Christmas on the Main & Moselle

Get into the spirit of the season during a walk around Prague’s Old Town and visit to a charming Christmas market. Embark on a panoramic drive to the Old Town, an eclectic mix of well-preserved medieval constructions and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its main square was a major crossroads on 12th-century trade routes and the focal point of the city’s early development; today, it is a repository of Romanesque, baroque and Gothic architecture. Among the buildings you will see are the Týn Church and the 15th-century Astronomical Clock, which comes alive every hour with its “Walk of the Apostles.” Visit an exhibition of Bohemian Christmas decorations, then immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and aromas of a yuletide market in the main square. Browse the quaint stalls nestled around the Jan Hus statue for the perfect ornament with which to decorate your holiday tree back home before heading back to your hotel.

See the stately residence of one of the region’s most avid patrons of the arts, and admire priceless artifacts. The 700-year Lobkowicz family history is rich with tales of political and military leadership, inlaid with the art of great masters and bejeweled with musical masterpieces. Tour their resplendent palace with an audio guide narrated by members of the Lobkowicz family, who will regale you with intimate family stories, including the loss of the palace to both the Nazis and the Communists and its restitution to the family. Survey grand portraits, weaponry, tableware and personal love letters from the family archives. As a special treat, trace Mozart’s annotations to Handel’s Messiah and study Beethoven’s Third (Eroica), Fourth and Fifth Symphony manuscripts. Your visit includes lunch in the family’s original living quarters and a private concert in the baroque concert hall.

Raise a glass to the vibrant and colorful traditions of Czech culture during a fun-filled evening of food, dance and wine. In the Bohemian countryside, villagers once gathered to celebrate the harvest, marriages and other events. Today, there is a village gala most every night at Prague’s Číčovický Dvůr, or the court of the village of Číčovice. Travel to this rural setting for a unique opportunity to experience firsthand the traditions that have shaped Czech identity over the centuries. Take a seat in the rustic country hall as a lively ensemble of dancers, singers and musicians in traditional dress regale you with songs that have endured for generations. Enjoy the strains of violins, a dulcimer and other instruments during a typical Czech meal served family style. This uplifting evening of carefree entertainment captures the spirit of Bohemia and Moravia.

Enjoy a beautiful classical music performance in one of Prague’s historic venues during an evening concert. Prague is famed for its contribution to the performing arts and its great love of classical music. Mozart chose to premiere two of his operas here—Don Giovanni and La Clemenza di Tito—and the city has historically been instrumental in paving the way for several world-renowned Czech composers, including Johann Dismas Zelenka, Bedřich Smetana and Antonín Dvořák. Begin your evening tour with a panoramic drive through an illuminated Prague and witness the city’s medieval treasures. At your designated venue, disembark your motor coach and head inside to take your seats for an evening performance by some of Prague’s talented musicians. Sit back, relax and enjoy a classical music spectacle showcasing the heart of Prague’s culture in one of the city’s most beloved institutions.

Immerse yourself in the Josefov, or Jewish Quarter, of Prague during an enlightening walking tour. Jews are thought to have settled in the city as early as the 10th century. Today, the small district lies within the larger Old Town and is a rich repository of history. With your knowledgeable guide, you will visit the Maisel Synagogue museum, built during the 16th-century Golden Age of the Jewish Ghetto, and the Pinkas Synagogue, one of the oldest surviving synagogues in the city and a memorial to Holocaust victims. Peruse the historic Old Jewish Cemetery, the largest of its kind on the continent, before continuing to the elegant, baroque Klaus Synagogue and the neo-Renaissance Ceremonial Hall. Marvel at the Gothic exterior of the Old New Synagogue, the oldest active synagogue in Europe. Note that this excursion requires the ability to navigate many stairs and that synagogues are closed to the public on Jewish holidays.