Robert’s Travel Emporium – Discover the world with Minerva Travel, your full-service agency specializing in leisure and group tourism for children, young adults, and individuals with disabilities.

Tour Aix-En-Provence Netherlands Arles Avignon Aw_Aix-En-Provence Aw_Amsterdam Aw_Arles Aw_Basel Aw_Cologne + 41 More Aw_Expression Aw_France Aw_Germany Aw_Holland Aw_Lyon Aw_Mainz Aw_Nice Aw_Poetryii Aw_Rhine River Aw_Rhone River Aw_Saone_River Aw_Strasbourg Aw_Wine Basel Beaune Black Forest Breisach Camargue Cologne Europe France Germany Heidelberg Holland Lyon Macon Mainz Nice Port St Louis Provence Rhine Gorge Rhine River Rhone River River Cruise Rudesheim St Jean De Losne Strasbourg Tournon Viviers Avalon Waterways 19 Day River Cruise Amsterdam to Nice

Immerse yourself in French and German culture on this fabulous European river cruise along the Rhine, Saône, and Rhône Rivers—with highlights for wine lovers. Enjoy a canal cruise in splendid Amsterdam, as well as guided sightseeing in Cologne, Koblenz, and Strasbourg. Delight in excursions to Germany’s Black Forest and to Heidelberg. Sail through the dramatic Rhine Gorge, see the legendary Lorelei rock, and visit the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz. Transfer to France’s Burgundy region and Beaune for a visit to Hôtel-Dieu. Board your second Suite Ship® in St. Jean de Losne.

Accompanying you on your river cruise through France is a Master of Wine who presents lectures, tastings, and wine-pairings on board your ship. In Mâcon, take an excursion to a Chardonnay wine cellar, a culinary tour in the French gastronomic capital of Lyon, with a tour of the Beaujolais area and onboard wine-pairing dinner. Enjoy a guided tour to Châteauneuf du Pape in Avignon. In the vineyard hills of Tournon, indulge in a wine and chocolate tasting at the Cité du Chocolat at Valrhona or a hike in the vineyards.

Disembark your ship in Port-Saint-Louis, and transfer to Aix-en-Provence to begin your Monograms® vacation. Enjoy guided sightseeing with an expert Local Guide, and visit the Cathedral of the Holy Savior, known for its mix of architectural styles. This was Cézanne’s hometown, and in your free time, consider a tour following in the artist’s footsteps. Travel to Nice for two more nights in France. Walk through the Old Town and the Promenade des Anglais, Nice’s most famous boulevard. In your free time, perhaps take an excursion to Monaco or Cannes—known for its famous film festival. At your service is an expert Monograms Local Host® who is available to assist you throughout your stay in Aix-en-Provence and Nice.

Day 1: AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND (EMBARKATION)

Welcome to Holland. Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding. Flights into Amsterdam must arrive by 3:30 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm. Your day in Amsterdam is free to explore at your leisure.During tulip season, you may take a Guided Optional Excursion to Keukenhof gardens—with more than seven million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths, as well as other bulbs, planted each year. Outside of tulip season, join a Guided Optional Excursion to Zaanse Schans to see historic windmills and charming Dutch houses. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM(D)

Day 2: AMSTERDAM

Canals of Colorful AmsterdamJoin your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.CLASSIC Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.”This afternoon choose among the many Guided Optional Excursions available. Take some free time to explore Amsterdam’s colorful streets and canal houses, galleries, and shops.AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO COLOGNE(B,L,D)

Day 3: COLOGNE, GERMANY

Prost! Celebrate in the Rhineland CLASSIC Take a Guided City Walk of Cologne—with its soaring twin-steepled gothic cathedral, OR:DISCOVERY Choose a Guided Walking Tour of Cologne’s important Jewish heritage sitesSpend free time over a glass of Kölsch pale lager—locally brewed for over 100 years! Later, local musicians will join us on board for live entertainment. OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO RÜDESHEIM(B,L,D)

