To Valhalla aboard a river cruiser of the Regensburg Crystal Fleet

Does the term Leipzig School ring a bell? It refers to a movement of modern painting founded by painters in Leipzig between the 1970s and 1980s.

Studies have shown that hobbies contribute to greater satisfaction in life. If you have always fancied taking up painting as a pastime or even have experience with brushes and paint, you should register for ArtNight now!

In the heart of Wolfenbüttel’s city centre, the beautifully decorated huts are in the best and, above all, historical company. The Christmas market has been a tradition for over 435 years, and the romantic backdrop, consisting of half-timbered houses and the town hall, is similarly centuries old.

You might think that the summer panorama of the PillerseeTal region is unsurpassable in terms of natural beauty – but anyone who says that hasn’t been to the Kitzbühel Alps in winter and certainly not at Christmastime.

In 2021, the grounds in front of the majestic Garden Palace and parts of the park behind it were transformed for the first time into a Christmas and, depending on the weather, winter wonderland.

With one of Vienna’s most popular sights as its backdrop, the Schloss Belvedere Christmas village is probably also one of the most opulent Advent markets.

In the run-up to Christmas, Hamburg’s magnificent boulevard – the Jungfernstieg – is atmospherically illuminated and bathed in magical white light.

Boasting over 500 years of history, the Augsburg Christkindlesmarkt is one of the oldest Christmas markets in Germany.

You can’t miss the way to the Kleve Christmas market set up around Pastor-Leinung-Platz and Koekkoek-Platz.

During the Advent season, the aroma of freshly baked goods leads straight to the wood-fired bakery, which is one of many attractions at the Oberursel Christmas market.

A Christmas market? Far from it! An entire village – the alternative winter village – is set up for the Advent season at Marienplatz in Stuttgart-Süd.

The Kevelaerer Krippenmarkt has made a name for itself thanks to the many different Nativity scenes and Nativity figurines set up.

The Christmas market at WERK 2 is a popular, unconventional alternative to the touristy Leipzig Christmas market.

The entire grounds of Bahnwärter Thiel are transformed into a Christmas market winter wonderland, bringing cheer to visitors for one whole month.

True to expectations, the largest shopping and leisure destination in Europe also has one of the biggest Christmas markets in the entire Ruhr metropolitan region. No less than 150 festively decorated huts conjure up delightful Christmas flair all around the Centro.

The Romantic Christmas market certainly lives up to its name set against the imposing backdrop of the Princely Palace of St. Emmeram in the southern part of Regensburg’s old town.

Even Father Christmas won’t want to miss this event! Just in time for the opening of the Rostock Christmas market on 25 November, he will pay a visit to the enchanted stage at Neuer Markt – accompanied by the Fairy-Tale Aunt who entertains guests by telling popular fairy tales.

Extending no less than 1.5 kilometres, Lister Meile is one of Hanover’s most popular high streets – and during Advent, both locals and guests flock to the Christmas market there.

During the Advent season, the lovingly decorated stalls on Göppingen’s market square are a meeting place, a culinary hotspot and a treasure trove for a diverse range of gifts.

The fame of the Augsburger Puppenkiste has spread far beyond the city.

Dellplatz is the central market place of Duisburg’s Dellviertel district, which began to establish a reputation for itself as a cultural hub in the 1960s.

You’re on a mission! As a team, you have to solve a (fictitious) crime and find a hidden chemical formula.

The Tyrolean Ache is not only home to brown and rainbow trout, but also a magnet for adventure seekers and nature lovers.

Who doesn’t have dreams of flying and looking down on the world from above? Paragliding fulfils both criteria.

Maasduinen National Park is the longest inland dune belt in the Netherlands, a mixture of forests, heath, moors, drifting sand and shallow meres.

This leisurely one-hour airborne adventure launches either from the balloon meadow at the Solegarten in Kevelaer or from Xanten.

What does freeriding actually mean in winter? Skiing in open terrain, off the groomed slopes and, of course, having lots of fun!

More than 3,000 plant species can be admired in the Augsburg Botanical Garden.

The three-hour ‘Eat the World’ guided tour through Augsburg city centre has some surprises in store.

In terms of area, Vienna’s 8th district, Josefstadt, is the smallest.

