Itinerary
- Day 1
Marseille
You'll arrive in Marseille where your cruise begins. Flights need to touch down by 3 pm so you have time to board by 5 pm. After settling into your cabin, the ship heads to Arles for the night.
- Meals
- Dinner
- Day 2
Arles
Arles gives you three options to choose from: a power walk through the city, a painting workshop where you'll learn van Gogh techniques, or a guided walking tour hitting the Roman Amphitheater. You'll have free time at Le Café Van Gogh to relax, then sail to Avignon by evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Power Walk in Arles
- Painting Workshop - Learn techniques of Vincent van Gogh and create your own painting
- Guided Walking Tour of Arles with visit to the Roman Amphitheater
Optional Activities
- Glass of wine at Le Café Van Gogh
Landmarks Roman Amphitheater Le Café Van Gogh - Day 3
Avignon
A guided sightseeing tour takes you through Avignon's Palace of the Popes and along the city ramparts. If you want more, optional excursions include Pont du Gard or the wine cellars at Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The rest of the day is yours to wander through art galleries, cultural sites, and medieval buildings before live entertainment on board.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided Sightseeing Tour of Avignon with visit to Palace of the Popes and ramparts
Optional Activities
- Guided Optional Excursion to Pont du Gard (ancient Roman aqueduct)
- Guided Optional Excursion to Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine cellars
- Self-guided exploration of Avignon's art, culture, and museums
- Photography of countryside and medieval Pont Saint-Bénézet
- Live entertainment on board
Landmarks Palace of the Popes Pont du Gard Pont Saint-Bénézet - Day 4
Viviers to Tain l'Hermitage
You'll sail leisurely to Viviers in the morning. Choose between walking up to the hilltop Cathedral, taking a guided walking tour through the pale-stone buildings and Romanesque cathedral, or trying a local specialties tasting on the ship. Later you'll cruise to Tain l'Hermitage for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Walk to Viviers hilltop Cathedral
- Guided Walking Tour of Viviers exploring Romanesque cathedral and Old Town
- Local Specialties tasting on board
Landmarks Viviers Romanesque Cathedral - Day 5
Tournon to Lyon
Tournon is waiting for you with a morning hike or guided walking tour showing off the 16th-century castle in one of France's oldest medieval cities. The ship departs early afternoon toward Lyon where you'll catch live entertainment on board that evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Morning hike in Tournon
- Guided Walking Tour of Tournon with 16th-century castle visit
Optional Activities
- Live entertainment on board
Landmarks Tournon Castle - Day 6
Lyon
Lyon offers bike rides through neighborhoods with your adventure host, or a guided sightseeing tour starting from Fourvière Hill with its churches and the Old Town's medieval alleyways. You'll have free time to bike around town squares and along the rivers before sailing to Tournus with evening entertainment.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Bike ride through Lyon's architectural district over bridges and along Rhône and Saône rivers
- Guided Sightseeing Tour from Fourvière Hill exploring churches and Old Town
- Free time biking through Lyon's town squares and along river banks
Optional Activities
- Live entertainment while sailing to Tournus
Landmarks Fourvière Hill Place des Terreaux - Day 7
Mâconnais to Chalon-sur-Saône
Head out to the Mâconnais wine region to learn about famous Chardonnay vineyards and taste wines in a medieval castle. Back on the ship, you'll enjoy a cheese tasting while sailing toward Chalon-sur-Saône with live entertainment.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Tour of Mâconnais region Chardonnay vineyards
- Wine tasting in a medieval castle cellar
- Cheese Tasting on board ship
Optional Activities
- Live entertainment on board
- Day 8
Beaune to Basel
You'll visit the Hôtel-Dieu Charity Hospital in Beaune, a 1443 architectural landmark with van der Weyden's Last Judgment painting. After that, a motorcoach takes you to Basel in the afternoon where you'll board your Rhine river cruise, docking in Breisach for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Hôtel-Dieu Charity Hospital in Beaune
Landmarks Hôtel-Dieu Charity Hospital - Day 9
Breisach to Kehl
