Avalon Waterways

Daily Itinerary

1. Day 1

   Basel

   Switzerland

   

   Basel, where Switzerland, France, and Germany converge at the Rhine's northward bend, hosts a concentration of world-class art institutions that rivals any city its size on earth — the Kunstmuseum alone, the world's oldest public art collection, could occupy days, and Art Basel each June draws every name that matters in the contemporary art world to this compact, elegant city. The Rhine itself is the city's great social artery: in summer, locals jump in with waterproof bags and float downstream, a tradition as charming as any museum. Spring through autumn is ideal for outdoor exploration; Paris is just three hours by TGV and Strasbourg a mere twenty minutes by train.

2. Day 1

   Basel

   Switzerland

   

   Basel, where Switzerland, France, and Germany converge at the Rhine's northward bend, hosts a concentration of world-class art institutions that rivals any city its size on earth — the Kunstmuseum alone, the world's oldest public art collection, could occupy days, and Art Basel each June draws every name that matters in the contemporary art world to this compact, elegant city. The Rhine itself is the city's great social artery: in summer, locals jump in with waterproof bags and float downstream, a tradition as charming as any museum. Spring through autumn is ideal for outdoor exploration; Paris is just three hours by TGV and Strasbourg a mere twenty minutes by train.

3. Day 2

   Breisach

   Germany

   

   Breisach am Rhein clings to a volcanic hilltop at the French-German border, commanding the Upper Rhine crossing that made it one of the most fought-over towns in European history — a past the Romanesque-Gothic Münster St. Stephan surveys serenely from its commanding heights. Today peace reigns, and Breisach's true gift is its position as a gateway to three celebrated wine regions: the German Kaiserstuhl, producing some of Germany's finest Spätburgunder; the French Alsace, just across the Rhine; and the rolling hills of the Baden wine country to the east. Visit in autumn for harvest season across all three regions simultaneously. Freiburg im Breisgau, the Black Forest's graceful capital, lies twenty minutes east.

4. Day 2

   Breisach

   Germany

   

   Breisach am Rhein clings to a volcanic hilltop at the French-German border, commanding the Upper Rhine crossing that made it one of the most fought-over towns in European history — a past the Romanesque-Gothic Münster St. Stephan surveys serenely from its commanding heights. Today peace reigns, and Breisach's true gift is its position as a gateway to three celebrated wine regions: the German Kaiserstuhl, producing some of Germany's finest Spätburgunder; the French Alsace, just across the Rhine; and the rolling hills of the Baden wine country to the east. Visit in autumn for harvest season across all three regions simultaneously. Freiburg im Breisgau, the Black Forest's graceful capital, lies twenty minutes east.

5. Day 3

   Strasbourg

   France

   

   Strasbourg is one of Europe's great border cities, its Franco-German soul etched into every half-timbered façade of the UNESCO-listed Grande Île and every turret of the soaring rose-sandstone cathedral that reigned as the world's tallest building for over two centuries. As the seat of the European Parliament and home to the European Court of Human Rights, this sophisticated Alsatian capital savors outstanding Riesling and choucroute garnie with equal Continental pride. The city dazzles year-round, though December's legendary Christmas market — among the oldest in Europe — transforms its medieval squares into an enchanted winter spectacle.

6. Day 3

   Strasbourg

   France

   

   Strasbourg is one of Europe's great border cities, its Franco-German soul etched into every half-timbered façade of the UNESCO-listed Grande Île and every turret of the soaring rose-sandstone cathedral that reigned as the world's tallest building for over two centuries. As the seat of the European Parliament and home to the European Court of Human Rights, this sophisticated Alsatian capital savors outstanding Riesling and choucroute garnie with equal Continental pride. The city dazzles year-round, though December's legendary Christmas market — among the oldest in Europe — transforms its medieval squares into an enchanted winter spectacle.

7. Day 4

   Ludwigshafen

   Germany

   

   Ludwigshafen am Rhein was founded by Bavarian royal ambition in 1843 and grew rapidly into one of Germany's great industrial cities — home to BASF, the world's largest chemical company, whose vast campus stretches along the Rhine for kilometres. Though industrial in character, Ludwigshafen occupies a prime Rhine valley position that places it within easy reach of Heidelberg, Germany's most romantic university city, and the rolling vineyards of the Palatinate wine region. The Kunstmuseum Ludwigshafen houses a noteworthy collection of contemporary art. Ludwigshafen is a year-round river cruise port, though May through October offers the most pleasant conditions for excursions into the surrounding wine country.

