Itinerary
- Day 1
Helsinki
You'll arrive in Helsinki and get picked up from the airport for a transfer to your hotel. Later this evening, there's a welcome reception where you'll meet your travel companions and get things started.
- Day 2
Helsinki to Rovaniemi
After breakfast, you're flying to Rovaniemi on an included flight and heading straight to your accommodation. You'll be staying in a glass igloo for two nights, so you can fall asleep watching the stars while staying warm inside. If the northern lights show up, you might catch them right from your bed.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Flight to Rovaniemi
- Stay in glass igloo accommodation
- Day 3
Rovaniemi
The morning starts at Arktikum science museum where you'll learn about the region and watch a presentation on the northern lights and snowy landscape. Lunch happens in a traditional Sámi hut with local coffee, crowberry juice, and homemade pastries. The best part is heading to a reindeer farm for a sleigh ride through the snow and feeding the reindeer yourself.
- Meals
- Lunch (Traditional Sámi hut lunch with local coffee, crowberry juice and homemade pastries)
Included Activities
- Visit Arktikum science museum
- Presentation: 'The Land of Snow and Northern Lights'
- Lunch in traditional Sámi hut with local refreshments
- Reindeer farm visit with sleigh ride
- Feed the reindeer
Landmarks/POIs Arktikum - Day 4
Rovaniemi
Today you choose your own sightseeing activity. Later you'll head to Santa Claus Village for a private visit with Santa before heading back to central Rovaniemi. Dinner is at a local restaurant known for traditional Lappish cuisine.
- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner at local restaurant with traditional Lappish cuisine)
Included Activities
- Private visit with Santa at Santa Claus Village
- Dinner at local restaurant with traditional Lappish cuisine
Optional Activities
- Snowshoe excursion with local expert guide along snow-covered forest trails
- Ice fishing excursion on frozen lake
Landmarks/POIs Santa Claus Village - Day 5
Rovaniemi
You're doing a husky safari through the Lappish wilderness with a team of friendly huskies pulling your sleigh along a three-kilometre track through the snow. After that, you'll return to Rovaniemi and then head out hunting for the northern lights away from the city. You'll drive north along the riverside road to a good viewing spot where you can warm up by a campfire while watching for the aurora.
Included Activities
- Husky safari through Lappish wilderness on three-kilometre sleigh track
- Northern lights hunt and observation
- Day 6
Rovaniemi to Helsinki
You're transferring to Rovaniemi airport for your return flight to Helsinki on an included flight. Once you arrive, you'll be transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon, there's a guided tour of the Iittala & Arabia Design Centre to learn about Finnish ceramic art and glass design history.
Included Activities
- Return flight to Helsinki
- Guided tour of Iittala & Arabia Design Centre
Landmarks/POIs Iittala & Arabia Design Centre - Day 7
Helsinki
A guided tour takes you through Helsinki's highlights, starting with the Rock Church. From there, you're heading to Sibelius Park to see the Sibelius Monument, then the Olympic Stadium and Oodi Library. You'll walk along Mannerheimintie to see beautiful buildings including the Opera House and works by architect Alvar Aalto, plus the National Museum of Finland. Tonight there's a farewell dinner with your travel group.
- Meals
- Dinner (Farewell dinner)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Helsinki's landmarks
- Visit Temppeliaukio (Rock Church)
- Visit Sibelius Park and Sibelius Monument
- Visit Olympic Stadium
- Visit Oodi Library
- Walk along Mannerheimintie
- View Opera House and National Museum of Finland
- Farewell dinner
Landmarks/POIs Temppeliaukio (Rock Church) Sibelius Monument Olympic Stadium Oodi Library Opera House National Museum of Finland - Day 8
Helsinki to Amsterdam
You're flying to Amsterdam on an included flight, then boarding a luxurious river ship docked in the city center. Spend the rest of the day getting settled in and exploring your accommodations for the next two weeks.
Included Activities
- Flight to Amsterdam
- Board luxury river ship in Amsterdam
- Day 9
Amsterdam to Utrecht to Germany
Pick an activity that appeals to you: a peaceful glass-top boat canal cruise, a local cheese tasting, a guided bike ride through the countryside to Durgerdam, or Keukenhof Gardens if it's spring. You'll rejoin your ship in Utrecht and it'll cruise toward Germany in the afternoon.
