7 Night Rhine Getaway Cruise from Basel (Saxon)

Welcome to Basel, on the Rhine River in northwest Switzerland. Transfer from the airport to your ship. After boarding, enjoy time on your own getting acquainted with the city. Dinner is served onboard. (D); Note: Ground transfers are included with Viking Air purchase.

Arrive in Breisach this morning, gateway to the Black Forest. Take a scenic excursion through the area's renowned mountain landscape, rolling meadows, and dense forests. Once there, visit a local workshop to see a cuckoo clock-making demonstration, and learn how Black Forest Cake is made. Return to your ship for lunch. This afternoon, perhaps join an optional excursion to the quaint Alsatian town of Colmar to discover the storybook charm of its streets lined with medieval, Gothic, and Renaissance buildings, and visit a fine arts museum. Alternatively, choose an optional excursion that explores Colmar's World War II history. Dine onboard this evening and cruise on through the night. (B,L,D)

Disembark this morning for your guided tour of Strasbourg. See the European Parliament and tour the interior of the city's famed cathedral. Free time allows you to further explore this Alsatian city's blend of French and German cultures, resplendent churches, medieval covered bridges, verdant parks, and handsome Art Nouveau and Modernist architecture. Alternatively, join our optional excursion into Alsatian wine country for an informative winery tour and tasting. Or, spend your full day exploring culinary Strasbourg on an optional excursion; as you explore the city and take in its sights, savor samples of the renowned Alsatian cuisine, from regional dessert specialties and meats to wine pairings with local foods. Return to your ship for dinner and departure. (B,L,D)

This morning, disembark for an included tour to visit the historic the historic town of Speyer and take in views of the imposing Speyer Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the 11th century on the site of a former basilica, the building's design influenced Romanesque architecture for centuries to come, and is the final resting place of eight German monarchs. Alternatively, after breakfast, you may choose to disembark for a full-day tour of Heidelberg, the home of Germany's oldest university, founded in 1386. Visit the beautiful sandstone ruins of imposing Heidelberg Castle and admire the Neckar River Valley. Continue with a walking tour through Old Town to Heidelberg's renowned gates and rejoin your ship in Rudesheim after lunch. This evening, you can dine onboard your ship or choose to experience one of our optional dinners on shore tonight. (B,L,D)

This morning, sail along the most scenic stretch of the Rhine, where turreted castles and fortresses overlook the river from their hilltop posts. A UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscape, this part of the Middle Rhine Valley is so beautiful. Arrive in Koblenz this afternoon and disembark for a lively and informative tour of Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. You may also join an optional excursion to tour the 700-year-old Marksburg Castle, or choose to journey into Moselle wine country on an optional excursion, stopping for a tour and tasting at a local winery. Return to your ship for lunch. Later, enjoy some time in this charming town at the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine Rivers. (B,L,D)

Begin your day with a morning tour of Cologne, Germany's fourth-largest city. Stroll through Old Town past St. Martin's Church and visit the Dom, Germany's largest cathedral and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spend your free time enjoying Cologne's atmospheric waterfront, or perhaps join an optional excursion on which you ascend to the Dom's roof for up-close views of the cathedral's architecture and bird's-eye vistas of Cologne. Afterward, return onboard for dinner. Alternatively, you may set off on an optional excursion to explore Cologne's spirited beer culture, sampling Kolsch, a light crisp beer brewed only in Cologne, and enjoying a Brauhaus dinner. Afterward, return to your ship for a late-evening departure. (B,L,D)

We sail along the Rhine during the morning hours. Admire scenic views and enjoy a morning of enjoyable Dutch diversions: sample Dutch cheeses and jenever, a distilled juniper liquor, and take in a culturally enriching presentation on the Dutch Golden Age. This afternoon, your ship arrives in Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Disembark for an afternoon tour of this ingenious network of windmills and other flood management devices. You learn why the windmills were built and see how they work, plus you enter a working windmill for a tour of its mechanisms and living quarters. Board your ship for departure and dinner. Arrive in Amsterdam around midnight. (B,L,D)

After breakfast, disembark and proceed to the airport for your return flight. Or, extend your journey with two additional nights in Amsterdam; take time to explore the city's neighborhoods, museums, and exciting nightlife. (B); Note: Ground transfers are included with Viking Air purchase.