Itinerary
- Day 1
Amsterdam
You'll arrive in Amsterdam this afternoon and board your 5-star river ship. After settling into your cabin, there's a welcome reception where you'll meet other passengers and toast to the start of your journey through Holland and beyond.
Included Activities
- Welcome reception on board
Landmarks/POIs Amsterdam Canal System - Day 2
Dordrecht
The ship docks early in Dordrecht, one of Holland's oldest cities with roots going back to the 11th century. You can choose a guided walking tour of the historic centre, head to nearby Delft to watch artisans make traditional blue and white pottery, or visit the iconic windmills at Kinderdijk.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Walking tour of Dordrecht - historic streets, winding canals, Groothoofd Quay, Grote Kerk (Great Church), Old Water Tower
- Excursion to Delft - visit the only remaining 17th century pottery factory
- Excursion to Kinderdijk - see World Heritage listed windmills
Landmarks/POIs Groothoofd Quay Grote Kerk (Great Church) Kinderdijk Windmills Delft Pottery Factory - Day 3
Bruinisse
You'll dock in Bruinisse, a mussel fishing village that serves as your gateway to Veere, one of the Netherlands' prettiest towns. Options include a guided tour exploring Veere's charming port and historic buildings, seeing the engineering feats of the Delta Works, or trying an oyster farm experience.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Guided tour of Veere - port area, Scottish merchant houses, impressive church, 15th-century town hall, free time
- Delta Works visit - system of dams, locks and levees protecting the delta plain
- Oyster farm visit - learn how oysters are grown and taste fresh oysters
Landmarks/POIs Veere Delta Works - Day 4
Antwerp
The ship crosses into Belgium and arrives in Antwerp, one of the world's major seaports with a vibrant medieval core. You can take a guided walking tour of the diamond capital, do a full-day trip to Ypres and Passchendaele (lunch included) to explore WWI history, or go for a craft beer and chocolate pairing.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch in a local restaurant (included in Ypres & Passchendaele excursion)), Dinner
Optional Activities
- Guided walking tour of Antwerp - Cathedral of Our Lady, Steen Castle, Medieval fortress, main square with extravagant buildings
- Excursion to Ypres and Passchendaele - full day tour of WWI battle sites, memorials, lunch in local restaurant
- Craft Beer and Chocolate pairing - Belgian culinary delicacies tasting
Landmarks/POIs Cathedral of Our Lady Steen Castle Passchendaele Ypres - Day 5
Arnhem
After lunch, you'll arrive in Arnhem at the edge of the Veluwe Nature Reserve. You could visit the Airborne Museum to learn about the Battle of Arnhem, check out the Netherlands Open Air Museum with its 44-hectare collection of historic buildings, or tour the royal Palais Het Loo with its art collection and gardens.
- Meals
- Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Arnheim Airborne Museum - in-depth account of the Battle of Arnhem, follow British servicemen's footsteps from September 1944
- Netherlands Open Air Museum - 44-hectare outdoor museum with guided tour of historic houses, mills, farmhouses
- Palais Het Loo - royal museum from 1685 with family history, art collection, grand gardens
Landmarks/POIs Airborne Museum Netherlands Open Air Museum Palais Het Loo - Day 6
Düsseldorf
You've reached Germany and Düsseldorf, known as 'Little Paris' by Napoleon. This city blends art, fashion, and culture with charming old town pubs and a modern harbour. Choose a guided walking tour, bike along the Rhine to Kaiserswerth, sample Düsseldorf's traditional Altbier beers, or explore the city's artistic side.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Walking tour of Düsseldorf - gentrified harbour, charming old town, 13th-century Castle Tower
- Cycling tour - explore Rhine banks on two wheels to Kaiserswerth
- Düsseldorf's Altbier tour - microbreweries, traditional ale sampling
- Düsseldorf - City of Art - historic Old Town, Media Harbour, K21 Museum self-guided contemporary exhibits
Landmarks/POIs K21 Museum Kaiserswerth Castle Tower - Day 7
Moselle Valley Cruise
Today you'll cruise the full length of the Moselle Valley, which winds between postcard-perfect villages, terraced vineyards, half-timbered houses, and hilltop castles. Relax in your sun lounge, use the salt therapy room, or book a spa treatment (extra cost). The ship arrives in Cochem this evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Full day cruise through Moselle Valley
