Christmas European River Cruise

Your magical Christmas cruise along the Rhine begins in the Hanseatic city of Cologne, home of the famous twin-spired Cologne Cathedral. After embarking in the late afternoon, you can explore your floating AMADEUS hotel, which will be your luxurious and relaxing home-from-home for the duration of your trip. You are invited to join the cruise director for a Welcome Cocktail, followed by a lovingly prepared Welcome Dinner, which will put you in a festive mood for your upcoming trip. Your ship remains in Cologne overnight. (B,L,D) 

In the morning, join the Cologne walking tour to see and learn more about this fascinating city. With a history that stretches back 2,000 years, this culturally significant metropolis is the fourth-largest city in Germany. It has something for everyone, from quaint medieval buildings to cutting-edge contemporary architecture. Visit the famous Cologne Cathedral, delight in the charm of the reconstructed Old Town, or perhaps sample some of the famous Kölsch beer brewed in Cologne. At lunchtime, your ship will leave Cologne and make its way to Koblenz while you enjoy a relaxing dinner on board. (B,L,D) Optional Cologne Walking Tour: During the city walk, explore the surroundings of the famous cathedral and the old town. Many attractions are concentrated in just one square kilometer around the cathedral, the town hall and the old town with large Romanesque Church of St. Martin. You can take a look at the Roman Dionysus mosaic. In the narrow, cobbled streets of the old town and in the busy squares, such as the old market or the hay market, you will get a feeling for life in this city, both past, and present. Take a tour of the inside of the Cologne Cathedral, either accompanied by your guide or on your own (depending on the opening hours of the cathedral and/or if a mass is celebrated, etc.). Since its completion in 1880, the Cologne Cathedral is, due to its two tall towers with a height of 157 m each, not only the landmark of the town and best-known architecture monument but also the most often visited sight in Germany.

Situated at the confluence of the Mosel and the Rhine Rivers, the charming town of Koblenz is home to many UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These are best explored during the guided morning walking tour. After the tour, you will return to your ship and continue along the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. This is probably the most beautiful section of the Rhine and its unique cultural landscape has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy the wintery landscape with its many castles and catch a glimpse of the myth-enshrouded Lorelei Rock. Following this panoramic cruise, you will arrive in Oberwesel, situated on the banks of the Rhine. This town, with Schönburg Castle towering over it, is the starting point for an excursion to Rüdesheim. Pay a visit to Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet during this tour and enjoy some homemade mulled wine. Your ship will travel to Rüdesheim in the meantime, where you will rejoin it in the afternoon. After dinner, on Christmas Eve, you have the opportunity to attend Christmas Mass in Rüdesheim. (B,L,D) Optional Koblenz Walking Tour: Discover Koblenz, one of the most beautiful and oldest towns in Germany with over 2,000 years of history. On our guided walk through the romantic streets between the St. Castor Basilica and the Liebfrauenkirche (the Church of our Beloved Lady) you will discover the most important sights of Koblenz. Obviously this tour would not be complete without a visit to the Emperor Wilhelm Memorial at the famous German Corner and the town’s landmark, the Schängel Fountain at the town hall. At the end of the walk, you will reach the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine and the ropeway of Koblenz – well known since the German Federal Garden Show.Optional Rüdesheim walking tour incl. music cabinet museum and mulled wine: Comfortable coaches take you from the dock of the ship to Rüdesheim directly to the “Siegfried Mechanical Music Cabinet” for a musical adventure with historical self-playing instruments. Afterward you can enjoy a glass of homemade mulled wine before you start your guided tour with a walk through the picturesque town. Explore the heart of the old town of Rüdesheim — the Drosselgasse — where wine houses and garden taverns invite you to linger. Immerse yourself in the history of the city and visit the market square, the old noble courtyards as the Klunkhardshof, a half-timbered building from the 16th century and a part of the city wall.