Optional Activities
- Glass-top boat canal cruise through Amsterdam's World Heritage-listed canals
- Regional cheese tasting at local store featuring Edam and Gouda varieties
- Guided bike ride through countryside to village of Durgerdam and Street Art Museum
- Keukenhof Gardens visit (available on select spring departures) featuring 70+ acres of gardens with seven million flowering bulbs including tulips
Landmarks/POIs Keukenhof Gardens - Day 10
Andernach, Germany
Spend the morning cruising through Germany and using the ship's facilities, maybe getting a spa treatment or relaxing on the Daystar Deck. You'll disembark in Andernach for a private visit to Namedy Castle where Princess Heide von Hohenzollern welcomes you. Wander the castle and its gardens before attending a cocktail party with live piano music.
Included Activities
- Private visit to Namedy Castle
- Guided tour of castle and gardens
- Cocktail party with pianist at Namedy Castle
Optional Activities
- Spa treatment onboard
- Relaxation on Daystar Deck
Landmarks/POIs Namedy Castle - Day 11
Rüdesheim, Germany
The ship glides past beautiful stretches of the Rhine River with ruins on rocky cliffs and vineyards covering the hillsides. You'll dock in Rüdesheim where you choose your activity: a gondola ride over vineyards to the Niederwald Monument, a tour of Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum, or wine tasting at a historic wine cellar.
Optional Activities
- Gondola ride over Rhine Valley vineyards to Niederwald Monument
- Tour of Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum
- Historic wine cellar tasting of Rhine Valley wines
Landmarks/POIs Niederwald Monument Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum - Day 12
Miltenberg
Your day starts with a relaxing cruise along the Main River, and you'll arrive in Miltenberg, a town that somehow avoided World War II destruction and still feels like you've stepped back in time. Once there, you have choices. You can join a guided walking tour that includes liqueur tasting at a historic wine cellar, or head to a local monastery instead where Franciscan friars will show you around. At the monastery you'll sample homemade specialties and walk through the gardens and vineyard. Both options give you a real sense of how people live and work in this part of Germany.
Included Activities
- Relaxing cruise along the Main River
Optional Activities
- Guided walking tour of Miltenberg with exploration of preserved buildings and lively squares
- Tasting of local liqueurs at one of Franconia's oldest wine cellars
- Local monastery visit with meeting Franciscan friars
- Sampling of homemade sausages, cheese and bread
- Free time to wander through monastery gardens and vineyard
Landmarks/POIs Miltenberg Main River - Day 13
Würzburg, Germany
You're choosing what to do today. Options include the ornate 18th-century Würzburg Residence with its intricate tapestries and ceiling frescoes, exploring the Volkacher Mainschleife wine region and meeting winemakers at a Franconian whisky distillery, wandering the medieval walled town of Rothenburg with its narrow cobblestone streets and colorful houses, or hiking to Marienberg Fortress overlooking the city.
Optional Activities
- Visit Würzburg Residence with guided tour of ornate 18th-century palace, tapestries and Tiepolo ceiling frescoes
- Tastes of Franconia tour including Volkacher Mainschleife wine region, whisky distillery tour and tasting paired with fresh bread
- Explore Rothenburg walled town with cobblestone streets and visit Käthe Wohlfahrt's Christmas Village
- Hike to Marienberg Fortress overlooking Würzburg
Landmarks/POIs Würzburg Residence Rothenburg Käthe Wohlfahrt's Christmas Village Marienberg Fortress - Day 14
Bamberg, Germany
Your ship arrives in Bamberg, another German city that escaped World War II destruction. A guided tour takes you through the World Heritage-listed Old Town to see historic churches and buildings including the town hall on the Regnitz River. Then you'll head back to the ship to cruise onto the Main-Danube Canal.
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Bamberg Old Town
- Visit historic churches and buildings
Landmarks/POIs Bamberg Old Town - Day 15
Nuremberg, Germany
Pick a sightseeing activity this morning to explore Nuremberg. In the afternoon, you'll cruise along the Main-Danube Canal and enjoy a Bavarian beer, sausage, and pretzel tasting on the Daystar Deck. The canal took 32 years to build and connects the North and Black seas.
- Meals
- Snack (Bavarian beer, sausage and pretzel tasting on Daystar Deck)
Included Activities
- Bavarian beer, sausage and pretzel tasting on Daystar Deck
Optional Activities
- Discover Nuremberg's World War II sites including Reich Party Rally Grounds
- Medieval history tour of Nuremberg featuring 900-year-old ramparts, Imperial Castle and 14th century Gothic church
Landmarks/POIs Reich Party Rally Grounds Imperial Castle - Day 16
Regensburg, Germany
Choose your sightseeing option to explore Regensburg. Check out the World Heritage-listed city center with its Roman history, then finish with a tasting at one of the world's oldest working restaurants, Regensburg's historic sausage kitchen. Or go for a guided bike ride to the Walhalla Memorial, a neo-classical building above the Danube with a hall of fame for notable Germans.
