£695
Enjoy six fabulous days on a rail-cruise tour along the Rhine, visiting fascinating riverside towns and exploring charming Christmas Markets from the comfort of the elegant 5-star MS Amadeus Brilliant.
- 5-star MS Amadeus Princess
- Mannheim
- Speyer and its Christmas Market
- Strasbourg and its Christmas Market
- Rüdesheim and its Christmas Market
- Mainz and its Christmas Market
We depart St Pancras International by Eurostar to Brussels, where we change trains to travel to Frankfurt. We spend tonight at the Maritim Hotel in Frankfurt. After dinner, and on Day 2, you have the opportunity to explore Frankfurt and its excellent Christmas Market. Later in the afternoon we transfer to our ship, the MS Amadeus Princess. After time to settle in, we enjoy a welcome cocktail and set sail. (Day 1-D; Day 2-B,D)
This morning we arrive in Mannheim, located at the point where the Rhine and Neckar rivers meet. Here you have chance to discover the sights of the city and its famous city squares. Later we visit imperial Speyer, home to a fabulous cathedral. You have the choice to explore Speyer or to join an excursion to Heidelberg, a beautiful city overlooked by its brooding castle ruins. The picturesque Old Town contains many fine old buildings and a bustling Christmas Market - one of the best in the region. (B,L,D)
Today we reach the French city of Strasbourg, located on the west bank of the Rhine. The streets and intricate waterways of this charming Alsatian city are lined with beautiful half-timbered houses, particularly throughout the 'Petite France' quarter. Strasbourg also hosts a popular Christmas Market. On Day 4 we arrive in Rüdesheim, where you can visit the famous Drosselgasse - a lively street lined with beer houses and restaurants. Rüdesheim's 'Christmas Market of Nations' is one of the most impressive along the Rhine, with more than 120 stalls representing 12 nations, their specialities and traditions. Later we arrive in Mainz, a city famous for its marvellous Romanesque Cathedral. This has been the backdrop to Mainz's Christmas Market for more than 200 years, where 100 brightly lit stalls present arts, crafts and culinary delights. The ship remains in Mainz into the evening, giving you the opportunity to soak up the festive atmosphere of the Christmas Market. (Days 4-5-B,L,D)
We arrive back in Frankfurt today and disembark. We travel by train to Brussels and join the Eurostar to London. (B)
B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner
Where shown, meals are included in the price of your
holiday
01904 521 936