Day 4: RÜDESHEIM

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Wine CountrySail through the Rhine Gorge to Rüdesheim and past the legendary rock of the Lorelei—where the siren of mythology sang songs to lure ill-fated sailors.DISCOVERY Take a Guided Tour of the incredible Mechanical Music Museum for a one-of-a-kind instrumental experience; based on your departure enjoy a local special treatEnjoy live entertainment on board your ship this evening. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN RÜDESHEIM(B,L,D)

Day 5: MAINZ. HEIDELBERG EXCURSION

Printing Halls, Castle Walls, and the World’s Biggest Barrel of Wine CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided City Walk including a visit to the Gutenberg Museum to see the captivating history of printing, OR:CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Tour to Heidelberg Castle to see the ruins of the magnificent renaissance treasure towering above the city, and its famed Great Vat, the “World’s Largest Wine Barrel,” OR: ACTIVE Join your Avalon Adventure Host for a Hike up Philosophers’ Way for an inspiring view of the city belowEVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO STRASBOURG(B,L,D)

Day 6: STRASBOURG, FRANCE

A Grand Cathedral and La Petite FranceAsk about today’s energizing or relaxing Adventure Host activities.CLASSIC Join a City Sightseeing Tour, including Strasbourg’s Gothic, stained-glass cathedral with its celebrated ancient murals and astronomical clock, as well as the magical La Petite France DistrictChoose a Guided Optional Excursion to the historic Maginot Line—the pre-WWII fortifications designed to protect the eastern border of France, or visit Alsace’s wine country today.Alternatively, take some free time in strasbourg to visit a museum, or stroll across the city center. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BREISACH(B,L,D)

Day 7: BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO BLACK FOREST

German Winemaking and the Beautiful Black Forest DISCOVERY Join a full-day Guided Tour to the magical Black Forest to experience the Vogtsbauernohf open-air-museum, visit an authentic water mill, and see a traditional butter-making demonstration, OR: DISCOVERY Visit to Badischer Winzerkeller, the largest German wine producer in Europe. Learn about German winemaking in the vineyards of Baden, and enjoy a wine tastingYou may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to visit the charming village of Colmar in the morning, with its half-timbered medieval and early renaissance buildings. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BASEL(B,L,D)

Day 8: BASEL, SWITZERLAND (DISEMBARKATION)–BEAUNE–ST. JEAN DE LOSNE (EMBARKATION)

Disembark your ship and drive on to Beaune.CLASSIC Visit the Hôtel-Dieu Charity Hospital in Beaune, built in 1443, today home of the Van der Weyden’s painting of the Last JudgementThis afternoon, travel to St. Jean de Losne to board your Suite Ship®. OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MÂCON(B,D)

Day 9: MÂCON

Wine on the Stunning Saône Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.Enjoy leisurely cruising en route to Mâcon along the majestic Saône River. DISCOVERY Join a lecture about wine hosted by your Master of Wine while sailing to Mâcon.DISCOVERY Join an excursion that will take you to a Chardonnay cellar for a wine tastingEnjoy live entertainment while sailing for Trévoux this evening. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN TRÉVOUX(B,L,D)

Day 10: LYON

La Vie En Rose in LyonSail for lovely Lyon this morning. DISCOVERY Enjoy an onboard cheese and wine tasting hosted by your Master of Wine while sailing to LyonCLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour to survey Lyon from Fourvière Hill with its numerous churches. You’ll also explore the Old Town with its maze of medieval alleyways, and the lively cafés, monuments, and famed fountain of Place des TerreauxSpend free time biking through Lyon’s town squares, over bridges, and along the banks where the Rhône and Saône rivers meet. DISCOVERY Be our guest for a WWII & French Resistance Lecture on board your shipLater enjoy live entertainment after dinner. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN LYON(B,L,D)

