A Christmas river cruise has been on our list for a while now, and we’d love to do one next year 🎄
It’s also the packing list you ask me for the most this time of the year. Not because of the markets, but because of everything around them: the cold, the dressier dinners, the tiny cabin, and how on earth it all fits in one bag.
So I sat down and worked out exactly what to pack for a Christmas market river cruise, the way I’d pack it myself. I’ve been living out of a carry-on since 2021, and this is how I’d do 7 nights of freezing markets and nice dinners without overpacking.
Fair warning: I haven’t done this type of cruise yet, so everything about the ship itself comes from people who have (I did a lot of digging 😅).
Here’s what you’ll learn today:
✅ The full 7 night packing list, built so every piece looks dressy enough for dinner on the ship
✅ 14 outfits in the order you’d actually wear them, from the welcome dinner to the farewell dinner
✅ A color palette that flatters you near your face, plus easy swaps if those aren’t your colors
Everything You Need to Know About What to Pack for a Christmas Market River Cruise
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What to pack for a Christmas market river cruise (7 nights): 3 cashmere sweaters, 1 cotton cashmere top, 1 silk shirt, 1 cardigan, 2 merino base layers, 4 pants, 1 dress, 1 long down parka and 2 pairs of shoes (waterproof boots and dressy flats). Everything is dressy enough to go straight from the markets to dinner on the ship, so those pieces turn into 14 outfits that fit in one carry-on.
Jump to what you need 👇🏼
🛳️ The basics: routes, weather, dinners and cabin space
🎨 Your colors: the colors that matter near your face, plus swaps
🧳 The packing list: crewneck | polo | turtleneck | silk shirt | berry top | cardigan | Ponte pants | silk pants | dress | parka
❄️ 14 outfits: day by day, markets and dinners
✅ The try on checklist: what to test at home first
📅 Shorter or longer cruise: what to change for 4 or 10+ nights
💭 The why behind each piece: the job every piece does
📝 Quick recap: the full checklist in one place
🛳️ First, the Basics
Where These Cruises Go
Most of these cruises sail the Rhine or the Danube, usually for 7 nights.
The Rhine is the one for German Christmas markets, often with a stop in France or Switzerland (hello, Switzerland Christmas markets). The Danube is the one for Austria Christmas markets, including the Vienna Christmas markets, plus stops in Germany and Hungary.
This isn’t a guide to picking a cruise (the cruise lines do that better than me), so this list works for either river.
When They Run
Most Christmas markets Europe river cruise sailings start in late November and run through the weeks before Christmas, while the markets are open.
I built this list around the most common one, a 7 night (8 day) cruise. If yours is shorter or longer, jump to the section on cruise length.
The Weather
Christmas markets in Germany and Austria are cold. Cities like Munich and Vienna average highs around 40°F (4°C) in December, and nights drop to freezing or below 🥶
On paper that doesn’t sound terrible, but it’s a damp cold and it gets dark around 4:30.
Snow, ice and rain are all possible, sometimes in the same week.
What a Christmas Market River Cruise Day Actually Looks Like
Your days are spent outside. Walking tours usually last a couple of hours (think 2 to 3 miles), and the markets happen during your free time, sometimes after dark.
The ship is warm and cozy, but you won’t spend much time on the deck in December. When you do go up, it’s for a few minutes to see a castle, and your coat already covers that.
Then there’s dinner, which is where most people get stuck.
The Dinners (the Part Everyone Worries About)
Figuring out what to wear on a Christmas market river cruise mostly comes down to the dinners. There are no formal nights on most river cruises, and evenings are smart casual.
The welcome and farewell dinners are a little dressier, but still not formal. Lots of people go straight from the markets to dinner with a quick shoe swap and maybe a wrap.
That’s exactly how I built this list 😉
Dining rooms can run warm, and the river can feel chilly when the ship is moving. So the dinner pieces are layers you can take on and off.
Cabin Space and Trip Style
River cruise cabins are small, and the closet can get tight with a week of clothes for two people.
This list fits in a carry-on plus a backpack as your personal item. But a river cruise is honestly one of the easiest trips to check a bag for, so more on that below.
The Worries I Hear the Most
Most of what people worry about has nothing to do with clothes, but the right clothes and shoes make all of it easier:
- Cobblestones and uneven streets. Old town streets are rarely flat, so your boots need good grip and support (and they need to be broken in before you go).
- Gangways and crossing other ships. When ships dock side by side, you sometimes walk across another ship’s deck to get off, so keep your hands free with a crossbody, and wear grippy soles even on the ship.
