The Rhine - Switzerland to Amsterdam

We depart for Zurich.

We arrive in Zurich and enjoy a city tour, including St. Peter with the world’s largest church clock face, Grossmunster Abbey, which offers exceptional views of Zurich, Old Town and Fraumunster Abbey. Afternoon at leisure followed by our Welcome Dinner.

We travel to Schaffhausen to visit the spectacular Rhine Falls - Europe’s largest waterfall, where we will enjoy a boat ride up to the rock at the foot of the falls. Afternoon at leisure.

Today enjoy a scenic drive past three lakes before reaching Viztnau. Upon arrival we enjoy a cruise across the tranquil waters of Lake Lucerne, surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery. After our cruise we check in to our hotel in central Lucerne.

We enjoy a walking tour of this medieval gem. See the city’s lovely cobblestone streets, public squares, monuments, fountains, covered bridges and frescoed buildings. Afternoon at leisure to shop for watches, knives and delicious Swiss chocolate.

This morning we visit the Lion Monument, then we depart for Basel for a walking tour of the city. Long an important center for banking and commerce, Basel’s glorious past is still evident in its medieval Town Hall and 18th century homes. Later we will embark on our luxurious river cruise ship.

We arrive in the capital of Alsace for a walking tour through the old part of the town with its Gothic Cathedral and famous astronomical clock. We will take a boat cruise to see the famous quarter known as “Petite France” with its beautiful 500-year-old half-timbered houses on the banks of the river.

Our morning tour of historic Speyer includes visits to the Romanesque Imperial Cathedral with its striking twin tower portal, the Church of the Holy Spirit, the Old Gate and the Jewish Ritual Bath. Our afternoon tour takes us to the well-preserved baroque town of Heidelberg, which for centuries has been one of Germany’s foremost centres of literature, music and art. We’ll visit the ruins of the red sandstone castle overlooking the town (considered Germany’s most beautiful castle ruin) and then stroll through the enchanting old town to the Karl-Theodor Bridge, the late-gothic Church of the Holy Spirit and the Town Hall before returning to our ship.

We arrive in the wine-making town of Rudesheim. Our tour there takes us on the unique Winzerexpress train to the “Siegfried Mechanical Music Cabinet” for a musical adventure with historical self-playing instruments. After our visit we explore the heart of the old town, including the Drosselgasse (with its abundance of wine houses and garden taverns), and the Eagle Tower - a part of the city wall and fortifications from the 15th century. With over 2,000 years of history, Koblenz is one of the oldest and most beautiful towns in Germany. On our guided walk through the romantic streets we’ll see the highlights, including the famous St. Castor Basilica, Liebfrauenkirche, and the Emperor Wilhelm Memorial.

Today we take a special trip down the romantic Moselle River – the largest tributary of the Rhine dominated by vineyards. We will anchor at the old town of Cochem. Our included walking tour of the narrow, winding streets will include a visit of Reichsburg Castle. Perched on a rock high above the city, this magnificent castle dominates the cityscape and offers an impressive view of the Moselle Valley with its forests, meadows, vineyards and the old town. At the end of our tour we will enjoy a taste of local Mosel wines.

Enjoy the scenery on deck as we sail to the beautiful city of Cologne. We will have a walking tour of Cologne’s historic Old Town, taking in the Old Market, the Hay Market, the lively city squares and a visit of the famous twin-spired Cologne Cathedral.

We first enjoy a short walk through the quaint village of Hoorn, and then visit Volendam. One of Holland’s most charming places, Volendam looks like a picture postcard of a traditional Dutch town, with people dressed in traditional costume. Then in the countryside we visit a cheese farm and learn how Dutch cheese is made. We then continue to Amsterdam, renowned for its museums, flowers and 90 islands separated by canals and bridges. On our city tour we see the impressive Royal Palace, the Museum Quarter and more. The tour will end with a canal cruise.

We disembark our ship and transfer to the airport for our flight back to Canada.