8. Day 4

   Ludwigshafen

   Germany

   

   Ludwigshafen am Rhein was founded by Bavarian royal ambition in 1843 and grew rapidly into one of Germany's great industrial cities — home to BASF, the world's largest chemical company, whose vast campus stretches along the Rhine for kilometres. Though industrial in character, Ludwigshafen occupies a prime Rhine valley position that places it within easy reach of Heidelberg, Germany's most romantic university city, and the rolling vineyards of the Palatinate wine region. The Kunstmuseum Ludwigshafen houses a noteworthy collection of contemporary art. Ludwigshafen is a year-round river cruise port, though May through October offers the most pleasant conditions for excursions into the surrounding wine country.

9. Day 5

   Rudesheim

   Germany

   

   Rüdesheim am Rhein, a jewel of the UNESCO-listed Upper Middle Rhine Valley, is where Germany's most storied wine river cuts through vine-terraced slopes and medieval castle ruins. The pedestrianised Drosselgasse laneway — beloved since the Romantic era — hums with wine taverns pouring the region's celebrated Rieslings, crisp and mineral from the slate soils. The Niederwald Monument surveys the river from the heights, reached by cable car above the vineyards. Day trips by boat unlock Bacharach, Boppard, and the legendary Lorelei rock. September's harvest festivals transform the entire valley into a convivial celebration of the vintage.

10. Day 5

    Rudesheim

    Germany

    

    Rüdesheim am Rhein, a jewel of the UNESCO-listed Upper Middle Rhine Valley, is where Germany's most storied wine river cuts through vine-terraced slopes and medieval castle ruins. The pedestrianised Drosselgasse laneway — beloved since the Romantic era — hums with wine taverns pouring the region's celebrated Rieslings, crisp and mineral from the slate soils. The Niederwald Monument surveys the river from the heights, reached by cable car above the vineyards. Day trips by boat unlock Bacharach, Boppard, and the legendary Lorelei rock. September's harvest festivals transform the entire valley into a convivial celebration of the vintage.

11. Day 5

    Koblenz

    Germany

    

    Koblenz stands at the Deutsches Eck — the German Corner — where the Moselle river pours into the Rhine in a confluence so geographically commanding that the Romans built a fortress here in 9 BC. The result is a city of exceptional Rhine Gorge scenery, with the formidable Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, one of Europe's largest, crowning the opposite bank and reachable by gondola for panoramas that stretch across three river valleys. A Rhine wine tasting at one of the city's historic Weinstuben, followed by a stroll through the Altstadt's baroque squares, is the definitive Koblenz afternoon. The finest weather arrives April through October, with the Rhine in Flames fireworks festival in August being particularly spectacular.

12. Day 5

    Koblenz

    Germany

    

    Koblenz stands at the Deutsches Eck — the German Corner — where the Moselle river pours into the Rhine in a confluence so geographically commanding that the Romans built a fortress here in 9 BC. The result is a city of exceptional Rhine Gorge scenery, with the formidable Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, one of Europe's largest, crowning the opposite bank and reachable by gondola for panoramas that stretch across three river valleys. A Rhine wine tasting at one of the city's historic Weinstuben, followed by a stroll through the Altstadt's baroque squares, is the definitive Koblenz afternoon. The finest weather arrives April through October, with the Rhine in Flames fireworks festival in August being particularly spectacular.

13. Day 6

    Bernkastel

    Germany

    

    Bernkastel-Kues, the twin town straddling the Moselle, has been synonymous with Riesling for six centuries — home to the legendary Bernkasteler Doctor vineyard, whose precipitous south-facing slope has produced wines of such renown that a single hectare once sold for a record price. The Marktplatz, virtually unchanged since the seventeenth century, is Germany's most photogenic half-timbered market square: a stage-set of crooked facades and flower-hung balconies best appreciated over a glass of Spätlese in the late afternoon light. September brings the annual Moselle Wine Festival to the riverbanks. Trier, Germany's oldest city with its spectacular Roman amphitheatre, lies forty minutes upstream.

