7 Night Christmas Markets on the Rhine Cruise from Amsterdam

Welcome to Amsterdam, a postcard-worthy destination of picturesque canals, quintessential cafes, and innovative galleries that showcase contemporary art and the works of world-renowned artists, such as Van Gogh and Rembrandt. You'll be met at the airport by a member of the Emerald Cruises team and transferred to your contemporary Star-Ship. After boarding, you'll enjoy some free time to explore the narrow-cobbled streets and gabled houses of the Dutch capital at your leisure. This evening, join your fellow guests for dinner onboard.

Board a glass-top canal boat for a tour down the Dutch capital's UNESCO World Heritage-listed canal system, passing historic merchant houses that reflect the bygone era of the Dutch Golden Age, a time when the Dutch empire was once considered among the most influential in the world. Throughout the town, you'll marvel as you explore the delightful Christmas stalls, each surrounded by people in their finest knitwear, drinking hot mugs of mulled wine and indulging in their favorite festive foods.

Seven idyllic Christmas markets effortlessly transform the postcard-worthy city of Cologne into a winter wonderland over the Christmas period. Following your guided tour of the city, you'll have the opportunity to wander the markets at your leisure, perhaps visiting the ornate stalls beneath the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Cologne Cathedral, where you can drink traditional gluhwein out of beautifully decorated mugs.

Today, you'll be taken into the heart of Koblenz, an ancient city pulled from the pages of a German fairy tale. Enjoy the picturesque backdrop of vineyards and snow-topped mountain ranges as your local guide takes you through open cobbled squares and down narrow streets. Your tour will include the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers at the German Corner and idyllic panoramic views of the Rhine.

Your guided tour of Heidelberg's rich history includes visit to the ruins of Heidelberg Castle, which overlooks the Rhine River and a red-roofed skyline. Some of the most successful painters of the Romantic era drew inspiration from Heidelberg Castle, including British artist William Turner, who depicted images of the ruins in several of his paintings. Afterwards, stroll down the cobbled streets of the Old Town, touching on the Church of the Holy Spirit and the oldest university in Germany.

This morning, we will dock in Kehl, and you will be transferred by motorcoach across the river to Strasbourg, the storied capital of France's Alsace region. Your guided tour of Strasbourg will include the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Grande Ile, the historical center of the city, known for its medieval half-timbered buildings, old tanning houses, Baroque sandstone buildings, and charming canal system. Afterwards, you will have the opportunity to visit one of its most charming Christmas markets to enjoy traditional German Christmas treats and to shop for presents and stocking-fillers.

Today, you'll have the opportunity to visit the Rhine town of Breisach. Entrenched between two countries, it's also known as the gateway to Germany's Black Forest region. In the afternoon, enjoy a scenic drive through the Black Forest Highlands on your way to the Hofgut Sternen complex located at the foothill of Ravenna Gorge, a place where history and tradition merge. It was here that in 1770 Marie Antoinette stopped with 52 beautifully decorated carriages on the way to her wedding to King Louis XVI. As part of your EmeraldPLUS program, you'll also have the chance to see the postcard-worthy Christmas market situated underneath the 40-meter-high Ravenna Viaduct. Be amazed by the magical aroma of Black Forest specialties and unique handcrafted regional products sold there.

After breakfast, bid farewell to your fellow guests and your Star-Ship as you are transferred to the airport, taking memories of quintessential German villages and the magic of Christmas with you. Please book your flight to depart out of Basel after 10 AM.