ROMANTIC RHINE - NORTHBOUND
Rhine River Cruise with Diana Gabaldon - Avalon Waterways®
Day 1: BASEL, SWITZERLAND (EMBARKATION)
Welcome to Switzerland. Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding. Flights into Zürich or Basel must arrive by 3 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm.Enjoy dinner and explore the ship on your first night on board.EVENING CRUISE TO BREISACH (D)
Day 2: BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO BLACK FOREST
German Winemakingand the Beautiful Black Forest Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host. 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 CRUISE TO STRASBOURG(B,L,D)
Day 3: STRASBOURG, FRANCE
A Grand Cathedral and La Petite France 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 DistrictYou may also choose to join 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 LUDWIGSHAFEN(B,L,D)
Day 4: MAINZ, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO HEIDELBERG
Castle Walls, and the World’s Biggest Wine Barrel 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 below, OR: CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided City Walk in Mainz, including a visit to the Gutenberg Museum to see the captivating history of printingOVERNIGHT DOCKING IN MAINZ (B,L,D)
Day 5: RÜDESHEIM–RHINE GORGE
Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Wine Country 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 treat, OR: ACTIVE Enjoy a hike with your Avalon Adventure Host through the picturesque vineyards of RüdesheimRelax on the Sky Deck for an afternoon cruise through the spectacular Rhine Gorge to Koblenz. Sail past the legendary rock of The Lorelei—where the siren of mythology sang songs to lure ill-fated sailors. KOBLENZTravel Through 2000 Years Of Monumental History Enjoy free time in Koblenz before a relaxing evening on board with dinner and live entertainment. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN KOBLENZ(B,L,D)
Day 6: COLOGNE
Prost! Celebrate in the Rhineland Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities. 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! AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO AMSTERDAM(B,L,D)
Day 7: AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND
Canals of Colorful Amsterdam CLASSIC Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.” 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. You may also choose an Optional Biking Tour to discover the countryside. Take some free time to explore Amsterdam’s colorful streets and canal houses, galleries, and shops. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM(B,L,D)
Day 8: AMSTERDAM (DISEMBARKATION)
Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Details
- Tour Operator
- Avalon
- Duration (Days)
- 8
Itinerary
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Day 1: BASEL, SWITZERLAND (EMBARKATION)
Welcome to Switzerland. Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding. Flights into Zürich or Basel must arrive by 3 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm.Enjoy dinner and explore the ship on your first night on board.EVENING CRUISE TO BREISACH (D)
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Day 2: BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO BLACK FOREST
German Winemakingand the Beautiful Black Forest Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host. 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 CRUISE TO STRASBOURG(B,L,D)
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Day 3: STRASBOURG, FRANCE
A Grand Cathedral and La Petite France 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 DistrictYou may also choose to join 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 LUDWIGSHAFEN(B,L,D)
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Day 4: MAINZ, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO HEIDELBERG
Castle Walls, and the World’s Biggest Wine Barrel 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 below, OR: CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided City Walk in Mainz, including a visit to the Gutenberg Museum to see the captivating history of printingOVERNIGHT DOCKING IN MAINZ (B,L,D)
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Day 5: RÜDESHEIM–RHINE GORGE
Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Wine Country 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 treat, OR: ACTIVE Enjoy a hike with your Avalon Adventure Host through the picturesque vineyards of RüdesheimRelax on the Sky Deck for an afternoon cruise through the spectacular Rhine Gorge to Koblenz. Sail past the legendary rock of The Lorelei—where the siren of mythology sang songs to lure ill-fated sailors. KOBLENZTravel Through 2000 Years Of Monumental History Enjoy free time in Koblenz before a relaxing evening on board with dinner and live entertainment. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN KOBLENZ(B,L,D)
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Day 6: COLOGNE
Prost! Celebrate in the Rhineland Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities. 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! AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO AMSTERDAM(B,L,D)
-
Day 7: AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND
Canals of Colorful Amsterdam CLASSIC Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.” 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. You may also choose an Optional Biking Tour to discover the countryside. Take some free time to explore Amsterdam’s colorful streets and canal houses, galleries, and shops. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM(B,L,D)
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Day 8: AMSTERDAM (DISEMBARKATION)
Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning. (B)