- Stairs. Elevators usually don’t reach the sun deck, so skip anything long that you could trip on.
- “Can I keep up?” Excursions aren’t mandatory, and many cruise lines offer slower walking groups. You can skip a tour and still have a lovely day.
- Getting hot and cold all day. You go from a freezing street to a warm café to a warm dining room, which is why everything on this list layers.
🎨 Start With Your Colors (Near Your Face)
Before the packing list, pick your colors. This is what makes a short list look like 14 different outfits instead of the same one all week.
The colors that matter most are the ones near your face: sweaters, shirts, dresses, cardigans and wraps. Pants and shoes are far from your face, so they just need to go with everything.
I’m not a color expert, so treat this as a guide, not a rule 🙂
The Example Palette: Soft Summer
I built the outfits in this post around Soft Summer colors, which tend to suit a lot of women with fair skin and hair that’s going gray. They’re cool, soft and a little muted.
Near your face: soft white, heather blue, soft grey, soft teal, dusty rose, raspberry, dusty berry and blush.
Far from your face: black, charcoal and slate navy pants, black boots and black flats.
💡 Black works on your bottoms and shoes, even if it’s not your color near your face. For Soft Summer, the best jewelry is silver.
❌ Not Your Colors? Swap Them
If those colors wash you out, keep the exact same list and swap the colors. Here are 4 other palettes and what changes:
- Light Summer (cool and light): powder blue, lavender, blush and light grey, with soft white, slate navy and grey. Silver jewelry.
- Soft Autumn (warm and soft): camel, sage, soft teal and terracotta, with oatmeal, chocolate and olive. Gold jewelry.
- Deep Autumn (warm and deep): brick red, olive, teal and camel, with ivory, espresso and black. Gold jewelry.
- Deep Winter (cool and deep): wine, evergreen, navy and plum, with winter white, charcoal and black. Silver jewelry.
Most of the pieces in this list come in several colors, so it’s easy to stay in your palette. For example, the turtleneck comes in burgundy (great for the deep palettes) and the polo comes in camel (great for the autumns).
🧳 What to Pack for a Christmas Market River Cruise: The 7 Night List
Here’s the strategy for what to pack for a Christmas market river cruise: every piece is dressy. Good sweaters, a silk shirt, nice pants and accessories, so nothing on this list looks like you dressed down for dinner.
This list leaves room for pajamas, underwear and your basics, so I’m not listing those here.
Base Layers (Pick 2)
These go under your sweaters on market days, and they’re always optional. Your coat stays on all day outside, so your sweater stays clean and you can rewear it.
Pick one light and one dark. Darker colors look dressier, but a dark base layer can show through under a light sweater.
- White merino V-neck base layer from Unbound Merino. This is the fitted option, and mine is the slim fit in size S.
- Black merino V-neck base layer. Heads up, it runs small, and it’s cute enough to wear on its own.
- Looser merino base layer if you don’t like a fitted feel (it can look a little less dressy).
- Merino T-shirt if you tend to overheat, so you’re not stuck in long sleeves in a warm dining room.
Sweaters (Pick 4)
These are the hardest working pieces on the list. You’ll wear them to the markets under your coat and to dinner on the ship.
- Cashmere crewneck sweater in soft white (or the V-neck version if you like a lower neckline). It’s the easiest one to dress up with a necklace.
- Cashmere polo sweater in heather blue. The collar makes it look dressier than a crewneck, so it’s the sweater I’d take to dinner the most.
- Cashmere turtleneck sweater in soft grey. The warmest neckline on the list for the coldest market nights.
- Lightweight cotton cashmere crew instead of one of the cashmere sweaters, if you don’t run cold or you tend to overheat.
- Cashmere cardigan in raspberry. Button it all the way up over a base layer and it works as a top, at dinner and under your coat. Here are more cardigans that layer well.
- Organic cotton sweater jacket instead of the cardigan, if you want something a little dressier.
For more colors and very European styles, House of Bruar’s cashmere sweaters are worth a look.
💡 Pro tip: skip sweaters with complicated sleeves (big puffs, balloon sleeves, very wide cuffs). They’re hard to fit under a coat, unless you plan to wear them on their own.
Dinner Tops & Layers (Pick 3)
These are lighter, so you can take them on and off when the dining room gets warm (or the river gets chilly).
- Washable stretch silk shirt in vintage pink (a soft dusty rose). Wear it open at the collar with a necklace so it looks like dinner, not the office.
