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13 Days Central European Experience Tour Package
Duration: 13 Days / 12 Nights
Priced From: $2,789 pp Dbl. Occ.
Dates: Jul, Sep, Oct /08
Spend two nights in Paris, then transfer to Trier, Germany, to embark on a 7-night cruise. End your vacation with two nights in the Czech capital of Prague. Enjoy city sightseeing in Paris and Prague, as well as in Bernkastel and Bamberg. Visit Reichsburg Castle high above Cochem and Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum in Rüdesheim. Marvel at the gabled, half-timbered houses in Miltenberg and the Bishop’s Residenz in Würzburg. You’ll cruise on the Moselle, the Rhine, and the Main Rivers, as well as the Main-Danube Canal. Disembark in Nuremberg and transfer by motorcoach to Prague, where Local Guides show you the city’s highlights.
Itinerary
Day 1
Board your overnight transatlantic flight.
Day 2 Paris, France
Welcome to Paris! France’s capital on the River Seine, the “City of Light,” where romance fills the air.
Day 3 Paris
Paris’ famous sights are living history: magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, the unique Louvre Museum with its glass pyramid contrasting its ancient architecture, the commemorative Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, Champs Elysées, and the Eiffel Tower, a structural miracle of its age. The city is well known for its colorful nightlife, including some of the world’s most famous cabaret shows. (BB)
Day 4 Paris–Trier, Germany (Embarkation)
After breakfast, drive to Trier in Germany, where the crew of your vessel waits to welcome you aboard. The Moselle River is some 312 miles long, rising in the Vosges Mountains of northeastern France and entering Germany at Trier. The entire Moselle Valley is famous for its beautiful and tranquil scenery. (BB,D)
Day 5 Bernkastel
In the middle of the Moselle region is the charming wine village of Bernkastel, with its well preserved half-timbered houses surrounding the beautiful MARKET PLACE. Wine growers in this area look after Germany’s largest expanse of vineyards, the most celebrated of the vintages being the Bernkasteler Doktor. (FB,L,D)
Day 6 Cochem–Coblenz
REICHSBURG CASTLE, towering above the river at Cochem, can be seen from afar and sits atop a conical hill covered in vines. Views of the little town of Cochem nestled below and of the river valley are splendid. Cruising the wide, peaceful curves of the river, it quickly becomes obvious that the Moselle is an important wine-growing region. Most notably, Riesling grapes are cultivated, producing a dry to sweet, floral white wine. Situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, 2,000-year-old Coblenz is the cultural and business center of the Middle Rhine region. The Deutsches Eck, located on a tongue of land where the two rivers converge, holds an impressive equestrian statue of Wilhelm I. (FB,L,D)
Day 7 Rhine Gorge–Rüdesheim
The dramatic Rhine Gorge is the most beautiful stretch of river. Pass the legendary Rock of the Lorelei, where sweet songs lured enchanted sailors to their doom. Rüdesheim is the perfect example of a Rhine Valley wine town and SIEGFRIED’S MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM is a real surprise! Explore the Drosselgasse and be sure to try one of the vintages in any of the wine taverns. (FB,L,D)
Day 8 Miltenberg
Located on the Main River, Miltenberg is a picturesque Bavarian village that thrived on income from river traffic. Its cultural wealth and affluence are reflected in the beautiful medieval and Renaissance houses and the Gothic splendor of the Merchant Hall. (FB,L,D)
Day 9 Würzburg
Known as the “Pearl of the Romantic Road,” Würzburg is surrounded by sloping hills covered with vineyards. The magnificent BISHOP’S RESIDENZ is a UNESC World Heritage Site. (FB,L,D)
Day 10 Bamberg
Another UNESCO World Heritage Site is medieval Bamberg, with its breathtaking cathedral, Old Town Hall straddling the river, and serpentine streets with charming houses and 18th-century mansions. (FB,L,D)
Day 11 Nuremberg (Disembarkation)–Prague, Czech Republic
Cross the Czech border in the Bohemian Forest and head for Prague, the “Golden City.” (FB)
Day 12 Prague
Prague is a 1,000-year-old city preserved in time. It straddles the Vltava River with domes, cupolas, spires, and pinnacles highlighting its skyline. Its best-known treasures are the Old Town’s Astronomical Clock, once the envy of all of Europe; HRADCANY CASTLE; St. Vitus Cathedral; and the Charles Bridge. Browse the shops for hand-cut crystal or art books. Mix with the locals in Wenceslaus Square or stroll along the Vltava River. Your Cruise Director will have more suggestions for things to do. (BB)
Day 13 Prague
Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (BB)
Highlights
PARIS
Guided sightseeing
TRIER
Welcome reception
BERNKASTEL
Guided sightseeing
COCHEM
Visit Reichsburg Castle
RÜDESHEIM
“Winzerexpress” mini train
Visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum
MILTENBERG
Guided sightseeing
WÜRZBURG
Guided sightseeing, visit the Residenz
BAMBERG
Guided sightseeing
PRAGUE
Guided sightseeing
Visit Hradcany Castle
INSIDE VISITS
Inside visits and special features are shown in the description, including admission charges when applicable.
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10/08
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