Best of the Rhine and Amsterdam (2027) - 10 days Basel to Amsterdam

Arrive in Basel and step aboard the Trafalgar Verity, your floating home for the voyage ahead. Settle in, explore the ship, admire its interiors and discover its stories before joining your Experience Director and fellow travellers for a delicious dinner. Raise a glass to the adventures that await along the Rhine.

Cruise into Germany, where the Rhine River forms the border between Germany and France, winding through the Upper Rhine Plain between the Black Forest and the Vosges Mountains. Step ashore and begin your day with a tour of Breisach, a historic town overlooking the Rhine, known for its colourful houses and centuries-old cathedral. Then enjoy a Be My Guest experience with lunch at Bohrerhof, a family-run farm where seasonal produce is grown using traditional methods. Savour a meal made with fresh ingredients straight from the fields, a true taste of the local land and heritage. In the afternoon, you can take an optional visit to an Alsatian village for a journey filled with half-timbered houses and scenic vineyards.

Excursions

Step ashore in Alsace, where French and German influences mix in this region rich with history. With a Local Specialist by your side, explore Strasbourg’s old town, where you’ll see its impressive cathedral and the charming Petite France district. Choose an Optional Experience into the Black Forest, known for its scenic landscapes, fairytale villages and traditional crafts. This afternoon, explore this region at your own pace.

Excursions

This morning, step ashore in Speyer, a town with deep medieval roots. Join a Local Specialist for a walking tour along Maximilian Street, passing baroque townhouses and visiting a medieval church. Discover the history of the 11th-century Jewish community and enjoy some local treats. Why not join an Optional Experience to Heidelberg? You’ll walk through its charming old town, cross the Old Bridge and see the striking Heidelberg Castle. 

Excursions

Your Rhine River cruise continues through the Middle Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to Rüdesheim, a wine town of half-timbered houses and long-held winemaking traditions. Choose how you’d like to spend your time in Rüdesheim. Board a mini-train past vineyards and the famous drosselgasse before you explore at your own pace. Alternatively, visit Eberbach Monastery for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, where you’ll discover how heritage restoration and sustainable vineyard care help protect nearly 900 years of monastic wine traditions. If you’re looking to stretch your legs, join an Optional Experience vineyard hike for sweeping valley views. Later, step back in time with a visit to Marksburg Castle, the only hilltop fortress on the Rhine never destroyed. 

Excursions

Your Rhine River cruise continues past Deutsches Eck (German Corner), marked by the grand monument to Kaiser Wilhelm I. Once you step ashore in Koblenz, set off on a walking tour with your Local Specialist, stopping at German Corner, where the Rhine and Moselle rivers meet. Explore the Old Town’s lively squares, historic churches and quirky landmarks. For a more active choice, today’s Optional Experience is a scenic bike ride along the Rhine, complete with a well-earned beer garden stop.

Excursions

Guten Morgen Cologne, a city where history and modern culture collide.  With two included experiences to choose from, you can join a Local Specialist for a city tour, passing the UNESCO-listed Cologne Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece over 600 years in the making. Prefer something different? Explore the city’s vibrant creative side on a Street Art Tour, where murals and graffiti bring the streets to life. In the afternoon, choose an Optional Experience—visit the Michael Schumacher Private Collection, a must for Formula One fans, or enjoy a refreshing visit to a Kölsch beer hall. Your final night on the Lower Rhine takes you through the Rhine Plain and past North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s historic industrial heart, before sailing into the Netherlands.

Excursions

Cruise across the German border into the Netherlands before disembarking Trafalgar Verity and saying farewell to your captain and crew. In Arnhem, visit John Frost Bridge, remembered as “A Bridge Too Far,” where British paratroopers fought to hold the crossing during Operation Market Garden. Continue to Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, where rows of white headstones commemorate Allied soldiers from the 1944 campaign. Later, transfer to Amsterdam and settle in for two nights in the Dutch capital. Tonight, perhaps consider joining an Optional Experience on a tour of one of Amsterdam’s foodie quarters?

Excursions

Head into the Dutch countryside, where water, windmills and fishing traditions shape the region. Visit Katwoude Mill for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience and meet the mill master to learn how this working windmill helps manage local water levels. Continue to Volendam, a fishing village known for its harbour, wooden houses and maritime traditions. Stroll along the waterfront, browse small shops and see locals in traditional Dutch dress. Back in Amsterdam, explore at your own pace, perhaps visiting museums, relaxing in a cosy cafe.  Please note: The Keukenhof Gardens visit is included on the 20 April departure only. This seasonal experience takes place during peak spring bloom, when tulips, daffodils and hyacinths bring the gardens to life, and replaces the traditional windmill visit.

Excursions

Bid farewell with “fair winds and fond memories” to your Experience Director, Experience Manager and fellow travellers as your journey comes to an end.