FROM MUNICH TO LAPLAND AN EUROPEAN WINTER FAIRY TALE

Transcription

1 FROM MUNICH TO LAPLAND AN EUROPEAN WINTER FAIRY TALE

2 Hans Christian Andersen

3 A EUROPEAN WINTER FAIRYTALE Experience snow, the cold and everything that s great about Christmas Dear Apple, Annabelle, Christy, Rebecca, Andrew, Dylan, Mark and Peter, you came to us with the wish to experience real winter in Europe, apart from the bigger touristic routes and including some activities where you could participate in real and traditional Christmas preparations. We put our heads together and planned this trip specifically for you. We hope you enjoy it! Visiting Europe during winter is probably one of the most charming and romantic ways to explore this continent. Beautiful snow-landscapes and the cozy Christmas atmosphere build a perfect contrast to the subtropical environment of Taiwan you are usually used to. But be prepared, Europe is not only beautiful, there are also amazing things to do and we planed a lot of actions for you. You will participate in unique outdoor sport activities, have a wide range of learning opportunities and enjoy extraordinary local delicacies. We ve arranged these activities to fit with your interest in sports, nature and culture to make sure you have a fantastic experience, showing you the true spirit of European winters. Your journey will take you to an ice hockey match in Munich, a horse carriage ride in Mozart s hometown, a romantic boat trip visiting multiple traditional Christmas Markets. You will go skiing in the snowy Alps, shopping and partying in Helsinki, and you will learn how to make your own Christmas tree decorations. In northern Finland, we ve organized a husky sledge tour and a stay in a real wooden hut in the wilderness under the arctic light next to Santa Claus. Imagine all of this accompanied by a series of delicious local food and you are getting a glimpse of what is waiting for you on your AMOVIOM journey. Page 3

4 HIGHLIGHTS A Red Bull Munich Ice Hockey Match Private Horse Carriage Ride Through Mozart s Hometown: Salzburg Romantic Candlelight Dinner in the Oldest Monastery St. Peter Boat Trip over the Lake Wolfgang with its Charming Christmas Markets Relax Next to a Warming Fireplace in a Cosy Hut in the Alps Outdoor Sports: Skiing, Tube- and Sledge-Riding Christmas Workshop: Baking Christmas Cookies, Preparing Mulled Wine & Making Your own Christmas Gifts and Decorations Partying and Shopping in the Heart of Helsinki Back to Nature: Husky Ride to Select your Personal Christmas Tree Ice Fishing Do you Dare to Visit one of the Famous Outdoor Saunas Afterwards? Looking for the Arctic Light and Santa Claus Unforgettable Christmas Event Page 4

5 YOUR ROUTE IN EUROPE Taiwan to Europe Munich, Day Helsinki, Day 8 2 Salzburg, Day Rovaniemi, Day 9 13 Page 5

6 DAY 1 to DAY 3 Munich MUNICH GEMÜTLICHKEIT Do you have the right winter clothes? Winter in Europe is not only extremely beautiful, but can also be very cold. When packing your bags, you should keep this in mind. In northern Finland the temperature can drop down to 25 degrees Celsius, but don t worry if you can t find the right equipment, we guarantee to bring you to the most professional shops! There will be a plenty of time for shopping in Munich, Salzburg and Helsinki. There are many comfortable direct flights from Taiwan to the international Airport of Munich, guaranteeing a smooth arrival in Europe. At the Airport your personal Amoviom travel concierge Max waits for you and brings you to your five star hotel the perfect start to give you some comfort and time to arrive in your winter fairytale. Munich is the capital of Bavaria and is famous for its Gemütlichkeit, which means a relaxed and laid-back lifestyle. You will get a taste of it enjoying German beer and traditional sausages. Max brings you there where locals eat and not the tourists! But the craftsman's spirit of this city is not only represented by these traditional delicacies. There are numerous old and original handicraft workshops, stores and markets. Traditions that often vanished in fast moving developments of modernization still exist in this amazing city. You will explore these traditions and even get the chance to put your hands on some masterpieces and learn some old fashioned skills to build your own personal memory to take home. There are several options to try and you can work with leather, wood or silver, all under the eyes of your instructor, teaching you the proper techniques. Page 6

