DECEMBER 2 - 9, 2026
SAXONY
TOUR OVERVIEW
SAXONY ’26 Is like no other beer OR Christmas market tour in the world. Originally inspired by ICBT’s longstanding friendship with Tilo Jänichen — one of the saviors of the eastern German “gose” ale style that all but disappeared by the 1990s — this unique beer-and-holiday themed trek also highlights Saxony’s pedigree as the medieval birthplace of Advent holiday markets AND home of the world’s first mulled wine recipe!
Amazingly, given the region’s historical importance to the celebration of the season, the tour companies that do hit eastern Germany generally limit themselves to Dresden, paying little or no attention at all to the hinterlands of Saxony. And despite the illustrious history of Saxon brewing, intensive beer tours focusing on this remote area are essentially non-existent. Fortunately, ICBT’s connections to Saxon brewers led us not only to other great unsung producers but also to an amazing Advent culture that has existed for hundreds of years there – up until now as a pretty well-kept local secret.
Additionally, Saxony’s rugged, mountainous and remote Erzgebirge region is known worldwide for its distinctive handmade nutcrackers, candle arches, Christmas pyramids and incense-smoker figurines, all of which originated there.
Amazingly, given the region’s historical importance to the celebration of the season, the tour companies that do hit eastern Germany generally limit themselves to Dresden, paying little or no attention at all to the hinterlands of Saxony. And despite the illustrious history of Saxon brewing, intensive beer tours focusing on this remote area are essentially non-existent. Fortunately, ICBT’s connections to Saxon brewers led us not only to other great unsung producers but also to an amazing, widespread Advent culture that has existed for hundreds of years there – up until now as a pretty well-kept local secret.
On our holiday Saxon tour, we’ll experience a rich mix of 10+ off-the-path breweries, a stunning palace winery, an artisanal cheesemaker, multiple un-touristy Christmas markets (and one touristy one that nevertheless features a semi-secret medieval offshoot much-loved by the locals), holiday parades, a handful of historical sites and the world’s most authentic Christmas village. We’ll even have a chance to cross a bridge into Poland!
It’s a magically festive week, and a glimpse into the type of traditional German culture that travelers can no longer fully experience in the west. Such a unique itinerary will never be replicated, and it can be yours with a quick email to info@innercircletours.com .
DAY 1
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 2, 2026
While many of us will be in town a day early to explore sights and the Christmas market, our official tour opening dinner will be this evening at Zill’s Tunnel, a venerable and historic Leipzig pub that also happens to pour the world’s greatest gose – Ritterguts – on tap. We will be joined by Ritterguts’ own Tilo Jänichen!
A city-center barhop may well follow…
DAY 2
thurSDAY DECEMBER 3, 2026
Our full day and night in Leipzig begins with a morning visit to the city’s truly epic Völkerschlachtdenkmal (“Monument to the Battle of the Nations”). This massive memorial-museum is built on the site of the 1813 Battle of Leipzig, a major event from the Napoleonic Wars. Returning to town, it’s time for lunch, and our first gose of the day, at the Bayerischer Bahnhof brewery, which is built into an old rail station. In the afternoon we have another very unique stop: Käserei Lehmann, makers and purveyors of rare cheeses, including their special low-calorie handmade house specialty.
Following a tour of the onsite factory and tasting of various products (including local gose cheese), we’ll have the option of dropping by the historic pub that preserved the gose beer style from extinction back in the 90s, Ohne Bedenken. The evening is free for dinner, but we’ll meet again later for a walk to Leipzig’s premier brewpub, Cliff’s Brauwerk.
DAY 3
FRIDAY DECEMBER 4, 2026
We depart Leipzig in the morning and head south, towards Chemnitz. On the way we have a beer and food pairing event with Master Brewer Michael Friedrich at his wonderfully rustic and tiny village brewery, Stonewood. Arriving in the outskirts of Chemnitz we then have a tour and tasting at the traditional and historic Reichenbrand brewery, producer of Ritterguts as well as its own line of lagers; we’ll have a very cozy lunch here following the visit. In the evening we’ll check in at Chemnitz, with plenty of time to explore its wonderful Christmas market before having a festive dinner at the city’s atmospheric Turm (Tower) brewery.
DAY 4
SATURDAY DECEMBER 5, 2026
On the advice of local experts, this morning we’ll cheat a bit, venturing into the region of East Thuringia to experience the historic Altenburger brewery, where we’ll have a tour, tasting and traditional lunch. Then we drive south, back into Saxony and towards the Erzgebirge (Ore Mountain) region, a designated UNESCO Heritage Site that is home to many holiday handcraft traditions. We’ll spend a few free hours at Schwarzenberg, where the village’s timeless Christmas market and castle will keep us busy until we drive to the beautiful Zwönitzer brewery for a tasting and hearty Saxon dinner. After all this, we will still have time for a last glühwein back at the market in Chemnitz!
DAY 5
SUNDAY DECEMBER 6, 2026
We depart Chemnitz for Dresden, but there’s a lot to see on the way. After a scenic, mountainous drive, we’ll come to Seiffen, the world’s most authentic Christmas village and home to countless craft shops as well as the region’s premier toy museum. Later in the afternoon we’ll arrive at Schloss (Palace) Wackerbarth, the birthplace of the world’s first glühwein recipe and perhaps Europe’s most festive winter winery. We’ll enjoy a tour and tasting and then explore the lit-up palace and vineyard. Finally arriving in Dresden, we’ll visit the beautiful Ball-und-Brauhaus (Ballroom and Brewery) Watzke, for a dinner hosted by eastern Germany’s top beer sommelier, Jens Zimmerman.
DAY 6
MONDAY DECEMBER 7, 2026
Today we have a very unique and off-the-beaten-path excursion to the locally revered and traditional brewery Landksron, in Görlitz. After a tour and tasting we’ll explore the town itself, which lies directly across a river from Poland – in fact we’ll see about a quick bridge walk over the border! We’ll also explore the city’s Christmas market and then head back to Dresden for a free night at the world’s original one, the massive Strietzelmarkt. We have set aside plenty of time to take it all in, including the special medieval area tucked into a mysterious courtyard…
DAY 7
TUESDAY DECEMBER 8, 2026
Our last official tour day will allow for some sightseeing in Dresden, but will also feature visits to two breweries: the modern, hipster-industrial and craft-oriented Lohrmann, initially founded as a university project, and Waldschlösschen, a revived small brewhouse and restaurant tucked into the massive riverside complex that once housed the large, pre-war industrial lager producer of the same name.
The evening will be free for city-center bar-hopping and optional further Strietzelmarket exploration!
DAY 8
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 8, 2026
While our official tour has ended, on this bonus farewell day we will hire a private bus for a ride to the strikingly well-preserved old city of Meissen, where guests can spend the afternoon exploring the picturesque holiday market square, imposing mountaintop castle, world-class porcelain museum or local Schwerter brewery. From there the bus will drop us at the airport hotel in Berlin, a super-convenient base for next-morning flights back to the US or quick commuter trains into the center of the German capital.
SAXONY 2026 TOUR PRICING
$2200
PER PERSON, BASED ON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY
(ADD $300 FOR SINGLE OCCUPANCY)
**Tour prices are per person and do not include airfare.
*Single occupancy rooms are limited.
Trip includes 15 meals (7 Breakfasts / 4 Lunches / 4 Dinners)
More information about the destinations
we'll visit on our tour
**Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented on this webpage. Inner Circle Beer Tours (ICBT) is not responsible for errors in or damages resulting from use of the information contained herein. Information contained on this webpage is subject to change without notice.**
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