Join an exclusive 12-day journey through the waterways of Europe, along the enchanting Rhine River. Begin your adventure with a two night stay in Zurich and two more nights in Lucerne, then embark the MS Amadante in Basel and cruise to Amsterdam. Enjoy an extensive lineup of tours and excursions, including a city tour of historic Zurich, a scenic drive to Vitznau on Lake Lucerne, a visit to the enchanting Alsatian town of Riquewihr, a tour of Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum, among others.
Highlights
Visit St. Peter, a church with the world’s largest clock face
Join a guided bike tour through Strasbourg and the Parc de l’Orangerie
Enjoy a tasting of Riesling wines after a gondola ride along Rüdesheim
Visit a local tavern to taste Kölsch beer and Reibekuchen
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Arrive in Zürich and check-in to your hotel. The balance of the day is free to start exploring this beautiful city.
Day 2: Zurich
1 Breakfast
Switzerland’s largest city, Zurich, seamlessly blends its historic past with its progressive future, which comes to life on your city tour. See Grossmünster Abbey; St. Peter, which boasts the world’s largest church clock face; Old Town and Town Hall.
Day 3: Zurich | Lucerne
1 Breakfast
Depart Zurich for a scenic drive to Vitznau on Lake Lucerne. Admire the spectacular scenery during a lake cruise that takes you to Lucerne. Enjoy free time for lunch followed by a walking tour before being transferred to your hotel.
Day 4: Lucerne
1 Breakfast
Spend the day at leisure taking in Lucerne's picture-postcard beauty. Explore the city’s well-preserved Old Town with its candy-colored houses, architectural treasures and ancient covered wooden bridge.
Step back in time with a visit to the enchanting Alsatian town of Riquewihr, which looks almost the same as it did in the 16th century. On your walking tour, admire historic architecture as well as famous sights, such as the Dolder Gate. Alternatively, you may wish to go to Freiburg, founded in 1120 and home to the Freiburg’s Münster, a Gothic cathedral said to have “the most beautiful spire on earth.”
One of the most enchanting cities in Europe and home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, The Grand Île, Strasbourg is a captivating destination. Discover its many treasures with a panoramic tour past the stunning Parc de l’Orangerie, the European Parliament and the Place de la République. Walk through its iconic “La Petite France” district, which appears to have been lifted straight from the pages of a fairytale. Prefer to enjoy the city more actively, then join a guided bike tour, which also takes you through the Parc de l’Orangerie.
Today choose between three excursions. Visit Heidelberg, the perfectly preserved medieval city nestled in the Neckar River Valley along Germany’s Castle Road. Discover the iconic red sandstone Heidelberg Castle and Great Vat, an 18th-century 49,000-gallon wine cask. For a more active adventure while in Heidelberg, join a guided hike up the Philosopher's Path and be rewarded with panoramic views of the city. Alternatively, you can visit one of Germany’s oldest cities, Speyer, known for the largest Romanesque cathedral in Europe—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—and the medieval Altpörtel, Old Gate. Later in the day, set sail to Rüdesheim, where you have the opportunity to visit Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum or enjoy a tasting of Rüdesheimer coffee, ceremoniously made with brandy.
Spend the morning in Rüdesheim and enjoy a tasting of Riesling wines after a lovely gondola ride soaring high above the vineyards en route to the Niederwalddenkmal Statue. Alternatively, opt for a hike that takes you through the vineyards to Ehrenfels Castle, where you can enjoy stunning views of the Rhine. A third choice is cycling along the Rhine and through this scenic town. Later in the day, the ship sails through the enchanting UNESCO-designated Rhine Gorge, the most stunningly beautiful stretch of the river before reaching Koblenz, where you can enjoy a guided walk through the lovely Old Town.
Home to one of Germany’s most revered Gothic masterpieces, the Cologne Cathedral, this 2,000 year-old city is also a bustling cosmopolitan hotspot. Join a guided tour through the enchanting Old Town and explore the UNESCO-designated cathedral, where the remains of the fabled Three Kings—the Magi— are believed to rest. Alternatively, ride a bike along the Rhine and through the historic Stadtgarten. Or visit a local tavern to taste Kölsch beer and Reibekuchen—potato pancakes served with apple sauce.
Eclectic Amsterdam boasts amazing history, art, architecture, and museums, and you have three choices as to how you wish to explore it. The famous canals of Amsterdam await discovery on your city tour beginning with a scenic canal cruise followed by a walk to Begijnhof, known for its Middle Age buildings. For a different view of the city, you can join the Jordaan District walking tour or the Jewish Heritage tour. The Jordaan District tour begins at the Westerchurch and takes you past the Noordermarkt, the Karthuizerhof and the “9 streets”; afterwards, stop in a local café for a hot beverage and Dutch apple pie. The Jewish Heritage tour begins with a visit to the 17th-century Portuguese Synagogue and the Jewish Historical Museum chronicling the history of the Jews in Amsterdam.
Day 12: Amsterdam | Disembark
1 Breakfast
Bid Farewell to Amsterdam and prepare for your homeward flight.
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The trip might have been the absolute best of our lifetime (thus far). We particularly want to commend our guide Peter in the Guilin area-he was so incredibly attentive, energetic, enthusiastic-and absolutely dedicated to ensuring that our meals were 100% vegetarian.
Jack Charney
TrustScore 4.6 | 108 reviews
TrustScore 4.6 of 5
Based on 108 reviews on
23 hours ago
Personal knowledge of the trip I was considering. Patience with our figuring out which dates we could travel.
Brian
1 day ago
Clara and Rhenee were gracious and available. Phone contact is so important to answer questions and discuss all aspects of trip. If not immediately available they scheduled a time to speak.
They were knowledgeable, honest, realistic and very friendly. They are both very professional and take their role seriously.
Happy Camper
1 day ago
Jason has been wonderful. He is full of information and was very willing to listen to what was of interest to us.
Lee
3 days ago
The ability (of Kassandra) to tailor a guided trip to my exact preferences is very valuable to me, as well as the ability (of Kassandra) to provide expert guidance on destinations and travel dates. I also appreciate the ability of the backup staff (Maria Ignacio, Exito Travel) to coordinate all the details to make the travel logistics easy for the customer.
Mark Whalen
3 days ago
Our Costa Rica trip was amazing! Kassandra planned everything and the excursions, hotels, overall organization were outstanding. Everything worked out smoothly, the excursions guides were knowledgeable allowing us to see so much of the fauna and flora of the country. The hotels were great as well, all in fantastic locations and with beautiful views.