Local Living Tours & Trips in Germany and Switzerland

Take a glass-top boat through Amsterdam's canal system, a UNESCO site lined with Golden Age merchant houses, then walk around Cologne's festive Christmas markets under the Gothic cathedral with some traditional glühwein. Check out Strasbourg's Grande Île Old Town, another UNESCO spot, with its medieval half-timbered houses and canals before heading to Heidelberg Castle ruins for views over the red rooftops.

You'll get a real taste of local life on this Rhine cruise, starting with wine tastings at the Fitz Ritter vineyard in Bad Dürkheim, where the same family's been making wine for nine generations. The trip takes you through cobblestone streets in medieval Limburg an der Lahn and into UNESCO-listed areas like Amsterdam's canal system and Strasbourg's Petit France district.

Have traditional Flemish cuisine at dinner in Bruges and try Belgian beer and chocolate tastings with local experts. Check out artisans working in Strasbourg's Christmas markets, where you'll try glühwein and roasted chestnuts. The cruise goes through Bruges' canals past swans and old bridges, with butler service on the Scenic Ruby (max 163 guests) from Basel to Cologne.

This 7-night Rhine cruise on the Emerald Luna includes complimentary wine with lunch and dinner, and you'll get to paint traditional Dutch clogs on board. In Cologne you can check out the local beer culture, while Duesseldorf has a nice Japanese Garden to walk through. After the cruise, you'll spend 3 nights in London with visits to Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, and the tour (for 30-180 guests) includes guided vineyard hikes.

This Rhine Valley cruise on MS Vistario takes you through charming German towns like Rüdesheim am Rhein and Speyer, where you'll walk cobblestone streets and see the UNESCO-listed Cathedral of St. Mary. In Basel, Switzerland, check out the market square with its red sandstone town hall and late Romanesque cathedral. You'll stay in Mainz and have free time in Mannheim, the university city where Carl Benz built the first automobile.

Board your Star-Ship in Basel, Switzerland for a seven-night luxury cruise through the Rhine Valley. Heidelberg Castle ruins sit high above the Rhine River, and the cobbled streets below lead to Germany's oldest university, while Breisach's Christmas markets and a drive through Black Forest.