Day 1Basel
Welcome to Basel on the Rhine River in northwest Switzerland. Transfer from the airport to your ship.* After boarding, enjoy time on your own getting acquainted with the city—or join our “welcome walk” to stretch your legs and start getting oriented. Cruise through the night to Breisach. (D)
Day 2Breisach
Arrive during breakfast in Breisach, gateway to the Black Forest. Take a scenic excursion through the area’s renowned mountain landscape, rolling meadows and dense forests. Once there, visit a local workshop and see a cuckoo clock-making demonstration. Return to Breisach for some free time before evening departure. Or, choose an optional excursion to the quaint Alsatian town of Colmar. Dine aboard and cruise through the night to Kehl. (B, L, D)
Day 3Strasbourg
Arrive in Kehl this morning and disembark for your guided tour of Strasbourg. See the European Parliament and tour the interior of the city’s famed cathedral. Free time allows you to further explore this Alsatian city’s blend of French and German cultures— fabulous churches, medieval covered bridges, beautiful parks and some lovely Art Nouveau and modernist architecture. As always, your Program Director can help you plan your free time. Return to your ship for dinner and departure. (B, L, D)
Day 4Heidelberg & Rüdesheim
Wake up in Mannheim and disembark for a tour to Heidelberg to see Germany’s oldest university, founded in 1386. Then visit the beautiful sandstone ruins of imposing Heidelberg Castle, and take in the scenery of the Neckar River Valley and the city’s many red rooftops from its hilltop location. Continue with a walking tour through the Old Town to Heidelberg’s renowned gates.
Return to your ship for afternoon cruising. Arrive in Rüdesheim in the early evening. Spend free time in the pedestrian-only Drosselgasse and sample a glass of locally produced wine at one of the restaurants or wine bars—dine aboard or stay in town if you prefer. Remain docked overnight. (B, L, D)
Day 5Braubach & Koblenz
This morning, sail along the most scenic stretch of the Rhine, where castles overlook the river from their hilltop locations. This part of the Middle Rhine Valley is so beautiful that it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Midmorning, disembark for a tour of 700-year-old Marksburg Castle and its museum. Return to your ship for lunch and a short cruise to Koblenz, where you disembark and enjoy some time in this charming town at the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine Rivers. (B, L, D)
Day 6Cologne
Cruise along the Rhine this morning, arriving just after breakfast in Cologne. Disembark for your walking tour of this gem of the Rhine. Stroll through Old Town past St. Martin’s Church and spend some time inside Cologne’s Dom, a remarkable Gothic cathedral. The rest of your day is free to explore the dockside taverns, cafés and shops. Dine aboard before evening departure. (B, L, D)
Day 7Kinderdijk
Spend your morning enjoying some popular Dutch diversions: sample Dutch cheeses and jenever, a distilled juniper liquor, and try your hand at sjoelen (Dutch table shuffleboard). After lunch, your ship arrives in Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for an afternoon tour of this ingenious network of windmills and other flood management devices. You learn why the windmills were built and see how they work, plus you enter an actual working windmill for a tour of its mechanisms and living quarters. Board your ship for departure and dinner. Arrive at Amsterdam after midnight. (B, L, D)
Day 8Amsterdam
After breakfast, enjoy a glass-topped canal cruise past merchant houses and the famed Skinny Bridge. The rest of the day is free to enjoy more of Amsterdam’s charming neighborhoods or visit the Van Gogh Museum and explore works by the famed artist and others. Dinner is served aboard, or you might like to experience Amsterdam’s multicultural dining options and vibrant nightlife. (B, D)
Day 9Kinderdijk
This morning we sail to Kinderdijk; you can tour the mill network a second time, take a walk or, weather permitting, rent bicycles at the souvenir shop and ride alongside the polder. Return aboard for lunch and departure. Practice your sjoelen skills and enjoy Dutch cheeses and jenever as we sail along the Upper Rhine. Cruise through the night. (B, L, D)
Day 10Cologne
Enjoy a full day on your own in Cologne. Visit one of the city’s museums—perhaps the Roman-German Museum for classical art, the Wallraf-Richartz Museum for medieval and Renaissance art or the Museum Ludwig for modern art aficionados—or tour one or two of the city’s spectacular churches and cathedrals, such as Saint Gereon’s Basilica with its mosaic floor and 12-sided dome. As always, your Program Director can help you plan your free time, and you can take advantage of our concierge service to make arrangements. Lunch and dinner are served aboard; we depart at midnight. (B, L, D)
Day 11Koblenz & Middle Rhine
