This splendid Central Europe river cruise introduces you to the magnificent Moselle, Rhine, and Main Rivers, as well as to the fascinating Main Danube Canal. Enjoy city sightseeing in Paris, Prague, Wurzburg, and Bamberg. Visit Reichsburg Castle above Cochem; sample the area's famed Riesling wines in a local wine cellar in Bernkastel; and marvel at Miltenberg's half-timbered houses.

INCLUDED FEATURES

Cruise:
Deluxe 7-night cruise from Trier to Nuremberg or Nuremberg to Trier in an outside stateroom with hotel-style beds

Paris:
Guided sightseeing

Paris-Metz or Metz-Paris:
By high-speed TGV train.

Trier:
Guided sightseeing, Porta Nigra

Bernkastel:
Guided walk, local marketplace; visit a wine cellar

Cochem:
Visit Reichsburg Castle

Rudesheim:
Visit Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum

Miltenberg:
Guided sightseeing; baking demonstration

Wurzburg:
Guided sightseeing, visit the Residenz

Bamberg:
Guided sightseeing, Old Town Hall

Prague:
Guided sightseeing, Astronomical Clock, visit Hradcany Castle

Notes:

• In the event of water level problems on stretches of any river, it may be necessary to operate part of the itinerary by motorcoach.
• Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.
• In the rare event that the high-speed TGV train is unavailable, alternative arrangements will be made and the sightseeing tour of Trier may not be possible.
• Included visits and special features are subject to change. If a change becomes necessary, a substitute will be offered.
  
  

  MEALS - (B) Breakfast (L) Lunch (D) Dinner

  Buffet breakfast (B) in Paris and Prague; superb dining with all meals on board daily featuring full breakfast (B), lunch (L), and dinner (D), including a welcome reception, welcome dinner, and Captain's dinner; quality wines from Europe's most famous wine regions with every dinner; one sitting with open seating arrangements

  SUPERIOR HOTELS - (D) Deluxe (SF) Superior First-Class (F) First-Class

  Paris Le Meridien Montparnasse (SF) or Hilton Arc de Triomphe (SF), Prague Hilton (SF)

  INSIDE VISITS

  Inside visits and special features are shown in the description, including admission charges when applicable.

  Itinerary
  

  Day 1

  (Thu.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

  Day 2Paris, France

  (Fri.) Welcome to Paris, France's capital on the River Seine and the "City of Light," where romance fills the air!

  Day 3Paris

  (Sat.) Paris' famous sights are living history: your included city sightseeing shows you magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, the unique Louvre Museum with its glass pyramid as a contrast to its ancient architecture, the commemorative Arc de Triomphe, Opera, Madeleine, Champs Elysees, and the Eiffel Tower, a structural miracle of its age. The city is well known for its colorful nightlife, including some of the world's most famous cabaret shows. (B)

  Day 4Paris-Trier, Germany (Embarkation)

  (Sun.) This morning, board a HIGH-SPEED TGV TRAIN for a swift and comfortable journey to Metz. From here, drive to Trier in Germany. This venerable Episcopal city is the oldest in Germany and, some claim, even older than Rome! The famous PORTA NIGRA is the only surviving fortified gate from the original Roman settlement and still gives access to the town center. See the highlights on your included tour. It is here that your river cruise vessel is docked on the Moselle River. Before dinner meet your crew at a WELCOME RECEPTION. The Moselle River is some 312-miles long, rising in the Vosges Mountains of northeastern France and entering Germany at Trier. The entire Moselle Valley is famous for its beautiful and tranquil scenery. (B,D)

  Day 5Bernkastel

  (Mon.) In the middle of the Moselle region is the charming wine village of Bernkastel with its well-preserved half-timbered houses surrounding the beautiful MARKET PLACE. Wine growers in this area look after Germany's largest expanse of vineyards, the most celebrated of the vintages being the Bernkasteler Doktor. Before dinner, visit a local WINE CELLAR and taste several of this region's varietals. (B,L,D)

  Day 6Cochem-Koblenz

  (Tue.) Visit REICHSBURG CASTLE, which sits atop a conical hill covered in vines. From here the views of the little town of Cochem nestled down below and of the river valley are splendid. Cruising the wide, peaceful curves of the river, it quickly becomes obvious that the Moselle is an important wine-growing region. Most notably, the Riesling grape is cultivated, producing a dry to sweet, floral white wine. Situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, 2,000-year-old Koblenz is the cultural and business center of the Middle Rhine region. The DEUTSCHES ECK, located on a tongue of land where the two rivers converge, holds an impressive equestrian statue of Wilhelm I. (B,L,D)

  Day 7Rhine Gorge-Rudesheim

  (Wed.) The dramatic RHINE GORGE is the most beautiful stretch of river. Pass the legendary rock of the Lorelei, where sweet songs of local beauties lured enchanted sailors to their doom. Rudesheim is the perfect example of a Rhine Valley wine town and SIEGFRIED'S MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM is a real surprise! Enjoy a SPECIAL TREAT, then there's free time to explore the Drosselgasse and pick up some souvenirs. (B,L,D)

  Day 8Miltenberg

  (Thu.) Located on the Main River, Miltenberg is a picturesque Bavarian village that thrived on income from river traffic. Its cultural wealth and affluence are reflected in the beautiful medieval and renaissance houses and the gothic splendor of the Merchant Hall shown to you during your guided walk. This afternoon, learn how to bake a local SOFT COOKIE specialty. (B,L,D)

  Day 9Wurzburg

  (Fri.) Known as the "Pearl of the Romantic Road," Wurzburg is surrounded by sloping hills covered with vineyards. The magnificent BISHOP'S RESIDENZ is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

  The World Heritage List includes over 800 properties with cultural and/or natural heritage of global significance

  (B,L,D)
  
  

  Day 10Bamberg

  (Sat.) Another beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site

  The World Heritage List includes over 800 properties with cultural and/or natural heritage of global significance

  is medieval Bamberg. Your walking tour takes in the breathtaking cathedral, the OLD TOWN HALL straddling the River Regnitz, and serpentine streets with charming houses and 18th-century mansions. (B,L,D)
  
  

  Day 11Nuremberg (Disembarkation)-Prague, Czech Republic

  (Sun.) Cross the Czech border in the Bohemian Forest and head for Prague, the "Golden City." (B)

  Day 12Prague

  (Mon.) Prague is a 1,000-year-old city preserved in time. It straddles the Vltava River with domes, cupolas, spires and pinnacles highlighting its skyline. See its best-known treasures such as the Old Town's ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK, once the envy of all of Europe; HRADCANY CASTLE; St. Vitus Cathedral; and the Charles Bridge. Browse the shops for hand-cut crystal or art books. Mix with the locals in Wenceslaus Square or stroll along the Vltava River. Your Cruise Director will have more suggestions for things to do. (B)

  Day 13Prague

  (Tue.) Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (B)