Day 1(Sat.) Depart US
Day 2 Amsterdam, Holland. (Embarkation)
(Sun.) Welcome to Amsterdam! Holland’s 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 waits to welcome you aboard. (D)
Day 3 Amsterdam
(Mon.) There is no better way to see the city than by CANAL BOAT, cruising through the elegant grachten lined with stately homes dating back to Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.” There is plenty of free time to explore on your own. Your Cruise Director will have suggestions of how to make the most of your stay. (FB,L,D)
Day 4 Dordrecht–Rotterdam. Excursion to Delft
(Tue.) Sitting between two branches of the Rhine, charming Dordrecht inspired many painters in the 17th and 18th centuries. Nearby is KINDERDIJK with its picturesque row of windmills. Rotterdam is a bustling city that was leveled by German bombs in WWII but now boasts the world’s busiest port. Traditionally a city of weavers and brewers, Delft is now best known for its distinctive blue and white porcelain. (FB,L,D)
Day 5 Arnhem
(Wed.) One of the major tragedies of World War II was the Battle of Arnhem, featured vividly in the AIRBORNE MUSEUM HARTENSTEIN and the inspiration for the movie A Bridge Too Far. (FB,L,D)
Day 6 Cologne, Germany
(Thu.) Cologne is the capital of the Rhineland and one of Germany’s largest cities. The soaring twin steeples of the magnificent Gothic cathedral
|
Story about Cologne Cathedral
"When a resident of Cologne returns after even a short stay outside the city, it just isn’t home until they’ve seen the black towers of the “Dom” against the sky. Germany’s largest gothic cathedral can’t be described with the usual words – monumental, awe-inspiring, beautiful, and majestic. It’s more than that. It’s been known to perplex visitors about what makes this cathedral so visually overwhelming. Its height has something to do with it – 515 feet of sandstone blackened by time and exhaust fumes. Or maybe it’s the Dom’s location, the feeling that a massive 13th Century gothic church was dropped out of the sky into the center of modern Cologne, a stone’s throw from the central train station and the shops on Hohestrasse." |
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. Try a
Kölsch, the favorite local beer, and shop for a bottle of
4711, the original “eau de cologne.” (FB,L,D)
Day 7 Coblenz
(Fri.) Situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, 2,000-year-old Coblenz is the cultural and business center of the Middle Rhine region. The Deutsches Eck, located on a tongue of land where the two rivers converge, holds an impressive equestrian statue of Wilhelm I. The Moselle River is some 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 Bernkastel
(Sat.) 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. (FB,L,D)
Day 9 Trier
(Sun.) 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 center. Trier’s most famous son was socialist revolutionary Karl Marx. (FB,L,D)
Day 10 Cochem
(Mon.) REICHSBURG CASTLE, towering above the river at Cochem, can be seen from afar and sits atop a conical hill covered in vines. Views of the little town of Cochem nestled 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, Riesling grapes are cultivated, producing a dry to sweet, floral white wine. (FB,L,D)
Day 11 Rhine Gorge–Rüdesheim-Mainz
(Tue.) The dramatic Rhine Gorge is the most beautiful stretch of river. Pass the legendary Rock of the Lorelei, where sweet songs lured enchanted sailors to their doom. Rüdesheim is the perfect example of a Rhine Valley wine town and SIEGFRIED’S MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM is a real surprise! Explore the Drosselgasse and be sure to try one of the vintages in any of the wine taverns. 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. (FB,L,D)
Day 12 Mainz
(Wed.) Charming Old Town in Mainz is waiting to be explored. A curiosity is the fountain on Schillerplatz decorated with scenes of the famous annual carnival. Gutenberg, the father of modern printing, was born here and the GUTENBERG MUSEUM is well worth a visit. (FB,L,D)
Day 13 Excursion to Heidelberg
(Thu.) 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! (FB,L,D)
Day 14 Strasbourg, France
(Fri.) 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 its statue of the inventor of the printing press. An optional excursion to the Alsace wine region is available today. (FB,L,D)
Day 15 Breisach, Germany. Excursion to the Black Forest
(Sat.) Located at the foot of Kaiserstuhl Mountain on the French-German border, Breisach is a charming 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 unrivaled natural beauty with its forests of thick pine trees. The most well-known products from this region are Black Forest ham and Black Forest cherry cake. (FB,L,D)
Day 16 Basel, Switzerland. (Disembarkation)
(Sun.) Homebound flights should not leave Zurich Airport before 10 a.m. (FB)