Optional Activities
- Guided tour of Regensburg's World Heritage-listed city centre with tasting at historic sausage kitchen
- Guided bike ride to Walhalla Memorial neo-classical building with hall of fame
Landmarks/POIs Regensburg City Centre Walhalla Memorial - Day 17
Salzburg, Austria
You'll take a guided tour of Salzburg, then head to an exclusive experience. A hunting horn blower welcomes you to a rustic traditional restaurant on Gaisberg Mountain overlooking the city. You'll have a welcome drink while taking in the views, then enjoy lunch followed by a show featuring music from The Sound of Music.
- Meals
- Lunch (Gaisberg Mountain lunch with welcome drink overlooking Salzburg)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Salzburg
- Gaisberg Mountain lunch with welcome drink and hunting horn blower greeting
- Sound of Music show performance
Landmarks/POIs Gaisberg Mountain - Day 18
Melk to Dürnstein, Austria
You're visiting Melk Abbey, one of the world's most famous monastic sites. Then choose how to reach your next port: cruise through the picturesque Wachau Valley to Dürnstein to walk its cobblestone lanes at your own pace, or take a guided bike ride along the Danube River. In Dürnstein you can see the castle ruins where Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned in 1192.
Included Activities
- Visit Melk Abbey
Optional Activities
- Cruise through Wachau Valley to Dürnstein
- Guided bike ride from Melk to Dürnstein along Danube River
Landmarks/POIs Melk Abbey Dürnstein Castle - Day 19
Vienna, Austria
The ship arrives in Vienna and you'll take a city tour covering landmarks along the Ringstrasse and St. Stephen's Cathedral. The afternoon is yours to explore on your own. This evening, you're heading to the Liechtenstein City Palace for an exclusive cocktail party and private recital. A full orchestra will perform classical works by Mozart and Strauss, plus an operatic recital.
Included Activities
- Guided city tour of Vienna
- Visit St. Stephen's Cathedral
- Ringstrasse tour
- Cocktail party at Vienna's City Palace
- Private orchestra recital featuring Mozart and Strauss
- Operatic recital
Landmarks/POIs St. Stephen's Cathedral Ringstrasse City Palace of the princely family of Liechtenstein - Day 20
Vienna to Budapest
You're choosing your tour for the day. Options include the lavishly furnished Schönbrunn Palace and its gardens for royal history, traveling to Bratislava, Slovakia to see rococo buildings and communist-era architecture like the UFO bridge and Hotel Kyjev, or a culinary tour through Vienna's narrow streets with traditional cafes, sausages, and famous patisseries. Later the ship sails for Hungary.
Optional Activities
- Visit Schönbrunn Palace with lavishly furnished rooms and gardens
- Visit Bratislava, Slovakia featuring rococo and communist era architecture including UFO bridge, Slovak Radio building and Hotel Kyjev
- Vienna culinary tour of narrow streets with traditional cafe, Viennese sausage and patisserie tasting
Landmarks/POIs Schönbrunn Palace Bratislava - Day 21
Budapest, Hungary
Pick your sightseeing option in Budapest. Visit historic monuments and Heroes' Square, eat your way through the Great Market Hall discovering meats and cheeses, or take a funicular up to Castle Hill and walk to Fisherman's Bastion. Spend the afternoon exploring further at your leisure. This evening there's a farewell celebration with Hungarian folk music, local brandy, and artisan meats and cheeses.
- Meals
- Dinner (Farewell celebration with Hungarian folk music performance, local brandy, artisan meats and cheeses)
Included Activities
- Farewell celebration with Hungarian folk music performance, local brandy, artisan meats and cheeses
Optional Activities
- City tour of Budapest featuring Heroes' Square and St. Stephen's Basilica
- Culinary tour of Great Market Hall with sausages, meats, cheeses, fruits and vegetables
- Funicular ride to Castle Hill and walk to Fisherman's Bastion
Landmarks/POIs Heroes' Square St. Stephen's Basilica Great Market Hall Fisherman's Bastion - Day 22
Budapest
Your trip ends today. After breakfast, you'll say goodbye to your fellow travelers and get transferred to the airport.
- Meals
- Breakfast