14. Day 6

    Bernkastel

    Germany

    

    Bernkastel-Kues, the twin town straddling the Moselle, has been synonymous with Riesling for six centuries — home to the legendary Bernkasteler Doctor vineyard, whose precipitous south-facing slope has produced wines of such renown that a single hectare once sold for a record price. The Marktplatz, virtually unchanged since the seventeenth century, is Germany's most photogenic half-timbered market square: a stage-set of crooked facades and flower-hung balconies best appreciated over a glass of Spätlese in the late afternoon light. September brings the annual Moselle Wine Festival to the riverbanks. Trier, Germany's oldest city with its spectacular Roman amphitheatre, lies forty minutes upstream.

15. Day 7

    Trier

    Germany

    

    Trier is Germany's oldest city and once the northern capital of the Western Roman Empire, its incomparable UNESCO-listed ensemble of monuments — the blackened Porta Nigra gate, the vast Imperial Baths, the Amphitheater, and a Roman bridge still carrying traffic across the Moselle — more than justifying the title 'Rome of the North.' The birthplace of Karl Marx and a gateway to the Moselle wine region's elegant Riesling estates, Trier rewards a long visit with layers of history spanning two millennia within an effortlessly walkable historic center. The summer months from May to September are ideal, when Moselle Valley vineyard terraces gleam in full-leafed splendor.

16. Day 7

    Trier

    Germany

    

    Trier is Germany's oldest city and once the northern capital of the Western Roman Empire, its incomparable UNESCO-listed ensemble of monuments — the blackened Porta Nigra gate, the vast Imperial Baths, the Amphitheater, and a Roman bridge still carrying traffic across the Moselle — more than justifying the title 'Rome of the North.' The birthplace of Karl Marx and a gateway to the Moselle wine region's elegant Riesling estates, Trier rewards a long visit with layers of history spanning two millennia within an effortlessly walkable historic center. The summer months from May to September are ideal, when Moselle Valley vineyard terraces gleam in full-leafed splendor.

17. Day 8

    Cochem

    Germany

    

    The Reichsburg Cochem — a turreted fairy-tale castle presiding over a loop of the Moselle River — is among Germany's most photogenic medieval fortresses, its silhouette rising above terraced vineyards of ancient Riesling vines. The town below offers a charming ensemble of half-timbered houses, wine-cellar tastings, and cycle paths threading through valley landscapes that have barely changed in centuries. Arrive in September for the harvest festival, when the whole town smells of fermenting Riesling, or choose May for blossom-framed panoramas and long golden evenings on the riverside terraces.

18. Day 8

    Cochem

    Germany

    

    The Reichsburg Cochem — a turreted fairy-tale castle presiding over a loop of the Moselle River — is among Germany's most photogenic medieval fortresses, its silhouette rising above terraced vineyards of ancient Riesling vines. The town below offers a charming ensemble of half-timbered houses, wine-cellar tastings, and cycle paths threading through valley landscapes that have barely changed in centuries. Arrive in September for the harvest festival, when the whole town smells of fermenting Riesling, or choose May for blossom-framed panoramas and long golden evenings on the riverside terraces.

19. Day 9

    Cologne

    Germany

    

    Cologne's twin-spired Gothic cathedral, six hundred years in the building and still the city's defining monument, is the inevitable starting point — but this ancient Rhine city rewards exploration well beyond its iconic silhouette. The Romano-Germanic Museum reveals the city's Roman foundations, while the Chocolate Museum on the riverbank offers a distinctly sweeter history lesson. Cologne's famed Kölsch beer culture thrives in the old town's traditional brew-houses, where one round follows another in centuries-old wooden halls. The city is welcoming year-round, though the legendary Christmas markets (November–December) attract visitors from across Europe.

20. Day 9

    Cologne

    Germany

    

    Cologne's twin-spired Gothic cathedral, six hundred years in the building and still the city's defining monument, is the inevitable starting point — but this ancient Rhine city rewards exploration well beyond its iconic silhouette. The Romano-Germanic Museum reveals the city's Roman foundations, while the Chocolate Museum on the riverbank offers a distinctly sweeter history lesson. Cologne's famed Kölsch beer culture thrives in the old town's traditional brew-houses, where one round follows another in centuries-old wooden halls. The city is welcoming year-round, though the legendary Christmas markets (November–December) attract visitors from across Europe.