7 Munich DISCOVERING THE OTHER SIDE OF MUNICH You should not think that everything in Munich is about Gemütlichkeit and being laid back. The city is also full of action and adventure. After a brunch at the famous food market Viktualienmarkt Max as our local Sports expert will bring you to visit an Ice Hockey Match of the EHC Red Bull Munich Team buzzing with excitement. Afterwards you will experience Munich Street food together with other fans - real and authentic at the Würstelstand, the local food booth. At the Christkindelmarkt on one of Munich s central squares you will get the first impressions of Christmas. Enjoying a hot fruit punch and trying the local gingerbread is just the right way to startoff some traditional Christmas shopping. Of course Munich s biggest shopping street, the Kaufingstrasse, is just a few steps away and there are plenty of opportunities to get some regular shopping done. BMW The three capital letters actually abbreviate the German name Bayrische Motorenwerke - Bavarian Motor Works, and represent one of Germany s and the worlds top car makers. BMW originally started as a producer of motorcycles and only entered automobile production after some years. Today, premium motorbikes and sports cars like the BMW M4 Coupé (produced in Munich) is what fascinates most people about this iconic brand. Visiting Germany wouldn t be complete without at least paying some attention to its world known automobile industry. A tour through the B.M.W. museum should provide you with the right impressions before moving on to your next destination and we believe you will enjoy it immensely. Page 7

8 DAY 4 to DAY 7 Salzburg & Lake Wolfgang ROMANTIC SALZBURG & ALPINE FUN Romantic Candle Light Dinner You are four young couples on a wintery journey of love. Salzburg already inspired Mozart, so we make sure you get the right emotions going when dining in the catacombs of the oldest monastery established more than 1300 years ago. After visiting the B.M.W. museum our limousine bus will bring you to the Hotel in Salzburg. You won t stay there long before changing to a more charming transport vehicle, a Fiaker, a traditional horse carriage to explore the city centre. Despite your warm clothes you feel a little cold, which isn t a surprise given temperatures around the freezing point. Your ride stops in front of the biggest church in Salzburg, where another Christmas Market is held and you warm up with a punch next to one of the many gas heaters. Most of the little shops have hung Krampuses outside, these masks are an old tradition and are there to scare off all bad spirits. An exciting day deserves a fitting conclusion, Max brings you to your romantic candle light dinner: four wonderful tables, candles everywhere and simple but delicious food. A perfect evening! Yesterday was a long day and so you start relaxed into this new morning: Take all the time you want and enjoy brunch overlooking the breath-taking scenery of lake Wolfgang before you put on your winter clothes again. ~48% of picture 3 Page 8

9 Prepared for the cold you get on the boat which takes you on a round trip to visit 3 Christmas markets in villages at the lakeside. The start is in St.Gilgen, then on to Strobel and finally you arrive in the romantic village of St.Wolfgang. Max arranged a stay for you in the hotel Weisses Rössel, which you might already know it from the famous movie The Sound of Music. Don t forget to check out their beautiful outdoor pool on the next morning. It is of course heated, but taking a swim with snow all around you could be quite a cool picture to show your friends back home! After so many German sausages and Austrian mulled wine we thought you might feel like doing some sports! Only a short drive away, Max brings you directly into the heart of the Alps. Arrive in your cozy hut with its own fireplace, deer antlers around the room and old wooden furniture. Tube riding Snow tubing is rumored to have begun as far back as the 1820s in the Alpine Mountains. It s pretty similar to sledding. It s preformed on snowy hills or slopes, using gravity to propel the rider to the bottom of the grade. Originally old tubes from car wheels were used, nowadays tubes are specially designed to keep it as safe as possible and to guarantee as much fun as you can get. But be careful, its addictive! Max and some local skiing teachers show you all the basics you need to know before putting on skis and snowboards. But don t forget to try the sledge- and tube-riding, too. It s amazing fun. And because one afternoon is simply not enough we have some more time on the slopes planned for the next morning. There are two things you need after a fun and exciting yet also demanding day of skiing and being in the snow: First, a big plate of traditional Austrian Alp mountain food, giving you back some of that energy you left on the slopes, and also because it is incredibly tasty. Secondly, to recover your strength and relax your muscles, there is nothing better than soaking in a hot tub. It s SPA time! A little bit of wellness is always a great way to end a day, isn t it girls? In the evening we ve planned a special workshop to provide you with some profound knowledge about Christmas. You learn how to bake original Christmas cookies, how to make Mulled Wine and Fruit Punch. You also make some personal Christmas gifts and decorations. Keep them well, you will need them later on! Page 9

