Markets, Memories, The Danube, & Holiday Magic
- rnorell
- Dec 5, 2025
- 2 min read
So. Twenty one days, two cruises, eleven cities, Christmas Markets in four cities, and more than 225,000 steps.
Favorite parts? The people. The people I met on each river cruise, the people I traveled with, and the people I met along the way in so many different places. Some were old friends, some were new, and many were the kind of warm and brief encounters that make traveling feel so special.
The Christmas Markets were wonderful, truly as magical as all the pictures and videos make them seem. And since the sun set around 3:45pm each day, we did not have to stay out late to enjoy the lights. That worked perfectly on our port days during the cruise.
Would I do a Christmas Market cruise again or keep it land based? With my dietary restrictions, being on the ship made it much easier to eat healthy meals. On land, especially at the markets, I definitely had more challenges.
Did I buy a lot? Yes. But I still did not find the one thing on my “must find” list. I wanted a new angel for our Christmas tree. Ours is almost forty years old and was purchased on our first trip to Germany at the big Christmas shop in Rothenburg. There was nothing similar at the markets we visited.
Best find at the Christmas Markets? Some of the handcrafted ornaments were truly beautiful. I may also have come home with a new pair of earmuffs, a new scarf, and a pair of gloves, all of which got plenty of use over these past couple of weeks.
Best memories? They always say that when things go wrong on a trip, they become the stories you laugh about later, and they grow each time they are told. The five Segway accidents. Running for the train. The surprise visit from our friends in Germany. And so many moments of simply being in beautiful places with wonderful people.
Until the next journey calls.
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