Day 11: LYON

Adventures in Food and Wine DISCOVERY Join a Culinary Walk through the city to discover why it is known as the gastronomic capital of France. DISCOVERY Take a guided tour to the lovely Beaujolais area and learn more about its light and pleasant wine.DISCOVERY This evening, join an onboard food and wine pairing dinner hosted by your Master of WineEVENING CRUISE TO TOURNON(B,L,D)

Day 12: TOURNON

A Rendezvous with Castle Views and VineyardsDISCOVERY Take a morning Guided Walking Tour to explore Tournon—one of France’s oldest medieval cities. See its 16th-century castle, and Roman ruins between the Rhône River and the granite slopes of the Hermitage. The tour also includes a wine and chocolate tasting at the Cité du Chocolat at Valrhona, OR,ACTIVE Hike in the vineyards and take in the breathtaking views from the hills (weather permitting) Enjoy a leisurely sail to Viviers after lunch.VIVIERSWorld History in a Charming French Country Village CLASSIC Explore the pale-stone buildings of Viviers on a late afternoon Guided Walking Tour of this charming village. You’ll see its Romanesque cathedral and Old Town with a mix of historical Christian, Roman, and medieval influences Later, enjoy live entertainment on board.EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO AVIGNON(B,L,D)

Day 13: AVIGNON

The City of Popes in Picturesque Provence Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.CLASSIC Take a Guided Sightseeing Tour of the fortress city of Avignon—with its ramparts encircling the city—and a visit to the amazing Palace of the PopesDISCOVERY Enjoy a trip to the famed wine cellars of Châteauneuf-du-Pape for a true taste of the Rhône wine regionLater, enjoy onboard live entertainment. EVENING CRUISE TO ARLES(B,L,D)

Day 14: ARLES

Inspiring Sights and Avant-Garde Lights ACTIVE Grab a Nordic walking stick for a hike with your Adventure HostCLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Walking Tour of Arles—the captivating city of the Provence region. You’ll visit the Roman Amphitheater in this visually stunning city, OR:DISCOVERY Attend a Painting Workshop to learn techniques of Vincent van Gogh. Create your own painting in the style of the legendary artistConsider a Guided Optional Excursion to the Carrières de Lumières (Cathedral of Images) a unique experience of art, sound, and light in the old quarries of Val d’Enfer. Take free time to stop in Café Van Gogh for a glass of wine.EVENING CRUISE TO PORT ST. LOUIS(B,L,D)

Day 15: PORT-SAINT-LOUIS (DISEMBARKATION)—AIX-EN-PROVENCE

Leave your Avalon vacation upon disembarkation in Port-Saint-Louis, and take the included transfer to Aix-en-Provence to join your Monograms package. Your guided walking tour includes a visit to the Cathedral of the Holy Saviour, known for its interesting combination of architectural styles and The Burning Bush triptych art masterpiece by Nicolas Froment. (B)

Day 16: AIX-EN-PROVENCE

Enjoy a full day at leisure in Cézanne’s hometown. Your Local Host will help you get the most out of your stay. (B)

Day 17: AIX-EN-PROVENCE-NICE

Travel to Nice. Your guided sightseeing features the Promenade des Anglais, originally built in the second half of the 18th century and the most famous boulevard in Nice, and a walk through the charming Old Town.(B)

Day 18: NICE

Your Local Host has recommendations for your full day at leisure on the beautiful Côte d’Azur.(B)

Day 19: NICE

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.(B)