- Cotton cashmere dolman sweater in dusty berry. The short sleeves make it a dinner only piece in December. Add the wrap if the dining room runs cool.
- Cashmere wrap in blush. I use mine day and night, more as an extra layer than a scarf (and as my blanket on the plane).
💡 The dinner tops don’t have to go with every pair of pants, but it’s a bonus if they do. It gives you more options on the dressier nights.
Pants (4)
I picked pants that are all about the same length, so they work with the same pair of boots. Wear tights underneath on the coldest days.
- Ponte bootcut pants in black. They come in different lengths and colors, and they’re easy to dress up with a belt for nicer dinners.
- Ponte trousers in charcoal. A classic straight leg that goes from the markets to dinner.
- Organic stretch corduroy wide leg pants in slate navy. More weight and texture for the coldest walking days.
- Silk trousers in black, for the dressier nights only (or these more classic washable silk drawstring wide leg pants).
The silk pants are there because the dressier nights seem to be the biggest worry. They weigh nothing and take up very little space.
💡 Two things to check: skip light colors for market days (wet streets and slush show everything), and make sure your hems don’t touch the ground in your boots.
Light colored pants are totally fine for dinner on the ship, though. They never touch a wet street.
Dress (Pick 1)
One simple dress for dinners on the ship, worn with tights and the wrap. It has to work with your dinner shoes, since it never goes to the markets.
I picked the Ponte split neck mini dress in soft teal. It’s a mini, so wear it with tights for a December dinner.
These dresses sell out fast, so here are more options that layer well:
- Tencel modal knit midi wrap dress
- Silk jersey midi wrap dress
- Washable stretch silk tank midi dress, easy to layer under the wrap
- Tencel jersey midi wrap dress
- Washable silk maxi shirt dress
- Washable silk long sleeve mini dress
Coat (1)
You’ll be outside for hours, so you need a proper winter coat. The long hooded down parka in hazel brown covers you well below the hips, and the hood makes a big difference on windy days.
Wear it on the plane so it never takes up space in your bag.
Prefer a different style? Here are more warm puffer coats for freezing days.
🎯 Also read: the right winter coat for every temperature
Shoes (2)
No sneakers on this one. You need one pair for walking all day in the cold, and one dressier pair for dinner.
For the markets, waterproof boots with good grip (and room for thick socks):
- Blundstone 558 Chelsea boots
- Blondo Villa 2.0 waterproof booties
- VIVAIA Chelsea boots
- Sorel Snow Angel boots, only if snow is in the forecast
For dinners, flats or loafers that look good with tights:
- Quince Italian leather loafers (the loafers I travel with) and more Quince loafers that work with tights
- VIVAIA Michelle 2.0 loafers
- VIVAIA flats that pair with opaque tights
Leather boots work for dinner too, if you’d rather stay in boots. If this were me, I’d want a break from boots by dinner 😅
🎯 Also read: 15 cold weather shoes that handle cobblestones and slush
Accessories
Accessories are what make the same 3 sweaters look like different outfits all week. They weigh nothing, so don’t skip them.
- Cashmere tartan scarf for every market day. The print screams winter and holidays, and it ties your coat to every outfit.
- Cashmere wrap for dinners (the same one from the dinner layers).
- Cashmere ribbed beanie in a color that matches your coat. Skip white or very light colors, since makeup shows.
- Leather gloves that match your coat too.
- 1 pair of merino tights from Unbound Merino. They’re one of the softest pieces I own.
- 2 to 3 pairs of merino cashmere blend socks. They’re easy to rewear.
- Studded belt for a few market looks. Mine has gold studs, which is totally fine at the waist.
- Statement earrings and necklaces in your palette’s metal, packed in a travel jewelry case.
Bags
- Leather crossbody bag to keep your hands free on gangways and in crowded markets.
- Puff commuter backpack as your personal item. It doubles as your day bag.
- Level 8 Voyageur carry-on (20 inch). It’s the carry-on I live out of.
🧳 Packing for a Different Trip?
Not every trip comes with a ship and dressier dinners, and guessing how much to pack for your own dates is the stressful part.
Answer 2 quick questions and I’ll send a customized packing list for your trip straight to your inbox.
Answer them here ⬇️
❄️ 14 Outfits for a Christmas Market River Cruise (Day by Day)
Here’s the whole week, using exactly what to pack for a Christmas market river cruise from the list above. The rule I’d follow: a top goes to dinner first, while it’s fresh. After that, it goes under your coat at the markets, where nobody sees it anyway 😉
No two days in a row look the same, no top is worn more than 3 times, and the farewell dinner gets the dressiest look.
