Central European Experience 2010 (Prague to Paris)

Day 1: Depart
Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2: Prague, Czech Republic
Welcome to Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. The city straddles the Vltava River with domes, cupolas, spires and pinnacles highlighting its skyline.

Day 3: Prague
Prague is a 1,000-year-old city preserved in time. See its best-known treasures such as the Old Town’s ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK, once the envy of all of Europe; HRADCANY CASTLE; St. Vitus Cathedral; and the Charles Bridge. Browse the shops for hand-cut crystal or art books. Mix with the locals in Wenceslaus Square or stroll along the Vltava River. Your Cruise Director will have other suggestions for things to do. (B)

Day 4: Prague - Nuremberg, Germany (Embarkation)
After lunch, drive to Nuremberg, where your river cruise vessel is docked. Before dinner meet your crew for a WELCOME RECEPTION. (B,D)

Day 5: Bamberg
A beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site is medieval Bamberg. Your walking tour takes in the breathtaking cathedral, the OLD TOWN HALL straddling the River Regnitz, and serpentine streets with charming houses and 18th-century mansions. (B,L,D)

Day 6: Würzburg
Known as the “Pearl of the Romantic Road,” Würzburg is surrounded by sloping hills covered with vineyards. The magnificent BISHOP’S RESIDENZ is another UNESCO World Heritage Site. (B,L,D)

Day 7: Miltenberg
Located on the Main River, Miltenberg is a picturesque Bavarian village that thrived on income from river traffic. Its cultural wealth and affluence are reflected in the beautiful medieval and renaissance houses and the gothic splendor of the Merchant Hall shown to you during your guided walk. This afternoon, learn how to bake a local SOFT COOKIE specialty. (B,L,D)

Day 8: Rüdesheim–Rhine Gorge–Koblenz
Pretty Rüdesheim is the perfect example of a Rhine Valley wine town and SIEGFRIED’S MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM is a real surprise. Enjoy a SPECIAL TREAT, then there’s free time to explore the Drosselgasse and pick up some souvenirs. The dramatic RHINE GORGE is the most beautiful stretch of river. Pass the legendary rock of the Lorelei, where sweet songs of local beauties lured enchanted sailors to their doom. Situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, 2,000-year-old Koblenz is the cultural and business center of the Middle Rhine region. The DEUTSCHES ECK, located on a tongue of land where the two rivers converge, holds an impressive equestrian statue of Wilhelm I. The Moselle River is some 312-miles long, rising in the Vosges Mountains of northeastern France and entering Germany at Trier. The entire Moselle Valley is famous for its beautiful and tranquil scenery. (B,L,D)

Day 9: Cochem
Visit REICHSBURG CASTLE, which sits atop a conical hill covered in vines. From here the views of the little town of Cochem nestled down below and of the river valley are splendid. Cruising the wide, peaceful curves of the river, it quickly becomes obvious that the Moselle is an important wine-growing region. Most notably, the Riesling grape is cultivated, producing a dry to sweet, floral white wine. (B,L,D)

Day 10: Bernkastel
In the middle of the Moselle region is the charming wine village of Bernkastel with its well-preserved half-timbered houses surrounding the beautiful MARKET PLACE. Wine growers in this area look after Germany’s largest expanse of vineyards, the most celebrated of the vintages being the Bernkasteler Doktor. A special treat this evening: your chance to taste several of this region’s varietals in a local WINE CELLAR. (B,L,D)

Day 11: Trier (Disembarkation) - Paris, France
The venerable Episcopal city of Trier is the oldest in Germany and, some claim, even older than Rome! The famous PORTA NIGRA is the only surviving fortified gate from the original Roman settlement and still gives access to the town center. After breakfast, see the highlights of this city on your included tour before traveling to Metz to board the HIGH-SPEED TGV TRAIN for a swift and comfortable journey to Paris. (B)

Day 12: Paris
Paris’ famous sights are living history: your included city sightseeing shows you magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, the unique Louvre Museum with its glass pyramid as a contrast to its ancient architecture, the commemorative Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, Champs Elysées, and the Eiffel Tower, a structural miracle of its age. The city is well known for its colorful nightlife, including some of the world’s most famous cabaret shows. (B)

Day 13: Paris
Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (B)

• Paris: Guided sightseeing
• Paris-Metz or Metz-Paris: By high-speed TGV train.
• Trier: Guided sightseeing, Porta Nigra
• Bernkastel: Guided walk, local marketplace; visit a wine cellar
• Cochem: Visit Reichsburg Castle
• Rüdesheim: Visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum
• Miltenberg: Guided sightseeing; baking demonstration
• Würzburg: Guided sightseeing, visit the Residenz
• Bamberg: Guided sightseeing, Old Town Hall
• Prague: Guided sightseeing, Astronomical Clock, visit Hradcany Castle

Explore the magnificent Moselle, Rhine, and Main Rivers, as well as the fascinating Main Danube Canal, on this splendid river cruise. Enjoy exploring Paris, Prague, Würzburg, and Bamberg. Visit Reichsburg Castle above Cochem; sample the area’s famed Riesling wines in a local wine cellar in Bernkastel; and marvel at Miltenberg’s half-timbered houses.

