Where Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Meets Christmas on the Danube
Somewhere between the cobblestone streets, storybook rooftops, old Bavarian villages, and castles perched above the countryside, you start to understand where movies get their ideas.
Remember Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?
The movie's fictional land of Vulgaria was brought to life using locations in Bavaria, including the medieval streets of Rothenburg ob der Tauber and the spectacular Neuschwanstein Castle. That unmistakable Central European storybook look wasn't a Hollywood invention. Much of it was Bavaria.
And Bavaria is exactly where we're starting.
I'm taking a group to Europe's Christmas markets. On a river. December 1 through 7, 2027.
THAT'S NEXT YEAR! NOT THIS YEAR.
We begin in Nuremberg, in the heart of Bavaria, and follow the Danube through Regensburg and Passau before crossing into Austria for Melk and Vienna.
Nuremberg to Vienna. Seven days. One ship. The Danube in early December, medieval towns dressed for Christmas, wooden market stalls glowing after dark, hot mugs of Glühwein in your hands, and, with any luck, a little snow on your shoulders.
This is my first-ever Christmas market cruise, and I'm not doing it small.
We're sailing aboard the Avalon Impression, a 443-foot luxury suite ship where 80% of the cabins feature Avalon's Panorama Suites with wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows. There's a crew of 47, open-seating four-course dinners with regional menus, complimentary wine and beer with lunch and dinner, and Happy Hour every evening.
You unpack once. Every morning you wake up somewhere new. The Danube handles the commute.
Five incredible stops. Seven days. Nuremberg, Regensburg, Passau, Melk, and Vienna. Christmas markets will be in full swing, and the entire route looks like someone took the Europe you pictured as a kid and switched on the Christmas lights.
Always Wanted to Go! Count Me In!
Now, here's what I want to tell you.
Most of our group will be staying in Panorama Suites. They're spacious, beautifully designed, and famous for those huge windows facing the river.
But I still have two Royal Suites available.
And I know some of you.
Some of you like the bigger room. The extra space. The top-tier category. The best address on the ship.
If that's you, consider this your heads-up before someone else grabs them.
Pricing:
• Deluxe Stateroom — $4,065/person
• Panorama Suite — $5,865/person
Your cruise price includes meals, excursions, onboard gratuities, Starlink Wi-Fi, port charges, and taxes.
I'm Ready To Put Down My Deposit!
To hold your spot, all you need is a $500 deposit.
Your $500 goes directly toward your final balance. Once you're in, I'll connect you personally with our Globus sales manager, and your regular payments will run through them from there.
With more than a year before we sail, you've got plenty of time to spread out the cost. Space aboard the ship is limited, especially in the higher suite categories.
A quick note about who's coming with us. We're not taking over the entire ship. We're bringing our own group aboard a larger Avalon sailing, so we'll share the Avalon Impression with other travelers.
And here's something new: This is our first Dorothy Travel voyage, which means everybody is welcome. All genders. All backgrounds. You don't have to be a nudist. You don't have to explain anything to anyone.
That fabulous female friend you've always wanted to travel with? Bring her.
Your cool married couple friends who keep saying they want to see Europe? Bring them.
Your best friend who thinks nudism is "interesting, but not for me"? Perfect. There isn't a naked component anywhere on this itinerary.
This voyage runs on class, sophistication, curiosity, and wit. The Danube doesn't care what you wear at home. It wants you to show up.
We start in Bavaria, where those old villages and castles helped give Chitty Chitty Bang Bang its storybook European world.
Then we follow the Danube into Austria at Christmastime.
Nuremberg. Regensburg. Passau. Melk. Vienna.
Seven days. One ship. One suitcase to unpack.
And a Europe that, for one week in December, looks suspiciously like the movies.
If you've got questions, hit reply. Or take a look at the full trip details below.
You've traveled with me before. You know what I mean when I say: this one is worth it.
Take care, stay bare,
Nick
GoNaked Travels