Rhine River Christmas Markets Cruise

Day by Day Itinerary
 

Every day brings fresh delights and new places to visit on our Rhine River Christmas Markets Cruise.

You'll travel through beautiful scenery and visit lovely towns in Switzerland, France, Germany and Holland, with an optional excursion to Belgium at the end of the cruise.

Day 1 (Thursday 2 December - or sooner) :  Leave the US

You can either make your own arrangements to travel to Basel, or else take advantage of the air addon to the cruise fare.

You should leave the US today or earlier, so as to arrive in Basel on Friday afternoon (or sooner) in time for the start of the Christmas Markets Rhine River Cruise.

If you're not taking the optional extension in Switzerland, you might also want to consider arriving in Basel a day early.

Note - If you've chosen the pre-cruise extension in Switzerland, please read on below

Optional Pre-Cruise Extension in Switzerland  (1 - 4 nights or longer, in Zurich and Geneva)

Day 2 (Friday 3 December)  :  Board our cruise boat, the Amalegro, in Basel

Join the ship in Basel today.

The crew will be preparing the cabins for arriving passengers, and you are given access to your cabin as soon as it becomes available, generally by 4pm.

If you arrive early, you can spend your time relaxing in the ship’s lounge or doing some exploring on your own in beautiful Basel.

Switzerland’s second largest city is ideally located at the crossroads of Switzerland, France and Germany (in the middle of the Rhine).

Long an important university, banking and trade center, Basel’s glorious past is still evident in its medieval Town Hall and exquisite 18th-century patrician homes.  You may wish to visit Basel’s Christmas Market on Barfsserplatz where you will find ultramodern as well as vintage and traditional gifts, colorful toys and typical Swiss crafts.

Tonight, gather onboard for a Gala Welcome Dinner.

Included meals - Dinner

Day 3 (Saturday 4 December) :  Breisach, Colmar or Freiburg,

Today, choose between a city tour of Colmar in France on the left bank of the Rhine, or Freiburg in Germany on the right bank.  Both are close to where the ship will dock at Breisach.

If you decide to travel to Freiburg, you will visit its historical city center and visit the Augustinerplatz, site of Freiburg’s Münster, a Gothic minster cathedral constructed of red sandstone, noted for its towering spires.  The town is bordered by the Black Forest mountains, Rosskopf and Bromberg, and is known for meticulous wood carvings and cuckoo clocks.

After your city tour, visit Freiburg’s Christmas Markets located in the heart of the town’s beautiful historical quarter.

Or, choose to travel to medieval Colmar, situated along the Alsatian Wine Route and is self-proclaimed as the “Capital of Alsatian Wine.”  During our city tour, you will see remarkable half-timbered framed houses, the German influenced old quarter filled with streets of unexpected twists and turns, canals and the Launch River.

Colmar is beautifully decorated with stunning illuminations during the Advent period and offers five Christmas Markets, each in different areas of the city.

Tonight, the ship sets sail for Strasbourg, France.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4 (Sunday 5 December) :  Strasbourg

The principal city of the Alsace region in northeastern France, Strasbourg is situated on the Ill River, where it flows into the Rhine on the border with Germany.

This morning, we will see the European Parliament and visit the “La Petite France” district, where we will see the sandstone Gothic Cathedral with its famous astronomical clock.  Then enjoy a canal cruise, revealing the picturesque town, known for its black and white timber-framed buildings, covered bridges and medieval watchtowers.

The remainder of the day is at our leisure to sightsee through Strasbourg’s historic city center, the “Grande Île” (Grand Island), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and/or browse through one of Europe’s oldest and finest Christmas Markets, selling specialties including “Bredele,” small Alsatian biscuits, delicately crafted toys, jewelry and ceramics.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5 (Monday 6 December) :  Mannheim - Heidelberg - Worms

We arrive in Mannheim this morning and disembark for our excursion to Heidelberg, where we will visit the red-walled Castle, as well as the Great Vat, a 49,000-gallon 18th-century wine cask and beautiful views of the Neckar Valley and Heidelberg below.

Enjoy lunch back onboard the ship as we cruise to Worms, one of Germany’s oldest cities, renowned for its great historical and cultural significance.

Surrounded by lush vineyards, Worms is noteworthy for its famous white wine, Liebfraumilch, and as a location described in the ancient Nibelungenlied (The Song of the Nibelungs), an epic poem from the Middle Ages.  The city is also known for its many excellent examples of Romanesque architecture, including the majestic 12th-century St Peter’s Cathedral.

During our tour of Worms, we visit the impressive monument to Martin Luther and other leaders of the Reformation along the “Luther Trail.”  We will also see the 11th-century “Heiliger Sand,” one of the largest and oldest Jewish cemeteries in Europe with some tombstones dating back nearly a millennium.

During our free time, visit Worms’ Christmas Markets while strolling through the streets, surrounded by festive echoes of the Christmas trumpeters.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6 (Tuesday 7 December) :  Rudesheim - Rhine Castles - Koblenz

This morning, we arrive in the lovely town of Rüdesheim and visit Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum, an extraordinary collection of big and small music boxes, player pianos, barrel organs, and all sort of other musical devices.

After the museum, walk down the Drosselgasse, a narrow alley lined with wine taverns and restaurants, and/or visit the Christmas Markets where there are more than 120 stands from 12 nations offering their distinctive holiday products before returning to the ship.

This afternoon, we will cruise through the Rhine Gorge, the most beautiful stretch of the river, passing castle after castle.  A highlight is the legendary Lorelei Rock, where sweet songs of local beauties reputedly lured enchanted sailors to their doom.

Arrive in Koblenz late this afternoon. Enjoy an after dinner stroll through this charming town. The ship moors overnight in Koblenz.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Dinner

Day 7 (Wednesday 8 December) :  Koblenz - Cologne

This morning, the ship cruises to Cologne for a walking tour through the old part of the city and visit to the fabled 13th-century Gothic Cathedral.

During our free time, you might choose to return to the cathedral area and browse through the city’s most impressive of its nine different Christmas Markets, offering a range of handicrafts and gifts at 160 attractively designed wooden pavilions.

Here, you will find an assortment of delicacies and can watch artisans at work.

The ship departs tonight for Amsterdam.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8 (Thursday 9 December) :  Amsterdam

We'll spend our last morning on the Amalegro leisurely cruising to Amsterdam.

After arriving in Amsterdam in the late afternoon, we take a guided canal cruise before gathering onboard for a Gala Farewell Dinner.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9 (Friday 10 December) :  Cruise ends in Amsterdam

After breakfast, disembark and make your way to the airport for your flight home, or extend your vacation any which way you choose (see below).

Included Meals: Breakfast

Optional Post-Cruise Extension to Belgium  (1 - 2 nights or longer, in Brussels)