21. Day 10

    Amsterdam

    Netherlands

    

    Amsterdam's UNESCO-listed canal ring — a concentric web of seventeenth-century merchant houses and arching stone bridges — remains one of the Western world's most perfectly preserved Golden Age cityscapes, best explored by bicycle or canal boat at a pace that lets the city's genius reveal itself slowly. The Rijksmuseum's collection of Rembrandt and Vermeer masterpieces is essential, while the Anne Frank House offers one of Europe's most profoundly moving historical encounters. Spring brings the iconic tulip season; summer fills the terraces of the Jordaan district. Schiphol Airport makes Amsterdam a seamless gateway to the entire European continent.

22. Day 10

    Amsterdam

    Netherlands

    

    Amsterdam's UNESCO-listed canal ring — a concentric web of seventeenth-century merchant houses and arching stone bridges — remains one of the Western world's most perfectly preserved Golden Age cityscapes, best explored by bicycle or canal boat at a pace that lets the city's genius reveal itself slowly. The Rijksmuseum's collection of Rembrandt and Vermeer masterpieces is essential, while the Anne Frank House offers one of Europe's most profoundly moving historical encounters. Spring brings the iconic tulip season; summer fills the terraces of the Jordaan district. Schiphol Airport makes Amsterdam a seamless gateway to the entire European continent.

23. Day 11

    Amsterdam

    Netherlands

    

    Amsterdam's UNESCO-listed canal ring — a concentric web of seventeenth-century merchant houses and arching stone bridges — remains one of the Western world's most perfectly preserved Golden Age cityscapes, best explored by bicycle or canal boat at a pace that lets the city's genius reveal itself slowly. The Rijksmuseum's collection of Rembrandt and Vermeer masterpieces is essential, while the Anne Frank House offers one of Europe's most profoundly moving historical encounters. Spring brings the iconic tulip season; summer fills the terraces of the Jordaan district. Schiphol Airport makes Amsterdam a seamless gateway to the entire European continent.

24. Day 11

    Amsterdam

    Netherlands

    

    Amsterdam's UNESCO-listed canal ring — a concentric web of seventeenth-century merchant houses and arching stone bridges — remains one of the Western world's most perfectly preserved Golden Age cityscapes, best explored by bicycle or canal boat at a pace that lets the city's genius reveal itself slowly. The Rijksmuseum's collection of Rembrandt and Vermeer masterpieces is essential, while the Anne Frank House offers one of Europe's most profoundly moving historical encounters. Spring brings the iconic tulip season; summer fills the terraces of the Jordaan district. Schiphol Airport makes Amsterdam a seamless gateway to the entire European continent.

Cabin Categories

Deluxe Stateroom

Outside

172 sq ftMax 2E

Stateroom Features: Comfort Collection Beds Luxurious mattress toppers Egyptian super-combed cotton linens European-style duvets Soft & firm pillows Extra blankets Choice of bed configuration Nightly turn-down service Bedside tables with reading lamps Premium Hairdryer L'Occitane bath products Spacious 3-door closets with shelves for ample storage Easy under-bed luggage storage Flatscreen satellite TV with English-speaking channels & over 100 free movie options Alarm clock Direct-dial telephone Bathrobes & slippers Well-stocked minibar Complimentary filtered water In-room safe Individual climate control Elegant, contemporary design Large mirror in bathroom Two windows Full shower with glass door Writing desk and chair Lighted makeup mirror Complimentary Wi-Fi One Queen-Sized Bed or Two Twins USB Ports

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableMini Bar (Additional Cost)TV+5

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Deluxe Stateroom

Outside

172 sq ftMax 2D

Stateroom Features: Comfort Collection Beds Luxurious mattress toppers Egyptian super-combed cotton linens European-style duvets Soft & firm pillows Extra blankets Choice of bed configuration Nightly turn-down service Bedside tables with reading lamps Premium Hairdryer L'Occitane bath products Spacious 3-door closets with shelves for ample storage Easy under-bed luggage storage Flatscreen satellite TV with English-speaking channels & over 100 free movie options Alarm clock Direct-dial telephone Bathrobes & slippers Well-stocked minibar Complimentary filtered water In-room safe Individual climate control Elegant, contemporary design Large mirror in bathroom Two windows Full shower with glass door Writing desk and chair Lighted makeup mirror Complimentary Wi-Fi One Queen-Sized Bed or Two Twins USB Ports

