa – Florence – New Year's Eve in Rome
Meals included: BreakfastDinner
New Year’s Eve celebrations start with a visit to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, before the day moves on to Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance, for a locally guided walking tour. The optional Taste of Tuscany excursion offers lunch, ahead of the journey back to Rome, where dinner with the group rings in the new year.
Included
- Photo stop at the Leaning Tower of Pisa
- Guided tour of Florence with a local guide, including Ponte Vecchio and the Duomo
- New Year’s Eve dinner with the group in Rome
Optional extras
- Taste of Tuscany · AED 235 per person
- Travel
- Tuscany → Pisa → Florence → New Year’s Eve in Rome by coach
- Overnight
- Rome
- Hotel
- Excel Roma Montemario
- Meals
- Breakfast and dinner
Day 11
Rome: Free Day
Meals included: Breakfast
A free day in Rome starts the new year, a city once at the centre of the Roman Empire and known as the Eternal City. The optional Conquer the Capital excursion takes in several Rome highlights, among them the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and the Colosseum, followed by a local dinner and gelato tasting.
Included
- New Year’s Day free in Rome to explore at your own pace
Optional extras
- Festive Rome: Conquer the Capital · AED 255 per person
- Overnight
- Rome
- Hotel
- Excel Roma Montemario
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 12
End of tour in Rome
Meals included: BreakfastAfter 12 days of festive Christmas and New Year fun, the tour in Rome draws to a close after breakfast today, a good moment to swap details with fellow travellers before saying goodbye.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Dates & prices
Prices per person, sharing a double or twin room. A single room costs the supplement shown.
FromTue 22 Dec 2026ToSat 2 Jan 2027
Available
AED 12,065
Single room supplement +AED 3,324 single
What’s included
Included
- 11 nights hotel accommodation in twin rooms with private bathrooms. The majority of our accommodations are of a 3- and 4-star standard, offering excellent value, comfort and convenience
- Single travellers have the option to pay a single supplement to ensure a private room (subject to availability)
- 11 Breakfasts, 6 Dinners
- Modern air-conditioned coach with reclining seats and toilet onboard
- Any public transport used as part of the tour (excludes free days)
- Fully-guided tour
Not included
- Flights: Arrange your own flights for the start and end of the tour
- Travel insurance: Purchase a suitable policy that meets your needs
Optional extras
Excursions and upgrades you can add to the tour. Prices are per person.
An Evening in Venice
A water taxi from Piazzale Roma to San Marco and a gondola ride through Venice’s canals, with pizza or pasta for dinner at a local restaurant. €125. Book it before the tour: add it to your booking notes.
AED 535 per person
Paris Like Locals
A walking day with your tour leader through central Paris, with a macaron tasting, a perfume museum visit, time at Galeries Lafayette, lunch at a local crêperie, the Louvre and an orientation tour of the Latin Quarter. €70, booked with your tour leader on the day.
AED 300 per person
An Evening in Montmartre
An evening in Montmartre, past the Moulin Rouge and up by funicular to the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, followed by a three-course French dinner with vegetarian options available. €55, booked with your tour leader on the day.
AED 235 per person
Parisian Cabaret with drinks
A cabaret show at one of Paris’s best-known venues, with elaborate costumes, music and dance, and a glass of champagne or a soft drink included. €94, booked with your tour leader on the day.
AED 400 per person
Jungfraujoch: Journey to the Top of Europe
A cable car and train journey to Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe, with snow-covered views, the Aletsch Glacier and an ice palace to explore. €225, booked with your tour leader on the day.
AED 960 per person
Alpine Dinner Experience
A cheese fondue starter, a hearty Swiss main course and a sweet finish, in the traditional style of the Alps. €50, booked with your tour leader on the day.
AED 215 per person
Taste of Tuscany
A family-style Tuscan meal in Florence, with bistecca alla Fiorentina, bruschetta al pomodoro, a glass of Chianti and a traditional dessert. €55, booked with your tour leader on the day.
AED 235 per person
Festive Rome: Conquer the Capital
A walking tour through central Rome taking in the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain, with dinner and a gelato tasting included. €60, booked with your tour leader on the day.
AED 255 per person
To add an extra, mention it in your booking notes, and we confirm it with your seats before you pay. Some are booked with your tour leader on the day instead: their description says so.
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Good to know
Practical details to read before you travel.
Passport & visas
This tour stays entirely within the Schengen area, visiting Austria, France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, plus Vatican City, which has open borders with Schengen, so one Schengen visa covers the whole trip.
UAE passport holders do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180, and will need the EU’s new ETIAS travel authorisation once it starts: we can tell you where it stands when you book. Most other nationalities living in the UAE need a Schengen visa, applied for in the country where you spend the most nights, which on this tour is Italy.
Apply up to six months before you travel. Dubai appointments fill up quickly before Christmas, so start early. Your passport must be valid for at least three months after you leave the Schengen area and have been issued within the last ten years, with two blank pages; your UAE residence visa must be valid for at least three months after you return.
Our visa team handles Schengen applications: ask us when you book.
Flights and timings
Flights to and from Rome aren’t included: our team can book your flights from Dubai to match the tour.
Day 1 starts at your hotel in Rome at 08:00 (the exact hotel is confirmed closer to the time). The tour ends in Rome on day 12, after breakfast, with checkout by 10:00.
