Lucerne

To make the most of the day we depart early and take the short drive to Lucerne, often considered Switzerland’s most beautiful city, spectacularly situated among stunning mountain views.

It has been attracting well-heeled visitors for two centuries, including our very own Queen Victoria. Highly recommended is an invigorating stroll along the Chapel Bridge, a unique covered wooden walkway crossing the lake, supported by stilts and lined with colourful flower-filled window boxes. Not only is it the city’s most iconic structure, it’s a superb way to absorb Lucerne’s regal atmosphere, before we continue our exploration of the best of Switzerland.

Bernese Oberland

As you enter the Bernese Oberland in central Switzerland, the views become quite literally breath-taking! This is the grand alpine heart of Europe with some of the finest mountain scenery on earth, described by the composer Mendelssohn as ‘the most wonderful of all in this unbelievably beautiful country’.

On viewing the legendary snow-capped peaks of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau you’ll be quite simply awestruck. We then ascend by mountain railway for more extraordinary vistas, with the crystal-clear lakes reflecting the meadows and forests below. This truly magical landscape is sure to enchant you.

Later we’ll descend again by mountain railway before returning to the ship. Please note, temperatures will be significantly lower at altitude, even during the summer months, so it’s advisable to pack suitable clothing. Lunch is not included on this full day excursion; however, the ship will offer a packed lunch.

If you chose a more leisurely start to the day, we drive to Lucerne. 

Lucerne & Free afternoon in Basel

Lucerne

Enjoy a more comprehensive excursion in Lucerne, with a guided tour of the city. Then spend time at leisure wandering its medieval streets before returning to the ship for lunch.

Basel

This afternoon you can choose to stay on board or hop on our shuttle bus to Basel for time to explore independently. With a mix of historic and modern architecture, Basel seamlessly blends tradition and innovation. While you're here, head to the old town to explore its narrow winding streets. At its heart, you'll find the magnificent cathedral with its red sandstone walls, colourful roof tiles, and twin towers. Or you could immerse yourself in the city's remarkable museums and countless galleries, celebrating its rich tradition of art collecting.

Focus on cheese with PCS:  Fondue Fun! 

Included experiences:

• Visit to Lucerne
• Option 1: Full day tour to  Lucerne and the Bernese Oberland with scenic rail journey
• Option 2: Morning tour to Lucerne and free afternoon in Basel

Breisach

This morning's cruising is spent gliding through the dramatic scenery of the rift valley separating the Vosges and Black Forest mountains.

We arrive at the ancient town of Breisach, whose historic heart is surrounded by stone ramparts and dominated by the impressive Saint Stephan’s Cathedral, which you can see during time at leisure before lunch onboard.

This afternoon you have a choice of touring the Black Forest and Freiburg or visiting the Alsace wine route with its typical wine villages. 

Black Forest and Freiburg

We drive through some of Central Europe’s most stunning scenery – the Black Forest Mountains. This is a fabled landscape of rugged valleys, white-water rivers, cascading waterfalls and rolling hillsides covered with huge, densely packed pine trees – exactly as you expect it to be.

Look out for the Baroque spires of St. Peter Abbey as we drive through the quaint village and stop for a photo of the incredible countryside surrounding St Märgen, on our way to Freiburg. On arrival, we'll follow a local guide around some of the city's sights - including the Münsterplatz and the historic Kaufhaus - before time at leisure to explore independently.

Alsace wine route

Traveling, between the vineyards and mountains, along the Wine Route we make our way to Ribeauvillé - a charming village that lies in the shadow of the majestic ruins of the Three Castles of the Lords of Ribeaupierre. After a short walking tour, there's time to wander its picturesque streets to admire the 15th- to 18th-century buildings and Renaissance squares.

Leaving Ribeauvillé, we head next to Riquewihr. Named the 'Most Beautiful Village in France', this medieval town lies right in the heart of the Alsatian vineyards. Famous for both its architecture and its wine, there's plenty to see during our walking tour. There's a little free time to explore before heading back to the ship.

