Distance from base: 130 km

Take advantage of Columbus day and enjoy a not so crowed amusement park!

Phantasialand is a magical place with one of a kind world record holding attractions. Known for its award-winning roller coasters, Phantasialand is the second most visited theme park in Germany with more than 2 million visitors per year. The park offers attractions and unique rides worldwide.

Whizzing head over heels through the jungle, rush through rough rocks up close. Here you don't just ride roller coasters, here the theme world and the attraction merge into a perfect whole - and you are right in the middle of the adventure of your life!

Six fascinating themed worlds with endless experiences! Immerse yourself in our fantastic worlds between Asia and Africa, Fantasy and Berlin, Mexico and Mystery and feel the adventure of immersion with all your senses. In each theme world, attractions, design, enjoyment, and flair are fully coordinated - and you are right in the center of it all!

Highlights:

Taron:

(multi-launch roller coaster) The intrepid chase on Taron's back for a nail-biting hunt past imposing basalt rock, right through the middle of Klugheim's houses - and feel the mighty force of earth’s inner power.

Raik

family roller coaster

Black Mamba

(inverted roller coaster) The Black Mamba winds its way through the jungle at lightning speed. And she is feisty, the queen of snakes! She will whizz you through evergreen gorges, past craggy rock faces and blazing campfires - and you will experience a fast-paced ride with loops, flips and twists!

F.L.Y.

(flying roller coaster) A revolutionary flying machine. A unique adventure: free and light-hearted, you conquer the skies. Whiz breathtakingly close through Rookburgh and the Hotel Charles Lindbergh – and feel for the first time at first hand what it feels like to really fly!

River Quest

rapids water ride

Mystery Castle

tower drop ride

Chiapas

(log flume) Board your expedition boat in colorful Mexico and celebrate Día de los Muertos in the party cave before venturing into the deep!

Colorado Adventure

runaway mine train roller coaster

Maus au Chocolat

(interactive 3D ride) Reach out to chief exterminator Oskar Koslowski and go on a fun 3D mouse hunt in the cake factory with the cream cone.

Winja's Fear & Force

spinning roller coasters

Crazy Bats

virtual reality roller coaster

Talocan

thrill ride

Distance from base: 400 km

A beautiful picturesque city of Amsterdam is waiting for you with its colorful leaning buildings and rich history!

Top Sights in Amsterdam:

Anne Frank House

the notorious hideaway, where young Anne and her family spent two years in hiding before their whereabouts were revealed to the Nazis, in the summer of 1944.

Van Gogh museum

housing some of the painter’s famous works of art.

Heineken Experience

where you can see how the famous beer is made and try a taste.

Rijksmuseum

is home to many works of art by Rembrandt and other Dutch masters such as Johannes Vermeer.

Spend the day getting lost in the canals, enjoy shopping and gazing around the city.

Why not try the traditional Pfannkuchen (pancake) in one of the pancake houses. There are several pancake houses in the area but this one was suggested to us by the Amsterdam tourist office: PANCAKES Amsterdam Westermarkt located at Prinsengracht 277, 1016 GW Amsterdam (very close to the Anne Frank House).

For all attractions, tickets need to be purchased online in advance. We recommend making the reservations when ITT has confirmed the trip, since the tickets are non-refundable. ITT cannot guarantee the availability of the tickets.

Distance from base: 315 km

The world largest Pumpkin Festival is home to 450,000 pumpkins which are displayed in the palace garden of Ludwigsburg: from smooth to bumpy, skinny to mammoth, and edible to decorative.

This year's theme "Fire" pumpkins are transformed into elaborate action scenes and art pieces. The city brings in 150 tons of 500 different species of pumpkins making this the largest pumpkin exhibition in the world! You are welcome to participate in their Halloween pumpkin carving and take the opportunity to carve out a pumpkin ghost or something similar and win great prizes. Tables and carving tools will be provided. In addition, their pumpkin and carving pros will be on hand with helpful advice to provide assistance with carving and packaging the artwork for the trip home. Pumpkins for carving can be obtained on-site - they have a huge selection to choose from.

While you are at the Ludwigsburg you can also visit the beautiful castle gardens and Fairytale Garden for the kids. Enter a boat or get on the farytale express and see Elsa, Pinocchio, and many more.

