Uniworld, Castles Along The Rhine, River Cruise Vacation Package
Duration: 9 Days / 8 Nights
Priced From: $1,599 pp Dbl. Occ.
Dates: Mar - Nov
Ship: River Ambassador
From: Amsterdam
Celebrate the fairytale beauty and romantic spirit of the Rhine
This tour really lives up to its name with castles, castles, and more spectacular castles. Gracing the shores of the middle Rhine Valley are more medieval castles than in any other river valley in the world. The fairytale castles combine with the breathtaking landscape of terraced vineyards and old-world towns, will leave you awestruck.
Artists, musicians, writers, and poets from all over Europe have immortalized the Rhine’s unadulterated natural beauty in their songs, art, stories, and poetry. Byron, Dumas, Hugo, and Heine celebrated it in their writing. Beethoven, Schuman, Brahms, Schubert, and Wagner idolized it in their music, and Turner captured it in his paintings.
And even today, the Rhine continues to inspire those who visit—especially Germany’s upper middle Rhine Valley, spanning approximately 40 miles between Koblenz and Rüdesheim. This area has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
As you travel along the Rhine, each bend and twist affords new surprises that are certain to inspire you the way countless others have been inspired for centuries.
Who will enjoy this cruise: Romantics, history buffs, wine connoisseurs and nature lovers will rejoice in medieval wine towns, glorious castles, majestic cathedrals, world-class cities, and the romantic Rhine’s glorious natural beauty.
Itinerary
DAY 1: Depart Home Gateway City to Amsterdam
DAY 2: Amsterdam (embark)
Arrive in Amsterdam where you’ll be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the ship. (D)
DAY 3: Cologne
Featured Excursion: Cologne walking tour and cathedral visit
Youll meet up with your guide on the pier and begin your walking tour. Stroll through the narrow streets of Old Town, passing by tiny squares and little churches as you make your way to the cathedral, the cit?s most famous landmark and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. It took 632 years for German?s largest cathedral to be completed, and it is one of the most important gothic churches in Europe. A visit inside features the Shrine of the Three Magi and the beautiful glass windows that survived WWII. (BB, L, Captai?s Welcome Dinner)
DAY 4: Cologne and Koblenz
Featured Excursion: Koblenz walking tour
Irresistible Optional Tour: Enjoy a visit to Marksburg Castle, the best-preserved castle on the Rhine, with wine tasting.
Arrive in Koblenz, situated on the beautiful corner at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle. Your guided walking tour will highlight the appeal of Koblenz – its romantic narrow streets and historical squares, the picturesque alleyways and fountains in the old quarter and the 12th-century churches of St. Florin and Our Lady. (BB, L, D)
DAY 5: Koblenz and Rudesheim
Featured Excursion: Castle Vollrads wine tasting
Irresistible Optional Tour: Rüdesheim dinner and entertainment
Departing in the morning from Koblenz to Rüdesheim, yo5ll sail along one of the most beautiful sections of the Rhine, the scenic 40 miles of the upper Middle Rhine Valley declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. With its vine-filled slopes, its more than 40 castles strung like pearls along the riverban?s ledges, and the famous Lorelei Rock, the gorge is the perfect embodiment of the romantic Rhine. Rüdesheim has a long history dating back to Roman times, and is considered one of the most charming of the Rhine Valley ports of call. The town is famous for, among other things, its long avenue of shops and wine bars, the Drosselgasse. Enjoy the first part of the afternoon exploring the town on your own, and then join us for a visit to the prestigious Castle Vollrads. It is perfectly situated in the vineyard-covered hills, and is ranked as one of the world’s top wine estates for its Rheingau Rieslings. Join us for a unique wine tasting at the castle. (BB, L, D)
DAY 6: Speyer
Featured Excursion: Speyer walking tour
Irresistible Optional Tour: Heidelberg with visit to the castle and lunch at a historic restaurant
Your guided walking tour through Speyer reveals a medieval town with a grand heritage and a compact historical center dominated by the largest Romanesque cathedral in Europe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its basilica laid out in the form of a Latin cross, and including four towers and two domes. (BB, L, D)
DAY 7: Strasbourg
Featured Excursion: Strasbourg canal cruise
Irresistible Optional Tour: Haute Königsburg
See Strasbourg in the way it has been seen through the centuries—on a canal cruise. In addition to viewing the town’s covered bridges, medieval watchtowers and modern building that houses the European Parliament, you will see “Petite France,” a picturesque district that seems as if it has been lifted from the pages of a fairy tale. (BB, L, D)
DAY 8: Strasbourg, Breisach (Colmar)
Featured Excursion: Full-day tour along the Alsatian Wine Road
Leaving Strasburg we head for a famous road, the Alsatian wine route, which hugs the foothills of the Vosges Mountains. Charming villages and lush vineyards, producing great white wines, line this winding scenic route. Stops in the Medieval town of Colmar and the picturesque village of Riquewihr are included. Experience the charm of medieval Colmar in its historic center and the picturesque timber-framed houses in the village of Riquewihr. (BB, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)
DAY 9: Basel (disembark), transfer to airport
Disembark the ship and transfer to the airport in Basel for your flight home.
Save time, money and stress!
For reservations: Fill out the Uniworld River Cruise vacation planner to be contacted by Our Uniworld, Europe River Cruise vacation specialist.
Contact: Travelwizard.com
Phone: 1-800-330-8820 or 1-415-446-5252
11/09
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