Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Berlin
Your journey begins with an airport pickup that takes you straight to your hotel in central Berlin, where you'll spend the next three nights. This gives you a chance to settle in and get oriented with the city right away.
- Day 2
Berlin
Join a guided tour this morning covering Berlin's key historical sites, including the Berlin Cathedral and the Berlin Wall. After the tour wraps up, the rest of the day is yours to explore. Walk through the arts district, check out historic buildings, or find a restaurant that catches your eye.
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Berlin
- Learning about Berlin Cathedral
- Learning about Berlin Wall
Optional Activities
- Explore Berlin residents' creative lifestyles
- Visit arts venues
- Dine at chic restaurants
Landmarks Berlin Cathedral Berlin Wall - Day 3
Berlin
You've got the full day on your own here. Wander around the city and see what interests you, whether that's historic sites, modern architecture, or the museums on Museum Island. If food markets appeal to you, there are several to check out, and Kurfürstendamm has plenty of shops. Alternatively, you can take a guided trip to nearby Potsdam instead.
Optional Activities
- Explore historic architecture and modern landmarks
- Visit Berlin museums
- Visit Museum Island
- Browse food markets and market halls
- Shop along Kurfürstendamm
- Guided tour of Potsdam
Landmarks Museum Island Kurfürstendamm - Day 4
Berlin to Frankfurt
After breakfast, you'll fly to Frankfurt and head directly to your Emerald Cruises ship. This evening, meet your travel group at dinner on board and get to know the other passengers as your cruise begins.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner on board)
Included Activities
- Dinner on board
- Day 5
Rüdesheim
The ship docks at Rüdesheim, where you can walk through town to see the cuckoo clocks and local character. You'll ride the Winzerexpress train up to Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet Museum, housed in a 15th-century tower with music boxes and original frescoes. There's also a lecture about Rhine legends and mythology included.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Ride the Winzerexpress
- Visit to Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet Museum
- Legends on the Rhine lecture
Landmarks Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet Museum 
- Day 6
Koblenz
At Koblenz, take a guided walking tour to the German Corner where two rivers meet. A cable car takes you across to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress for views of the valley below and the Rhine Gorge. From the ship, you'll sail through the gorge and see the UNESCO-listed Rhine Valley landscape from the water.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Koblenz
- Visit to German Corner
- Cable car ride to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress
- Sail through Rhine Gorge
Optional Activities
- Bike tour in Koblenz
- Eltz Castle visit
- Moselle Valley & Cochem Castle Visit
Landmarks German Corner Ehrenbreitstein Fortress Rhine Gorge Eltz Castle Cochem Castle 
- Day 7
Heidelberg
Your guided tour of Heidelberg starts at the castle grounds, then moves through town to see the Baroque architecture. If you prefer something more active, you can hike down from Mount Königstuhl into the city, which gives you views of the surrounding countryside along the way.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Heidelberg
- Visit to Heidelberg Castle grounds
Optional Activities
- Hike from Mount Königstuhl to Heidelberg
- Vineyards hike and wine tasting in Bad Durkheim
Landmarks Heidelberg Castle Mount Königstuhl 
- Day 8
Baden-Baden
After leaving Rastatt, you'll transfer to Baden-Baden, a spa town with a long history of welcoming wealthy visitors and celebrities. A guided walking tour covers the main sights, or if you're up for it, hike to the Altes Schloss castle ruin with its dungeons and views across the Black Forest. Tonight there's a private concert in a historic venue.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided walking tour of Baden-Baden
- Evening Concert on the Rhine
Optional Activities
- Guided hike to Altes Schloss
- Entrance to the Casino
- Baden Baden Spa experience
Landmarks Altes Schloss - Day 9
Strasbourg
From Kehl, you transfer to Strasbourg for a canal boat tour through Petite France, where half-timbered houses line narrow waterways and covered bridges cross overhead. You'll see the Vauban Dam and the UNESCO Neustadt district from the water. The afternoon is free to explore the medieval streets on your own.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Coach transfer to Strasbourg
- Canal boat tour in Strasbourg
- View Petite France district
- View covered bridges
- View Vauban Dam
- View Neustadt imperial quarter
Landmarks Petite France Vauban Dam Neustadt - Day 10
Colmar
Colmar's cobblestone streets and half-timbered buildings with flower boxes make it feel like stepping into a storybook. You can walk around on your own or take a guided bike tour from Breisach instead. Later in the day, explore at leisure or join a separate guided tour of nearby Freiburg with food market tastings.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Colmar
Optional Activities
- Guided bike tour to Colmar
- Guided tour of Freiburg with market tasting
Landmarks Colmar - Day 11
Basel to Zermatt
After breakfast in Basel, you'll transfer by coach into the Swiss Alps to Zermatt, a small village at the base of the Matterhorn where you'll stay for two nights. The town itself has no cars, so everything is quiet and walkable once you arrive.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks Matterhorn 
- Day 12
Zermatt
A guided walking tour shows you around Zermatt and explains how the village maintains its car-free character. In the afternoon, you can relax or take the cog railway up to Gornergrat mountain at 3,089 meters for views across the alpine peaks and surrounding valleys.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Zermatt
Optional Activities
- Cog rail journey to Gornergrat mountain summit
Landmarks Gornergrat - Day 13
Zermatt to Zurich
The Glacier Express train is the main event of the tour. You'll sit back and watch the Swiss Alps unfold outside your window as the train winds through the mountains. Once you arrive, a coach takes you to Zurich for your final night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Glacier Express train journey from Zermatt to Chur
- Day 14
Departure from Zurich
After breakfast, you'll head to the airport to go home, carrying memories of the Rhine Valley and the Swiss mountain landscapes you've seen over the past two weeks.
- Meals
- Breakfast
