VIKING RIVER CRUISES
10 Days | Rhine Rhapsody
Southbound

PARIS TO BASEL

Day 1 | Paris, France. Arrive in Paris, the romantic capital of France. Transfer from the airport to your hotel for a 2-night stay. After check-in begin exploring this exciting city on your own, or join our “welcome walk” to stretch your legs and start getting oriented.

Day 2 | 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. As always, your Program Director can help you plan your free time. (B)

Day 3 | Paris. Luxembourg. Trier, Germany. 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 4 | Trier. 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 is served 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 5 | Cochem. 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 6 | Koblenz. Braubach. Rudesheim. 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, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lined with medieval castles, historic towns and vineyards. 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 7 | Heidelberg. Speyer. Cruise through the morning enjoying brunch and the passing scenery. Arrive in Mannheim and disembark for a journey 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.

Rejoin your ship in Speyer this afternoon and take some time to look around. You dock in full view of the imposing Romanesque cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the 11th century on the site of a former basilica, the building’s design was highly influential upon Romanesque architecture for centuries to come, and is the final resting place of eight German monarchs. Its soaring interior features graceful rows of sandstone columns and a large stained-glass window installed in the western façade during a later Gothic period. (B, L, D)

Day 8 | Strasbourg, France. Dock this morning in Kehl and disembark for a guided tour of Strasbourg. See the European Parliament and tour the interior of the city’s famed cathedral. The afternoon is free to further explore this Alsatian city’s blend of French and German cultures: fabulous churches, medieval covered bridges, beautiful parks and some lovely Art Nouveau and modernist architecture. Dine aboard and enjoy free time this evening in the quaint little city of Kehl. (B, L, D)

Day 9 | Basel, Switzerland. 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. Return aboard for lunch and afternoon cruising toward Strasbourg. After lunch on board, you might want to visit one of Basel’s fine art museums or stroll to the main market square, which is the location of the daily farmers market where you can mingle with the locals and sample regional foods. The ship remains docked here overnight. (B, L, D)

Day 10 | Basel. After breakfast, disembark and proceed to the airport for your return flight. Extend your journey with 2 nights in Lucerne, and enjoy the scenic landscape of the Swiss Alps from your hotel, situated on the banks of beautiful Lake Lucerne. Or, experience 3 nights at Lake Geneva, with a stay in Montreux and a scenic tour to Lausanne and Geneva.

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.

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