As the sun sets and the riverside lights begin to twinkle, enjoy the views through the restaurant’s panoramic windows during tonight's excellent dinner. Afterwards retire to the lounge to enjoy tonight's live performance of popular music spanning the years by a highly talented violin soloist, before we slip our moorings to commence our cruise towards Strasbourg.

Focus on Cheese with PCS:  On-board cheese-tasting with Julia during scenic cruising this morning

Included:

• Visit to Breisach
• Afternoon option 1: Scenic drive through the Black Forest with visit to Freiburg
• Afternoon option 2: Scenic drive along the Alsace wine route with visits to Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr
• Live violin soloist on board

Strasbourg

This morning, we have crossed over into France to arrive in Strasbourg, capital of the Alsace region.  After breakfast we’ll take a walking tour of this picturesque 16th-century old town – a maze of narrow streets and canals lined with timber-framed houses and sculptured  portals. Unforgettable sights include the Gothic Notre-Dame Cathedral,  multi-towered Ponts Couverts – covered bridges – and the pretty Petite France quarter of pastel-colored former artisans’ houses which line the canals.

As we wander Strasbourg, we will also have a chance to enjoy a traditional Alsace treat or two – local delicacies include tarte flambee, Munster cheese and kugelhopf (sweet bun). Enjoy a bite as you explore, and maybe even pick up a treat to enjoy in your cabin this  afternoon as we cruise!

Cruise towards Speyer

During lunch, our elegant vessel glides away from our mooring as we commence an afternoon’s scenic cruising. Head up to the sun deck and take in the views from a sun lounger or retire to the shady comfort of  the lounge to chat over a coffee with newly made friends.

As evening falls, thoughts turn to what might be on the menu tonight,  so head to the relaxed ambience of the ship’s restaurant as the chef presents another delicious meal inspired by traditional Alsace cuisine to round out the day perfectly.

We’ll arrive at Speyer this evening, where we’ll be moored overnight.

Focus on Cheese with PCS:  Visit to the La Cloche cheese shop, restaurant & maturing cellar in Strasbourg

Included experience 

Guided tour of Strasbourg 

(B,L,D)

Speyer

We remain moored in Speyer this morning but will be venturing out to a nearby vinegar manufacturer. Here, we’ll be able to enjoy a tour of the cellars, learning about the history of vinegar – in particular its use as Posca, an ‘energy drink’ drunk by Roman legionaries. Wandering the herbal chamber and candle-lit cellar rooms, you’ll be reminded of the wine-making processes as you view the centuries-old barrels where the  vinegar is fermented. The tour finishes, of course, with a vinegar tasting. See if you can spot the differences!

If learning about artisanal vinegar doesn’t tickle your fancy, you  have the choice instead to spend the morning exploring Speyer, where you’ll find many historic sites including the imposing Imperial Cathedral and the neo-Gothic Gedächtniskirche.

Returning on board for lunch, we commence our cruise once again, so sit back and watch the idyllic scenery slipping past through the panoramic windows: rolling hills and fertile vineyards - home to the Liebfraumilch wines of the region - and oxbow lakes, which are long deserted by the river flow and now havens for bird and wildlife.

Back on board this evening there’s a truly memorable occasion – the Captain’s Dinner, featuring delicious specialities of the countries and regions we visit during our cruise.

Cruise towards Rüdesheim

During dinner our vessel arrives in the classic Rhine wine village of Rüdesheim, so you might fancy wandering ashore to enjoy a digestif –  perhaps a glass of Asbach, the famous brandy distilled locally.

Focus on Cheese with PCS:  Visit Speyer's best cheese shops with Julia.

Included experiences:

Visit to Speyer with tour of vinegar distillery.