Details

Tour Operator: Avalon
Duration (Days): 19

Itinerary ▼

Day 1: AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND (EMBARKATION)
Welcome to Holland. Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding. Flights into Amsterdam must arrive by 3:30 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm. Your day in Amsterdam is free to explore at your leisure.During tulip season, you may take a Guided Optional Excursion to Keukenhof gardens—with more than seven million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths, as well as other bulbs, planted each year. Outside of tulip season, join a Guided Optional Excursion to Zaanse Schans to see historic windmills and charming Dutch houses. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM(D)
Day 2: AMSTERDAM
Canals of Colorful AmsterdamJoin your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.CLASSIC Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.”This afternoon choose among the many Guided Optional Excursions available. Take some free time to explore Amsterdam’s colorful streets and canal houses, galleries, and shops.AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO COLOGNE(B,L,D)
Day 3: COLOGNE, GERMANY
Prost! Celebrate in the Rhineland CLASSIC Take a Guided City Walk of Cologne—with its soaring twin-steepled gothic cathedral, OR:DISCOVERY Choose a Guided Walking Tour of Cologne’s important Jewish heritage sitesSpend free time over a glass of Kölsch pale lager—locally brewed for over 100 years! Later, local musicians will join us on board for live entertainment. OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO RÜDESHEIM(B,L,D)
Day 4: RÜDESHEIM
Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Wine CountrySail through the Rhine Gorge to Rüdesheim and past the legendary rock of the Lorelei—where the siren of mythology sang songs to lure ill-fated sailors.DISCOVERY Take a Guided Tour of the incredible Mechanical Music Museum for a one-of-a-kind instrumental experience; based on your departure enjoy a local special treatEnjoy live entertainment on board your ship this evening. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN RÜDESHEIM(B,L,D)
Day 5: MAINZ. HEIDELBERG EXCURSION
Printing Halls, Castle Walls, and the World’s Biggest Barrel of Wine CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided City Walk including a visit to the Gutenberg Museum to see the captivating history of printing, OR:CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Tour to Heidelberg Castle to see the ruins of the magnificent renaissance treasure towering above the city, and its famed Great Vat, the “World’s Largest Wine Barrel,” OR: ACTIVE Join your Avalon Adventure Host for a Hike up Philosophers’ Way for an inspiring view of the city belowEVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO STRASBOURG(B,L,D)
Day 6: STRASBOURG, FRANCE
A Grand Cathedral and La Petite FranceAsk about today’s energizing or relaxing Adventure Host activities.CLASSIC Join a City Sightseeing Tour, including Strasbourg’s Gothic, stained-glass cathedral with its celebrated ancient murals and astronomical clock, as well as the magical La Petite France DistrictChoose a Guided Optional Excursion to the historic Maginot Line—the pre-WWII fortifications designed to protect the eastern border of France, or visit Alsace’s wine country today.Alternatively, take some free time in strasbourg to visit a museum, or stroll across the city center. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BREISACH(B,L,D)
Day 7: BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO BLACK FOREST
German Winemaking and the Beautiful Black Forest DISCOVERY Join a full-day Guided Tour to the magical Black Forest to experience the Vogtsbauernohf open-air-museum, visit an authentic water mill, and see a traditional butter-making demonstration, OR: DISCOVERY Visit to Badischer Winzerkeller, the largest German wine producer in Europe. Learn about German winemaking in the vineyards of Baden, and enjoy a wine tastingYou may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to visit the charming village of Colmar in the morning, with its half-timbered medieval and early renaissance buildings. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BASEL(B,L,D)
Day 8: BASEL, SWITZERLAND (DISEMBARKATION)–BEAUNE–ST. JEAN DE LOSNE (EMBARKATION)
Disembark your ship and drive on to Beaune.CLASSIC Visit the Hôtel-Dieu Charity Hospital in Beaune, built in 1443, today home of the Van der Weyden’s painting of the Last JudgementThis afternoon, travel to St. Jean de Losne to board your Suite Ship®. OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MÂCON(B,D)
Day 9: MÂCON
