Glacier Express and Rhine Cruise (Amsterdam-Basel)

Today, meet your Tour Manager and the rest of your group at London St Pancras before travelling on the Eurostar service to Amsterdam, where you'll be escorted to the ship. This evening, we enjoy a welcome cocktail before dinner this evening accompanied by songs from the Dutch Sea Shanty Choir.

• Dinner

After Breakfast this morning, we have a choice of two excursions, the first of which is a city tour of Amsterdam. One of the most popular of all the European cities, Amsterdam is as modern as it is historic, as young as it is old. From idyllic canals and large parks, to contemporary art galleries and futuristic architecture, this is a city that boasts something for everyone. The second option is an excursion to Hoorn where we board the splendid Medemblik Steam Train and enjoy a nostalgic trip through splendid Dutch scenery.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We arrive in Cologne after lunch today, where we moor for the night. This afternoon we take a guided walking tour of the city. We visit the imposing Gothic cathedral, the largest in Northern Europe and wander through bustling squares, along labyrinthine streets of Romanesque town-houses. We return to our cruise ship and enjoy dinner with drinks onboard.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We depart from Cologne this morning and discover the marvellous Upper Rhine, a stretch of river characterised by lush green meadows and pretty villages. Our Cruise Director provides us with the history of this area, and highlights points of interest. In the afternoon, we dock in Koenigswinter, where we take a journey on the Drachensfelbahn railway. This fabulous cog railway rises high into the forests, passing the fairytale Drachensfel castle, and giving us wonderful views across the Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany. We enjoy another delicious dinner onboard our ship. This evening we set sail for Koblenz.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning is free to explore the Koblenz, once a Roman stronghold. After lunch we experi-ence one of the highlights of the tour, as we travel through the glorious Rhine Gorge, one of the most beautiful sections of the river and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The river banks deepen here, and we are surrounded by dense forests and endless miles of green vineyards. During this passage we see the extraordinary Lorelei Rock, the site of local myth and legend.

This afternoon we sail into the enchanting German town of Rüdesheim am Rhein, known for its white wine, especially the dry Riesling variety. There's time to wander its cobbled streets and see its charming half-timbered houses, quaint shops and enticing wine bars before dinner back onboard our cruise ship.

We cruise overnight to Speyer.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We arrive into Speyer this morning, where you have free time to explore. This town is home to one of the largest privately owned collections of vehicles in the world, the Technik Museum Speyer. After lunch onboard our ship, we have an excursion to the delightful university city of Heidelberg for a guided tour. Heidelberg is famous for a magnificent ruined castle, which stands proudly above the city, with fabulous views across the surrounding forest and river. We return to our ship for dinner and an overnight sailing back to beautiful Strasbourg.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we have a chance to get to know the beautiful city of Strasbourg, whose position on the German-French border has seen it change hands between the two nations throughout history. As a result, Strasbourg represents the best of both cultures, with colourful half-timbered houses and cobbled streets. You have two choices here. Your first option is a city tour of Strasbourg, discovering its charm and history. Your second choice is an excursion into the Black Forest, passing through stunning fairytale panoramas. Tonight we are invited to a Gala dinner with the crew.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After a buffet breakfast, we disembark the ship in Strasbourg and transfer by rail via Basel to Zermatt. On arrival in Zermatt we make our way to our 4 star hotel. There is free time to explore this idyllic, car-free resort, set below the incredible Matterhorn. Dinner is served at our hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We enjoy another mountain railway journey today, on the Gornergrat Mountain Railway. This cog railway covers 1,469m in its ascent of the Gornergrat, arriving at its summit where you can enjoy magical views of the surrounding mountains including the fabulous Matterhorn. After free time to explore independently and find lunch in Gornergrat, we return to Zermatt for a guided tour. The rest of your day and evening is at leisure to enjoy the wonderful scenery and tranquility of Zermatt.

• Breakfast

Today, we board the world renowned Glacier Express for a spectacular journey to Chur offering unparalleled views of the most awe-inspiring mountain ranges in the world. On arrival in Chur we check into our hotel, then there's free time to look around the oldest settlement in Switzerland before dinner at our hotel this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After a buffet breakfast, our cruise concludes and we disembark. We transfer from the ship to the railway station with our Tour Manager to board the train to Paris, travelling via Basel. From Paris, we join the Eurostar service to London St Pancras.

• Dinner