The sheer diversity of culinary offerings on the Nordstadt tour is quite impressive: you will encounter just about everything during the course of your three-hour stroll through the district, including a bistro serving sweet or savoury delicacies, a French pastry shop and a high-end Mexican fast-food outlet.

The guided tour on foot through the district of Hannover-Linden-Nord takes about three hours. It’s a part of the city where the inhabitants have a strong sense of community and a belief in being authentic and staying true to their own principles.

Wieden is Vienna’s oldest suburb, which was designated Vienna’s 4th municipal district in the 19th century.

The culinary tour starts near the main railway station with its red-lit façade and proceeds along the Lange Reihe through St Georg, which for a long time was considered neither a top address nor a fashionable district.

During the three-hour culinary tour, you will explore 120 years of Hamburg’s history.

St Pauli is probably Germany’s best-known red-light district.

There is a lot to explore around Hölderlinplatz in terms of food & drink, cultural activity and creative innovation.

The Art Nouveau and Wilhelminian-style buildings are particularly eye-catching on this tour from Marienplatz via the famous Stuttgart ‘Stäffele’ (approximately 400 separate flights of steps!) to the Lehen and Heusteig districts.

First settled under the Romans, the town of Bad Cannstatt grew to prominence as a spa town under the royal house of Württemberg.

From the railway station to Rotebühlplatz, from the medieval Hospital Quarter to the ultra-modern Dorotheen Quarter –

Cultural and culinary delights are at the forefront of the Ulm City Centre tour.

After exploring the most popular sights in Göppingen from the convenience of your centrally located hotel, it is worth taking a trip beyond the town limits.

Who would not be impressed by the sight of more than a million Swarovski crystals sparkling on board a ship.

You will scarcely believe how many centuries can be fitted into a three-hour tour when you stroll through the eastern part of Regensburg’s Old Town with a local guide.

Anyone fascinated by the Middle Ages – specifically the important trading centres of the era – will find an inexhaustible and excellently preserved array of historic sites in Regensburg.

About 20 minutes’ drive from elaya hotel oberhausen is the Legoland Discovery Centre – a world of fun, games and approximately four million Lego bricks.

We also recommend the city tour of Essen-Rüttenscheid. This trendy district is ideal for shopping, eating and relaxing.

The Südviertel (‘Southern Quarter’) in Essen is the epitome of modern urban living. The high-rise office buildings are a hive of activity, the cultural venues are pulsating with creativity and the area around Isenbergplatz is where hip artists hang out.

The art gallery tour lifts the curtain on Frankfurt’s art scene, a remarkable amount of which takes place outside the famous museums.

Any art lover will be familiar with Sachsenhausen, which is famous for its museum mile boasting a whole 13 cultural establishments.

You cannot miss the meeting point, as the tour begins near the Eschenheimer Tower, the oldest and best-preserved building in the centre of Frankfurt.

If you ask art enthusiasts for their Leipzig insider tips, they will certainly reply that it is not only classical museums that provide access to art, but above all galleries.

In the course of this tour, you will explore the idyllic Schleussig district which is enclosed by the Auwald forest and the Elster canal, taking a journey into the region’s industrial history and post-war period.

Even though you’re switching continents in terms of cuisine on this tour, you don’t have to worry about time management: within the space of three hours, you will journey from Leipzig’s Waldstrassenviertel district to Asia.

Even though HCC Rostock doesn’t exactly qualify as a classic insider tip – it is far too well frequented for that – this sports, leisure and entertainment centre absolutely belongs on our list of suggestions for your free time activities.

Rostock’s importance as a large Hanseatic and university city with a history dating back 800 years becomes clear during this tour through the Central, New and Eastern Old Town.

This three-hour walk through Maxvorstadt is a trip back in time through royal dynasties, political events and the culinary variety Munich has to offer.

This is a culinary and historic trip through the old town, the heart of the Bavarian capital. There is lots to see at the traditional institution that is the Viktualienmarket.

The tour is the perfect way to discover that there is also plenty going on in Glockenbach during daylight hours.

KTV stands for Kröpeliner Tor Vorstadt, the district just outside the Kröpelin Gate, one of more than 20 entry points to the medieval city of Rostock.