Wine on the Stunning Saône Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.Enjoy leisurely cruising en route to Mâcon along the majestic Saône River. DISCOVERY Join a lecture about wine hosted by your Master of Wine while sailing to Mâcon.DISCOVERY Join an excursion that will take you to a Chardonnay cellar for a wine tastingEnjoy live entertainment while sailing for Trévoux this evening. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN TRÉVOUX(B,L,D)
Day 10: LYON
La Vie En Rose in LyonSail for lovely Lyon this morning. DISCOVERY Enjoy an onboard cheese and wine tasting hosted by your Master of Wine while sailing to LyonCLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour to survey Lyon from Fourvière Hill with its numerous churches. You’ll also explore the Old Town with its maze of medieval alleyways, and the lively cafés, monuments, and famed fountain of Place des TerreauxSpend free time biking through Lyon’s town squares, over bridges, and along the banks where the Rhône and Saône rivers meet. DISCOVERY Be our guest for a WWII & French Resistance Lecture on board your shipLater enjoy live entertainment after dinner. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN LYON(B,L,D)
Day 11: LYON
Adventures in Food and Wine DISCOVERY Join a Culinary Walk through the city to discover why it is known as the gastronomic capital of France. DISCOVERY Take a guided tour to the lovely Beaujolais area and learn more about its light and pleasant wine.DISCOVERY This evening, join an onboard food and wine pairing dinner hosted by your Master of WineEVENING CRUISE TO TOURNON(B,L,D)
Day 12: TOURNON
A Rendezvous with Castle Views and VineyardsDISCOVERY Take a morning Guided Walking Tour to explore Tournon—one of France’s oldest medieval cities. See its 16th-century castle, and Roman ruins between the Rhône River and the granite slopes of the Hermitage. The tour also includes a wine and chocolate tasting at the Cité du Chocolat at Valrhona, OR,ACTIVE Hike in the vineyards and take in the breathtaking views from the hills (weather permitting) Enjoy a leisurely sail to Viviers after lunch.VIVIERSWorld History in a Charming French Country Village CLASSIC Explore the pale-stone buildings of Viviers on a late afternoon Guided Walking Tour of this charming village. You’ll see its Romanesque cathedral and Old Town with a mix of historical Christian, Roman, and medieval influences Later, enjoy live entertainment on board.EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO AVIGNON(B,L,D)
Day 13: AVIGNON
The City of Popes in Picturesque Provence Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.CLASSIC Take a Guided Sightseeing Tour of the fortress city of Avignon—with its ramparts encircling the city—and a visit to the amazing Palace of the PopesDISCOVERY Enjoy a trip to the famed wine cellars of Châteauneuf-du-Pape for a true taste of the Rhône wine regionLater, enjoy onboard live entertainment. EVENING CRUISE TO ARLES(B,L,D)
Day 14: ARLES
Inspiring Sights and Avant-Garde Lights ACTIVE Grab a Nordic walking stick for a hike with your Adventure HostCLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Walking Tour of Arles—the captivating city of the Provence region. You’ll visit the Roman Amphitheater in this visually stunning city, OR:DISCOVERY Attend a Painting Workshop to learn techniques of Vincent van Gogh. Create your own painting in the style of the legendary artistConsider a Guided Optional Excursion to the Carrières de Lumières (Cathedral of Images) a unique experience of art, sound, and light in the old quarries of Val d’Enfer. Take free time to stop in Café Van Gogh for a glass of wine.EVENING CRUISE TO PORT ST. LOUIS(B,L,D)
Day 15: PORT-SAINT-LOUIS (DISEMBARKATION)—AIX-EN-PROVENCE
Leave your Avalon vacation upon disembarkation in Port-Saint-Louis, and take the included transfer to Aix-en-Provence to join your Monograms package. Your guided walking tour includes a visit to the Cathedral of the Holy Saviour, known for its interesting combination of architectural styles and The Burning Bush triptych art masterpiece by Nicolas Froment. (B)
Day 16: AIX-EN-PROVENCE
Enjoy a full day at leisure in Cézanne’s hometown. Your Local Host will help you get the most out of your stay. (B)
Day 17: AIX-EN-PROVENCE-NICE
Travel to Nice. Your guided sightseeing features the Promenade des Anglais, originally built in the second half of the 18th century and the most famous boulevard in Nice, and a walk through the charming Old Town.(B)
Day 18: NICE
Your Local Host has recommendations for your full day at leisure on the beautiful Côte d’Azur.(B)
Day 19: NICE
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.(B)

RHINE & RHONE REVEALED W/2 A IX-EN-PROVENCE & 2 NICE-SB