(B,L,D)

Rüdesheim

This morning we moor in Rüdesheim, with its crooked houses sloping  down from wooded hillsides and terraced vineyards. This pretty town is surrounded by vineyards, and as such is an ideal stop for wine  enthusiasts – or oenophiles if you’re feeling fancy – as the vineyards here have been producing the Riesling sold in the local shops and  taverns for centuries. During the delightful land train tour, witness  the vignerons hard at work in their vineyards, the bustling marketplace, the iconic half-timbered Klunkhardshof building, and Bromserburg Castle, which dates from 1275.

Rhine Gorge

This afternoon we’ll experience a real highlight of the cruise, the  dramatic Rhine Gorge: steep vineyards give way to almost vertical rocky  outcrops, towering over 1,000 feet above the sweeping valley sides.  Sailing past Saint Goar and the many ruined castles, you get a real  sense of the myths of this historic river coming alive around you. No  legend is more famous than that surrounding the Loreley Rock, where  beautiful nymphs distracted hapless sailors, luring them to their deaths  in the treacherous waters. This experience provides the perfect backdrop to enjoy a famous Rüdesheimer coffee – a sweet brandy coffee  topped with whipped cream and chocolate.

Relax on the sun deck as our captain skillfully navigates the ship through the huge looping bend at Boppard – one of the most impressive on  the river. Keep an eye out for the mighty Marksburg Castle too, an impressive fortress dating back to the 13th century.

Koblenz

It’s not long before we arrive in picturesque Koblenz; founded by the  Romans, the city is beautifully located at the confluence of the Rhine  and its sister, the Moselle. 

Here we'll discover Koblenz’s maze of medieval buildings in the Altstadt – old town – which is studded with a fine array of traditional shops and classic Rhineland cafés.

On our guided tour of this delightful town, historic buildings appear seemingly at every turn: see the former mint, the Four Towers with their ornamental 17th-century turrets and several fascinating squares and churches, including the 9th-century Basilica of Saint Kastor. The waterfront along the Moselle is stunning too, with the medieval Balduin Bridge, staggeringly still in use.

If you manage to resist the tempting cakes on offer from the beckoning pavement cafés, then you’ll be ready for your meticulously prepared dinner on board and afterwards, delight in the upbeat sounds of Rhenish folk music with a live performance of traditional instruments.

Included experiences:

Vineyard tour of Rüdesheim, cruise through the Rhine Gorge, guided tour of Koblenz and a local folk performance after dinner.

(B,L,D)

Cruise towards Cologne

Early risers will witness our departure from Koblenz as we set sail towards Cologne today.

Enjoy a leisurely morning on board as we drift through this lovely Rhineland scenery, past quaint riverside towns with pretty waterfronts  and carefully tended vineyards. See the famous ruined bridge at Remagen,  which was captured intact by the Allies towards the end of the Second World War, allowing thousands of troops to cross into Germany’s  heartland, and the forested Siebengebirge - Seven Mountains – a cluster  of ancient volcanic hills that inspired many of the Brothers Grimm’s  legends, including Snow White.

Cologne

When we arrive in historic Cologne, we’ll embark an indulgent journey  of exploration through the world of chocolate at the Schokoladenmuseum, where you can learn about the 5,000-year history of cocoa, from its  beginnings in Central America, all the way to the well-loved treat we know today.

Alternatively, you may choose to enjoy a free afternoon to explore  the city. Perhaps visit the superb cathedral, the largest Gothic structure on earth. It has Europe’s most stunningly intricate stained glass, which took 600 years to finish and when work was finally complete, it was the largest building on earth, remaining so until eclipsed by the Eiffel Tower. 

Tonight is the last night of the cruise, so after your last delicious dinner in our elegant restaurant, why not linger in the ship’s bar to swap stories with your like-minded travel companions or bid a bittersweet farewell to our friendly, five-star crew.

Focus on Cheese with PCS:  Morning onboard cheese chat & tasting with Julia

Included experience:

Visit to the Chocolate Museum in Cologne.

(B,L,D)

Disembark and start your journey home, or opt to continue our cheesy adventure to Amsterdam!