RHINE AND MOSELLE 13 nights ALL INCLUSIVE from £1999 Includes insurance and cancellation cover§ Price reduction available if not required.
THE RHINE AND HER TRIBUTARIES
Journey along two inviting waterways passing romantic locations where history reaches out in architecture from centuries past and glorious scenery will be a constant companion…
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– see pages 144-149 for details No fly option
Deutsches Eck, or Germany Corner, in Koblenz
Day 1: UK to Cologne. Travel by coach from Folkestone to Cologne via Eurotunnel or ferry and embark Rex Rheni. Day 2: Cologne to Bonn . Spend the day in Bonn and perhaps join an optional excursion exploring the highlights of the ‘Federal City.’ This afternoon, you may wish to visit Andernach’s famous cold water geyser on an optional excursion. Day 3: Bonn to Koblenz . Sail through the morning to reach Koblenz early afternoon, on the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. An optional tour visits the Festung Ehrenbreitstein, a citadel built by the Prussians. Day 4: Koblenz to Rüdesheim . This morning, cruise the famous Middle Rhine which has steep banks overlooked by many historic castles, and past Lorelei Rock. This afternoon your ship moors in the old wine town of Rüdesheim which is famed for the wine taverns lining its charming Drosselgasse. Whilst here, perhaps join an optional visit to Siegfried’s Museum of Mechanical Music or an optional wine tasting trip. Day 5: Rüdesheim to Speyer. Sail upstream to historic Speyer, where you may like to join an optional walking tour. The town boasts one of Europe’s great Romanesque churches and has retained a reminder of its glorious past in buildings such as the 12th-century Jewish baths and the city gate. Day 6: Speyer to Rastatt to Strasbourg. During the journey to Strasbourg, pause in Rastatt where you can disembark for
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aboard Rex Rheni
an included afternoon excursion to the beautiful Black Forest. Your scenic drive visits Freudenstadt, home to Germany’s largest market square, and then calls at the 12th-century town of Oppenau for tea and a slice of the famous gateau. Moor overnight in Strasbourg. Day 7: Strasbourg . A French city with distinctive German influences, Strasbourg is the capital of Alsace and the largest river port in France. Its crowning glory is the ornate Gothic Cathédrale Notre-Dame. See the highlights on an included morning excursion, including a cruise along the canals. Day 8: Strasbourg to Mannheim. Enjoy a morning at leisure in Strasbourg or perhaps join an optional excursion to Obernai in the heart of the Alsace region. Set sail at lunchtime and spend the afternoon and evening sailing along the Rhine to Mannheim, where you moor late tonight. Day 9: Mannheim to Mainz . From Mannheim you can join an optional excursion to the university town of Heidelberg. Alternatively, stay on board and cruise to historic Mainz where you may like to join an optional walking tour. Behind the large Romanesque cathedral, in Gutenbergplatz Square, is a statue of Johannes Gutenberg, the ‘father of modern printing’ who was born in Mainz. There are plenty of Roman ruins to discover too, including a huge theatre and an aqueduct. Remain moored overnight in Mainz. Day 10: Mainz to Boppard to Alken. Depart Mainz this morning along the
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UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Rhine Gorge, to the small riverside town of Boppard in a magical setting in the valley of the mythical Lorelei. Explore the town’s Rheinallee waterfront promenade, and the Gothic Carmelite Church, famous for its 15th-century choir stalls or perhaps join an optional wine tasting. Your cruise continues to Alken late this afternoon, arriving late tonight. Day 11: Alken to Cochem to Winningen. Today you cruise the Moselle to Cochem, one of the most visited places on the Moselle River. Perched high above the river on a hill cloaked in vines stands the neoGothic Reichsburg Castle. The town’s other architectural gems include a baroque Town Hall backed by a maze of pretty streets and a quaint market square. You can visit the castle and sample the wines of a local cellar on an optional excursion before sailing to Winningen, arriving late this evening. Day 12: Winningen. Enjoy the morning wandering the narrow streets of half-timbered houses in the pretty wine village of Winningen, set among steep slopes of vines. At lunchtime, set sail for Königswinter and perhaps join an optional trip to the Ahr Valley en route. Day 13: Königswinter to Cologne An optional excursion allows you to take Germany’s oldest rack and pinion train to the ruins of Drachenfels Castle. Cruise back to Cologne later this morning and perhaps join an optional afternoon tour of the city. Founded by the Romans, Cologne has long been an important trading centre.
