Day 1 Depart from the
U.S.
Day 2 Upon arrival in Amsterdam,
travel to the Sofitel Hotel. Enjoy the Amsterdam Canal
by cruise ship. Then, have lunch at your leisure before
you embark on the M.S. Amadeus Princess, one of the newest
river ships in Europe that was specifically designed for
cruising on the continent's most beautiful waterways.
Once aboard, join the captain for a special welcome reception
and dinner. (R,D)
Day 3 While journeying to Cologne,
Germany, enjoy breakfast and lunch aboard the ship. Upon
arriving, take a walking tour of Cologne, spotting sights
of the city's 2,000-year history-from the old Roman towers
to the modern opera house. As a highlight of the tour,
visit the Cologne Cathedral. Enjoy dinner on board as
you leave Cologne and travel to Koblenz and Rüdesheim.
(B,L,D)
Day 4 After enjoying breakfast
on the ship, take a walking tour of Koblenz, a city surrounded
by vine-covered hills dotted with castles and fortresses.
Next, enjoy lunch back on board while you cruise the Lorelei
Passage. Transfer from the ship to the center of Rüdesheim
aboard the Winzer Express. Marvel at the inescapable romanticism
of the Rhine, its historic palaces and ancient castles.
Savor a glass of Riesling or Pinot noir as you take in
the town's distinctive atmosphere. Enjoy dinner on the
ship. (B,L,D)
Day 5 Enjoy breakfast on board
before arriving in Mannheim. From there, travel to Heidelberg.
Explore one of the few German cities that has original
buildings from the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Make your
way through the narrow streets to the dignified ruin of
Heidelberg Castle, still one of the finest Gothic-Renaissance
castles in Germany. As you travel out of Mannheim, enjoy
lunch and dinner back on the ship. (B,L,D)
Day 6 After breakfast on the
ship, set out for a city tour of the birthplace of pâté
de foie gras, Strasbourg, France. Trace the history of
one of France's major ports as you learn about the Council
of Europe, European Parliament and the University of Strasbourg.
After enjoying lunch on the ship, the afternoon is at
leisure. Tonight, join the captain for a farewell dinner.
(B,L,D)
Day 7 7 Enjoy breakfast on board
and then disembark the M.S. Amadeus Princess in Basel,
Switzerland. Travel by motor coach on a scenic transfer
to Zermatt via Gruyères and Montreux. After a brief orientation,
eat lunch in Gruyères at Restaurant La Fleur de Lys. Take
in the 12th-century ramparts and castle before leaving
Gruyères and traveling to Montreux. Discover this town
known for its balmy climate and profusion of Mediterranean
vegetation. Travel to Täsch and then continue on to Zermatt.
Next, check in to Hotel Schweizerhof where you will enjoy
dinner. (B,L,D)
Day 8 Start your day with breakfast
at the hotel. Travel to the Gornergrat via Gornergrat
Bahn, a cogwheel train and the highest open-air railway
in Europe, through aromatic stone pine and larch forests
and across alpine meadows. Arrive in the midst of 29 snow
and ice-covered mountains. Look out through the observatory
on the bleak expanses of the Gorner glacier and over the
heights of the Dom, the highest mountain in Switzerland.
Enjoy lunch at the observatory before returning to the
hotel. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure before dinner at
the hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 9 After breakfast at the
hotel, board the Glacier Express to Andermatt and then
onto Lucerne while enjoying a box lunch. Arrive at Hotel
Schweizerhof Lucerne and enjoy the remainder of the day
at leisure. (B,L)
Day 10 After breakfast, embark
on a full day excursion of Lucerne and Mount Pilatus.
On a walking tour, discover the city that embodies the
storybook image of a Swiss town, Lucerne. Marvel at the
narrow cobblestone streets, slender spires and turrets,
covered bridges, frescoed houses and fountains. Enjoy
lunch at the delicious Kulm Restaurant Mount Pilatus.
Journey onwards to Mount Pilatus for a panoramic gondola
and aerial cableway ride up to the summit. Enjoy an unforgettable
view of the surrounding mountains and lakes. End the tour
with a memorable cruise on Lake Lucerne. Spend dinner
and the rest of the evening at leisure. (B,L)
Day 11 After breakfast at the
hotel, return to the U.S.
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