Pick your activity: a relaxing bike ride along the Rhine, a full-day trip to the Black Forest to see an open-air museum and traditional butter-making, or explore Freiburg's medieval center. You can also choose optional excursions to Colmar's half-timbered buildings or take a countryside bike tour. The ship sails to Kehl by evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Bike ride along the Rhine
- Guided Tour to Black Forest with Vogtsbauernhof open-air museum, authentic water mill, and traditional butter-making demonstration
- Guided Tour of Freiburg's medieval city center sheltered by the Black Forest
Optional Activities
- Guided Optional Excursion to Colmar village with medieval and renaissance buildings
- Optional Biking Tour through the countryside
Landmarks Vogtsbauernhof Freiburg Medieval City Center Colmar - Day 10
Strasbourg
Strasbourg can be explored by bike or on a city sightseeing tour featuring the Gothic cathedral with stained glass and astronomical clock plus La Petite France District. Optional excursions take you to the Maginot Line fortifications or Alsace wine country. Free time to explore museums before sailing to Mainz.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Bike tour of Strasbourg
- City Sightseeing Tour including Gothic cathedral with astronomical clock and La Petite France District
Optional Activities
- Guided Optional Excursion to Maginot Line pre-WWII fortifications
- Guided Optional Excursion to Alsace wine country
- Free time to visit museums or stroll city center
Landmarks Strasbourg Cathedral La Petite France District - Day 11
Heidelberg to Rüdesheim
You'll choose between a morning walk on the Philosophers' Way, a guided tour to Heidelberg Castle ruins with the World's Largest Wine Barrel, or a guided city walk including the Gutenberg Museum. Live entertainment happens on board after a short sail to Rüdesheim for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Walk on the Philosophers' Way in Heidelberg
- Guided Tour to Heidelberg Castle with the Great Vat wine barrel
- Guided City Walk including Gutenberg Museum
Optional Activities
- Live entertainment on board
Landmarks Heidelberg Castle Gutenberg Museum - Day 12
Rüdesheim to Koblenz
Rüdesheim's vineyards are waiting for a hike, or visit the Mechanical Music Museum with authentic Rüdesheimer coffee, or check out Johannisberg Castle's 18th-century wooden-barrel cellar for wine tasting. The ship sails through the UNESCO Rhine Gorge passing ancient castles and the legendary Rock of the Lorelei. Free time and entertainment happen in Koblenz for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike through Rüdesheim vineyards
- Guided Tour of Mechanical Music Museum with Rüdesheimer coffee tasting
- Guided Visit to Johannisberg Castle 18th-century barrel cellar with wine tasting
- Sail through Rhine Gorge (UNESCO World Heritage site) with views of ancient castles and Rock of the Lorelei
Optional Activities
- Free time in Koblenz
- Dinner and live entertainment on board
Landmarks Rhine Gorge Rock of the Lorelei Johannisberg Castle - Day 13
Cologne
Cologne lets you bike like a local, explore Jewish heritage sites on a guided walking tour, or take a guided city walk of the famous twin-steepled Gothic cathedral. Spend free time with a Kölsch pale lager, then cruise to Amsterdam for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Bike ride in Cologne
- Guided Walking Tour of Cologne's Jewish heritage sites
- Guided City Walk of Cologne with Gothic cathedral
Optional Activities
- Glass of Kölsch pale lager
Landmarks Cologne Cathedral - Day 14
Amsterdam
Start early with a morning walk in Amsterdam, discover the city on an off-the-beaten-path guided walking tour through cobblestone streets, or explore waterways on a guided canal cruise. During tulip season you'll visit Keukenhof gardens; other times you can see Zaanse Schans windmills or take a countryside bike tour. You'll dock in Amsterdam for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Early morning walk in Amsterdam
- Off-the-beaten-path Guided Walking Tour through cobblestone streets
- Guided Canal Cruise past Golden Age stately homes
Optional Activities
- Guided Optional Excursion to Keukenhof gardens during tulip season
- Guided Optional Excursion to Zaanse Schans historic windmills and Dutch houses outside tulip season
- Optional Biking Tour through the countryside
Landmarks Keukenhof Gardens Zaanse Schans - Day 15
Amsterdam
Your cruise ends this morning after breakfast. You'll disembark from Amsterdam and depart for home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