10 DAY 9 to DAY 13 Helsinki & Lapland HELSINKI AND TRAVELLING FURTHER NORTH Rovaniemi is the capital of Lapland, in northern Finland. Almost totally destroyed during World War II, today it s a modern city known for being the official home town of Santa Claus, and for viewing the Northern Lights. On of the other highlights are the wild forests around the city, where we will hopefully find the perfect Christmas tree for you to fell. After sports, snow and relaxation in your cosy mountain hut, the next stage of you journey brings you back to a bigger city: Helsinki, in the north of Europe. Your flight is early, but getting up is easy when you know that you can look forward to some serious shopping and sightseeing later in the day. Did you get everything you want? Good, so you really deserve to party a bit. Helsinki's nightlife is spectacular, hip restaurants, local bars, great cocktail and top international clubs. You sure won t get much sleep during that night, but don t worry, we ve taken this into account. You continue your journey to Rovaniemi in northern Finland. If it wasn t cold and snowy enough for you so far,lapland, as northern Finland is also called, is going to make all your dreams come true. Your neighbours are Christmas trees, Rudolf the reindeer and of course Santa Claus and on top of all of this a layer of powder snow that looks like cotton candy. Max gathered some traditional local foods awaiting you there and they make you feel like home immediately. The next day is packed with exciting activities, starting with your ride. You have certainly never travelled so adventurous, exploring the wilderness from the back of a husky sled to select the right tree for your Christmas Eve. A local forester helps the guys to fell and prepare the tree, while Max takes the girls to a cooking class back home. Night comes early this far north and you are happy about the extra set of special clothes you got on. Minus 25 degrees are expected, but that also means there is going to be a clear sky with thousands of visible stars and if we are lucky you might even get a glimpse of the amazing arctic light, or at least of Santa. Page 10

11 Lapland WILD LAPLAND A TRUE CHRISTMAS EXPERIENCE Today is all about Christmas. It may not be the 24 th yet, but that cannot stop us! You decorate the Christmas tree you brought back from the woods with the decorations you made yourself in Salzburg. Singing Christmas songs while preparing a unique Christmas night gets the atmosphere going. Max takes care of everything else you need: Special Christmas food check, candles check, perfectly built fire heating up the room check. The only thing you need to make sure is that you have your presents ready for the big evening! Time is moving almost too fast when you re having this much fun and so many things to do. The cute huskies are definitely too slow for us today, we need real power. Snowmobiles are the answer, and the best thing: You are allowed to drive them yourself! Four of these big machines are waiting in front of your hut and Max shows you how they work. Lapland The real reason to visit Finland is extending hundreds of kilometres above the Arctic Circle: Lapland Finland s true wilderness. A mysterious land of clear arctic air where the long, polar nights offer the chance to view the stunning aurora borealis (October to March). From September, the period known locally as ruska (autumn) produces exceptional colours of gold, red and brown, and in the far north kaamos, the season of eerie bluish light, begins late in October. After half an hour of driving you stop at a frozen lake where two men just finished cutting a hole into the ice and hand you some fishing rods. Nothing tastes better than the freshest fish you will ever have, caught and cooked by yourself in the middle of nowhere. And in case the fish aren t biting today, no worries, we always take care of making sure you have a great meal! You spend your last day on a hike through the fairy-tale-like landscape and warm yourself up with a sauna visit. If you dare you can roll in the cold snow afterwards. For dinner we ve put together something special. Max brings you to a separate room in a cosy restaurant, and puts on a slide show with all the pictures from your journey. You sit, eat and laugh while amazing moments run across the screen. Before you board your plane Max has a special present from us to you, but we can t tell you now, it s a surprise! Page 11

12 HOW TO CONTACT US, GET A QUOTE & BOOK BOOKING & INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS This AMOVIOM journey begins in Munich, Germany and ends in Helsinki, Finland. The AMOVIOM designers and organizers of this journey have planned everything perfectly for 13 days. We will make sure you are taken care of, have a great time and also get a great price. You have to add international flights and potential connecting flights to Munich and from Helsinki to undertake this journey. You are free to contact us for support or work together with one of our partner travel agencies. HOW TO GET IN CONTACT / HOW TO GET YOUR QUOTE Contact us at enquire@amoviom.com - amoviom.com - facebook.com/amoviom Page 12

13 MUNICH SALZBURG HELSINKI LAPLAND All rights reserved, Amoviom GmbH 2016