Your ship will moor in Mannheim in the morning. This historic city boasts one of the largest Baroque palaces in Europe and is the former royal seat of the prince-electors of the Electoral Palatinate. You can choose to attend the Pontifical High Mass in Speyer Cathedral in the morning. Alternatively, you can take a morning tour from Mannheim to the university town of Heidelberg, situated on the Neckar River. After a sightseeing tour in a comfortable coach, you will be taken back to the ship, which departs from Mannheim at noon and calls at Speyer shortly afterward. In the afternoon, take a guided tour of Speyer or explore it on your own. Enjoy wandering through the picturesque alleys of this former imperial city, or pay a visit to Speyer Cathedral—the final resting place of numerous Holy Roman Emperors and German kings. (B,L,D)Optional Excursion to Heidelberg: A comfortable coach will take you to Heidelberg, the world-famous University City on the Neckar River. The town is one of the few German cities with a widely preserved baroque Old Town. Heidelberg was discovered quite early by romantics to use for diverse literature, songs, and paintings. The tour through Heidelberg begins with a visit to the castle. The formerly splendid residence made of red sandstone has been a ruin, maybe the most beautiful ruin in all of Germany. The castle tour also leads into the castle garden. From the Grand Terrace, you will have a wonderful view of the city and the Neckar River. The tour continues with a stroll through the enchanting old town, to the Karl-Theodor Bridge, the late-gothic Church of the Holy Spirit and the town hall. Optional Speyer walking tour: Speyer, the venerable emperor’s city on the Rhine, has had a rich and turbulent past. Religious architecture steeped in history, impressive facades of various styles, winding alleys and romantic squares express the character of the city. The city tour includes a visit to the Romanesque Imperial Cathedral from the exterior, with its striking twin tower portal, and visits to the Church of the Holy Spirit, the Old Gate (Altpoertel) and the Jewish Ritual Bath.

Your AMADEUS ship will arrive in Strasbourg in the historic Alsace region just before lunch. Even in winter, the French joie de vivre can be felt everywhere and invites you to explore the charming town with its half-timbered houses and cobbled streets. If you wish, you can take a city tour in the afternoon and visit Strasbourg’s most beautiful sights, including the Strasbourg Cathedral and the historic and quaint Petite France quarter. In the evening, the captain invites you to celebrate your trip at the festive Captain’s Gala Dinner while your ship continues on its way. (B,L,D) Optional City Tour of Strasbourg: Enjoy a discovery tour through the beautiful city of Strasbourg. After a short coach trip through the city, the tour continues with a walk through the lovely, historic old part of the town and includes a visit to the famous cathedral Straßburger Münster (not possible on Sundays and public holidays, sometimes with security check). During a boat cruise on the river, discover the famous quarter, “Petite France”. This former mill and tanner district still maintains its medieval charm. Some of the beautiful, half-timbered houses on the banks of the river Ill are up to 500 years old. You will enjoy Strasbourg’s half-timbered houses, the Ponts Couverts, the Palais de Rohan, the Council of Europe and all the other wonders that Strasbourg holds in store for you. Please note: During the winter the boat cruise will be replaced by a visit to the Christmas Market.

Early in the morning, your ship reaches Breisach, a town situated on the Rhine at the German-French border. Right after breakfast, you can explore this Rhine Valley town with a guided tour. The town’s most significant landmark is the Stephansmünster, or St. Stephen’s Cathedral, which is situated on the Münsterberg hill and overlooks the beautiful Rhine Valley and the town below. Later, you can choose to take part in an afternoon excursion to Germany’s famed Black Forest. After your return on board, the ship will set sail in the evening and continue its journey toward Basel. (B,L,D) Optional City walks Breisach with Muensterberg: Here in Breisach there will be a gentle walk over the town’s Münsterberg hill in the course of which you learn of all the important events in its history, for which it is justly famed, where they actually took place. The tour naturally includes having a good look round St. Stephan’s cathedral, the Radbrunnen (a tower housing ancient deep wells) and the former town square that serves today as an open-air theatre. As you stroll around you can admire and enjoy the lovely scenery on both sides of the Rhine.Optional Excursion to the Black Forest: Enjoy a discovery tour into the heart of the Black Forest. From the pretty town of Breisach at the foot of the Kaiserstuhl, you drive first through the Upper Rhine Plain, renowned for its excellent wines and vineyards. Your journey continues deep into the Black Forest, where a picture-book landscape awaits you: tall firs and spruces, in between the beautiful blue Lake Titi – stop here and enjoy a cup of coffee with a piece of the world-famous Black Forest cherry cake. Use your free time for a stroll through the pretty village of Titisee before we head through the dark Höllental to the Hofgut Sternen, famous for its local handicraft. Here you have the opportunity to take an in-depth look into the making of cuckoo clocks in the Black Forest.

Your Christmas cruise ends in the scenic Swiss town of Basel, which combines cosmopolitan hustle and bustle with quaint architecture and wintery charm. After a hearty breakfast, you will disembark. We wish you a joyous festive season and all the best for the New Year! (B)