If you’re wondering what to wear to European Christmas markets, the short answer is everything warm under one great coat. These German Christmas market outfits work on the Rhine or the Danube.
Every market day: parka + tartan scarf + beanie + gloves + waterproof boots + crossbody. The base layer is always optional.
Every dinner: flats + crossbody + jewelry, plus the blush wrap whenever you want one more layer. It makes a dinner look finished (and keeps you warm when the ship is moving).
If you’ve been saving the German Christmas markets aesthetic on Pinterest (same 🙋🏻♀️), this is how you get it with way fewer pieces.
1️⃣ Day 1: Turtleneck for the Markets, Crewneck for the Welcome Dinner
Most people arrive tired (and jetlagged), so the welcome dinner tends to be the most relaxed night. Keep it simple.
Market: Grey turtleneck + charcoal Ponte trousers + silver hoops + puffer coat
A turtleneck under a long parka is the warmest, easiest way to start the week. Grey and charcoal look so put together with the tartan scarf.
Welcome dinner: Soft white crewneck + blush wrap + black Ponte bootcut pants + flats + long pendant necklace + silver hoops + crossbody
The crewneck’s first wear is at dinner, so it’s fresh. A long necklace and the wrap, and night one is done 😉
2️⃣ Day 2: Crewneck for the Markets, Polo for Dinner
Market: Soft white crewneck (untucked) + black Ponte bootcut pants + silver hoops + puffer coat
Last night’s dinner outfit goes under the parka. Soft white and black is the most classic look on the list.
Dinner: Heather blue polo + black silk pants + flats + layered necklaces + silver drop earrings + crossbody
The polo goes to dinner before it ever sees a market. With silk pants and layered necklaces, it doesn’t look like a sweater outfit at all.
3️⃣ Day 3: Turtleneck for the Markets, Dress for Dinner
Market: Grey turtleneck (untucked) + slate navy cords + silver drop earrings + puffer coat
The cords are the warmest pants on the list, so save them for a long walking day.
Dinner: Teal Ponte dress + merino tights + blush wrap + flats + silver hoops + crossbody
The dress comes out once, right in the middle of the week, with the wrap over your shoulders. It takes up about as much room as a sweater.
4️⃣ Day 4: Polo for the Markets, Cardigan for Dinner
Market: Heather blue polo + black Ponte bootcut pants + studded belt + silver hoops + puffer coat
Same polo as Day 2, and it looks completely different tucked in with a belt, boots and the parka.
Dinner: Raspberry cardigan buttoned over a white merino base layer + black silk pants + flats + long pendant necklace + silver drop earrings + crossbody
Button the cardigan all the way up and wear it as a top. The base layer peeks out at the neckline and keeps you warm, and nobody would guess it’s a cardigan.
5️⃣ Day 5: Crewneck for the Markets, Silk Shirt for Dinner
Market: Soft white crewneck (tucked in at the front) + slate navy cords + silver drop earrings + puffer coat
Soft white and slate navy look so pretty with the tartan scarf.
Dinner: Vintage pink silk shirt + charcoal Ponte trousers + flats + long pendant necklace + silver drop earrings + crossbody
Collar open, sleeves rolled once and a loose tuck, so it looks like dinner and not the office. Silk is the coldest top on the list, so add the wrap if the dining room runs cool.
6️⃣ Day 6: Cardigan for the Markets, Berry Top for Dinner
Market: Raspberry cardigan buttoned over a white merino base layer + charcoal Ponte trousers + silver hoops + puffer coat
The cardigan’s second wear, this time under the parka. Cashmere over merino is warm enough for a full market day.
Dinner: Dusty berry dolman sweater + black Ponte bootcut pants + flats + layered necklaces + silver hoops + crossbody
This top only comes out once, so it feels new on night 6. The sleeves are short, so bring the wrap along in case the dining room runs cool.
7️⃣ Day 7: Polo for the Markets, Silk Shirt for the Farewell Dinner
Market: Heather blue polo + slate navy cords + studded belt + silver drop earrings + puffer coat
Your last market day, so take your time (and maybe one more mulled wine).
