8 days Cologne-Amsterdam-Rüdesheim-Basel / 8 days Basel-Rüdesheim-Amsterdam-Cologne

Day 1: Cologne

Cologne: Casting off 4:00 p.m.
Fly or rail from London to Cologne and transfer to vessel. Embarkation from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Day 2: Amsterdam

Amsterdam: Mooring 8:00 a.m. – Casting off 11:30 p.m.
“Highlights of Amsterdam” with a canal cruise past the typical merchant houses, afterwards time to explore by yourself. 

This excursion will show you all the delights the capital of Amsterdam has to offer. You will start at the pier where your guide will await you. This excursion will start with a walking tour through the city center of Amsterdam. From the old cobble streets of the Red Light District, to the UNSECO listed network of canals. Amsterdam is truly a beautiful city and it is full of history, stories, legends, and places to explore. Walk passed the canals and hear about the vibrant and sometimes tumultuous history of this Netherlands capital. From the city biggest land marks to every day areas of interest. This walking tour has it all wrapped into one. You will make many scheduled stops at most of the city’s most well-known land marks and areas. After or in between the walk your guide will give you some free time for some exploration on your own or souvenir hunting.Then it is time to see the city from a different perspective. Enjoy a 1 hour cruise through the canals of Amsterdam. These canals have been awarded UNESCO’s World Heritage status and taking this cruise will reveal why. See the beautiful houses with their fascinating gables alongside the canals, have a peek inside the famous floating house boats and feel why Amsterdam is also called Venice of the North. The Skinny Bridge, the Golden Bench, an old VOC ship and the Maritime museum are only a few of the highlights you will see.

Excursion to Northern Holland with a visit to Volendam and a trip over Lake Ijssel to Marken.

Day 3: Nijmegen

Nijmegen: Mooring 8:00 a.m. – Casting off 2:30 p.m.
Guided tour through the friendly Hanseatic city of Nijmegen.

Day 4: Cologne / Koblenz

Cologne: Mooring 8:00 a.m. – Casting off 2:00 p.m.
Guided tour through the cathedral city of Cologne with traditional Kölsch beer.

Koblenz: Mooring 10:00 p.m.

Day 5: Koblenz / Middle Rhine Valley / Rüdesheim

Koblenz: Casting off 1:00 p.m.
Koblenz is one of the oldest towns in Germany, looking back on 2.000 years of history. The guided walk will lead you through the Old town with its romantic streets, passing the Basilica St. Kastor and the Liebfrauen Church. You will also see the famous “Schängel”-Fountain in front of the town hall.

Middle Rhine Valley:
Passage of the famous Loreley.

Rüdesheim: Mooring 7:30 p.m.
Admire the artistic and musical inventions of the past over a glass of wine – in “Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet”.

Day 6: Rüdesheim / Mannheim

Rüdesheim: Casting off 3:00 a.m.

Mannheim: Mooring 12:00 p.m. – Casting off 6:00 p.m.
Excursion to the venerable cathedral city of Speyer. Time to make your own discoveries.

Day 7: Strasbourg / Kehl

Strasbourg/Kehl: Mooring 7:00 a.m. – Casting off 1:30 p.m.
Tour by bus and on foot of Strasbourg with a visit to the cathedral of Notre-Dame.

Guided city tour through Strasbourg with a visit to the Cathedral of Notre-Dame: Idyllic half-timbered alleys, cosy wine taverns and of course the impressive cathedral make a visit to this historic city one of a kind experience. The entire city centre of Strasbourg was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988 due to its diverse architecture. At the the Republic Square you can admire the Rhine Palace, the National Library and the Opera. Once you arrive at the Notre-Dame cathedral, your guide will explain in detail the special features and numerous interesting stories about construction and architecture. You will experience first hand when the astronomical clock strikes the “full” hour and different figures of the clock breathe life. After visiting the cathedral enjoy a bit of free time in this beautiful city.

Day 8: Basel

Basel: Mooring 7:00 a.m.
Disembarkation until 9:00 a.m. City tour/walk through Basel through the old town including the market square and Münsterplatz (ends approx. 11:00 a.m. at Basel Bad railway station).
​On this guided tour, you’ll see the highlights of the city. With around 170,000 inhabitants, Basel is the third largest city in Switzerland after Zurich and Geneva. Basel is made up of the two districts of Kleinbasel and Großbasel. The center is the old town in Großbasel. The bus passes the medieval Spalentor, the most famous of the medieval city gates. From the art museum, take a short walk to the cathedral. Here you can learn interesting facts about one of Basel’s landmarks, such as its exterior and interior architecture. In the red sandstone church is the tomb of Erasmus of Rotterdam. At the end of the city tour, a wonderful view of Basel and the Rhine is revealed from the “Pfalz-Terrasse” behind the cathedral. (ends approx. 11:00am at Basel Bad railway station). Transfer to Basel Airport/Station or add a city stay (prices on request).​