- Salt Therapy Lounge access
Optional Activities
- Spa treatment (at extra cost)
Landmarks/POIs Moselle Valley Lorelei - Day 8
Cochem
Cochem is a fairy-tale town with pastel-coloured buildings and a castle perched on the hill above. You can take a guided tour of Reichsburg Castle with its medieval Knight's Hall and Trophy Room, or go on an e-bike ride along the Moselle River to nearby towns. The ship departs for Bernkastel in the afternoon.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Walking tour of Cochem - Reichsburg Castle, medieval Knight's Hall, Trophy Room, free time to explore charming streets
- Cycling tour of Cochem - e-bike ride along Moselle River path, Reichsburg Castle, half-timbered houses, towns of Valwig and Belstein
Landmarks/POIs Reichsburg Castle Valwig Belstein - Day 9
Bernkastel
You'll explore Bernkastel, a wonderfully preserved riverside town with a 13th-century market square and ruins of Landshut Castle above the rooflines. Options include a guided walking tour of the town's architecture, an excursion to nearby Trier to see Roman gates and the cathedral, or a wine tasting at a local winery. Tonight there's a private classical concert at the World Heritage-listed Liebfrauenkirche in Trier.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Private classical concert at Liebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) in Trier
Optional Activities
- Walking tour of Bernkastel - expert guide on local architecture and culture, half-timbered houses, Renaissance-style Rathaus (Town Hall), free time
- Excursion to Trier - guided tour of Roman city, Porta Nigra, Trier Cathedral
- Wine tasting along the Moselle - tour and sampling at renowned winery
Landmarks/POIs Landshut Castle Porta Nigra Trier Cathedral Liebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) - Day 10
Koblenz
Koblenz, one of Germany's oldest cities founded by Romans 2,000 years ago, sits where the Rhine and Moselle rivers meet. You can walk the winding streets and historic churches, visit the dramatic Marksburg Castle above the Rhine (if you're active with good fitness), or take an excursion to the medieval town of Limburg with its half-timbered houses.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Walking tour of Koblenz - old town winding streets, impressive townhouses, charming squares, historic churches, Florinsmarkt (former political and economic centre)
- Marksburg Castle visit - castle dating to 1117 (active guests only, requires good fitness and mobility)
- Medieval Limburg - charming medieval town of Limburg an der Lahn, historic cobblestone streets, half-timbered houses, Cathedral, Alte Lahnbrucke (Old Bridge)
Landmarks/POIs Marksburg Castle Florinsmarkt Limburg Cathedral Alte Lahnbrucke - Day 11
Rhine Gorge to Rüdesheim
This morning you'll cruise through the Rhine Gorge, a 65-kilometre stretch with about 40 hilltop castles spanning 1,000 years of history. Watch for the iconic Lorelei statue. By afternoon you'll disembark in Rüdesheim, a pretty town surrounded by steep vineyards. See Siegfried's Musikkabinett Museum with its mechanical instruments, or hike through the vineyards with a cable car ride.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Full morning cruise through Rhine Gorge
Optional Activities
- Siegfried's Musikkabinett Museum - mechanical musical instruments, self-guided exploration or cable car to Niederwald Monument
- Hike and Cable Car - guided hike through rolling vineyards with views of Rhine River, cable car descent to town
Landmarks/POIs Rhine Gorge Lorelei Siegfried's Musikkabinett Museum Niederwald Monument - Day 12
Mannheim to Heidelberg or Bad Durkheim
You arrive in Mannheim this morning, a large city known for its 18th-century grid layout, grand Baroque squares and fountains. Choose a brief orientation tour of Heidelberg with free time, a guided tour visiting the Renaissance Heidelberg Castle and the world's largest wine barrel, or a wine tour at the ninth-generation Fritz Ritter vineyard in Bad Durkheim. The ship heads to Strasbourg in the afternoon.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Orientation Tour of Heidelberg - brief walking tour of Old Town, free time (includes some stairs and uneven ground)
- Historical tour of Heidelberg - guided tour, Heidelberg Castle, views from castle balcony, great Heidelberg Tun (world's largest wine barrel) (includes some stairs and uneven ground)
- Excursion to Bad Durkheim - Fritz Ritter vineyard tour and tasting
