Melissa shares this latest update from the Escorted Tour she is currently hosting with Sandra...

Our next adventure whisked us away on a truly magical Viking River Cruise along the Elbe River - a waterway that has carried kings, merchants, and artists for more than a thousand years. We began in enchanting Prague, the “City of a Hundred Spires”, where medieval streets and Gothic towers hint at centuries of Bohemian history, and sailed toward Berlin - a city shaped by resilience, reinvention, and remarkable stories.

But the true highlight of this journey? Two unforgettable nights in Dresden.

Often called the “Florence of the Elbe”, Dresden rose from near-total destruction after World War II to become one of Europe’s most stunning cultural treasures. Baroque masterpieces like the Zwinger Palace and the rebuilt Frauenkirche stand today as powerful symbols of restoration and hope.

And in December, the city transforms into something truly magical. Dresden is home to the Striezelmarkt, one of the oldest Christmas markets in the world, dating all the way back to 1434.

Wandering through its glowing stalls feels like stepping straight into a sparkling holiday postcard complete with twinkling lights, festive music, the scent of roasted chestnuts and mulled wine, and centuries'-old traditions brought to life. Simply breath-taking.

As we drifted past storybook villages scattered along the Elbe, many once vital trading ports, we ate, drank, shopped, and soaked up every festive moment, watching church steeples and half-timbered houses glide by like scenes from a fairy tale.

With history around every bend and Christmas magic in the air, it’s safe to say… It’s definitely beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!