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 Brilliant
- Koblenz
- The Romantic Rhine Gorge
- Strasbourg and its Christmas Market
- Basel and its Christmas Market
- Speyer and its Christmas Market
We depart St Pancras International by Eurostar to Brussels in Standard Premier Class, enjoying a light meal and drinks on board. Our journey continues by train to Cologne, where our ship, MS Amadeus Brilliant, is moored. After time to settle in, we enjoy a welcome cocktail a head ofdinner, and set sail towards Koblenz. (E,D)
This morning we arrive in Koblenz, at the northern end of the Rhine Gorge, and the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. During your time here you can choose to join an optional city walk, discovering the sights of the city including the 'Deutsches Eck', where the two rivers meet. One of the main attractions at this time of year is undoubtedly the Christmas Market; here more than 130 stalls present their tempting fayre against the backdrop of the Old Town. After lunch we spend a leisurely afternoon cruising along the mighty Rhine towards France. (B,L,D)
We reach the French city of Strasbourg, located on the west bank of the Rhine. An optional city tour offers you the chance to see Strasbourg's Gothic Cathedral, the Old Town and the stunning Petite France quarter. You also have chance to visit the Christmas Market. (B,L,D)
Today we arrive in Basel, with time to see the beautiful sights on an optional city tour. At this time of year the city is very much focused on Christmas; Basel has both Switzerland's largest and most traditional Christmas Market, and Europe's longest illuminated Christmas street.This afternoon we sail back towards Germany, giving you the opportunity to make use of the ship's facilities. (B,L,D)
We arrive in Speyer, an imperial city with a famous Romanesque Cathedral. An optional city walk gives you chance to see the highlights of Speyer including its cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site that celebrates its 950th anniversary in 2011. You can also take an optional excursion to Heidelberg, a beautiful city overlooked by its brooding castle ruins. The castle dominates the town's skyline and after suffering over the centuries it is now restored to its former glory. The picturesque Old Town, contains many fine old buildings and a bustling market. We arrive in Cologne on Day 6 and disembark. We continue by train to Brussels and join the Eurostar to London. (Day 5 -B,L,D; Day 6 -B,E)
E=Eurostar Meal, B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner
Where shown, meals are included in the price of your
holiday
01904 521 936