At the palace grounds you can consider taking a tour of the Baroque style Schloss. In true Baroque fashion, it is ornately and beautifully decorated.

English guided tours take place at 1315 and 1515. Please show your ticket for the Pumpkin Festival at the castle cashier counter in order to receive the reduced ticket price of €8 instead of €9 for the guided tour of the castle.

Distance from base: 250 km

Belgium is famous for its rich history, diamond industry, three official languages, complex system of governance, and wide variety of beers, waffles, and chocolates. Belgium is also known for its medieval towns, creative minds, music festivals, quirky attractions, and fierce national football team. Due to its long tradition of Belgian comics, Brussels is also hailed as a capital of the comic strip.

Here is a list of some must-see sights:

The Royal Palace

is where the King of Belgium exercises his authority as Head of State and is the official palace of the King and Queen of Belgium. Started in 1820 under the reign of King William, it was modified in 1904 under Leopold II, who had it rebuilt in Louis XVI style.

The Atomium

is a landmark modernist building in Brussels, Belgium, originally constructed as the centrepiece of the 1958 Brussels World's Fair (Expo 58) Please be aware that he temperature inside the Atomium can be extremely high. If you are experiencing any issues during your visit, please ask the stewards for guidance.

The European Quarter

is the headquarters of the main buildings of the European Union, inluding the European Parliament. The European District of Brussels (Quartier Européen in French) comprises the headquarters of the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers and the European Commission.

Grand-Place

is the main square of Brussels, and it is easily one of the city's best attractions. Quaint cobblestones fill the ground and incredible gold-trimmed buildings surround the square. The most famous building in the Grand Place is the magnificent Town Hall that was built in the early 15th Century.

The Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries

is an ensemble of three glazed shopping arcades in central Brussels, Belgium. It consists of the King's Gallery, the Queen's Gallery and the Princes' Gallery.

The Manneken Pis

was designed in 1388 and is one of the most representative and loved symbols of Brussels, originally serving as the means by which many Bruxellois received water. It is a small bronze statue that measures 22 inch and represents a small naked boy urinating into a fountain’s basin. It is located in the old part of town, between rue de L'Étuve and rue Chene, next to the Grand Place.

Distance from base: 40 km

Vist the Sebastani Winery!
Visit with ITT Alfons Sebastiani, a honorary commander of the Spangdahlem Air Base. Mr. Sebastiani and his family have strong ties to the Air Force and participate annually at the bazar.

Their family-owned winery is located in Mehring in the Middle Mosel/ Bernkastel area which is due to its southern-facing slopes one of the best areas for wines of great elegance. The Sebastiani’s have their own vineyards, produce their own wine and also bottle and sell it directly at their winery. They attach particularly great importance to traditional viticulture. Their wines are allowed to develop individually.

The winetasting will start with a delicious warm German meal consisting of mixed garden salad with dressing, stuffed pork roast (Spiessbraten), a cream and cheese potato casserole (Au-gratin), and fresh German bread served at the vineyard home and will be followed by sampling a variety of Mosel wines.

The history of German wines began with the ancient Romans who conquered the region about 100 B.C. and started cultivating grapes soon thereafter. The wines of the Mosel and its tributaries, the Saar and the Ruwer, are richly fragrant, pale in color and light-bodied with a lively, fruity acidity.

You can also purchase some wine that you like best to enjoy another “wine evening” at home or with friends. Don’t forget to bring your VAT forms and the vendor also accepts Mastercard and Visa.

Distance from base: 240 km

Visit the Duisburg Christmas Market with its typical blue Christmas trees which shine brilliantly and elaborate light installations give the shopping mile a unique flair.

Duisburg boasts one of the largest inner-city shopping centers in Germany (The Forum), the most modern casino in Germany (CityPalais) and Legoland Discovery Center.

More than 130 lovingly decorated wooden houses and 750 Christmas trees, whose lights mix with the many fairy lights in the avenue trees, make the boulevard Königstraße a cozy Christmas market mile where you can marvel and feast to your heart's content. If you are still looking for a present for your loved ones, the Duisburg Christmas market is the right place for you: arts and crafts, Christmas decorations, useful things and much more leave nothing to be desired.