Farewell dinner: Vintage pink silk shirt + blush wrap + black silk pants + flats + layered necklaces + silver hoops + crossbody
The farewell dinner is usually the dressiest night, since everyone saved one nicer outfit for it. Silk on silk, sleeves down, fully tucked, and the wrap on top. This is that outfit 🎄
🧳 Day 8: Disembark
Wear your warmest market look home: the parka, the boots and a sweater, with the wrap in your backpack for the plane.
✅ Do This Try On Checklist Before You Pack
Knowing what to pack for a Christmas market river cruise is half the job. The other half is trying it all on at home, because that’s where most packing lists fall apart 😬
- Every layer under the coat. Your thickest sweater plus a base layer under the parka, and you should still be able to lift your arms.
- Tights under pants. If you plan to wear them under your pants on the coldest days, check that the pants still fit over them.
- Boots with thicker socks. Try your boots with the actual socks you’re packing.
- Every pair of pants with both pairs of shoes. The same hem can look great with boots and too long with flats, and it should never touch the ground.
- Flats with tights. Some flats slip off with tights, so walk around in them at home.
- The cardigan buttoned over a base layer. It should close without pulling, so you can wear it as a top.
- The dress and the dinner tops with the wrap. The wrap goes on several nights, so make sure it stays put over each one.
- Every top with every bottom. This is how you find out if your list makes 14 outfits or just 5.
- Your layers in your personal item. Pretend pack the wrap and the crossbody in your backpack the night before, so they have somewhere to go when you take them off.
🎯 Also read: how to layer for cold weather travel without the bulk
📅 How to Adjust This List for a Shorter or Longer Cruise
The 7 night list is the base for what to pack for a Christmas market river cruise of any length. Here’s what I’d change:
- 4 nights: 2 sweaters and 2 pants for the markets, plus the silk pants and the silk shirt for dinner. You can skip the dress.
- 10 nights or more: keep the exact same list and rewear more, since cashmere and merino can be worn many days before laundry. Many ships also offer laundry service, so check yours.
If you’d rather add something on a longer cruise, add 1 sweater. It’s the easiest way to get more outfits out of the same pants.
And if you’re only figuring out what to pack for European Christmas markets on land (no ship involved), this same list works. You’ll just need a few less dinner pieces.
🧳 Don’t Want to Pack a Carry-On? You Don’t Have To
I live out of a carry-on, but I’m not the carry-on police 😅 A river cruise is one of the easiest trips to check a bag for.
You pack and unpack once, and the ship moves your room from city to city. So if fitting it all in a carry-on stresses you out, a 24 inch suitcase totally works.
With the extra space, you could add a second dress, a third pair of shoes, a couple more sweaters, or a second coat if you want options.
Just keep in mind that cabins are small, so a tighter list still makes the week easier.
💭 The Why Behind Each Piece
Every Christmas river cruise Europe itinerary I looked at had the same 3 things: cold markets, long walks and nice dinners. So here’s the job every piece does.
The strategy behind what to pack for a Christmas market river cruise: thin merino close to your skin, cashmere on top, one warm coat over everything, and lighter dinner layers you can take on and off.
Cashmere is warm, light and squishes down small, so 3 good sweaters do more than 6 bulky ones.
- Soft white crewneck: the light piece near your face, and the easiest one to dress up with a necklace.
- Heather blue polo: the collar makes it dinner ready, so it pulls double duty the most.
- Soft grey turtleneck: the warmest neckline for the coldest days.
- Vintage pink silk shirt: the lightest top on the list, made for warm dining rooms (with the wrap for cool ones).
- Dusty berry dolman: one dinner only top, so night 6 feels new.
- Raspberry cardigan: buttoned over a base layer, it’s a top at dinner and a warm layer at the markets.
- Blush wrap: your dinner layer, and your blanket on the plane.
- Black Ponte bootcut and charcoal Ponte trousers: they work for the markets and for dinner, which is why they show up in 7 of the 14 outfits.
- Slate navy cords: the walking day pants, warmer and heavier than Ponte.
- Black silk pants: the dinner only piece that makes the dressier nights easy.
- Teal Ponte dress: one dressy night that takes up about as much room as a sweater.
- Hazel parka: the piece everyone sees all day, so pick one you love in a color that goes with everything.
- Tartan scarf: it ties the coat to every outfit and makes everything feel festive.
- Boots and flats: one pair to walk all day, one pair for dinner. Two pairs, two jobs.
- Belt and jewelry: the fastest way to make the same 3 sweaters look different every day.
📝 Quick Recap: Your Christmas Market River Cruise Packing List
Screenshot this list of what to pack for a Christmas market river cruise before you start packing. The number next to each piece is how many times it was styled in the 14 outfits.
