School Christmas Markets Trip to Hamburg

Imagine this - as the smell of roasted almonds envelops you in festive cheer, all around you excited students chatting away to stallholders in German, forgetting their shyness as they grasp at the Schmalzkuchen covered in chocolate sauce.

Moments like this await you in Hamburg. Germany's coolest city (in our opinion), Hamburg transforms into a magical winter wonderland at Christmas time. It's claimed that Advent wreaths were invented here in the city, so it should be no surprise how seriously they take Christmas.

There are traditional Christmas markets (like you'd expect to see in any German city at this time of year). And there are completely unique ones to explore too. How about the one at Gänsemarkt, where all the stalls look like gingerbread houses? Or the market nestled within a winter forest at the Gerhart-Hauptmann Platz?

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1

Afternoon

Fly to Hamburg and transfer to accommodation by S-Bahn

Evening

Evening meal at accommodation

Day 2

Morning

Breakfast at accommodation

Visit to Chocoversum

Afternoon

Visit the Cap San Diego museum ship

Evening

Evening meal at accommodation

Day 3

Morning

Breakfast at accommodation

Morning harbour cruise

Afternoon

Visit to the Christmas markets around the city

Evening

Evening meal at accommodation

Day 4

Morning

Breakfast at accommodation

Visit to Miniatur Wunderland

Afternoon

Transfer by S-Bahn to airport for flight back to UK

3 nights' half-board accommodation
Return airport transfers in resort (by public transport)
Airport taxes
Free staff place ratio 1:10
Itinerary planning service
Detailed information pack
Vamoos travel app - giving you access to all your trip documents on your phone or tablet
VAT at current rates to tour operators

Curriculum

A Level

Festivals and traditions
Aspects of German-speaking society
Cultural heritage
Individual research project opportunities

GCSE

Food, drink and eating out
Customs, celebrations and festivals
Travel and tourism
Understanding German culture and identity

Key Stage 3

Exploring the town
Food and drink
Cultural traditions

Primary

Exploring the town
Food and drink
Traditional crafts
Festivals and celebrations

Accommodation

Inside the hotel lobby, with a view of the reception bar and lounge area

Meininger Hamburg City Centre

Centrally located right next to the Altona train station, the Meininger Hamburg City Centre is a great choice for your school trip to the city. There's a dedicated breakfast room (where a buffet-style breakfast is served each morning), lounge and game zone, and free WiFi is available throughout the hotel. All guestrooms benefit from en-suite bathroom facilities and are offered in doubles, family rooms and dormitory-style rooms sleeping 4-6.

a&o Hamburg City

Stay right in the heart of the action at the a&o Hamburg City. With an S and U-Bahn stop just 3 minutes' walk from the hotel and the main train station just a 20-minute walk away, you'll be within easy reach of all the city's attractions. Guestrooms are offered in modern single, double, family an multi-bedded rooms (with 4-8 beds). WiFi is available throughout the hotel.

a&o Hamburg Hauptbahnhof

The a&o Hamburg Hauptbahnhof is ideally located right in the centre of Hamburg, close to its central train station. Housed in a former Kontorhaus, the hotel offers free WiFi throughout, meeting rooms you can hire and modern, comfortable guestrooms. Guestrooms sleep 1-8, all with en-suite bathroom facilities.

Educational Activities

Elbphilharmonie Plaza

This incredible space offers the most amazing panoramic views of the city of Hamburg and its historic harbour.

Miniatur Wunderland

Check out one of Hamburg's biggest treats - the world's largest model railway, Miniatur Wunderland.

Alter Elbtunnel

Don't miss the opportunity to visit one of Hamburg's greatest engineering marvels - this tunnel that connects one side of the Elbe to the other.

Hamburg Harbour Cruise

Wide view of Hamburg harbour in the evening

Enjoy a relaxing cruise around Hamburg's historic harbour.

Cultural Activities

Hamburg Food Markets

Stuffed pretzels with cheese on a market stall

Get a real taste for the city by exploring Hamburg's amazing food markets.

Cap San Diego

Hop aboard this museum ship to learn about the history of Hamburg's port - the largest in Germany.

Chocoversum

Chocolate being poured into molds at a chocolate factory

Find out how chocolate is made, before making your very own bar to take home.

Supporting you every step of the way

Creating your perfect trip

Your quote will be put together by an experienced Tour Adviser who’ll be an expert in the subject area and will know the destination really well too. They’ll work with you to create a trip to suit your group’s needs and meet your learning objectives.

Launching your trip to parents and students

The next step is to get your trip approved and then get students signed up to it. Our ‘Trip Launch Pack’ will help you with this step. This is full of resources (all free to download) designed to make your life easier at this crucial point in the trip planning process.

After you’ve booked

Once you’ve booked, your dedicated Itinerary Coordinator will start work on the finer details. They’ll make sure your itinerary makes the most of your time and they’ll take on most of the admin tasks for your trip (freeing you up to do what you do best – teach).

Support while you’re away

From lost property to properly lost, we’ll always be on the end of the phone while you’re out on the trip. You’ll get a final info pack before you go, as well as access to all your trip documents via the Vamoos app.

After your trip

We’ll ask you for feedback, so we can improve our service. Let’s start planning your next trip too, so parents have plenty of time to pay (and so it’s less stressful for you). And don’t forget to head to our resources hub to continue the learning back in the classroom.