On the stage at the Christmas market, a choir sings contemplative Advent carols and children's laughter sounds from the ice rink. A brightly colored Ferris wheel offers a breathtaking view of the glittering festive city and sparkles like the giant Santa Claus.

The International Christmas Market Essen was awarded in the online voting of the "European Best Christmas Markets": 1st place in Germany and 6th place in Europe.

The Essen Christmas Market is known for its glittering city center covered in thousands of golden fairy lights, its diversity in festive stalls, offering over 250 different stands with products from over 20 different counties, making it one of the largest Christmas Markets in Germany! It has won several awards for its diversity and beauty.

Spread throughout the city center you will find five Christmas markets under a sea of twinkling lights.

The heart of the Essen Christmas Market is located at the beautiful Kennedyplatz, which you will easily be able to identify by the golden gllittering lights draping over the stalls that will draw you in like a moth to a Christmassy flame.

There is also a Medieval themed Christmas Market. This section of the Christmas market will transport you back to medieval times, with sellers dressed the part, and an offering of fun souvenirs such as leather coin pouches, wooden treasure chests, and all the medieval weaponry your knightly heart might desire.

Distance from base: 140 km

Metz is a city in northeast France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers. Metz has a rich 3,000-year-history, having variously been a Celtic oppidum, an important Roman city and one of the oldest republics in Europe. The city features noteworthy buildings such as the Gothic Saint-Stephen Cathedral with its largest expanse of stained-glass windows in the world, the Basilica of Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnains being the oldest church in France, its Imperial Station Palace displaying the apartment of the German Kaiser, or its Opera House, the oldest one working in France. As a historic Garrison town, Metz has been heavily influenced by military architecture throughout its history. A medieval bridge castle from the 13th century, named Germans' Gate (French: Porte des Allemands), today converted into a convention and exhibition center, has become one of the landmarks of the city.

Christmas Markets in France otherwise known as marché de noël, provide a great opportunity for a winter weekend break. They exude a fantastic atmosphere and offer great shopping opportunities but with a Gallic flavor – not to mention replenishing wine stocks for the Christmas season.

Of all the Christmas markets of France, the one in Metz ranks as one of the most visited. For the past 25 years, the Metz Christmas market in Lorraine has become one of the largest Christmas markets in France in terms of visitors, welcoming up to 2 million people and ranking the 2nd largest Christmas Market now.

Metz Christmas Market is spread over five sites.

- The historic Place Saint Louis – also the original site of the Metz Christmas Market.

- Place Saint-Jacques – the site of a merry-go-round and a Christmas village.

- The central-located Place d’Armes – where a 60m tall Ferries Wheel takes you well above the city’s roofs!

- Place de la Comedie – the site of a Gourmet market

- Place de la Republique – thee is the iconic Christmas pyramid, the Chalet of the Moselle department and an open-air ice skating rink.

Distance from base: 444 km

Nuremberg's Christmas Market is one of Germany's oldest Christmas fairs and dates back to the mid 16th century.

Top 4 things to do @ the Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt!

1) Enjoy local specialties such as the Nuremberg sausages (“3 im Weggla” = 3 in a roll to go) and the famous Nuremberg gingerbread. The famous “Lebkuchen” (gingerbread) is baked for more than 600 years in Nuremberg. At the Christmas Market you’ll find them in every size and with different coatings like chocolate, sugar or even strawberry!

2) Join a stagecoach tour -- Each visitor excitedly turn to look when the yellow stagecoach with the horses and the coachmen passes by. Experience a nostalgic trip around the festive city sitting cozily in the coach, passing by the sights of Nuremberg and listening to the Christmas songs the coachman plays on his trumpet.

3) Have a look at the Prune Men! They come along as piano players, waiters, football player and many more- the handmade Nuremberg Prune Men, made from dried prunes and figs. A great souvenir.

4) Let the hot mulled wine warm you. When it’s cold outside, a hot mulled wine will warm you again after your stroll around the Market. It comes along in a beautiful mug, which is designed especially for each year. It’ll be the perfect souvenir for you kitchen cupboard at home.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a walled in city, which has been largely untouched for hundreds of years. Unlike Nuremberg it was not serverly destroyed in WWII.

Ever since the 15th century it's medieval stage is home to the annual Christmas Market which is named "Reiterlesmarkt" after a local Teutonic legend.

Top 4 things to do @ the Rothenburgs Reiterlesmarkt!