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableMini Bar (Additional Cost)TV+5

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Panorama Suite

Suite

200 sq ftMax 2A

Stateroom Features: Comfort Collection Beds Luxurious mattress toppers Egyptian super-combed cotton linens European-style duvets Soft & firm pillows Extra blankets Choice of bed configuration Nightly turn-down service Bedside tables with reading lamps Premium Hairdryer L'Occitane bath products Spacious 3-door closets with shelves for ample storage Easy under-bed luggage storage Flatscreen satellite TV with English-speaking channels & over 100 free movie options Alarm clock Make-up mirror Direct-dial telephone Bathrobes & slippers Well-stocked minibar Complimentary filtered water In-room safe Individual climate control Elegant, contemporary design Large mirror in bathroom Marble countertops in bathroom Wall-to-Wall Panoramic Window with Open-Air Balcony 6-person sitting area Full shower with glass door Writing desk and chair Lighted makeup mirror Sofa Coffee table Complimentary Wi-Fi One Queen-Sized Bed or Two Twins USB Ports

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTVFree Wi-Fi+4

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Panorama Suite

Suite

200 sq ftMax 2P

Stateroom Features: Comfort Collection Beds Luxurious mattress toppers Egyptian super-combed cotton linens European-style duvets Soft & firm pillows Extra blankets Choice of bed configuration Nightly turn-down service Bedside tables with reading lamps Premium Hairdryer L'Occitane bath products Spacious 3-door closets with shelves for ample storage Easy under-bed luggage storage Flatscreen satellite TV with English-speaking channels & over 100 free movie options Alarm clock Make-up mirror Direct-dial telephone Bathrobes & slippers Well-stocked minibar Complimentary filtered water In-room safe Individual climate control Elegant, contemporary design Large mirror in bathroom Marble countertops in bathroom Wall-to-Wall Panoramic Window with Open-Air Balcony 6-person sitting area Full shower with glass door Writing desk and chair Lighted makeup mirror Sofa Coffee table Complimentary Wi-Fi One Queen-Sized Bed or Two Twins USB Ports

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTVFree Wi-Fi+4

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Panorama Suite

Suite

200 sq ftMax 2B

Stateroom Features: Comfort Collection Beds Luxurious mattress toppers Egyptian super-combed cotton linens European-style duvets Soft & firm pillows Extra blankets Choice of bed configuration Nightly turn-down service Bedside tables with reading lamps Premium Hairdryer L'Occitane bath products Spacious 3-door closets with shelves for ample storage Easy under-bed luggage storage Flatscreen satellite TV with English-speaking channels & over 100 free movie options Alarm clock Make-up mirror Direct-dial telephone Bathrobes & slippers Well-stocked minibar Complimentary filtered water In-room safe Individual climate control Elegant, contemporary design Large mirror in bathroom Marble countertops in bathroom Wall-to-Wall Panoramic Window with Open-Air Balcony 6-person sitting area Full shower with glass door Writing desk and chair Lighted makeup mirror Sofa Coffee table Complimentary Wi-Fi One Queen-Sized Bed or Two Twins USB Ports

Queen or Twin ConfigurationShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableTVFree Wi-Fi+4

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Royal Suite

Suite

300 sq ftMax 2S

Stateroom Features: Comfort Collection Beds Luxurious mattress toppers Egyptian super-combed cotton linens European-style duvets Soft & firm pillows Extra blankets Choice of bed configuration Nightly turn-down service Bedside tables with reading lamps Premium Hairdryer L'Occitane bath products Spacious 3-door closets with shelves for ample storage Easy under-bed luggage storage Flatscreen satellite TV with English-speaking channels & over 100 free movie options Alarm clock Direct-dial telephone Bathrobes & slippers Well-stocked minibar Complimentary filtered water In-room safe Individual climate control Elegant, contemporary design Large mirror in bathroom Two windows Full shower with glass door Writing desk and chair Lighted makeup mirror Complimentary Wi-Fi One Queen-Sized Bed or Two Twins USB Ports

King or Twin ConfigurationLounge AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedRoom Service AvailableMini Bar (Additional Cost)+6

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