Sweaters (4)
- Cashmere crewneck (styled 3 times)
- Cashmere polo (styled 3 times)
- Cashmere turtleneck (styled 2 times)
- Cashmere cardigan (styled 2 times)
Dinner Tops & Layers (3)
- Washable stretch silk shirt (styled 2 times)
- Cotton cashmere dolman (styled once)
- Cashmere wrap
Base Layers (2)
- White merino V-neck (as needed)
- Black merino V-neck (as needed)
Pants (4)
- Black Ponte bootcut pants (styled 4 times)
- Charcoal Ponte trousers (styled 3 times)
- Corduroy wide leg pants (styled 3 times)
- Silk trousers (styled 3 times)
Dress (1)
- Ponte split neck mini dress (styled once)
Coat and Shoes
- Long hooded down parka (worn on the plane)
- Waterproof Chelsea boots
- Flats or loafers
Accessories
- Cashmere tartan scarf
- Cashmere beanie
- Leather gloves
- Merino tights
- 2 to 3 pairs of merino cashmere blend socks
- Studded belt
- Statement jewelry in a travel jewelry case
Bags
And there you have it. Exactly what to pack for a Christmas market river cruise, from the first market to the farewell dinner.
We really want to do one of these next year, and this is the list I’d pack 🎄 All of it dressy enough for dinner, and warm enough to stand outside with a mug of mulled wine.
Pick your colors, try everything on at home, and send every top to dinner first.
Thanks for reading!
XO,
Aimara
PS: Got a different winter trip coming up? Answer 2 quick questions here and I’ll send you a customized packing list for your trip.
About the author:
Hi, I’m Aimara! 👋🏼 I’ve been living out of a carry-on full time since 2021, and before that I worked as a personal stylist.
Cold weather layers and dressy dinners out of one small bag are my favorite packing puzzle. Here at Ways of Style, it’s all about traveling lighter, dressing better and actually enjoying the packing process.
MORE WINTER TRAVEL ARTICLES 👇🏼
- How I packed 12 Christmas market outfits in a carry-on (Italy edition)
- The right winter coat for every temperature (from chilly to freezing)
- 15 cold weather shoes that handle cobblestones and slush
- How to layer for cold weather travel without the bulk
- Is merino wool itchy? The fix if it bothers you
Christmas Market River Cruise FAQ
What should I wear on a Viking river cruise in December?
For what to wear on a Viking river cruise in December, think warm layers by day and smart casual at night. A cashmere sweater over a merino base layer, warm pants, a long down parka and waterproof boots cover the markets, and a shoe swap plus a silk shirt or nicer sweater covers dinner.
What is the Viking river cruise dress code?
The Viking river cruise dress code is smart casual (Viking calls it elegant casual) in the evenings, with no formal nights. Nice pants or a skirt with a sweater or silk shirt works, but check the details for your sailing.
What should I pack for a Viking Christmas market cruise?
What to pack for a Viking Christmas market cruise is the same as any 7 night river cruise in December: 3 cashmere sweaters, 1 cotton cashmere top, 1 silk shirt, 1 cardigan, 2 base layers, 4 pants, 1 dress, a long parka, waterproof boots and dressy flats. Whether it’s a Viking river cruise Danube Christmas sailing or the Rhine, the markets are cold and the dinners are smart casual.
How cold is a Rhine River Christmas market cruise?
Expect highs around 40°F (4°C) and nights at or below freezing, similar to the Danube. The Rhine can get windy, so a long hooded coat, a scarf and a beanie make a big difference.
What should I wear to German Christmas markets?
For what to wear to German Christmas markets, start with a merino base layer, add a cashmere sweater and warm pants, then a long down coat, a scarf, a beanie and gloves. Waterproof boots with good grip are a must for wet cobblestones.
How many outfits do I need for a 7 night river cruise?
Plan on one outfit for the day and one for dinner, so 14 in total. With 3 sweaters, 2 dinner tops, a cardigan, 4 pants and 1 dress that all mix, it’s easy, since each top goes to dinner first and then under your coat at the markets.
What should I pack for a winter river cruise in Europe?
What to pack for a winter river cruise in Europe comes down to being outside all day and warm inside at night. A good river cruise packing list for winter includes a long down parka, waterproof boots, merino base layers, cashmere sweaters, lighter dinner layers, and a hat, gloves and scarf you’ll wear every day.
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