1) Try the local specialty called Schneeball (snow ball). It is made from stripes of sweet dough fried and covered with powedered sugar or chocolate.

2) Visit the Christmas Museum (Kaethe Wohlfahrt Museum). Rothenburg is known as the Christmas city since here you can shop for Christmas decorations throughout the year. At the museum you can also learn all about the 400-year-old tradition of installing a fir tree in a room at home. Among farming families, it was once common to nail small trees to the ceiling and hang biscuits and fruit from them. Marvel at the 200 year old larger-than-life Christmas wooden pyramids/carousels with different levels and depictions of Christian motifs. These pyramids used to be made by local miners, who would craft the wood after work. The pyramids served as a substitute for a Christmas tree. The shop accepts VAT forms and electronic decorations also come with voltage options.

3) Don't miss the Christmas village! The world-famous Christmas village is located right next to the Käthe Wohlfahrtshau. Käthe Wohlfahrt stands for genuine German traditional Christmas decorations.

4) Let the hot mulled wine warm you When it’s cold outside, a hot mulled wine will warm you again after your stroll around the Market. It comes along in a beautiful mug, which is designed especially for each year. It’ll be the perfect souvenir for you kitchen cupboard at home.

Distance from base: 103 km

The St. Wendel Christmas Market attracts with fancy and creative crafts and local delicacies at more than 160 wooden houses.

The Christmas pyramid is a stunning eye-catcher and features intricately carved nativity figures and towers over market-goers. Take pictures next to the life-size nutcrackers as well for the perfect Instagram post. Go zooming down a snow covered toboggan run for a real adrenaline rush or feel like a giant in the Dwarf Forest. There are over 300 life-like dwarfs frolicking in a miniature world on display.

If the medieval world of knights fascinates you, you’re in luck! Vendors at this market don historical costumes to hawk their wares. Artisans demonstrate forgotten arts and techniques like felting, spinning, weaving, blacksmithing, woodturning, basket weaving, rope pulling, javelin throwing and archery.

Throughout the market will be lots of entertainment such as appearances from Santa Claus and the Three Wise Men.

Every afternoon at 4PM, the Three Holy Kings from the Orient and their camels will go through the center of town. Back at their camp they will perform the Christmas story in colorful scenes. Children can meet Santa Claus and his reindeers 2.30 PM. They can have a seat on his sleigh and tell him their wishes for Christmas.

Distance from base: 309 km

Strasbourg – Capital of Christmas

Situated on the banks of the river Rhine, the city of Strasbourg is known for its historical and cultural sights, as well as its specific, picturesque ambiance. It is famous for its Cathedral which is the highest medieval building in Europe, for its channels which encircle the city center, for its lovely parks and distinctive traditional cuisine and for its traditional Christmas market.

It was in Strasbourg in 1570 that the very first edition of the oldest Christmas market in Europe took place. Since this time, Strasbourg has continued the tradition of a traditional, authentic, warm and generous Alsatian Christmas and these are all the reasons why “Strasbourg, the Capital of Christmas” continues to enjoy repeated success.

With its some 300 chalets spread over 11 sites in the city center, it is also one of the largest Christmas markets in Europe. You will find arts and crafts, food and typical Alsatian Christmas decorations.

You cannot miss the Great Christmas Tree, on place Kléber.

Colmar – in the heart of Alsace

Fairy lights cover many of the street trees, the famous half-timbered buildings are festively decorated, and almost every square is lined with Christmas stalls and wooden chalets. Strolling through the market, you’ll find charming, half-timbered houses draped in festive lights.

One of the oldest markets in Europe, it holds its own with six distinct markets, each with a unique character and assortment of handmade crafts, regional specialities and festive decorations.

The illuminated streets, coupled with the picturesque Petite Venice district, turn the city into a real-life winter wonderland, making a visit to Colmar’s Christmas Market a truly enchanting affair.

Ribeuaville – medieval Christmas market

Ribeauville Christmas market has become over the years a not-to-be-missed event in Alsace. Here the fine Renaissance half-timbered houses contribute to the magic of the place. This market is very animated with jugglers, dancers and minstrels. As for the traders stalls, they are found along the main street (Grand Rue). You will find local products such as gingerbread, Christmas cookies and mulled wine.