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ITINERARY (Paris to Prague)
Day 1 Welcome to Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. The city straddles the Vltava River with domes, cupolas, spires and pinnacles highlighting its skyline. (BB)
Day 2 Prague is a 1,000-year-old city preserved in time. It Best-known treasures are the Old Town's Astronomical Clock, once the envy of all of Europe; HRADCANY CASTLE, St. Vitus, Cathedral; and the Charles Bridge. Browse the shops for hand-cut crystal or art books. Mix with the locals in Wenceslaus Square or stroll along the Vltava River. Your Cruise Director will have other suggestions for things to do. (BB)
Day 3 After lunch drive to Nuremberg where the crew of your vessel awaits to welcome you on board. (BB,D)
Day 4 A beautiful UNESCO World Heritage site is medieval Bamberg with its breathtaking cathedral, the Old Town Hall straddling the river, and serpentine streets with charming houses and 18th-century mansions. (FB,L,D)
Day 5 Known as the "Pearl of the Romantic Road", Wurzburg is surrounded by sloping hills covered with vineyards. The magnificent BISHOP'S RESIDENZ is another UNESCO World Heritage site. (FB,L,D)
Day 6 Located on the Main River, Miltenberg is a picturesque Bavarian village that thrived on income from river traffic. Its cultural wealth and affluence are reflected in the beautiful medieval and Renaissance houses and the Gothic splendour of the Merchant Hall. (FB,L,D)
Day 7 Pretty Rudesheim is the perfect example of a Rhine Valley wine town. Explore the Drosselgasse, pick up some souvenirs, and be sure to try one of the vintages in any of the little wine taverns. The dramatic Rhine Gorge is the most beautiful stretch of river. Pass the legendary Rock of the Lorelei where sweet songs of local beauties lured enchanted sailors to their doom. Situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, 2,000-year-old Coblenz is the cultural and business centre of the Middle Rhine region. The Deutsches Eck, located on a tongue of land where the two rivers converge, holds a gigantic equestrian statue of Wilhelm I. The Moselle River is some 502 kilometres (312 miles) long, rising in the Vosges Mountains of northeastern France and entering Germany at Trier. The entire Moselle Valley is famous for its beautiful and tranquil scenery. (FB,L,D)
Day 8 REICHSBURG CASTLE, towering above the river at Cochem, can be seen from afar and sits on the top of a conical hill covered in vines. The views of the little town of Cochem, nestled down below, and of the river valley are splendid. Cruising the wide peaceful curves of the river, it quickly becomes obvious that the Moselle is an important wine growing region. Most notably the Riesling grape is cultivated, producing a dry to sweet, floral white wine. (FB,L,D)
Day 9 In the middle of the Moselle region is the charming wine village of Bernkastel with its well preserved half-timbered houses surrounding the beautiful MARKET PLACE. Wine growers in this area look after Germany's largest expanse of vineyards, the most celebrated of the vintages being the Bernkasteler Doktor. The venerable Episcopal city of Trier is the oldest in Germany and, some claim, even older than Rome! A house on the marketplace bears the inscription "Trier was standing 1,300 years before Rome". The famous PORTA NIGRA is the only surviving fortified gate from the original Roman settlement and still gives access to the town centre. Trier's most famous son was the socialist revolutionary, Karl Marx. (FB,L,D)
Day 10 After breakfast cross the border into France and head for Paris. (FB)
Day 11 Paris' famous sights are living history: magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, the unique Louvre Museum with its glass pyramid as a contrast to its ancient architecture, the commemorative Arc de Triomphe, Opera, Madeleine, Champs Elysees and the EIFFEL TOWER, a structural miracle of its age. The city is well known for its colourful nightlife including some of the world's most famous cabaret shows. (BB)
Day 12 Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (BB)
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