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Day 1
(Sat.) Board your overnight flight to
Amsterdam.
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 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 13Excursion 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)
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