Itinerary
- Day 1
Nice
You're starting on the French Riviera with free time to check out the Mediterranean coastline. The stretch of coast goes from Toulon all the way to the Italian border, so you can spend your day however you like exploring this region and getting a feel for the area at 68°F/20°C.
- Day 2
Nice
This morning you'll head out on a guided tour of Nice, known as the Queen of the French Riviera. You'll walk through the narrow, winding streets of Vieux Nice and see the baroque churches of the old city, which hasn't changed much since the 1700s. By afternoon you're back with free time to explore further or relax at 70°F/21°C.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided Sightseeing in Nice
- Explore Vieux Nice (old city) with narrow, winding streets and baroque churches
Landmarks Vieux Nice - Day 3
Nice to Arles
A motorcoach picks you up and takes you to board your Avalon Suite Ship. You'll settle in and spend the night docked in Arles, getting comfortable on the ship at 72°F/22°C.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Motorcoach transfer to board Avalon Suite Ship
- Day 4
Arles
In Arles you have options to choose from. There's a power walk, a painting workshop where you'll learn Van Gogh techniques, or a guided tour covering the Roman Amphitheater. Later you'll stop for wine at Le Café Van Gogh, then the ship sails toward Avignon by evening at 73°F/23°C.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Adventure Center for activity selection
- Power Walk in Arles with Adventure Host (active option)
- Painting Workshop - learn techniques of Vincent van Gogh and create your own painting (discovery option)
- Guided Walking Tour of Arles including the Roman Amphitheater (classic option)
Optional Activities
- Stop at Le Café Van Gogh for wine
Landmarks Roman Amphitheater (Arles) Le Café Van Gogh - Day 5
Avignon
You'll take a guided tour of Avignon with a visit to the Palace of the Popes. During the day you can choose optional excursions to Pont du Gard or wine cellars at Châteauneuf-du-Pape, or just walk around at your own pace checking out the medieval Pont Saint-Bénézet and local museums. This evening there's live entertainment onboard at 74°F/23°C.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided Sightseeing Tour of Avignon with ramparts and Palace of the Popes
- Explore Avignon independently for art, culture, theatre, and museums
Optional Activities
- Guided Optional Excursion to Pont du Gard (ancient Roman aqueduct)
- Guided Optional Excursion to Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine cellars for Rhône wine region tasting
- Sightseeing of medieval Pont Saint-Bénézet
Landmarks Palace of the Popes Pont du Gard Pont Saint-Bénézet Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Day 6
Viviers to Tain l'Hermitage
The ship sails leisurely toward Viviers where you can either hike up to the hilltop Cathedral or join a guided walk through the village with its pale-stone buildings and Old Town mixing Christian, Roman, and medieval architecture. By evening you'll cruise to Tain l'Hermitage at 72°F/22°C.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Walk up to Viviers Cathedral with Adventure Host (active option)
- Guided Walking Tour of Viviers - pale-stone buildings, Romanesque cathedral, and Old Town (classic option)
Landmarks Viviers Cathedral - Day 7
Tournon to Lyon
In Tournon you get to choose between a morning hike or a guided tour of this medieval city and its 16th-century castle with your Adventure Host. Early afternoon the ship heads to Lyon. You'll have live entertainment while sailing and then dock overnight in Lyon at 71°F/22°C.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Morning hike in Tournon with Adventure Host (active option)
- Guided Walking Tour of Tournon - medieval city with 16th-century castle (classic option)
Landmarks Tournon Castle - Day 8
Lyon to Tournus
You can bike through Lyon's architectural district with your Adventure Host or take a guided tour from Fourvière Hill. Either way you'll see the Old Town's medieval alleyways, cafés, monuments, and the fountain at Place des Terreaux. Free time lets you bike through squares and along the rivers. Later the ship cruises to Tournus with entertainment at 70°F/21°C.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Bike ride through Lyon's architectural district with Adventure Host - over bridges and along Rhône and Saône rivers (active option)
- Guided Sightseeing Tour from Fourvière Hill exploring Old Town with medieval alleyways, cafés, monuments, and Place des Terreaux fountain (classic option)
Optional Activities
- Free time biking through Lyon's town squares, over bridges, and along the Rhône and Saône rivers
Landmarks Fourvière Hill Place des Terreaux - Day 9
Tournus to Chalon-sur-Saône
You'll travel into the Mâconnais region to explore famous Chardonnay vineyards and do a wine tasting in a medieval castle's cellars. Back on the ship later, there's a cheese tasting and live entertainment for the evening at 68°F/20°C.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided Tour to Mâconnais region - learn about Chardonnay vineyards and wine production
- Wine-tasting in a medieval castle's cellars
- Cheese Tasting onboard ship
Landmarks Mâconnais Region - Day 10
Chalon-sur-Saône to Basel
You'll visit the Hôtel-Dieu Charity Hospital in Beaune, built in 1443, which has Van der Weyden's Last Judgment painting inside. This is one of France's architectural highlights. In the afternoon you'll transfer by motorcoach to Basel to board your Rhine river cruise, then overnight sail to Breisach at 65°F/18°C.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Hôtel-Dieu Charity Hospital in Beaune (built 1443) - see Van der Weyden's Last Judgment painting
