VIKING RIVER CRUISES
10 Days | Rhine Rhapsody
Northbound

BASEL TO PARIS

Day 1 | Basel, Switzerland. Welcome to Basel on the Rhine River in northwest Switzerland. Transfer from the airport to your ship. After boarding, enjoy time on your own getting acquainted with the city, or join our “welcome walk” to stretch your legs and start getting oriented. Dinner is served aboard. (D)

Day 2 | Basel. After breakfast, you have a half-day city tour of Basel. Your guided tour will begin at Dreiländereck (Three Counties Corner), where you might find yourself in three places at once, as this is the location of the borders separating Switzerland, France and Germany. Drive to the Art Museum for the start of your walking tour through Basel’s beautifully preserved Old Town. After your tour, the afternoon is free to explore Basel. Return aboard for dinner and an early evening departure. Cruise through the night. (B, L, D)

Day 3 | Strasbourg, France. Arrive in Kehl this morning and disembark for your guided tour of Strasbourg. See the European Parliament and tour the interior of the city’s famed cathedral. Free time allows you to further explore this Alsatian city’s blend of French and German cultures: fabulous churches, medieval covered bridges, beautiful parks, as well as lovely Art Nouveau and modernist architecture. As always, your Program Director can help you plan your free time. Return to your ship for dinner and departure. (B, L, D)

Day 4 | Heidelberg. Rudesheim. Wake up in Mannheim and disembark for a tour to Heidelberg to see Germany’s oldest university, founded in 1386. Then visit the beautiful sandstone ruins of imposing Heidelberg Castle, and take in the scenery of the Neckar River Valley and the city’s many red rooftops from its hilltop location. Continue with a walking tour through the Old Town to Heidelberg’s renowned gates.

Return to your ship for afternoon cruising. Arrive in Rüdesheim in the early evening. Spend free time in the pedestrian-only Drosselgasse and sample a glass of locally produced wine at one of the restaurants or wine bars. Dine aboard or stay in town if you prefer as the ship remains docked overnight. (B, L, D)

Day 5 | Braubach. Koblenz. This morning, sail along the most scenic stretch of the Rhine, where castles overlook the river from their hilltop locations. This part of the Middle Rhine Valley is so beautiful that it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Midmorning, disembark for a tour of 700-year-old Marksburg Castle and its museum. Return to your ship for lunch and a short cruise to Koblenz, where you disembark and enjoy some time in this charming town at the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine Rivers. (B, L, D)

Day 6 | Cochem. This morning, enjoy scenic cruising on the Moselle River, a hidden gem lined with steep vineyards, pastoral towns and its own stately castles. After lunch aboard, arrive in the quaint town of Cochem, where you disembark for a walking tour of the city and a visit to the imposing Reichsburg Castle. Return to your ship before dinnertime. Dine aboard the ship tonight, as we sail through the night. (B, L, D)

Day 7 | Bernkastel. Trier. After breakfast, an optional guided walk through the 700-year-old town of Bernkastel is available, replete with narrow cobbled streets lined with half-timbered houses. Return to your ship for lunch and enjoy lovely unspoiled scenery as we cruise along the Moselle River toward Trier. We arrive this afternoon and will have time for a tour of Germany’s oldest city. See the wonderfully preserved Roman Porta Nigra, Trier Cathedral and the Church of Our Lady. Dine aboard. We remain docked here tonight so you may wish to take an evening stroll in town. (B, L, D)

Day 8 | Trier. Luxembourg. Paris, France. Disembark in Trier this morning. Travel to Luxembourg where you visit the American Cemetery and pay homage to the many soldiers 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 get lunch before continuing to Paris. Arrive in Paris, the romantic capital of France, and check in to the Le Méridien Étoile (or similar) for a 2-night stay. Your evening is free to explore and dine on your own. (B)

Day 9 | Paris. 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. The banks of the Seine, with their graceful bridges and unmatched city views, are a UNESCO Site. (B)

Day 10 | Paris. After breakfast, check out of your hotel and proceed to the airport for your return flight. Or, extend your trip with 2 additional nights in romantic Paris. (B)

NOTE: Itinerary is subject to change without notice. For the most up-to-date information, please refer to the itinerary schedule you receive with your final documents.

NORTHBOUND 10 DAYS | BASEL TO PARIS Click HERE to view 10-day SOUTHBOUND. Click ship name to view deck plan.