Begin your splendid journey along two of Europe’s most alluring rivers, the Rhine and Moselle. Expand your imagination in fairytale villages, such as Cochem, Bernkastel and Riquewihr, where folklore and history come alive in every street. Whimsical fantasies also come to life at Siegfried’s Mechanical Museum and at Schwetzingen Gardens. Encounter fascinating Roman ruins, medieval towns with colorful half-timbered houses and enchanting castles as you cruise along two of Europe’s most captivating rivers.
Highlights
Visit Old Town in Zurich where you will find yourself amongst medieval houses
Stroll along Chapel Bridge, admiring the stunning gable paintings above
Explore the nine towers, including one featuring the oldest clock in Lucerne
Join a bike tour along the shores of the Moselle River
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Switzerland’s largest city, Zurich, seamlessly blends its historic past with its progressive future—all of which can be on full display during your city tour.
Day 3: Zurich | Lucerne
1 Breakfast
Check out of your hotel and head off on a scenic drive past Alpine lakes before reaching Vitznau. Upon arrival, enjoy a cruise across the tranquil waters of Lake Lucerne, surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery. Once in Lucerne, check into your hotel.
Day 4: Lucerne
1 Breakfast
Lucerne’s beauty and charm is unrivaled. Discover this beauty on a walking tour. The mighty mountains of Mount Pilatus and Rigi overlook the swans that glide along the scenic lake and are part of Lucerne’s everlasting allure, as is the iconic Lion Monument, which you can visit. Sculpted in memory of the Swiss Guards massacred during the French Revolution in 1792, it has captured the hearts and minds of visitors for centuries. Visit the spectacular medieval walls and towers, dating back to the 13th century.
Breisach is your gateway to several different excursions, depending on your interests. 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.” Those wishing a more active excursion can cycle through the scenic countryside; or go to the Black Forest, a magical land full of cultural traditions, as well as home to elaborate cuckoo clocks, striking half-timber houses, ruined castles and quaint towns.
Strasbourg, the capital city of Alsace, offers flavors of both France and Germany because of its borderline location. Enjoy a panoramic tour past the stunning Parc de l’Orangerie, the European Parliament and the Place de la République. Then walk through its iconic UNESCO World Heritage “La Petite France” district, which appears to have been lifted straight from the pages of a fairytale. Wander through these charming streets and past the Cathédrale de Nôtre Dame with its famous astronomical clock. Alternatively, the active adventurer can take a guided bike ride through this captivating city and Parc de l’Orangerie.
You have several choices of morning excursions. Explore the glorious Mannheim Baroque Palace, one of Europe’s largest. Prefer to visit the town Mark Twain wrote about in “A Tramp Abroad,” then join a tour to perfectly preserved Heidelberg. Alternatively, visit Schwetzingen Palace Gardens, a cultural heritage site of European significance. Wander through the gardens with more than 100 sculptures and admire an assortment of whimsical buildings. Later in the day, sail to Rüdesheim where you can visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Museum; or taste one of the town’s special delights, Rüdesheimer Coffee, ceremoniously made with brandy.
Your exploration of Rüdesheim continues with your choice of three excursions. Take a gondola ride to the Niederwalddenkmal Statue, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the river. Afterwards, indulge your taste buds with a sampling of Riesling wines in the vineyards. Alternatively, you can join a guided bike ride through the town and along the Rhine River to Schloss Johannisberg; or hike through the town’s beautiful vineyards. During the afternoon, set sail along the scenic Rhine River Gorge with its fabled legends and many castles.
Sail along the scenic Moselle to Bernkastel, located in the middle of the Moselle Valley’s wine-producing region, an area that’s been cultivating wine for over 500 years. Walk through its colorful Old Town center and past many medieval and Renaissance buildings on a guided tour, and afterwards, be treated to a wine tasting. Cycling enthusiasts can choose to join a bike tour along the shores of the Moselle River; and hikers can opt to trek up to the ruins of Landshut Castle, which dates all the way back to the 9th century.
Set sail to Trier, Germany’s oldest city, where you can discover on a city tour why it has been called the “Rome of the North” or “Second Rome” as it has impressive Roman relics and nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Alternatively, go in search of the secrets of the Porta Nigra Gate on a tour that takes you back to a time when Rome ruled the world from the Emperor’s seat in Trier. You also have the choice of a bike tour through the historic city center and along the Moselle River; or hike high above Trier to Petrisberg. Later in the day, set sail along the scenic Moselle en route to Bernkastel, where you’ll visit a local winery for a special tasting.
Enjoy a scenic morning cruise to Cochem with its majestic Reichsburg Castle, perched high above the town. Discover how the castle has been an integral part of the town’s history and afterwards go on a walking tour along Cochem’s narrow cobblestone streets lined with medieval houses. For a more active excursion, hike to the castle or go on a biking tour along the Moselle River. As an alternative excursion, you can visit one of Europe’s oldest working mustard mills where you will sample Cochem’s famous mustard.
Join a guided tour through the Old Town and explore the UNESCO-designated cathedral. Continue on to the Cologne Rathaus, Germany’s oldest town hall, the Overstolzenhaus and the Festival Hall. For a different view of the city, visit a local tavern to taste its famous Kölsch beer, only made in Cologne, and Reibekuchen, potato pancakes typically served with apple sauce. Active adventurists will want to join a guided bike ride along the Rhine and through the historic Stadtgarten.
View Amsterdam on a scenic canal cruise followed by a walk to Begijnhof, known for its Middle Age buildings. For a different view of the city, join the Jewish Heritage tour, which begins with a visit to the 17th-century Portuguese Synagogue and the Jewish Historical Museum chronicling the history of the Jewish community in Amsterdam.
Day 15: Amsterdam | Disembark
1 Breakfast
Bid Farewell to Amsterdam and prepare for your flight home.
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Violin deck, French Balcony & Outside Balcony
Notes
Single supplement is 50%, except for Suites which are 100%.
The trip was terrific with great planning on your part. Most of the adventures were not mainstream and somewhat off the beaten path which made it especially enjoyable!! We felt taken care of and you all were readily available to respond to questions and issues. I would highly recommend your company and friends have already expressed interest based on our pictures and excitement.
Gale Cantor
TrustScore 4.8 | 147 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 147 reviews on
2 hours ago
A wonderful 9 day tour of beautiful Costa Rica taking in breath taking scenery including the active Arenal Volcano to the stunning beaches of Manuel Antonio.
Adventure Life made a fantastic itinerary for us(we were a group of 4) Would highly reccomend them for getting it right!
Lovely hotels with breakfast included, bespoke trips in mostly private transfers, zip-lining and white water rafting adventures! This really was an amazing trip & one we will cherish forever!
Dawn Howes
6 hours ago
Mary Curry is very responsive to my emails and sends me the information I request very quickly.
Donna Benson
8 hours ago
We book a tour to Peru with them in May. Viewing from their website we didn’t realize that they are private tour company but after quoting the price, it seems reasonable for a private tour, let’s see how’s their service after our tour. The process of booking went smoothly except the payment part which need a bit of work. Need to improve better payment method and options.
LP
1 day ago
We have used Adventure Life Travel before and we where impressed with the outcome of their handling of our travel arrangements. So we are using them again on this vacation. Tilly has been very helpful and we put our complete confidence in her! We feel very comfortable using Adventure Life.
Jerry Hatley
1 day ago
Erin was responsive, knowledgeable, helpful, and ran through a few different choices with us. She got us a fabulous price on a trip, and made everything easy to do. And QUICK!!