• Buffet breakfast (B) in Paris and Prague; superb dining with all meals on board daily featuring full breakfast (B), lunch (L), and dinner (D), including a welcome reception, welcome dinner, and Captain’s dinner
• Quality wines from Europe’s most famous wine regions with every dinner
• One sitting with open seating arrangements
• Deluxe cruise in an outside stateroom with hotel-style beds
• Services of a professional Cruise Director
• Onboard lectures, activities & nightly piano music
• Sightseeing with Local Guides
• Headsets for all guided shore excursions
• Inside visits as shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description, including admission charges, where applicable

Paris: Le Meridien Montparnasse (SF) or Hilton Arc de Triomphe (SF)
Prague: Hilton (SF)
Cruising: A Category E outside cabin on the Indigo Deck onboard the Avalon Tranquility

Extra nights per person in Paris:
in single room $440, in twin room $259

Extra nights per person in Prague:
Departures 0423-0604 & 1008: in single room $420, in twin room $224
Departure 0716-0827: in single room $267, in twin room $150

Cruise-Only Option From $2,239
Day 4 Nuremberg, Germany (Embarkation) - Day 11 Trier (Disembarkation)

Cruise-only option allows you to participate in just the river cruise portion of the vacation, removing the overnight stays at the beginning or end of the cruise itinerary. Ask your Travel Consultant for details at the time of booking.

• Oberammergau Cruise Extension (WJ), 4 nights, starting from $1,849 per person, land only
  
  Day 1 Arrival in Innsbruck, Austria. (Wed.)
  Transfer from the Nuremberg port or Munich airport is available. At 6pm, meet your Avalon host for a welcome briefing at your hotel.
  
  Day 2 Innsbruck. (Thu.)
  This morning, a guided sightseeing tour of Innsbruck will include a visit to ST. JAMES CATHEDRAL and the HOFKIRCHE. The rest of the day is free for you to explore on your own, or you may choose to join the optional excursion to the Swarovski Crystal World in Wattens. (B)
  
  Day 3 Innsbruck-Excursion to Oberammergau, Germany. (Fri.)
  This morning while en route to Oberammergau, visit one of King Ludwig II’s castles. After an early lunch, the highlight of the vacation: the original PASSION PLAY. Dinner will be served during intermission. A late-evening transfer will take you back to Innsbruck. (B,L,D)
  
  Day 4 Innsbruck-Excursion to Bolzano & Merano, Italy. (Sat.)
  This morning, a comfortable motorcoach ride will take you across the famous Brenner Pass to Bolzano. After free time for lunch, a short guided walking tour will give you the opportunity to learn about the mixture of Tyrolean and Italian culture in this bilingual region. In the afternoon, visit the mountain resort town of Merano before returning to Innsbruck. (B)
  
  Day 5 Innsbruck-Munich, Germany. (Sun.)
  This morning, transfer by scenic Railjet Train to Zürich, or depart for Germany’s lively city—Munich. Transfer to Munich Airport is available. If you are continuing on one of Avalon’s cruises starting in Nuremberg, an afternoon transfer will take you to your ship for embarkation. (B)
  
  What's included: Passion Play tickets, Meals: 4 buffet breakfasts (B), 1 lunch (L), 1 dinner (D), Welcome Briefing, Services of a professional Avalon Host, Innsbruck: Guided sightseeing walk, Inside visit of St. James Cathedral and the Hofkirche , Bolzano: Orientation walk, Merano: Orientation visit
  
  Superior Hotels:
  Innsbruck: The Hilton Innsbruck

• In the event of water level problems on stretches of any river, it may be necessary to operate part of the itinerary by motorcoach.
• Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.
• In the rare event that the high-speed TGV train is unavailable, alternative arrangements will be made and the sightseeing tour of Trier may not be possible.
• Included visits and special features are subject to change. If a change becomes necessary, a substitute will be offered.
• Cabin upgrades are available.
• Port charges of $98 per person are not included in the prices shown above.
• Please call for single accommadation price. Triples not available.
• Please ask your Vacations To Go travel counselor for more details.

* 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.