Itinerary - Basel to AMstErdam
"Tis the Season to be Joyful!"
Immerse yourself in the spirit of Christmas as you journey through storybook villages. Sample tasty yuletide treats and regional delicacies as you browse colorful stalls for handcrafted ornaments and unique gifts. Admire the twinkling lights of Cologne and revel in the merry atmosphere of the Rhine Valley, as storefront displays, wine cellars and markets embrace the holiday season. This eight-day voyage is a joyful celebration of festive cheer.
Day 1: Basel, Switzerland
Basel is a charming riverside city where history, culture, and natural beauty come together effortlessly. Set along the Rhine at the crossroads of Switzerland, France, and Germany, Basel enchants visitors with its beautifully preserved Old Town, colorful market squares, and striking mix of medieval architecture and modern design. World‑class museums, vibrant art scenes, and cozy cafés line walkable streets, while the river itself invites leisurely strolls and scenic cruises. Then embark your ship and settle into your stateroom in anticipation of a wonderful week ahead.
Day 2: Breisach, Germany
In the heart of Breisach’s old town with a backdrop of the Romanesque-Gothic St. Stephen’s cathedral, the Weinachtsmarkt is a highlight of the season. Steaming aromatic glühwein served in decorated mugs, alongside tasty yuletide treats, is sold from festive wooden huts and taverns, keeping visitors warm as they browse market stalls for gifts and handicrafts. The nearby Black Forest provides a fairy-tale atmosphere; its towering, snow-covered spruce trees resemble a winter wonderland.
Day 3: Strasbourg, France
Strasbourg is said to be the capital of Christmas in France, with the city’s cathedral square taking center stage as it is transformed into a winter wonderland. The city’s Christkindelsmärik is the oldest in France, dating back to 1570. Hundreds of stalls are brimming with colorful wares, fine food and mulled wine, bringing festive cheer in abundance. Alsatian specialties feature an array of hearty classics, from bretzels (soft, bread-like pretzels) to bredele (star-shaped spiced cookies), and knacks (sausages) to pain d’epices (gingerbread).
Day 4: Mannheim & Speyer, Germany
Mannheim’s Christmas market is a holiday season shopping extravaganza. One of Germany’s oldest and largest markets, more than 160 booths host vendors from around the world, offering handicrafts and handmade items. Beautiful glassware, and carved wooden toys and games, sit alongside Christmas lanterns, colorful baubles and ornaments, all of which are presented in quaint wooden houses. Luxurious cashmere scarves, sheepskin mittens and felt hats are the ideal purchase to take home as gifts for friends and family.
Speyer’s Old Town transforms into a winter wonderland during the holiday season. With the historic Old Gate as a stunning backdrop, market stalls are brimming with yuletide treats, serving Christmas cookies and steaming mugs of aromatic glühwein. Skaters don their woolen hats and gloves, and take to the ice for some festive fun.
Day 5: Scenic Sailing- Middle Rhine
The Rhine River flows through one of Germany’s most scenic regions. As you sail its most picturesque stretch, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Middle Rhine, you will pass vineyard-blanketed hills whose steep slopes require vintners to pick grapes by hand, keeping a centuries-old tradition alive. Splendid castles line the banks, all of which have stories to share. We will also make stops in picturesque German towns of Koblenz& Rüdesheim.
Day 6: Cologne, Germany
Themed winter markets feature across Cologne during the holiday season, inviting visitors to browse colorful market stalls for handmade gifts, beautiful artwork and colorful crafts. The towering Gothic Cologne Cathedral provides a stunning backdrop to the city’s festivities and array of offerings from its red wooden stalls. Beneath the pointed roofs of Cologne harbor’s tented market, unique crafted goods are displayed amid the twinkling lights of boats bobbing in the marina.
Day 7: Scenic Sailing
Sail the bucolic waters of the Rhine, deep into the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt Delta, as classic Dutch landscapes unfurl all around. Flat farmland, charming windmills and svelte poplar trees line the shores, and vast tracts of land stretch in all directions, growing all manner of bounty, from tomatoes to tulips. Gaze upon Friesian cows and tidy villages with their neatly laid farmhouses and marvel at how much of this land was reclaimed from the sea, with the aid of traditional windmills and the construction of dikes.
Day 8: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
A city of charming canals, elegant gabled houses, splendid museums and abundant bicycles, the Dutch capital of Amsterdam is a delight to explore. Its patchwork of waterways forms about 90 islands connected by 1,500 bridges. The legacy of the Dutch Golden Age lives on in gilded manses and in the lush paintings of Rembrandt and other Dutch masters that adorn the Rijksmuseum, The Netherlands’ grand repository of art and cultural history. Discovering Amsterdam is a pleasure best pursued on foot; visitors line the tranquil canals and linger over Dutch pancakes, or take a stroopwafel to go. Finally, bid farewell to your fellow guests and journey home. Or spend more time exploring, perhaps joining one of our extensions.