Day 1Paris
Arrive in Paris, the romantic capital of France. Transfer from the Charles de Gaulle airport to your hotel for a 2-night stay.* After check-in, enjoy free time to explore this exciting city—or join our “welcome walk” to stretch your legs and start getting oriented.
Day 2Paris
Today’s tour begins with a drive along the Champs Elysées, past the Arc de Triomphe to the world-famous Louvre. The remainder of the day is free to see more of Paris—visit a museum, explore Montmartre or take a moonlit cruise along the Seine River. As always, your Program Director can help you plan your free time. (B)
Day 3Paris, Luxembourg & Trier
Today, visit the Luxembourg American Cemetery and pay homage to the many Americans who lost their lives during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. See the city of Luxembourg on a guided city tour and continue to Trier to embark your ship. Dinner is served aboard. (B, D)
Day 4Trier & Bernkastel
Take a morning tour of Trier, Germany’s oldest city, set on the banks of the Moselle River. See the wonderfully preserved Roman Porta Nigra, Trier Cathedral and the Church of Our Lady. Lunch aboard as we depart. Enjoy scenic cruising along the Moselle this afternoon; we dock in Bernkastel around dinnertime. After your evening meal, you can take a walk through cobblestone streets of this charming town, or join an optional wine-tasting excursion in this famous wine region. (B, L, D)
Day 5Cochem & Koblenz
A walking tour takes you through the quaint Moselle town of Cochem. Then, visit imposing Reichsburg Castle. Eat lunch while sailing the scenic Moselle to Koblenz, arriving in the evening during dinner. Explore the cobbled streets and cafés, or stay aboard and hear folk tales about the Moselle. (B, L, D)
Day 6Koblenz, Braubach & Rüdesheim
After breakfast disembark in Koblenz for a tour of Marksburg Castle, the only fortress in this region that has remained untouched by turmoil. Since its fortifications have remained so intact, stepping inside is a veritable journey back to the Middle Ages. Enjoy views of the Rhine Valley from this castle’s stunning vantage point. Meet your ship in Braubach, where it has sailed during your excursion. Have lunch and enjoy cruising through the storied Middle Rhine, lined with medieval castles, historic towns and vineyards—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Arrive in Rüdesheim in the late afternoon. Before dinner, you have free time to enjoy the bars and shops lining Rüdesheim’s Drosselgasse. Or, you may choose to join your concierge this afternoon for an optional wine-tasting experience. Rejoin your ship in Wiesbaden for dinner aboard and evening cruising. (B, L, D)
Day 7Heidelberg
Today’s full-day excursion takes you to Heidelberg, an ancient city that is home to Germany’s oldest university. Tour the imposing red sandstone ruins of Heidelberg Castle, originally built in the 12th century but twice destroyed by lightning. A guided walk through Heidelberg’s Old Town and marketplace is included, as is lunch at a local restaurant. Return to your ship for dinner and departure. (B, L, D)
Day 8Würzburg
Disembark in Karlstadt and take a half-day excursion to the charming Franconian wine town of Würzburg where you tour the Bishops’ Residenz, a beautiful baroque palace with many paintings and frescoes. Take more time in Würzburg this afternoon, or join an optional journey along the Romantic Road to the walled medieval village of Rothenburg. Meet your ship in Würzburg and dine aboard; remain docked overnight. (B, L, D)
Day 9Bamberg
This morning, enjoy scenic cruising along the Main River as you make your way eastward through the Franconia region of Germany. After lunch we stop in the historic town of Bamberg founded in 902 and an important center of the German Enlightenment. Enjoy a walking tour of Bamberg’s beautifully preserved Old Town area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, then take time to explore or perhaps sample the town’s famous locally brewed smoky beer, Rauchbier. Dine aboard.
(B, L, D)
Day 10Bamberg, Nuremberg & Prague
After breakfast disembark in Bamberg for a morning tour of the Bavarian city of Nuremberg. See Zeppelin Field, the former Nazi parade grounds and the Palace of Justice, historic home of the Nuremberg Trials. After lunch on your own, transfer to Prague. Check in to your hotel for a 2-night stay and take some free time to begin exploring the city. (B)
Day 11Prague
This morning, tour this “City of a Hundred Spires.” A guided walk takes you through Old Town to the famed Charles Bridge. Then, travel to Hradcany for a guided tour inside Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure; see the Town Hall’s intricate 15th-century Astronomical Clock, spend some time in historic Wenceslas Square or discover the city’s Jewish heritage in the Josefov Quarter. (B)
Day 12Prague
After breakfast, check out of your hotel and proceed to the airport for your return flight.* Or, extend your journey with 2 additional nights in Prague and discover more of this beautiful city. (B)