ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS MARKETS TOUR TO GERMANY SPOTLIGHTS CHRISTMAS DECOR, ANTIQUES, FOLK ART & TOYS -- Travel to the Heart of Christmas -- Special guided shopping trip features Dresden, Bamberg, Lauscha and traditional spots along Germany’s “Christmas Trail.” Spaces Going Fast.
News-Antique.com - Oct 19,2007 - For Immediate Release
October 19, 2007
Philadelphia, PA – October 19, 2007 – Christmas-lovers and antiquers from across the country will sample the traditions of Christmas, meet local artisans and delight in décor, antiques and handcrafts on the “Enchanted Christmas Markets Tour,” December 1-9, 2007.
Markets and special visits in the imperial city of Dresden as well as Bamberg, Meissen, Lauscha and Seiffen are included in the shopping tour.
The trip is offered by Heart of Europe Tours, a Philadelphia-based company that specializes in antique buying expeditions. The company’s tours are featured in the November 2007 issue of Country Living magazine. Copies are available online at www.heartofeuropetours.com or by phone at 215.991.9892.
“Germany is the country that 'invented' Christmas,” said Philadelphia-based dealer Tom Conrad, who will lead the trip. “There’s no better place to get in the Christmas spirit,” he added.
The Christmas tour includes extras, such as stops at antique shops and expeditions to two toy-making areas , including the famed Erzgebirge region, known around the world for its magnificent carved toys and figures, crèches and folk decorations.
Participants will also have a private visit to one a collector who restores antique folk Christmas decorations and toys. The trip includes a tour of Christmas manger scenes in Bamberg, Germany’s "Christmas Creche Capitol." And to top it off, the group will sample the delights of traditional glassblowing in Lauscha, home of the first Christmas tree ornament (Kugel). We’ll learn about the history of glassmaking, ornaments – even marbles -- in this little town, which hasn’t even made it into most guidebooks.
“We’ve designed the December tour with a single-minded focus on Christmas. It’s a great opportunity for Christmas collectors as well as people who love antiques, toys, dolls, teddy bears, folk art, one-of-a-kind crafts and other treasures.
The trip is a full-service, escorted tour rather than a “do-it-yourself” trip. “We provide bilingual support, professional advice and help negotiating your purchases every step of the way,” says Conrad.
Tour guests travel by chartered minibus. Airport transfers, ground transportation, comfortable accommodations with private bath, breakfast, local taxes and fees and guide are included in the tour. The trip starts and ends in Frankfurt.
In addition to Country Living, the tours have been featured in USA Today, Australian House and Garden, Chicago Tribune and the antiques press. The Philadelphia Inquirer dubbed Conrad “The Antiques Road Pro” in 2005.
Space is limited and reservations are handled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Information is available online or by phone. Visit us at www.heartofeuropetours.com, email us at info@heartofeuropetours.com, or call us at 215.991.9892.
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Contact:
Heart of Europe Tours, LLC
Tel. & Fax 215.991.9892
Email info@heartofeuropetours.com
Web www.heartofeuropetours.com
