Uniworld River Cruises

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 2

   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 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.

4. Day 4

   Speyer

   Germany

   

   Speyer, one of the oldest cities in Germany, rises from the Rhine plain with a skyline dominated by its magnificent Romanesque Imperial Cathedral — a UNESCO World Heritage site and the burial place of eight Holy Roman Emperors. The adjacent Jewish Quarter, also UNESCO-listed, preserves a medieval synagogue and mikveh of extraordinary rarity. The Technik Museum houses one of Europe's most celebrated collections of historic aircraft, including a full-sized Space Shuttle replica. The surrounding Palatinate wine country produces fine Riesling and Pinot Noir. Spring and early autumn offer the most agreeable conditions for exploring this quietly remarkable city.

5. 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.

6. Day 6

   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.

7. Day 7

   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.

8. Day 8

   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.

9. Day 9

   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.

10. Day 10

    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.

11. Day 11

    Dusseldorf

    Germany

    

    Düsseldorf's port is a vibrant hub of culture and history, offering a unique blend of modern architecture and traditional charm. Must-do experiences include sampling the local Altbier and Rheintopf stew and exploring the nearby picturesque town of Wertheim. The best season to visit is during the spring, when the city blossoms and outdoor activities abound.

12. Day 12

    Roermond

    Netherlands

    

    Roermond is a historic river city at the confluence of the Roer and Maas in the Netherlands' most Burgundian province, where a 13th-century Romanesque Minster, the birthplace of Rijksmuseum architect Cuypers, and Limburg's legendary fruit tarts create an unexpectedly rich cultural destination. Must-dos include the Munsterkerk's Romanesque interior, tasting Limburg vlaai pastries, and the white asparagus season in May. Visit May through June for asparagus season and spring weather.

13. Day 13

    Maastricht

    Netherlands

    

    Maastricht is a two-thousand-year-old Meuse River city in the southern Netherlands, where Romanesque basilicas, Burgundian culinary traditions, and a vibrant cultural quarter converge in one of Europe's most refined yet unassuming destinations. Savour the slow-braised *zoervleis* stew and explore the medieval fortification tunnels for experiences found nowhere else in the Low Countries. Late spring through early autumn offers the finest conditions, with the celebrated asparagus season in May and long golden evenings along the Vrijthof square.

14. Day 14

    Antwerp

    Belgium

    

    Antwerp has been one of Europe's great mercantile capitals since the fifteenth century, when it commanded the world's first commodity exchange and Peter Paul Rubens made it the artistic capital of the Baroque world — a legacy preserved in the magnificent Rubenshuis studio and the soaring Cathedral of Our Lady, whose nave houses four of the master's greatest altarpieces. Today the city leads global fashion from the acclaimed Antwerp Six design school and remains the diamond capital of the world, with 84% of the world's rough diamonds trading through its storied district. Visit in spring or autumn; Brussels and Bruges are each under an hour away by train.

15. Day 15

    Brussel (Bruxelles)

    Belgium

    

    Brussels, the cosmopolitan capital of Belgium, enchants with its UNESCO-listed Grand-Place, extraordinary Art Nouveau architecture, and a culinary tradition that rivals any European capital — from hand-peeled shrimp croquettes to artisan pralines on the Sablon. Visitors should not miss exploring the Royal Museums of Fine Arts and taking a day trip to medieval Bruges or art-rich Ghent. The city is at its finest from April through October, when café terraces spill onto sunlit squares and the temperate climate invites long afternoons of wandering between chocolate ateliers and neighbourhood brasseries.

Cabin Categories

Deluxe French Balcony

Balcony

194 sq ftMax 2DLX

Luxurious riverview stateroom (194 sq ft - 18 sq m) with a French balcony Handcrafted Savoir® Beds of England, built-in closet, hair dryer, safe, individual thermostat, flat-screen TV with infotainment center Marble bathroom with Asprey bath and body products, plush towels, towel warmer, heated mirror, backlit magnifying mirror, comfortable bathrobes and slippers

DoubleShowerToiletries ProvidedTVSafeHair Dryer+5

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French Balcony

Balcony

194–227 sq ftMax 2A

Luxurious riverview stateroom (194 - 227 sq ft / 18 - 21 sq m) with a French balcony Handcrafted Savoir® Beds of England, built-in closet, hair dryer, safe, individual thermostat, flat-screen TV with infotainment center Marble bathroom with Asprey bath and body products, plush towels, towel warmer, heated mirror, backlit magnifying mirror, comfortable bathrobes and slippers

DoubleShowerToiletries ProvidedTVSafeHair Dryer+6

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French Balcony

Balcony

194–227 sq ftMax 2B

Luxurious riverview stateroom (194 - 227 sq ft / 18 - 21 sq m) with a French balcony Handcrafted Savoir® Beds of England, built-in closet, hair dryer, safe, individual thermostat, flat-screen TV with infotainment center Marble bathroom with Asprey bath and body products, plush towels, towel warmer, heated mirror, backlit magnifying mirror, comfortable bathrobes and slippers

DoubleShowerToiletries ProvidedTVSafeHair Dryer+6

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Classic

Outside

175 sq ftMax 2C

Luxurious riverview stateroom (175 sq ft - 16.25 sq m) Handcrafted Savoir® Beds of England, built-in closet, hair dryer, safe, individual thermostat, flat-screen TV with infotainment center Marble bathroom with Asprey bath and body products, plush towels, towel warmer, heated mirror, backlit magnifying mirror, comfortable bathrobes and slippers

DoubleShowerToiletries ProvidedTVSafeHair Dryer+6

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Grand suite

Suite

286 sq ftMax 2GS

Luxurious riverview grand suite (412 sq ft - 38.25 sq m) Grand suites include handcrafted Savoir® Beds of England, built-in closets, hair dryer, safe, individual thermostat and flat-screen TV with infotainment center Marble bathroom with Asprey bath and body products, plush towels, towel warmer, comfortable bathrobes and slippers, a rain shower and tub, backlit magnifying mirror, heated mirror and a secluded toilet area Additional amenities and service include: in-suite butler service; packing and unpacking assistance; in-room breakfast; daily fruit and cookie plate, and an elegant evening snack; Nespresso coffee machine and fine teas; fully stocked mini bar; bottle of wine upon arrival; shoe shine; and free laundry service

DoubleShowerToiletries ProvidedSuite BenefitsButler ServiceTV+11

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Suite

Suite

412 sq ftMax 2S

Luxurious riverview suite (286 sq ft - 26.5 sq m) Handcrafted Savoir® Beds of England, built-in closets, hair dryer, safe, individual thermostat and flat-screen TV with infotainment center Marble bathroom with Asprey bath and body products, plush towels, towel warmers, backlit magnifying mirror, heated mirrors, comfortable bathrobes and slippers Additional amenities and services include in-suite butler service, packing and unpacking assistance, in-room breakfast, daily fruit and cookie plate and an elegant evening snack, Nespresso coffee machine and fine teas, fully stocked mini bar, bottle of wine upon request, shoeshine, and free laundry service

DoubleShowerToiletries ProvidedSuite BenefitsButler ServiceTV+11

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