AMA Waterways Cruise: Captivating Rhine

Enjoy a hearty breakfast onboard before disembarking today for a cruise through Amsterdam’s famous network of canals. Later, set sail for Germany and Switzerland along the Rhine.

Enjoy breakfast onboard this morning before choosing your tour for the day. Düsseldorf is a major hub of German culture, commerce and architecture and there’s plenty to discover here. You can either join a walking tour, concluding with a taste of the local Altbier, brewed using traditional techniques or cover more ground with an active bike tour of the city. You might even like to take a brief trip to the nearby city of Cologne, where you can take a guided tour of the Old Town. Dinner is served back onboard as you continue south towards the Rhine Gorge.

This morning, you’ll be cruising through the beautiful Rhine Gorge, arguably the most beautiful stretch of the river. Arriving into Rüdesheim am Rhein, you can once again choose from a selection of activities. Either try some of the local wines on a tour of Rüdesheim’s famous vineyards, enjoy a hike through the vineyards or catch a gondola up over the vineyards to the Neidewald Monument overlooking the town. Alternatively, you can join a guided bike tour along the banks of the river.

Later on, let Siegfried’s Mechanical Instrument Cabinet charm you with its remarkable collection of self-playing musical instruments; or taste one of the town’s special delights, Rüdesheimer coffee, ceremoniously made with brandy, coffee and whipped cream.

Your cruise docks in Ludwigshafen this morning which is the starting point for a choice of three destinations. Visit Heidelberg, the perfectly preserved medieval city in the Neckar River Valley. Here you can visit the iconic red sandstone Heidelberg Castle and Great Vat, an 18th-century, 49,000-gallon wine cask. For a more active adventure, join a guided hike up the Philosopher’s Path for panoramic views of the city. Alternatively, you can visit one of Germany’s oldest cities, Speyer, known for the largest Romanesque cathedral in Europe—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—and the medieval Old Gate, Altpörtel. Or join a guided bike tour along the shores of the river Neckar and enjoy a cycling break to explore the picturesque medieval town of Ladenburg.

Arrive in Strasbourg after breakfast this morning and enjoy a visit to this fascinating city close to the German border. Choose a panoramic tour past the stunning Parc de l’Orangerie, the European Parliament and the Place de la République before walking through its iconic Petite France district, lifted straight from the pages of a fairytale. Wander through charming streets past the Cathédrale de Nôtre Dame with its famous astronomical clock. Or, take a guided bike ride through the city and Parc de l’Orangerie. Dinner is served back onboard this evening.

Dock at Breisach this morning and choose from several different excursions. You can visit the Alsatian town of Riquewihr with its half-beamed houses and cobbled streets. You can head to Freiburg am Breisgau for a walking tour which takes in the famous Gothic cathedral and the city centre dating back to 1120. Last but not least, you can enjoy a guided bike tour through the local countryside or a hike in the Black Forest (subject to weather conditions).

This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner and share memories of your wonderful cruise with your fellow passengers.

Disembark after breakfast this morning in Basel. From here, you can customise your trip as you wish, but our suggested itinerary takes you to the train station for a journey to Lucerne. There’s time to leave your bags at the station here and head out for some lunch before continuing by train on a scenic journey to Interlaken.

On arrival in Interlaken, check in for a 2-night stay at the centrally located Royal St Georges MGallery (or similar). 

You have a free day at leisure in Interlaken today, with the delights of the Bernese Oberland within easy reach. You might like to take a train up to the highest station in Europe at the top of the Jungfrau mountain or travel by cableway up the Schilthorn for lunch in the panoramic Piz Gloria restaurant (which featured in the Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service). Do let us know if you would like to pre-book either of these excursions.

Back in Interlaken, you can take a funicular railway up the Harder Kulm for views over the town’s two lakes or get closer to one (or both) of these with a lake cruise.

Leave Interlaken today and board the panoramic carriages of the Golden Pass line, taking you through the wonderful scenery of western Switzerland from the mountains of the Bernese Oberland down to the shores of Lake Geneva. If you would prefer, you can also choose to travel in ‘Belle Epoque’ carriages (pictured) which means you’ll still need to change in Zweisimmen rather than taking the relatively new direct line.

Arrive into the resort town of Montreux, famous throughout the world for its annual jazz festival. You have 2 nights here, at the Grand Hotel Suisse Majestic (or similar).

Enjoy a free day to explore Montreux and there’s plenty to discover here. Montreux boasts a beautiful lakefront promenade which you can follow all the way to the picture-postcard Chateau de Chillon. You can also take the train (payable locally) to nearby Vevey for the UNESCO World Heritage-listed vineyards overlooking the lake or to Lausanne for a visit to the Olympic Museum. There are plenty of boat cruises to choose from too.

Leave Montreux this morning and take the train along the lakeshore to Lausanne where you transfer onto a high-speed TGV service bound for Paris. On arrival at the Gare de Lyon, you can take the rapid metro (RER) service for just a few stops and arrive at the Gare du Nord, where you’ll board the Eurostar for your return journey to the UK.