Welcome to Switzerland! Travel from Zurich airport to the Rhine–side town of Basel. Board the luxurious Emerald Waterways Star-Ship, and, this evening, join fellow guests for dinner on board. 

The Black Forest is a captivating region, known for its cuckoo clocks and the live oompah bands that grace sun-kissed gardens with their music during the summer months. Today, enjoy a visit to a Black Forest village and learn how people in the region lived for centuries. For a more active option, take a hike through the Black Forest, passing under an idyllic canopy of evergreens.

Later, enjoy one of the region’s most famous treats during a Black Forest gateau demonstration and tasting.

Wake up docked in Kehl and transfer across the river to the medieval town of Strasbourg, the capital of France’s Alsace Region. Cobbled squares surrounded by half-timbered houses make Strasbourg appear as if it has been effortlessly suspended in time. Here, explore the past during a walking tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site-listed old town. Witness the ornate beauty of many of Strasbourg’s highlights, including the Maison Kammerzell and the canal network that weaves through Petite France, before enjoying free time to explore at leisure. 

Relax on board this morning as you sail towards Ludwigshafen, following the meandering Rhine River and passing the confluence of the Rhine and Neckar. Travel by coach to Heidelberg, where you’ll have the opportunity to learn about how it became a UNESCO City of Literature, having inspired the likes of Mark Twain and William Turner with its historical setting.

Your guided tour of the town will allow you to find your own inspiration among its delightful landmarks, including Heidelberg Castle, one of the most impressive Renaissance ruins in all of Europe. Alternatively, revel in a hike from Mount Königstuhl to Heidelberg.

Cruise to the 2000-year-old town of Koblenz today to discover its fairytale-like surrounds, nestled on the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. Enjoy a locally-guided tour through town, touching on the twin-towered façade of the Church of Our Lady and the German Corner, where the two inspirational waterways meet. Journey by cable car to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, offering exceptional views of the surrounding area from its hilltop position.

Effortlessly steeped in history and tales of the past, Cologne encapsulates a timeline that spans more than two millennia and is one of the oldest cities in Germany. Today's included tour of Cologne takes us to the heart of its old town, where Roman mosaics and the Great St. Martin Church tell the stories of the people who first laid out plans for this mighty city. At the conclusion of this tour, experience the grandeur of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Cologne Cathedral.

This morning, choose a guided bike tour to Waterland to learn about how the water is reclaiming Holland while passing through quintessential Dutch areas and witness traditional villages and windmills. Alternatively, take to Amsterdam’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed canal network on a glass top canal cruise, passing Roman patrician houses and ornate merchant houses that tell tales of the prosperous Dutch Golden Age.

After breakfast, disembark the ship and transfer to the airport.