5 Different Rivers: The Rhine, Neckar, Main, Moselle, and Saar

Transfer to Cochem castle by minibus in groups of about 25 passengers. The Reichsburg is built on a remarkable site, a steep vine-covered hill overlooking the Moselle. Guided tour of this magnificent castle dating from the year 1000, which was destroyed by French troops in the 17th century and entirely rebuilt according to old plans in a Neo-Gothic style. It is distinguished by its graceful towers topped with bell turrets. It is one of the few castles in Germany which, having been rebuilt after being destroyed, still has its original countenance today. After visiting the castle, you will have some free time in the town. The town of Cochem is interesting in itself, with its narrow winding streets, its carefully restored half-timbered houses with their slate roofs, the Town Hall square with its history-filled past, as well as ancient walls, gates and churches. Return to the boat on foot.

PLEASE NOTE

• Return to the boat on foot.
• Good walking shoes are recommended.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

The excursion to Frankfurt will begin with a panoramic tour of the city by coach. Frankfurt am Main is a dynamic and international city with Germany's most imposing skyline. Under the skyscrapers, you'll find cozy pubs; and at the heart of the bustling city center, you'll find sites full of history. Frankfurt also has an unrivalled museum scene featuring masterpieces spanning nine centuries of European art. We'll leave the coach behind to visit the city on foot. After passing in front of the dominant Frankfurt Cathedral, we'll discover the old city and the Römerberg, the seat of the city's government since the 15th century. Formerly called the Samstagsberg, it has been the site of markets and fairs, tournaments and festivals, executions, imperial elections and coronations. Here you'll also find a plaque commemorating the book burning by the National Socialists in 1933. After our tour, enjoy some free time before returning to the ship on foot.

PLEASE NOTE

• Visit of the city on foot : possibility to get to the boat by coach at the end of the excursion.
• People who want to enjoy free time in the city will get back to the boat on foot.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Departure for the visit of Heidelberg. This cosmopolitan, friendly, and vibrant city is made up of 15 distinct neighborhoods and is particularly attractive to families, students, business people, and researchers. Its high quality of life comes through to visitors, who feel genuinely at home here. We'll begin with a visit to the outside of Heidelberg Castle, where you'll be able to see the Renaissance ruins and parts of its restoration. The castle has a history that is almost as old as the city itself. From either the Great Terrace or the gardens, enjoy an amazing view over Heidelberg, the Neckar River, and the valley. Don't miss seeing the Heidelberg Tun. Built in 1751 by Prince Elector Karl Theodor, it housed the wine paid as taxes by the wine growers in the region. Legend has it that the permanently intoxicated court jester who guarded the cask, Perkeo, died after mistakenly drinking a simple glass of water. You can also enjoy a stroll through the castle gardens, once considered a masterpiece of their time. Built upon several terraces, they were made up of many flower beds, mazes, sculptures, heated greenhouse with orange trees, large ponds, waterfalls, and a man-made grotto. We'll then head for the Neckarmünzplatz, on the banks of the Necker River, and continue with a guided tour of the old city. We'll pass by the Church of the Holy Spirit, the most famous church in Heidelberg, whose steeple dominates the town. And then you can take advantage of some free time to wander through the streets and shops before returning on board.

PLEASE NOTE

• Depending on the cruise, departure and/or return on board in Mannheim
• The access to the castle needs climbing up a 300m gradient.
• Good walking shoes are recommended.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

You will set off on foot from accompanied by your guides and visit the town of Mainz. Capital of the Rhine Palatinate, Mainz was founded more than 2000 years ago by the Romans. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the top architects and sculptors created the basic shape of the town, with fine palaces and churches. Here you can admire the magnificent historic houses which have been outstandingly well-restored. Located on the banks of the Rhine opposite the confluence of the Rhine with the Main, Mainz will captivate you with its quite incomparable lifestyle, its unique charm and its openness to the world. In the company of your guide, you will be able to enter the magnificent Cathedral, whose construction began in 975 and which has left a deep mark on the history of the town. The interior of the cathedral houses some wonderful historic treasures, including tombs and funerary monuments from the 13th to the 18th centuries. You will also have the opportunity to wander up and down the colorful streets in the old town. Finally you will visit the Gutenberg Museum, the world's finest museum for printing equipment, materials and books. Born in Mainz around 1400, Johannes Gensfleisch Gutenberg himself prepared the copy of the Bible referred to as "the 42-line Bible” which was published in 1455 - the oldest printed book in the world. Out of the 46 copies still in existence, the museum has just one, along with a "Mainz Psalter”, the first ever document printed using three different colors of ink. The museum extends over five floors and provides a quite remarkable exhibition on the history of the book and written word in both Europe and the world as a whole. Set off by coach to re-join the boat at Worms.

