Day 1: We travel into France and onwards to Germany before arriving at the delightful centrally located Maritim Hotel, Cologne in time for dinner.
Day 2: Today is free at leisure to explore Cologne. One of Germany’s oldest and most beautiful cities there is a vast array of attractions from its famous cathedral to its numerous museums and galleries. Lined with a bustling wide promenade and criss-crossed with bridges, your first glimpse of the mighty Rhine in Cologne is destined to be a memorable one. You'll find ancient walls and medieval churches rubbing shoulders with modern quarters, narrow streets filled with traditional old houses, breweries, beer halls, cafes and shops. We embark our ship at 15:00 today before we set sail at 17:00 and enjoy a delicious welcome dinner.
Day 3: Cochem ARR 08:00 DEP 15:00
Today our ship makes a detour along the Moselle River to the most romantic part of the valley and the little town of Cochem. The magnificent Reichsburg castle which overlooks the town, dominates the landscape. Down below, the town, with its narrow streets, half-timbered houses, and numerous restaurants, is an ideal setting to taste the wines of the region and perhaps join an optional excursion to a local winery to sample some of their spectacular wines. Back on board, dinner is served as the journey continues to Rüdesheim.
Optional Excursions:
Cochem & Wine Tasting
Day 4: Rüdesheim ARR 06:00 DEP 11:30 Koblenz ARR 15:30 DEP 21:30.
We arrive in the winegrowers town of Rüdesheim early this morning. At the heart of the old town is the famous Drosselgasse a 15th century cobbled street dotted with quaint restaurants, cafes, wine bars and taverns. Choose a walking tour of the town, with a visit to the unique Mechanical Music Cabinet Museum's private collection of self-playing instruments or explore this charming town at leisure. This afternoon, spend time on deck as we cruise the most beautiful section of the river - the legendary Upper Middle Rhine Valley. This area is registered on the UNESCO World Heritage list for its unique scenic beauty and exceptional landscapes. Each bend of the river delivers something new to admire with storybook villages replete with half-timbered houses, gothic church steeples, riverbanks dotted with vineyards and fairytale castles.
We arrive in Koblenz later this afternoon. Ideally situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers it’s the perfect pit stop for exploring the gorgeous scenic surrounds and rich history of this stunning region. Perhaps join this afternoon’s walking tour of the town or explore at leisure.
Optional Excursions:
Rüdesheim with Museum of Mechanical Music.
Koblenz Walking Tour
Day 5: Mainz ARR 06:00. DEP 19:00
At the very heart of the Rhineland's wine growing region, sophisticated Mainz is the perfect mix of history, culture and high-living. Wander the cobbled streets of the Old Town, and lose yourself among half-timbered buildings housing colourful bars, traditional shops and great eateries. This area is most famed for its fantastic Riesling and Silvaner wines, so it would be remiss not to sit, soak up the atmosphere and enjoy a perfectly chilled glass of this top tipple. There's much more than just excellent vintages to this pretty city though. The Altstadt also plays host to the impressive 1,000-year-old Mainzer Dome, a masterpiece of Gothic, Romanesque and Baroque styles, as well as the fantastic Gutenberg Museum, commemorating Mainz's illustrious printing past. We begin our journey back to Cologne this evening.
Optional Excursions:
Mainz walking tour with Gutenberg Museum
Day 6: Cologne ARR 08:00
We disembark after breakfast this morning to begin our return journey home.