Begin your European river cruise in vibrant Amsterdam, enjoying her legendary canals and colorful surroundings. Visit the majestic Cologne Cathedral, the historic university town of Heidelberg, the Alsation capital of Strasbourg, and the legendary Black Forest region. Conclude your journey in the midst of Switzerland's stunning scenery and world-famous cities, enjoying lake-side excursions and Alpine vistas.
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
After breakfast, your tour of Amsterdam begins with a scenic canal cruise through the city known as the 'Venice of the North.' See the tall narrow homes lining the water, the Skinny Bridge, and the house where Anne Frank and her family lived in hiding during WWII. Later, enjoy a panoramic city tour that will show you many key sights, including a photo stop at the windmill famously painted by Rembrandt. You'll have some free time to explore on your own before returning to the ship. The ship departs this afternoon en route to Germany.
Enjoy a guided tour of Cologne this morning, which takes you to the Old Town, Cathedral Square, and the city's majestic 13th-century Gothic cathedral. Afterwards, you have free time to visit some of the local shops or have a coffee at a quaint cafe. Late tonight, the ship cruises to Koblenz and moors overnight.
This morning sail through the fascinating Rhine Gorge, passing castle after castle and the legendary Lorelei Rock. Arrive in Rudesheim and enjoy an afternoon wine tasting with a local vintner. Explore the Drosselgasse, a narrow alley lined with wine taverns and restaurants during your free time. This evening, visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum, home to a remarkable collection of centuries-old robotic and self-playing musical instruments. As an alternative, sample a glass of Rüedesheimer coffee – a local favorite – at a friendly café. The ship sails overnight.
Arrive around noon in Speyer, one of Germany's oldest cities, known for its cathedral, numerous churches and the 13th-century Altportel ('Old Gate'). Choose either a city tour of Speyer or a half-day excursion to historic Heidelberg to visit the red-walled castle with its Great Vat (a 49,000-gallon 18th-century wine cask) and see beautiful views of the Neckar Valley and city below. This evening, the ship continues onward to Strasbourg, France.
Capital and principal city of the Alsace region in northeastern France, Strasbourg is situated on the Ill River, where it flows into the Rhine on the border with Germany. This morning, take a panoramic tour through this charming medieval town lined with narrow cobbled streets. The tour takes you past the Orangery, the town's oldest park, the European Parliament, and the Place de la Republique. Afterwards, take a walking tour of the "La Petite France" neighborhood, where you will see the sandstone Gothic Cathedral with its famous astronomical clock. The remainder of the day is at your leisure. Perhaps take a stroll through Strasbourg's historic city center, the 'Grande Ile' ('Grand Island'), a UNESCO World Heritage site, or sample the local cuisine and wine that merges the best of French and German influences. The ship moors overnight.
You have two exciting excursions to choose from today. The first is a walking tour of Riquewihr, a picturesque town that looks much as it did back in the 16th century. A second option is a walking tour of Breisach and Freiburg. Breisach is a beautiful town on that houses one of Europe's largest wine cellars. In Freiburg, visit the historical city center and the Augustinerplatz, site of Freiburg's Munster, a Gothic cathedral constructed of red sandstone. Tonight, the ship cruises to Switzerland.
Day 8: Basel - Lucerne, Switzerland / Disembark
1 Breakfast
Disembark after breakfast for a city tour of cosmopolitan Basel. Switzerland's second largest city is ideally located at the crossroads of Switzerland, France and Germany. Long an important center for banking, commerce, and trade, Basel's glorious past is still evident in its medieval Town Hall and exquisite 18th-century patrician homes. After free time for lunch on your own, depart for Lucerne. En route visit the Lion Monument, a dramatic sculpture that honors the Swiss Guards killed during the French Revolution. Arrive mid-afternoon and check in to your hotel.
Day 9: Lucerne, Switzerland
1 Breakfast
Situated on Lake Lucerne, the city is a medieval gem. After breakfast, enjoy a walking tour that explores some of the city's lovely cobblestone streets, monuments, fountain-embellished public squares, covered bridges and colorful frescoed buildings. The afternoon offers free time to shop for Swiss-made watches, knives and world-famous chocolates. Or, if you prefer, join the optional tour to cable car ride to the top of Mount Pilatus, the mountain which dominates the city and offers incredible views of the surrounding area (seasonal availability).
Day 10: Lucerne - Zurich, Switzerland
1 Breakfast
Enjoy a free morning in Lucerne before checking out of your hotel. Afterwards, cruise across the tranquil waters of Lake Lucerne to Vitznau. Upon arrival in Vitznau, board a motor coach for a scenic drive to Zurich. Check into your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.
Day 11: Zurich, Switzerland
1 Breakfast
Your morning walking tour of picturesque Zurich includes Grossmunster, St.Peter, with the largest church clock face in the world, Old Town, Town Hall and Fraumunster, which was fully renovated in 2004 and now offers an exceptional 360-degree view of Zurich. The afternoon and evening is free for you to explore the town on your own. Perhaps return to the Old Town, which offers engaging cafes, restaurants and a wealth of nightlife, or shop along Bahnhofstrasse and Niederdorf. Alternatively, take an optional excursion to the Rhine Falls.
Day 12: Zurich, Switzerland
1 Breakfast
After breakfast, bid farewell to Switzerland and transfer to the airport for your return flight home.
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The trip might have been the absolute best of our lifetime (thus far). We particularly want to commend our guide Peter in the Guilin area-he was so incredibly attentive, energetic, enthusiastic-and absolutely dedicated to ensuring that our meals were 100% vegetarian.
Jack Charney
TrustScore 4.8 | 174 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 174 reviews on
1 day ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
2 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.