PLEASE NOTE

• Good walking shoes are recommended: the tour is on foot and the streets in the old town are cobblestoned.
• The Gutenberg Museum is closed on Sunday mornings and on Mondays. 
• The ship sails during the excursion.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.

Luxembourg is a real mix of styles and cultures. We’ll set out on a guided tour on foot to get a closer look at some of the sites, including the Place des Armes, Place de la Constitution, capital buildings, Corniche, old city, Grand Ducal Palace (exterior), and Place Guillaume II.

After our tour, we'll return to the ship in Remich. We'll visit a winery(1) and enjoy a tasting*. You’ll discover the secrets to wine making while strolling through underground passages that seem to go on for miles. After our excursion, we'll return on board our ship.

PLEASE NOTE

• (1) In case the original winery isn't available, we'll visit an other one.
• Times are approximate and can change according to our navigational route.
• The order of the visits can change.
• *Alcohol can be harmful to your health. Please drink in moderation.

You will start the visit with a tour and commentary of the Rüdesheim vineyards by mini-train, during which you will discover the famous vineyards already cultivated in the Roman period. During this tour, the history of winemaking in the region will be explained and you can enjoy a breathtaking view of Rüdesheim and the Rhine. The train will then stop right before the historical Bassenheimer Hof cellar, a seigneurial residence from the 16th century, where we'll indulge in a wine-tasting*. A winemaker from the Störzel family cellar will guide you through a tasting of three different wines, from the driest to the sweetest, all the while telling you about the history of the cellar and winemaking in the Rüdesheim region, complete with local stories. Afterwards, our visit will continue on to the Museum of Mechanical Musical Instruments located 100m away from the cellar in an old building from the 15th century. The "Siegfrieds Mechanisches Musikkabinett" is the first German museum dedicated to self-playing musical instruments, which holds an impressive collection of no less than 350 mechanical musical instruments dating back to the 18th century to the 20th, all spread out on more than 4000 ft². This is a vast collection, dating back three centuries, of fascinating musical instruments that function like computers, ranging from tiny, delicate music boxes to an enormous orchestrion. Tools and machines for the production of organ pipes, cardboard sheet music, rolls of sheet music and perforated disks are also on display in the collection. Whatever their age, museum visitors always take great pleasure in discovering this special music, the techniques from the past and how these instruments work. After visiting the Museum, you will have some free time to stroll through the streets of Rüdesheim ambling down the famous Drosselgasse, before making your own way back to the boat.

PLEASE NOTE

• Warm clothes are recommended for the visit of the cellar.
• After the visits, passengers will have free time in Rudesheim until they go back to the boat on foot on their own.
• Good walking shoes are recommended.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.
• *Alcohol can be harmful to your health. Please drink in moderation.

Departure from the boat for a panoramic coach tour of the city of Trier. Discover the Roman cultural heritage of Trier with a splendid view over the Moselle and its magnificent countryside. Trier is the oldest of German cities, founded so long ago that it is 13 years older than Rome. And Trier's age is not its only claim to glory. It is known above all for having been one of the seats of power of the Holy Roman Empire, one of the great centers of Early Christianity as well as a dynamic medieval town. Of these three periods, the city has retained some precious architectural marks. The tour continues on foot. We'll discover (exteriors ony) the Amphitheater, the tenth biggest in all of the Roman Empire which could hold up to 30,000 spectators. We'll move on to the Imperial Baths which were sumptuously arranged inside: marble on the walls, floors, mosaics, frescoes on the walls, statues. The thermae buildings form a rectangle 140m x 250 m. Continuation to the Basilica of Constantine. Since its construction in about 310, the basilica has never been out of use. From the very start, the edifice was an imposing one - 67 m long, 27 m wide and 30 m high. Over time, numerous buildings have been added. Finally, we'll discover the famous Porta Nigra which was designed as a gate as well as a monument. Even Rome today does not have an ancient building of this size in such a state of conservation. Afterwards, we'll walk round the city center, marked by the Middle Ages thanks to St Peter's Cathedral in particular (exteriors only). Its oldest parts date from 326, but the general layout of the church was considerably altered in the 10th century. You'll also be able to enjoy the atmosphere on the Hauptmarkt - the Main Market square. Highly Baroque and located in the heart of the city center, its mixture of styles will enchant you. Old timber-framed houses mingle with classical pastel-colored houses, decorated with white stucco. At the end of your guided tour, you will have some free time to stroll around the town at your own pace. Return to the boat by coach.

PLEASE NOTE

• Comfortable shoes are recommended.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.