Landmarks/POIs Heidelberg Castle Fritz Ritter Vineyard - Day 13
Strasbourg
Strasbourg, capital of the Alsace wine region, features colourful half-timbered houses lining the canals with a blend of French and German architecture. You can do an active guided walking tour of key sites like the cathedral and Grand Ile, a coach tour through the Alsace wine region to Obernai and Mittelbergheim for tastings, or an e-bike tour on Strasbourg's 500+ kilometres of bicycle trails.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Walking tour of Strasbourg - cathedral, Petit France, Grand Ile, French and German architecture and culture (active walk)
- Alsace wine region tour - coach through pretty Alsace wine region to Obernai (free time), Mittelbergheim wine tasting in local cellar
- Cycle through Strasbourg - e-bike tour exploring 500 km of bicycle trails, charming suburbs, historic buildings, parks, canals
Landmarks/POIs Strasbourg Cathedral Petit France Grand Ile Obernai Mittelbergheim - Day 14
Breisach
You'll arrive in Breisach, a food and wine destination at the Alsace border. The town was rebuilt after WWII, restoring its traditional cobbled streets and pastel houses. Try a wine tasting in the Kaiserstuhl region known for volcanic soil wines, visit Colmar with its Venice-like canals and half-timbered houses, or head to picturesque Freiburg on the Black Forest edge. Tonight you'll toast to your final evening on board.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Final evening on board celebration)
Optional Activities
- Wine tasting at Kaiserstuhl - sample wines from top-quality wine-producing region with 16-million-year-old volcanic soil
- Excursion to Colmar - fairy-tale town with Venice-like canals, half-timbered houses dating back 1,000 years, cobblestoned streets, shops, cafes, markets
- Excursion to Freiburg - medieval town centre, Freiburg cathedral (one of few structures surviving WW2 bombings), edge of Black Forest
Landmarks/POIs Kaiserstuhl Colmar Freiburg Cathedral Black Forest - Day 15
Basel to Montreux
You depart from Basel and journey across the Swiss Alps toward Montreux, a lakeside resort town. Along the way, you'll stop at Chaplin's World Museum to explore Charlie Chaplin's home, studio, and grounds where he lived for 25 years, learning about his life and lasting impact on cinema.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Stop at Chaplin's World Museum - home, studio, park
Landmarks/POIs Chaplin's World Museum Swiss Alps - Day 16
Montreux
This morning in Montreux, you can explore the town on your own or relax at your hotel. For lunch, you'll take a panoramic train to Château-d'Oex where you'll watch a traditional cheese-maker transform milk into hard cheese at Restaurant Le Chalet, giving you a quintessential Swiss experience.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Fondue lunch with cheese-making demonstration at Restaurant Le Chalet), Dinner
Included Activities
- Panoramic train ride to Château-d'Oex
- Cheese-making demonstration at Restaurant Le Chalet with private demonstration
Optional Activities
- Free time to explore Montreux on own
Landmarks/POIs Château-d'Oex - Day 17
Gstaad to Bern
After leaving Montreux, you'll ascend the Swiss Alps to Gstaad, a charming alpine village and premier ski resort. There's a brief orientation tour, then free time for lunch at your own pace. Later you'll arrive in Bern, the Swiss capital on the River Aare. Your director will guide you through the World Heritage-listed medieval city with its fountains and narrow streets, then you'll visit Bear Park where bears have lived since 1857.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Orientation tour of Gstaad
- Guided tour of Bern with Tour Director
- Bear Park visit
Landmarks/POIs Gstaad Bear Park - Day 18
Lucerne to Zurich
You'll head to Lucerne with snow-topped mountains in the background. Start with a guided tour of the well-preserved medieval old town, waterfront areas and colourful buildings. Then travel by coach to Zurich for a walking tour of this city with its flat centre, pedestrian-only streets and historic bridges. You'll wander along the Bahnhofstrasse, the main shopping street lined with high-end boutiques.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Lucerne - medieval Altstadt, waterfront promenades
- Walking tour of Zurich - Bahnhofstrasse, pedestrian streets, historic bridges
Landmarks/POIs Lucerne Altstadt Bahnhofstrasse - Day 19
Departure
After breakfast, you'll depart for your onward journey, taking your memories of beautiful Switzerland with you.
- Meals
- Breakfast
