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 Begin this 8 day cruise in colourful Amsterdam cruising past the city's stately homes and 16th-century merchant houses, then cruise to Cologne for a guided tour. Stop for a visit of Coblenz, before sailing through the dramatic Rhine Gorge to Rudesheim. Enjoy sightseeing in Worms and Strasbourg, as well as excursions to Heidelberg and Germany's Black Forest, before ending your cruise in Basel, Switzerland.
This cruise is also available in reverse, travelling from Zurich to Amsterdam (tour code: WZA).
Visited Cities
Amsterdam, Cologne, Coblenz, Rudesheim, Worms, Mainz, Heidelberg, Strasbourg and Basel.
Highlights
Superb dining with all meals on board including a Cocktail Reception, Welcome Dinner, and Captain's Gala Dinner. Quality wines from Europe's most famous wine regions included with every dinner.
Meals
Breakfast - 7
Lunch - 6
Dinner - 7
Standard Features
AMSTERDAM: Welcome reception; canal cruise
COLOGNE: Guided sightseeing
COBLENZ: Guided sightseeing
RUDESHEIM: "Winzerexpress" mini train, visit Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum
WORMS: Guided sightseeing, excursion to Heidelberg, guided visit of the castle
STRASBOURG: Guided sightseeing, visit La Petite France district and the Gothic cathedral
BREISACH: Orientation, excursion to the Black Forest
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ITINERARY (Basel to Amsterdam)
Day 1 BASEL, SWITZERLAND. (EMBARKATION) Flight into Zurich must arrive before 4 p.m. Basel is situated on the Rhine where France, Switzerland and Germany meet. This afternoon the crew of your vessel waits to welcome you on board. (D)
Day 2 STRASBOURG, FRANCE. Situated on the border of France and Germany, Strasbourg is influenced by the culture of both countries and is the capital of the Alsace region. It is the seat of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament. Noteworthy sights are the GOTHIC CATHEDRAL, the lovely LA PETITE FRANCE district, Place Kleber and Place Gutenberg with the statue of the inventor of the printing press. Strasbourg is also home to the Kronenbourg Beer Brewery. An optional excursion into the Alsace wine region is available. (FB,L,D)
Day 3 SPEYER, GERMANY. HEIDELBERG EXCURSION. Located on the left bank of the Rhine, the old imperial city of Speyer was a bishopric and boasts a Romanesque cathedral with six imposing towers and the finest and largest crypt in Germany. Four Holy Roman Emperors and four German Kings are buried in the impressive Royal Vault. Heidelberg is Germany's oldest university town of Student Prince fame. The ruins of the imposing HEIDELBERG CASTLE, built of red sandstone, tower above the city. Of particular interest is the GIANT VAT, an 18th-century wine cask holding 49,000 gallons! (FB,L,D)
Day 4 MAINZ-RÜDESHEIM. Situated on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite the mouth of the Main River, Mainz is Germany's largest and most important wine market. The Old Town has many interesting shops, tea rooms and restaurants, and a fountain on the Schillerplatz is decorated with scenes of the famous carnival held here every year. Gutenberg, the father of modern printing, was born here and the Gutenberg Museum is well worth a visit. The pretty little town of Rüdesheim is the perfect example of a Rhine Valley wine town. SIEGFRIED'S MECHANICAL MUSIC MUSEUM is a real surprise! Explore the Drosselgasse, pick up some souvenirs, and be sure to try one of the vintages in any of the little wine taverns! (FB,L,D)
Day 5 COBLENZ. Downstream from Rüdesheim is the dramatic Rhine Gorge, the most beautiful stretch of river dotted every mile with castles. Pass the legendary rock of the Lorelei where sweet songs by 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. (FB,L,D)
Day 6 COLOGNE. Cologne is the capital of the Rhineland and one of Germany's largest cities. The soaring twin steeples of Cologne's magnificent Gothic cathedral-which took more than 600 years to build-dominate the river skyline. The Germano-Roman Museum, located next to the cathedral, is a must for history buffs! The Old Town abounds with taverns, cafés and shops. The favourite local beer here is Koelsch. (FB,L,D)
Day 7 AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND. Holland's capital is sophisticated and modern, with a rich and fascinating history. This delightful 700-year-old city with its elegant and classic architecture, cafés and restaurants, and lively marketplace has a distinct ambience. The works of famous Dutch masters can be seen in world-renowned museums such as the Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh. There is no better way to see Amsterdam than by CANAL BOAT, cruising through the elegant grachten, lined with stately homes dating back to Amsterdam's "Golden Age". (FB,L,D)
Day 8 AMSTERDAM. (DISEMBARKATION) Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (FB)
REVERSE ITINERARY (Amsterdam to Basel)
Day 1 AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND. (EMBARKATION) Holland's delightful 700-year old capital is sophisticated and modern, with a rich and fascinating history. The works of famous Dutch masters can be seen in world-renowned museums such as the Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh. This afternoon the crew of your vessel awaits to welcome you on board. (D)
Day 2 AMSTERDAM There is no better way to see Amsterdam than by CANAL BOAT, cruising through the elegant grachten lined with stately homes. Our river cruise vessel sets sail for Cologne this afternoon. (FB,L,D)
Day 3 COLOGNE, GERMANY. Cologne is one of Germany's largest cities whose river skyline is dominated by the soaring twin spires of its magnificent Gothic cathedral.. The Germano-Roman Museum located next to the cathedral is a must for history buffs! Try a Koelsch in one of the many taverns and shop for a bottle of 4711, the original "eau de cologne". (FB,L,D)
Day 4 COBLENZ - RHINE GORGE-RÜDESHEIM. 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 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. Pretty Rüdesheim 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. (FB,L,D)
Day 5 WORMS-SPEYER. EXCURSION TO HEIDELBERG. Worms like Speyer, was an imperial residence with a legendary past. It was here that the reformer Dr. Martin Luther attended the Imperial Diet of Worms, with far-reaching consequences. Heidelberg is Germany’s oldest university town. The ruins of the imposing red sandstone CASTLE, tower above the city. Of particular interest is the GIANT VAT, an 18th-century wine cask holding 49,000 gallons! On the left bank of the Rhine, the old imperial city of Speyer boasts a Romanesque cathedral with six imposing towers and the finest and largest crypt in Germany. Four Holy Roman Emperors and four German Kings are buried in the impressive Royal Vault. (FB,L,D)
Day 6 STRASBOURG, FRANCE. Situated on the border of France and Germany, Strasbourg is influenced by the culture of both countries and is the capital of the Alsace region. It is the seat of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament. Noteworthy sights are the GOTHIC CATHEDRAL, the lovely LA PETITE FRANCE district, Place Kleber and Place Gutenberg with the statue of the inventor of the printing press. An optional excursion to the Alsace wine region is available today. (FB,L,D)
Day 7 BREISACH, GERMANY. Located at the foot of Kaiserstuhl Mountain on the French-German border, Breisach is a charming, little medieval town. Once surrounded by city walls, the gates to the city still stand today. Breisach is the gateway to Germany's Black Forest region, an area of unrivalled natural beauty with its forests of thick pine trees. Surely the most well-known products from this region are Black Forest ham and Black Forest cherry cake. (FB,L,D)
Day 8 BASEL, SWITZERLAND. (DISEMBARKATION) Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (FB)
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