Rhine Cruise to Switzerland 8 days/7 nights - Basel to Cologne

RHINE CRUISE TO SWITZERLAND – New for 2020! 8 Days / 7 Nights / 20 Meals

Day 1: EMBARK IN COLOGNE
Arrive in Cologne and welcome aboard! Your suite will be ready by 5:00 pm.
(D)

Day 2: KOBLENZ
Spend the morning at leisure on board enjoying the spectacular river scenery and get to know your ship and fellow passengers. You’ll be cruising by the rolling hills of the Rhine Valley, seeing pretty waterfront towns and vineyards on the way to Koblenz. When you arrive in Koblenz, you can explore this Roman city with its stunning waterfront on our guided walking tour.
(B, L, D)

Day 3: RHINE GORGE & RÜDESHEIM
Depart Koblenz and proceed along the Rhine. Sail past the impressive Marksburg Castle, a fortress dating back to the 13th century. Cruise along to see Boppard, a wonderfully picturesque town known as the “Pearl of the Rhine,” on the way to the dramatic Rhine Gorge as you marvel at the many ruined castles along the river. After lunch, arrive in Rüdesheim, a classic Rhine wine village. Enjoy a walking tour through the narrow streets of this charming town or join the optional visit to Siegfried’s Mechanical Musikkabinett Museum (payable locally). After dinner this evening perhaps sample a small Asbach – the famous brandy distilled in Rüdesheim.
(B, L, D)

Day 4: SPEYER
Sail downstream through the picturesque vineyards that are home to the Liebfraumilch wines. Arrive in historic Speyer, one of Germany’s oldest cities, founded by the Celts. After lunch, enjoy a guided walking tour of this medieval gem with its ancient streets. See the breathtaking Romanesque Imperial Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the magnificent neo-Gothic Gedächtniskirche, built at the turn of the 20th century.
(B, L, D)

Day 5: STRASBOURG
Today arrive in France and drive by motorcoach to the center of Strasbourg, capital of the Alsace region. Take a walking tour of its picturesque Old Town, bisected by canals and made up of a maze of narrow streets. See the Gothic Notre-Dame Cathedral, multi-towered Ponts Couverts – covered bridges – and the pretty Petite France quarter of pastel-colored former artisans’ houses lining the canals. After the tour you might stop at a café to sample some local Riesling or Gewürztraminer wine. This evening is the “Captain’s Dinner,” featuring delicious specialties of the countries and regions visited during our cruise.
(B, L, D)

Day 6: BREISACH & BLACK FOREST
Glide through the dramatic scenery of the valley separating the Vosges and Black Forest mountains. Arrive at the ancient town of Breisach, dominated by the impressive Saint Stephan’s Cathedral. In the afternoon, drive through some of Central Europe’s most stunning scenery – the Black Forest Mountains, a landscape filled with hills, waterfalls, and pine forests – to the lakeside village of Titisee. After lunch on board, explore historic Breisach. Enjoy dinner this evening en route to Switzerland.
(B, L, D)

Day 7: BERNESE OBERLAND AND LUCERNE
Drive by motorcoach to Lucerne, Switzerland’s most beautiful city, and enjoy some free time to explore. You might choose to stroll along the Chapel Bridge, a unique covered wooden walkway crossing the lake, and the city’s most iconic structure. In the afternoon, enjoy a rail journey into the stunning Bernese Oberland, with some of the finest mountain scenery in the world. See the snowcapped peaks of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. Ascend by mountain railway for more extraordinary vistas. Lunch onboard is not included on this full day excursion; however, the ship will offer a packed lunch.
(B, L, D)

Day 8: DISEMBARK IN BASEL
Your vacation ends this morning after breakfast; you are welcome to stay onboard for the morning, but you must check out of your cabin by 9 am.
(B)

B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner

All components of this tour (hotels, visits and attractions) for 2020 itineraries are subject to change until finalized in September 2019.

Authentic Local Experiences:

• Enjoy an afternoon at leisure in Rudesheim, a classic Rhine wine village with crooked houses sloping down from wooded hillsides and terraced vineyards.
• Visit historic Speyer, one of Germany’s oldest cities, founded by the Celts. The breathtaking Imperial Cathedral is among the largest Romanesque churches in the world.
• Delight in a walking tour of Strasbourg’s picturesque Old Town, bisected by canals and made up of narrow streets lined with timber-framed houses. You may be tempted to linger in a typical Alsatian café to sample some of the region’s world-famous wines.

Trip Highlights:

• Medieval Koblenz
• Rudesheim, center of the Rhineland wine trade
• Rhine Gorge
• Speyer and its stunning Romanesque Basilica
• Breisach walled town visit
• Black Forest and lakeside town Titisee tou
• Mountain rail journey into the Bernese Oberland
• Tour of Lucerne, Switzerland

Dining Experiences:

• 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, and 7 dinners including a welcome dinner and “Captain’s Dinner.” Packed lunches offered when enjoying full-day land tours.

SHIP – 7 nights

• MS Emily Bronte or MS Oscar Wilde