Meals and dietary needs
The tour includes 11 breakfasts and 6 dinners: a Christmas Eve dinner in the Rhine Valley, a Christmas Day dinner in Amsterdam, and further dinners in Bavaria (Munich), Paris, the Swiss Alps and on New Year’s Eve in Rome; day 1 has no meals included beyond breakfast the following morning.
Tell us about any dietary needs, halal included, when you book, and we pass them on before the tour.
Money
Euro in Austria, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. Swiss franc in Switzerland. A card without foreign transaction fees is the easiest way to pay across this route.
Optional experiences booked on tour are paid to your tour leader in cash or by card, in the currency shown.
Weather and packing
Running in December, this tour is cold throughout, with a good chance of snow in the Swiss Alps, where Jungfraujoch has snow year-round, and a possibility of snow in Munich too.
Pack warm layers, a waterproof coat, gloves and comfortable, broken-in shoes with a good grip. Several days include walking tours of up to three hours, and some sites have a fair number of steps.
Christmas and New Year on tour
This tour runs over the festive season, with Christmas Eve in the Rhine Valley, Christmas Day in Amsterdam, where the canal cruise takes in the Amsterdam Light Festival displays, and New Year’s Eve in Rome. Some shops, restaurants and attractions close or run shorter hours on 25 December and 1 January.
Your tour leader will confirm exact timings for Christmas Day and New Year’s Day once you are on tour.
Plan your trip
Our Dubai team arranges what goes around the tour, so it is booked in one place.
Visas
One Schengen visa covers the Schengen countries on this route. Our visa team in Dubai applies for UAE residents once the tour is booked.
Flights
Flights are not included. We can book them with the tour: Dubai to Rome and back. Tick “Flights” when you book and we quote them with your confirmation.
Pay in instalments
Split the cost with Tabby or Tamara, or over 3 to 12 months on a UAE bank credit card for bookings from AED 1,000.
Book this tour
Book online in a few minutes. Your seats are held as soon as you book, and you pay once we have confirmed them.
- Choose your date, travellers and roomsPrices are per person, and the total updates as you choose.
- Name each traveller as in their passportYour seats are held and your booking reference is emailed straight away.
- Pay by secure link once confirmedOur Dubai team confirms the seats with the tour operator, then emails your payment link. Nothing is charged when you book.
Questions before you book? Our support team is on WhatsApp +971 58 582 4488.
Questions about this tour
What will my days actually look like?
Full days, zero filler. Most mornings start with breakfast before heading out to the main sights with your Tour Leader or a local guide. Afternoons often include free time to wander, find a coffee or join an Optional Experience. Expect a good amount of walking too. On some days, you could spend two to three hours on your feet. Comfortable shoes are your best friend.
Who will I be travelling with?
People from all over the world. Different ages, different backgrounds, same instinct to see more. Groups have on average between 35-45 travellers. By day three, you’ll already know everyone's name.
What are the hotels like?
Clean, comfortable and well located. Mostly 3 to 4 star, with private en-suite bathrooms. They're chosen so you can sleep well and feel ready for the next day. They're not the centrepiece. The destinations are. But they're never an afterthought.
How active is this tour?
All travellers carry their own bags, including up hotel stairs where needed. Walking tours can last up to three hours, and some sites involve a fair number of steps. Read through the itinerary to decide if the pace is right for you.
How do Optional Experiences work?
Optional Experiences happen during your tour's free-time slots, and your Tour Leader will tell you about what's on offer during the tour. Most can be booked on the day, but some are pre-sold and must be purchased before your tour begins, so it's worth checking the tour page beforehand to see what's available and get in touch with our team to book anything in advance.
Will I have time to explore on my own?
Yes. Free time is built into the itinerary, giving you space to wander and explore at your own pace. Your Tour Leader can point you towards the places worth your time, so you're never left completely to figure it out yourself.
What support do I have while I'm on tour?
Your Tour Leader is there to look after you during your tour. They know the places most people walk straight past, they'll have a restaurant recommendation ready before you've asked, and they'll sort anything that comes up along the way. All transport and accommodation are arranged for you.
You'll also have a 24-hour emergency contact number and the Holidayys team in Dubai.
How do I book Europe Escape Christmas & New Year?
Press Book now, choose a date and your rooms, and enter each traveller as their passport shows. We hold your seats and email your booking reference straight away. Our Dubai team confirms the seats with the tour operator, then emails you a secure payment link. Nothing is charged when you book.
When do I pay?
Once the tour operator confirms your seats. We email you a secure payment link for the total in AED, and your booking is complete when it is paid. To pay in instalments, say so in your booking notes.
Is the price per person?
Yes. Prices are per person sharing a double or twin room. Travelling alone? A single room costs the supplement shown next to each date.
Are flights included?
Only when the tour lists them under what is included. We can book flights from the UAE to the start city and home from the end city with your tour.
Do I need a visa?
That depends on your passport and the countries on the route. Our visa team arranges Schengen and other visas for UAE residents, and can apply for yours once the tour is booked.
Payment plans
Pay over time, at 0% interest
Every booking qualifies, from holidays and tours to visas. Pay later with a credit card instalment plan or a buy-now-pay-later account; some banks charge a one-time processing fee.
- Credit card plans from AED 1,000
- Tabby and Tamara, no minimum
- Terms from 3 to 12 months
Find your bank’s plan
Credit cards, from AED 1,000
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