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Who is travelling?

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From
US $8,219 per person

Christmastime from Nuremberg to Basel 2026

10 days
•
From Nuremberg to Basel
4.6
234 traveler reviews
  • Medieval castle architecture with half-timbered houses.
  • Historic church and square with clear sky.
  • Vineyard with a city view in the background.
  • Aerial view of Bamberg with its historic buildings.
  • Würzburg palace on a hill with a stone bridge over a river.
    View all
  • Red-roofed city with a large palace in the background.
  • Heidelberg with its castle and old bridge over the river.
  • River view with historic buildings and church in Heidelberg.
  • Statue and people walking near Speyer Cathedral.
  • Traditional houses with a canal in Strasbourg.
    View all
From
US $8,219 per person
+ $297 Taxes

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Select Date

Select departure month

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2028

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
Save and compare this adventure

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:
Operator
Avalon Waterways
River Cruise
Scenic waterways and effortless exploration
Group Tour
Join a group and forge lifelong friendships
Fully Guided
An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Low Intensity
Travelers can expect some light physical activities
Guided in English
Group Size 30 - 160
Ages 8+
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Nuremberg

    Meals
    Dinner (Traditional holiday fare and hot libations)
    Landmarks
    Nuremberg
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2
  2. Day 2

    Nuremberg

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided Tour of Nuremberg's medieval architecture, gilded fountain, Gothic cathedral, and Kaiserburg Castle OR Guided Tour of the historic Nuremberg Rally Grounds
    • Christmas Markets of Nuremberg - free time to browse
    Landmarks
    Kaiserburg Castle
    Nuremberg Rally Grounds
    Christmas Markets of Nuremberg
    Itinerary Image 1
  3. Day 3

    Bamberg

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided Sightseeing Tour of Bamberg including nativity scenes
    • Onboard Christmas Traditions Lecture while sailing
    • Christmas markets of Bamberg - free time to browse
    Landmarks
    Bamberg
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  4. Day 4

    Würzburg

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided Sightseeing Tour of Würzburg including Old Main Bridge, fortress, and baroque Bishop's Residence
    • Christmas markets of Würzburg - free time to browse

    Optional Activities

    • Guided Optional Excursion to Rothenburg and Käthe Wohlfahrt German Christmas museum
    Landmarks
    Old Main Bridge
    Bishop's Residence
    Käthe Wohlfahrt German Christmas Museum
    Rothenburg
  5. Day 5

    Miltenberg

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided Walking Tour of Miltenberg including medieval half-timber homes and Germany's oldest inn
    • German Cookie-Baking Demonstration on board while sailing
    Landmarks
    Miltenberg
  6. Day 6

    Frankfurt - Rüdesheim

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Tour the Mechanical Music Museum in Rüdesheim
    Landmarks
    Mechanical Music Museum
    Itinerary Image 1
  7. Day 7

    Heidelberg or Speyer

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided Tour of Heidelberg Castle and the Great Vat OR free time to explore Speyer Christmas markets
    • Christmas markets of Heidelberg or Speyer - free time to browse
    Landmarks
    Heidelberg Castle
    Great Vat
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  8. Day 8

    Strasbourg

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • City Sightseeing Tour including gothic cathedral with ancient murals, astronomical clock, and La Petite France District
    • Christmas markets of Strasbourg - free time to browse

    Optional Activities

    • Guided Optional Excursion to Alsace wine-country village
    Landmarks
    Strasbourg Cathedral
    La Petite France
    Itinerary Image 1
  9. Day 9

    Freiburg or Black Forest

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided Tour of Freiburg's medieval city center and Black Forest region OR Guided Tour of the Black Forest with local traditions and Christmas mood
    • Free time to explore

    Optional Activities

    • Guided Optional Excursion to Colmar village with medieval and early renaissance buildings
    Landmarks
    Freiburg
    Black Forest
    Colmar
  10. Day 10

    Basel

    Meals
    Breakfast
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What's Included

Expand All
  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • Additional Services
  • Transport

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • Optional
  • Additional Services

Operated by

Avalon Waterways

4.6
(234 reviews)

Number of tours

572

Age Range

8 to 99 years old

Response time

within 1 day

Response rate

85%

Introduced in 2003, Avalon Waterways sets the standard in river and...

Read more

Sustainability Initiatives

Reduce Carbon Emissions

Animal Welfare

Supporting Destinations

Sustainability Programs

Other

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Avalon Waterways Ship

  • Avalon Illumination
    Avalon Illumination
    Part of Avalon's cutting-edge fleet of Suite Ships®, the Avalon Illumination came onto the river cruising scene with a bang. This… Read more
    Built
    2014
    Guests
    84 - 166
    Crew
    47
    Length
    135 m / 443 ft
    Suites
    67
    Staterooms
    16
    Gross Tonnage
    2775 gt
    Beam
    12 m / 39 ft
    Cruising Speed
    12 kn / 22 kph / 14 mph
    Staterooms / SuitesDeck PlansDining

Reviews from other tours by Avalon Waterways

  • Charles
    September 8th, 2025
    5.0
    We would like to thank our Statesman Attendee that took care of all our needs in our room 107. He was friendly and...
    Show more
  • Julie
    August 7th, 2025
    5.0
    Unforgettable, stress-free trip.
  • Klaus
    July 28th, 2024
    5.0
    ship was excellent, food and drinks were great, adventures perfectly organized,all crew members were extremely...
    Show more

Dates & Availability

Select departure month and travellers

Select Date

Select departure month

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2028

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
Upcoming departures
Hurry, deals only available for a limited time!
Ends in0d0h14m58s
  • From Sunday
    13 Dec, 2026
    To Tuesday
    22 Dec, 2026
    English
    This departure date is available and will 100% depart
    Guaranteed departure
    Avalon Illumination
    From:
    US $8,219 per person
    Multiple Room Types
    Taxes
    $297
Want to read it later?

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From
US $8,219 per person
+ $297 Taxes

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Select Date

Select departure month

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2028

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
Save and compare this adventure

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:

Good to Know

Tour ID: 241214

  • Currencies
    €
    Euro
    France and Germany
    Fr.
    Swiss Franc
    Switzerland
  • Plugs & Adapters

    As a traveler from USA, Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa you will need an adaptor for type J.

    Type J
    Switzerland
  • Vaccines
    • These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
    • Tick-borne encephalitis - Recommended for Germany.Switzerland. Ideally 6 months before travel.
  • Visa
    • Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
    • Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
  • Payment information
    • For any tour departing before July 25th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after July 25th, 2026, a minimum payment of $250 is required to confirm your booking with Avalon Waterways. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 95 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
    • The following cards are accepted for "Avalon Waterways" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
  • Cancellation Policy
  • Accessibility
    Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.
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Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0

Select departure month

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2028

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
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Dec