- Motorcoach transfer to Basel to board Rhine river cruise
Landmarks Hôtel-Dieu - Day 11
Breisach to Kehl
At the Adventure Center you can choose between a relaxing bike ride along the Rhine, a full-day guided tour to the Black Forest with an open-air museum and butter-making demo, or exploring Freiburg's medieval center surrounded by vineyards. There's also an optional morning excursion to Colmar with its half-timbered buildings. By evening you'll cruise to Kehl at 64°F/18°C.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Adventure Center for activity selection
- Relaxing bike ride along the Rhine with Adventure Host (active option)
- Full-day Guided Tour to Black Forest - Vogtsbauernhof open-air museum, authentic water mill, traditional butter-making demonstration (discovery option)
- Guided Tour of Freiburg medieval city center sheltered by Black Forest amid vineyards and Upper Rhine Valley gardens (classic option)
Optional Activities
- Guided Optional Excursion to Colmar - charming village with half-timbered medieval and early renaissance buildings (morning)
- Optional Biking Tour to discover the countryside
Landmarks Vogtsbauernhof Freiburg Colmar - Day 12
Kehl to Mainz
You can bike through Strasbourg with your Adventure Host or take a city tour featuring the Gothic cathedral with stained-glass windows and the astronomical clock, plus La Petite France district. Optional excursions go to the Maginot Line or Alsace wine country. Alternatively, spend time in museums or walking around the city center. Evening brings a cruise to Mainz at 66°F/19°C.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Bike tour of Strasbourg with Adventure Host (active option)
- City Sightseeing Tour of Strasbourg - Gothic cathedral with stained-glass, ancient murals, astronomical clock, and La Petite France district (classic option)
Optional Activities
- Guided Optional Excursion to Maginot Line - pre-WWII fortifications on eastern French border
- Guided Optional Excursion to Alsace wine country
- Free time to visit museums or stroll city center
Landmarks Strasbourg Cathedral La Petite France - Day 13
Mainz to Rüdesheim
An excursion takes you to Heidelberg where you can walk the Philosophers' Way with your Adventure Host, take a guided tour of Heidelberg Castle to see Renaissance ruins and the Great Vat, or join a city walk including the Gutenberg Museum. This evening there's live entertainment onboard after sailing to Rüdesheim at 65°F/18°C.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Walk in Heidelberg - Philosophers' Way with Adventure Host (active option)
- Guided Tour to Heidelberg Castle - Renaissance ruins and Great Vat (World's Largest Wine Barrel) (classic option)
- Guided City Walk including Gutenberg Museum - history of printing (classic option)
Landmarks Heidelberg Castle Gutenberg Museum - Day 14
Rüdesheim to Koblenz
You'll hike through Rüdesheim's vineyards with your Adventure Host or visit the Mechanical Music Museum and taste authentic Rüdesheimer coffee. Then you'll sail through the Rhine Gorge UNESCO World Heritage site, seeing ancient castles 400 feet above the water and passing the Rock of the Lorelei. Free time in Koblenz comes before dinner and entertainment onboard at 63°F/17°C.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike through Rüdesheim vineyards with Adventure Host (active option)
- Guided Tour of Mechanical Music Museum with authentic Rüdesheimer coffee tasting (discovery option)
- Sailing through Rhine Gorge (UNESCO World Heritage site) - viewing ancient castles and Rock of the Lorelei
Optional Activities
- Free time in Koblenz
Landmarks Rhine Gorge Rock of the Lorelei - Day 15
Koblenz to Amsterdam
In Cologne you can bike like the locals, join a guided tour of Jewish heritage sites, or take a city walk featuring the twin-steepled gothic cathedral with your Adventure Host. Free time lets you grab a glass of locally brewed Kölsch pale lager. By afternoon you'll cruise toward Amsterdam with dinner and live entertainment at 62°F/17°C.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Bike ride like the locals with Adventure Host in Cologne (active option)
- Guided Walking Tour of Cologne's Jewish heritage sites (discovery option)
- Guided City Walk of Cologne with twin-steepled gothic cathedral (classic option)
Optional Activities
- Free time to enjoy Kölsch pale lager (locally brewed for over 100 years)
Landmarks Cologne Cathedral - Day 16
Amsterdam
You'll start with an early morning walk through Amsterdam or explore off-the-beaten-path cobblestone streets on a guided tour. Canal cruises show the stately Golden Age homes along the waterways. During tulip season you can visit Keukenhof with millions of tulips, or see historic windmills and Dutch houses at Zaanse Schans. An optional biking tour through the countryside is available at 59°F/15°C.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Early morning walk in Amsterdam with Adventure Host (active option)
- Off-the-beaten-path Guided Walking Tour through Amsterdam's cobblestone streets (discovery option)
- Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam's 'Golden Age' (classic option)
Optional Activities
- Guided Optional Excursion to Keukenhof gardens (during tulip season) - over seven million tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and other bulbs
- Guided Optional Excursion to Zaanse Schans (outside tulip season) - historic windmills and charming Dutch houses
- Optional Biking Tour to discover the countryside
Landmarks Keukenhof Zaanse Schans - Day 17
Amsterdam
After breakfast this morning you'll disembark and head out. Your cruise through Europe comes to an end here at 58°F/14°C.
- Meals
- Breakfast
