We leave from our local departure points and travel to Hull where our ferry awaits for the overnight crossing to Rotterdam. Twin low-berth outside cabins. Dinner and breakfast on board ship.

Our route this morning is east to the German border and Osnabruck, where we stop to admire this university town, set on the River Hase with a charming old town centre. We continue east through Lower Saxony to Hildesheim and our luxury hotel for four nights. Hotel Van der Valk.

The New Year tour to Hildesheim in 2017 proved so successful that we are returning to the fabulous Hotel Van der Valk in 2019. The region of Lower Saxony has a varied landscape which spans the forested highlands of the western Harz mountains to the low hills of the Weser region and Hildesheim is ideally placed to promote this region at its best.

A reconstructed historical market square with half-timbered buildings, a colourful cultural scene, attractive shopping opportunities and beautifully picturesque surrounding countryside make Hildesheim a fabulous base for four nights and a wonderful spot to ‘bring in the New Year’. We include a visit to the Harz Mountains, visiting the delightful imperial town of Goslar and medieval Wernigerode. We enjoy a morning visit to Celle, a charming town with many half-timbered buildings.

The festivities on Hogmanay include a Gala 5 course menu, unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks, a New Year’s cocktail and live music to the early hours of 2020. An extended New Year’s Day breakfast/brunch will be served on the 1st of January.

Our journey this morning takes us to picturesque Hameln, synonymous with The Pied Piper, a folktale written by the Grimm Brothers. Hameln lies on the east bank of the River Weser and retains a medieval circular old town. We continue over the border to Holland and Rotterdam, where our ferry awaits for the overnight crossing to Hull. Twin low-berth outside cabins. Dinner and breakfast on board ship.

We return to Scotland after a wonderful New Year holiday.