Christmas Markets Tours in Europe: Germany, France and Switzerland, 2026 Routes Compared
Summarize this guide with AI
Review the key points quickly in the AI tool you prefer.
Gemini opens the app and copies the prompt to your clipboard; paste it into the window that opens. If copying fails, take the prompt from below.
Copy the prompt by hand
Late November and December are Christmas market season in Alsace and southern Germany. MBD Travel has two tours that fall in this season, both departing from Turkey. The 3-night Alsace tour flies from Istanbul to Basel with Pegasus and includes Colmar, Strasbourg and the wine villages in the price. The 4-night tour flies from Ankara to Frankfurt with SunExpress and uses Strasbourg as its base, with the villages, Heidelberg and Switzerland as optional days. The first suits travellers who want a short trip with the sightseeing ready-made. The second suits those who want a direct flight from Ankara and the freedom to choose their days. Below, we set the two tours side by side by departure city, number of nights, included trips and dates.
From Istanbul: the Alsace, Colmar and Strasbourg tour
This tour lasts 3 nights. You fly with Pegasus from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen to Basel, and the return is also from Basel. According to the product page, you stay in 3-star hotels in the Alsace region with breakfast. The included services list a Basel and Freiburg city tour, a Kaysersberg and Obernai tour, Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle with a Strasbourg tour, and a Colmar and Eguisheim tour. Transfers between towns are by private coach, and the guide speaks Turkish.
Day 1: Flight from Istanbul to Basel and a walking tour of Basel (the Town Hall, Basel Minster, Marktplatz), then Freiburg on the edge of the Black Forest and a transfer to the hotel in Alsace.
Day 2: Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, the wine village of Obernai and a city tour of Strasbourg.
Day 3: Kaysersberg, Riquewihr, Eguisheim and the Little Venice quarter of Colmar.
Day 4: Free time, then the return flight from Basel to Istanbul.
Alsace France Germany Switzerland Christmas Markets Tour with Pegasus Airlines 3 Nights Extra Tours Included November-December 2026
From Ankara: the Germany, France and Switzerland tour
This tour lasts 4 nights. You fly with SunExpress from Ankara Esenboga to Frankfurt, and return from Stuttgart. You stay in 3-star hotels in or around Strasbourg with breakfast. On the first day there is a Frankfurt tour taking in Römer Square and an outside view of Goethe's birthplace, followed by a Strasbourg city tour. On the last day, a Stuttgart city tour covers Schlossplatz and the New and Old Castles before the transfer to the airport. The three days in between are free or filled with optional tours at extra cost.
Day 1: Flight from Ankara to Frankfurt, city tours of Frankfurt and Strasbourg.
Day 2: Optional Alsace villages tour: Eguisheim, Colmar, Kaysersberg, Riquewihr.
Day 3: Optional tour of Heidelberg, Baden-Baden and an outlet centre.
Day 4: Optional tour of the Rhine Falls, Zurich and Lucerne.
Day 5: Stuttgart city tour, then the flight back to Ankara.
What to expect at the Christmas markets
The official Christmas website of the City of Strasbourg (noel.strasbourg.eu) presents the city as the Capital of Christmas. The markets spread across several squares, including the historic Christkindelsmärik on Place Broglie, Place Kléber with its giant Christmas tree, and the Benjamin Zix and Saint Thomas squares. According to the same site, a trail of lights links the Cathedral, Petite France and the Neustadt. Spiced mulled wine, Alsatian Bredle biscuits and gingerbread are the highlights at the stalls. The site says it will publish the 2026 opening dates once they are confirmed.
According to Colmar's official Christmas website, the Colmar area celebrates Christmas from late November to early January, and the city's markets and events are open during that period. The Alsace tour visits Colmar on day three. On the tour from Ankara, Colmar is part of the optional villages day.
The two tours at a glance
- Departure and airline: The Alsace tour flies from Istanbul to Basel with Pegasus. The other tour flies from Ankara to Frankfurt with SunExpress and returns from Stuttgart. Its page also shows Istanbul and Izmir departure options for the same programme.
- Length: The Alsace tour is 3 nights, the other 4 nights.
- Included trips: On the Alsace tour, Basel, Freiburg, Haut-Koenigsbourg, Obernai, Strasbourg, Kaysersberg, Colmar and Eguisheim are included in the price. On the tour from Ankara, Frankfurt, Strasbourg and Stuttgart are on the programme, while the villages, Heidelberg and Switzerland days cost extra.
- Hotels: The Alsace tour stays in the Alsace region, the other in or around Strasbourg.
- Dates (as of 13 October 2026): The Alsace tour departs on 26 and 29 November and 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 12 and 14 December 2026. The tour from Ankara departs on 3 December 2026.
What is the biggest difference between the two Christmas market tours?
The departure city and how many trips are included. The Alsace tour departs from Istanbul and includes the village trips in the price. The tour from Ankara offers the villages, Heidelberg and the Switzerland day as optional extras at additional cost.
Which tour includes Switzerland?
The Alsace tour flies to Basel in Switzerland and starts with a Basel city tour on day one. On the tour from Ankara, you see Switzerland on the optional Rhine Falls, Zurich and Lucerne tour on day four.
When do these tours depart?
As of 13 October 2026, the Alsace tour has nine departures between 26 November and 14 December 2026, and the tour from Ankara has one, on 3 December 2026. The current calendar is on the product pages.
When do the Strasbourg Christmas markets open?
Strasbourg's official Christmas website says it will publish the 2026 opening dates once they are confirmed. Check that site before you travel.
For other tours in France, see our country page.
