Advent Through the Alps
Hosted each year in the first week of December, this journey follows the Alpine world from Northern Italy into Austria and Bavaria. Christmas markets are part of the experience, but so are mountain traditions, regional food, wineries, breweries, craftsmanship, music, and the rhythm of winter life.
Northern Italy • Austria • Bavaria
Why We Created This Journey
Most winter trips through Europe focus on checking off Christmas markets.
We wanted to create something different. A journey that follows the Alpine regions where winter traditions naturally belong.
Beginning in Northern Italy and continuing through Austria and Bavaria, this itinerary combines Christmas markets with wineries, breweries, regional food, craftsmanship, WWII history, local culture, and the slower rhythm of mountain towns.
It's a journey built for travelers who enjoy understanding a place, not simply seeing it.
9 Nights
Italy • Austria • Germany
Milan - Malpensa → Trento → Bolzano → Merano → Salzburg → Munich → Nuremberg → Munich
The Route
Places Along the Journey
Bolzano is where the journey truly begins. Italian and Austrian influences meet here in everyday life, from the language spoken in the streets to the food served in local restaurants. During Advent, the historic center fills with wooden market stalls, lights, regional crafts, and the aromas of mulled wine and roasted chestnuts.
Just a short drive away, Merano offers a different atmosphere. Elegant promenades, mountain scenery, thermal traditions, and one of the most charming Christmas markets in the Alps make it a natural complement to Bolzano. Together, these two towns introduce the character of South Tyrol before we continue north into Austria.
Bolzano
Salzburg has long been one of Europe's cultural capitals. Known as Mozart's birthplace, its Baroque streets, churches, and squares become even more atmospheric during the Advent season. The city's Christmas markets are among the oldest in Europe, surrounded by centuries of history and framed by the nearby Alps.
We'll have time not only to visit the markets, but also to wander the historic center, enjoy local cafés, and experience the slower pace that defines winter life in Salzburg.
Salzburg
Munich combines grand architecture, lively squares, traditional beer halls, and one of Germany's strongest regional identities. During December, the city becomes a gathering place for locals and visitors alike, with Christmas markets spread throughout the historic center.
Rather than rushing through the city, we'll spend time exploring its neighborhoods, enjoying Bavarian cuisine, discovering local traditions, and experiencing why Munich remains one of Europe's most enjoyable winter destinations.
Munich
Few cities are as closely connected to Christmas as Nuremberg. Its Christkindlesmarkt has welcomed visitors for centuries and remains one of Germany's most celebrated Christmas markets. Beyond the festive atmosphere, Nuremberg also offers medieval streets, impressive architecture, and an important place in modern European history.
It provides a thoughtful conclusion to our journey through the Alpine regions before returning to Munich for the flight home.
Nuremberg
The journey begins near Milan Malpensa Airport, allowing guests arriving from the United States to settle in after their international flight before we begin traveling north the following morning.
It concludes near Munich Airport, one of Europe's best-connected international gateways, making the return home simple and convenient. By avoiding long travel days immediately after arrival or before departure, we can focus our time on enjoying the journey itself.
Start & End
This journey isn't only about the destinations. It's also about discovering the people, traditions, and craftsmanship that have shaped life throughout the Alpine regions for generations.
As we travel north, we'll stop at one of northern Italy's renowned mountain wineries to learn how sparkling wine has become part of the region's identity. Later in the journey, we'll step behind the scenes of one of Germany's leading manufacturers, offering a different perspective on the precision, innovation, and craftsmanship for which the country is known.
Between these experiences, the drive itself becomes part of the journey. We'll cross vineyard-covered valleys, pass castles overlooking the Alps, and travel through landscapes that change naturally from Italian to Austrian and Bavarian. The road is not simply how we move between destinations. It's part of what makes this journey memorable.
More Than Christmas Markets
When We Travel
Our hosted departure is planned for the first week of December, when Christmas markets throughout Northern Italy, Austria, and Bavaria are fully open, while the busiest holiday travel period has not yet begun.
This timing allows us to experience the atmosphere of Advent before Christmas crowds and peak-season travel. Days are shorter, evenings arrive early, and town squares fill with lights, music, and winter traditions.
For private groups, this journey can also be hosted later in December or throughout January, with small seasonal adjustments depending on weather and local events.
“When people dream about visiting Italy, they often picture summer on the Amalfi Coast, Tuscany in the sunshine, or Rome's famous landmarks. Those places deserve their reputation, but they're only part of the story.
One of the things I love most about Italy is how dramatically it changes from one region to another. Languages, traditions, architecture, food, and even the pace of daily life can feel completely different within just a few hours of driving.
This journey reflects that idea. It explores an Italy that many international travelers never consider, where the Alps shape everyday life, winter traditions are part of the local culture, and the experience goes far beyond skiing. By continuing into Austria and Bavaria, we also begin to understand how these neighboring regions have influenced one another for centuries.
For me, this journey captures what Luca Italian Experiences is about: slowing down, looking beyond the obvious, and discovering places that reveal a different side of Europe.”
— Luca Anselmo ~ Founder and Personal Host
A Note from Luca
Join Us in the Alps
Every year, the first weeks of December transform the Alpine regions into something unique. Markets open, towns slow down, mountain traditions return to the streets, and winter becomes part of everyday life.
This journey is our way of experiencing that season together. Not by rushing from one Christmas market to another, but by taking the time to understand the places, the people, and the traditions that have shaped this part of Europe for centuries.
If it sounds like the kind of winter journey you've been looking for, we'd be delighted to welcome you.