Romantic Rhine – Amsterdam to Basel

Day 1 Amsterdam (Embarkation)

Meals included: Dinner

Travel to Amsterdam where you will be met and transferred to your cruise ship for seven nights and meet your crew at a welcome reception.

Day 2 Amsterdam

Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Included today: Canal cruise. 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’. There’s free time in the city this afternoon to explore on your own. Later, bid ‘tot ziens’ (farewell) to Holland and set sail for Germany.

Day 3 Cologne

Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Included today: Guided Cologne city walk. Today, enjoy a peaceful morning of cruising before reaching Cologne in the afternoon. Cologne, capital of the Rhineland, straddles both sides of the Rhine, and is known for its soaring, twin-steepled gothic cathedral. This afternoon, join your included guided city walk. The Old Town abounds with cafs, shops, and taverns. Be sure to try a Klsch pale lager, locally brewed in Cologne for over a hundred years. Stroll through the fabulous and magical Christmas markets before leaving Cologne and sailing to Rdesheim.

Day 4 Koblenz – Rhine Gorge Rdesheim

Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Included today: Guided sightseeing in Koblenz; cruise the Rhine Gorge; visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum. The dramatic Rhine Gorge is the most beautiful stretch of river. Here, ancient castles stand sentry on lofty cliffs rising 400 feet above the water. Cruise past the legendary rock of the Lorelei, where echoes of enchanted siren song lured unwitting sailors to their doom. In Rdesheim, the quintessential Rhine Valley wine town, visit Siegfrieds Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum to see and hear a large collection of self-playing calliopes and music boxes from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. The entire town transforms itself into one large Christmas market, offering products and specialties from a number of nations, all presented in a distinctive manner. Youll be spoiled by the selection of shops offering a vast variety of Christmas presents and decorations. In the Market Square, youll find Europes largest nativity scene with life-size figures.

Day 5 Mainz & Heidelberg

Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Included today: Mainz guided walk and Gutenberg Museum, Heidelberg Castle visit. Situated on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite the mouth of the Main River, Mainz is Germany’s largest and most important wine town. Join your local guide for a guided walk through the Old Town to see the Carnival Fountain on the Schillerplatz and visit the Gutenberg Museum, a tribute to Gutenberg, father of modern printing, who was born here. After lunch, head to Heidelberg, home to the oldest university in Germany. With a local guide, visit the imposing castle ruins, built of red sandstone and towering above the city, and see the Great Vat – the world’s largest wine barrel.

Day 6 Strasbourg

Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Included today: Guided sightseeing. Situated on the border of France and Germany, Strasbourg blends the cultures of both countries in a delightful way. As capital of the Alsace region and seat of the Council of Europe and European Parliament, it is without a doubt an important city that manages to retain its historic charm. On your guided sightseeing tour, visit the monumental red-sandstone Gothic cathedral with its ancient murals, stained-glass windows, and fascinating astronomical clock, as well as the magical La Petite France district, home to half-timbered houses, quaint shops, inviting bistros, and a waterfront promenade. Also spend time exploring Place Klber, a large historic square in the heart of the city, and Place Gutenberg in the heart of medieval Strasbourg, which features a statue of the inventor of the printing press. Dating back to 1570, the traditional Christmas market is one of the oldest and finest in Europe. Located around Place de la Cathdrale and Place Broglie, its centrepiece is a giant Christmas tree. As you stroll through the festively decorated and illuminated streets, youll notice the pleasing aromas of mulled wine, sweets, spice cakes, and biscuits. An optional excursion into Alsace wine country is available today. After dinner, enjoy an on-board woodcarving demonstration.

Day 7 Breisach

Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Included today: Excursion to the Black Forest. Located at the foot of Kaiserstuhl Mountain on the French-German border, Breisach is the gateway to Germanys Black Forest region, an area of unrivaled natural beauty with its forests of thick pine trees. The area got its name because the forests are so dense that local residents described them as black. Surely, the most well-known products from this region are Black Forest ham, Black Forest cherry cake, and cuckoo clocks. This afternoon, theres free time in Breisach to visit the Christmas market, or you may join an optional excursion to Colmar in Frances Alsace region.

Day 8 Basel (Disembarkation)

Meals included: Breakfast

Disembark and transfer to Basel airport for your flight to the UK