Amsterdam to Paris 2010 (Amsterdam to Trier, Cruise-Only)

DAY 1, ARRIVE IN AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
Your luxurious river cruise ship is moored near the city center. Meet your fellow travelers tonight at the Cocktail Reception. (D)

DAY 2, AMSTERDAM
After breakfast, admire beautiful 17th-century homes, charming churches and 16th-century merchant houses on a guided canal boat tour. Enjoy an information briefing as you cruise towards Germany. (B,L,D)

DAY 3, DÜSSELDORF – COLOGNE, GERMANY
This morning, arrive in Düsseldorf for a guided walking tour. See the Burgplatz with its Old Castle Tower, the Marketplatz Town Hall and the sophisticated shopping of Kings Avenue. Old-town Düsseldorf is also home of the „Old Beer“ and this area of the city is also know as “the world’s longest bar” with more then 200 restaurants and bars. Nowhere else in the world does beer taste as delicious as here. Later, cruise the Rhine River to Cologne for a visit to the fabled 13th-century Gothic cathedral. (B,L,D)

DAY 4, FRANKFURT
This morning, see the stunning beauty of the Rhine castles and the famous Lorelei Rock as you sail through the fascinating Rhine Gorge. In the afternoon, arrive in Frankfurt, the bustling metropolis on the Main River. Enjoy a guided walking tour of its historic city center “The Romer.” The ship moors overnight in Frankfurt. (B,L,D)

DAY 5, MAINZ (HEIDELBERG) – KOBLENZ
Today, decide between two excursions: take a guided walking tour of beautiful Mainz and see the famous Gutenberg Museum, home of the world’s first printed bible, and then return to the ship for lunch. Or, travel by motorcoach to Heidelberg, Germany’s oldest university town, to visit the red-walled Castle, the Great Vat, and take a walking tour of Old Heidelberg. Heidelberg represents the essence of German Romanticism with its picturesque lanes and maze of roofs. Enjoy some free time for lunch on your own before returning to Mainz. The ship continues on to Koblenz, which is situated at the confluence of the Mosel and Rhine rivers; arriving in the early evening. After dinner, join your Cruise Director for an escorted walk through town. (B,L,D)

DAY 6, COCHEM
Enjoy your breakfast as you cruise the beautiful Mosel River with its steep sided banks of vineyards. After lunch, arrive in Cochem, where you will enjoy a guided visit of the Reichsburg Castle and its spectacular views of the river. Cochem has an idyllic setting amid vine-clad hills, overlooked by the magical neo-Gothic castle which was romantically restored in the 19th century. The little town has three fortified gates, quaint narrow alleys and beautiful half-timbered houses. Cochem is best known for its cozy wine taverns and colorful riverside promenades. (B,L,D)

DAY 7, BERNKASTEL – TRIER
Arrive in Bernkastel early this morning and explore this quaint little town on your included walking tour. Strategically located in the middle of the Mosel wine-producing region, it boasts over 500 years of documented wine history. Even with its twin city of Kues across the river, Bernkastel-Kues has a population of fewer than 10,000 inhabitants. The famous Mosel Wine Museum is situated here. The 13th century town gate still stands and there are numerous beautiful half-timbered houses in this charming town. From here, cruise on to Trier, Germany’s oldest city, for a guided tour of the city’s rich Roman past, including the Roman Baths and Amphitheater. Trier has played an important role in history since Roman times. The city retains many ancient monuments including the impressive Porta Nigra, an imposing and well-preserved fortified gate, the basilica and the ruins of the imperial baths. Trier also possesses an abundance of Gothic churches and Baroque palaces and a Romanesque cathedral. Today, Trier is an important industrial city and the main center of the Mosel wine region. (B,L,D)

DAY 8, TRIER – DISEMBARK
This morning, bid farewell to your cruise ship and head to Luxembourg for a city tour of the Grand Duchy. In the 1990ies Luxembourg became one of the most prosperous countries of Western Europe with a highly developed industry. Banking and finance came to be the staples of the country’s economy and today, Luxembourg is one of Europe's financial centers. (B)

The perfect cruise for early spring! Visit some of Europe's most fascinating cities as you sail the Rhine River from youthful Amsterdam to Germany's fashion center, Düsseldorf. Explore splendid Cologne with its magnificent Dome and admire the picturesque Rhine castles on your way to bustling Frankfurt and medieval Heidelberg. Continue to fascinating Koblenz and cruise the beautiful Mosel River Valley to charming Cochem and lovely Bernkastel. Disembark in Trier, Germany's oldest town, and tour Luxembourg before your splendid finale in Paris.

Cruising: A standard, outside cabin onboard the MS Amacello or MS Amalegro

* The prices shown are U.S. dollars per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability. Prices quoted for land/cruise arrangements are subject to increase without notice. Once we have received your deposit, land/cruise prices are guaranteed. Whenever air-inclusive prices are displayed, these prices do not include government taxes and fees, which are additional. Air prices are subject to increase and are guaranteed only from the time that full payment is received. Air-inclusive prices include air from a major U.S. gateway; air from other U.S. airports is available at an additional cost. Sorry, we are unable to offer air from countries other than the U.S. However, for those international customers who are able to arrange their own transportation to the origination city, we are able to offer the land/cruise portion of the package, at the price quoted.