This morning we stop in Koblenz, where you can enjoy a walking tour of this charming city while others visit Marksburg Castle. Or your concierge can arrange for you to visit one of the city’s attractions: Koblenz has the Wehrtechnische Studiensammlung, one of the best museums of military hardware in Europe; the Bundesgartenschau gardens; several lovely basilicas; and a highly recommended butterfly house which just opened in 2009 next to Sayn Castle. After your visit, continue cruising past the Rhine Castles and Lorelei Rock, which marks the river’s narrowest point; the rock is named for a local legend about Rhine Maidens who lure sailors to their doom. Lunch and dinner served aboard. (B, L, D)
Day 12Miltenberg
The morning is spent sailing along the beautiful Main River as it winds its way through the Spessart region. After lunch, stop in Miltenberg, known for its half-timbered houses, including the oldest inn in Germany. You have a walking tour and some free time to explore. Back on board, learn about the region’s glassblowing traditions during a live demonstration; you also have the opportunity to learn some useful German words and phrases. Sail through the night to Würzburg. (B, L, D)
Day 13Würzburg
After breakfast, tour Würzburg’s Bishops’ Residenz, one of Germany’s largest and most ornate baroque palaces and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy scenic afternoon cruising—or instead of touring Würzburg, take an optional full-day excursion along Germany’s “Romantic Road” to Rothenburg, which features a turreted city wall and lovely Gothic and baroque architecture. Rejoin your ship for dinner and an interesting presentation about the European Union. (B, L, D)
Day 14Bamberg
Sail through the morning; after lunch, we visit Bamberg, with its medieval city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your walking tour includes a visit to the magnificent 11th-century cathedral, reworked in late-Romanesque style in the 13th century, and the very picturesque city hall built on a tiny island in the middle of a river. Take some free time to enjoy Bamberg and perhaps try some of the town’s distinctive smoke-flavored beer before returning aboard. (B, L, D)
Day 15Nuremberg
After breakfast, disembark in Nuremberg. Visit the ruins of Zeppelin Field, used in the 1930s as Nazi parade grounds, and see the Palace of Justice, site of the famous Nuremberg Trials. Spend some free time exploring Nuremberg’s Old Town area, or join an optional World War II history tour including the Documentation Center Museum. We depart just before dinner. (B, L, D)
Day 16Regensburg
Arrive in Regensburg in the late morning; after lunch, tour this wonderfully preserved medieval city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site including structures dating back to Roman times. Discover many 13th- and 14th-century patrician houses and see the splendid St. Peter’s Cathedral. During free time, visit the Alte Wurstküche (Old Sausage Kitchen), Germany’s oldest restaurant. Dinner is served aboard before our evening departure. (B, L, D)
Day 17Passau
On this morning’s walking tour, see Passau’s narrow streets and Italianate architecture, and pass the Veste Oberhaus, a 13th-century fortress that served for centuries as a bishop’s stronghold. Then, listen to a concert on Europe’s largest pipe organ in St. Stephan’s Cathedral.† Take some time this afternoon to explore Passau before returning aboard for dinner. (B, L, D)
†Passau organ concert is only available May 1–October 31 and is closed on Sunday.
Day 18Melk & Krems
After breakfast, visit the abbey at Melk, a 900-year-old Benedictine monastery featuring Austria’s finest Italian baroque architecture. Rejoin your ship; cruise through the spectacular Wachau Valley this afternoon. Before dinner, you have free time to explore the historic riverside town of Krems; see the Steiner Tor, the last remaining city gate, or sample some local vintages from this famous wine-producing region. (B, L, D)
Day 19Vienna
Ride along Vienna’s Ringstrasse, which replaced the city walls in the mid-19th century. You will also see Vienna’s world-famous Opera House, St. Stephan’s Cathedral and Hofburg Palace. Return aboard for lunch. The rest of the day is yours to further explore Vienna’s many cafés and museums; you could visit the home of your favorite classical composer. After dinner, enjoy an optional classical concert. (B, L, D)
Day 20Bratislava
Arrive early and embark on a walking tour of Slovakia’s charming capital to see attractions like the medieval fortifications at Michael’s Tower, baroque Jesuit Church and Gothic St. Martin’s Cathedral. You also pass by several baroque palaces from the Habsburg Dynasty before you return to your ship for an afternoon of scenic cruising. Late tonight, arrive in Budapest. (B, L, D)
Day 21Budapest
The Danube River divides this Hungarian capital city into “Buda” and “Pest.” Explore both parts, starting with Pest’s National Opera House and historic Heroes’ Square. In Buda, stroll Fishermen’s Hill to Fishermen’s Bastion and Matthias Church. Enjoy lunch aboard with the rest of the day to explore on your own. Return to your ship for a traditional Hungarian farewell dinner. (B, L, D)
Day 22Budapest
After breakfast, disembark and proceed to the airport for your return flight.* Or, you could stay 2 more nights in Budapest, or extend your journey to another country with 3 nights in Prague, Czech Republic, where you tour Old Town landmarks and Prague Castle. (B)