Itinerary
- Day 1
Basel
You'll board your AmaWaterways river cruise ship in Basel and get settled into your luxury stateroom. Dinner happens onboard this evening, so after you've unpacked and gotten oriented, head to the dining room to meet fellow passengers and start your journey.
- Meals
- Dinner
- Day 2
Basel
Basel offers several directions to go. You can walk through the city on your own or take a guided bike tour that crosses into three countries: Switzerland, France, and Germany in one morning. If you prefer something different, there's a full-day trip to Lucerne where you'll see medieval towers and the lake. Back in Basel, the afternoon opens up for visiting a local winery, touring Wildegg Castle (a 13th-century Habsburg fortress with gardens), or hiking up to the castle grounds.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided foot tour of Basel
- Guided bike tour through Switzerland, France and Germany
Optional Activities
- Full-day excursion to Lucerne (not combinable with other tours this day)
- Local winery visit and Swiss wine tasting
- Tour of Wildegg Castle
- Hiking excursion to Wildegg Castle
Landmarks Wildegg Castle 
- Day 3
Strasbourg
The ship cruises to Strasbourg, and you'll find this French-German border city has real character. Walk through the 'La Petite France' district with its narrow streets and timber-frame buildings, or wander past the Cathédrale de Notre Dame to see its famous astronomical clock. If you want to move around more, join a guided bike ride through the city and along Parc de l'Orangerie.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Walking tour of La Petite France district
- Visit to Cathédrale de Notre Dame
- Guided bike tour through Strasbourg and Parc de l'Orangerie
Landmarks Cathédrale de Notre Dame de Strasbourg La Petite France Parc de l'Orangerie 
- Day 4
Ludwigshafen
After arriving in Ludwigshafen, you've got four different excursions to choose from. Head to medieval Heidelberg to see the red sandstone castle and the Great Vat, a historic 49,000-gallon wine cask, or hike the Philosopher's Path for city views. You can also explore Speyer with its UNESCO cathedral, bike along the Neckar River to Ladenburg, or visit Rüdesheim to see Siegfried's Mechanical Instrument Cabinet or try their famous Rüdesheimer coffee.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Full-day excursion to Heidelberg with visit to Heidelberg Castle and Great Vat
- Guided hike up Philosopher's Path in Heidelberg with panoramic city views
- Full-day excursion to Speyer to visit UNESCO World Heritage Romanesque cathedral and medieval Altpörtel (Old Gate)
- Bike ride along the Neckar River to medieval Ladenburg with free exploration time
- Visit to Siegfried's Mechanical Instrument Cabinet in Rüdesheim
- Tasting of Rüdesheimer coffee (specialty drink made with brandy, coffee and whipped cream)
Landmarks Heidelberg Castle Great Vat (Heidelberg) Philosopher's Path Speyer Cathedral Altpörtel (Medieval Old Gate) Ladenburg Siegfried's Mechanical Instrument Cabinet - Day 5
Rüdesheim to Lahnstein
Join a wine tasting to sample local vineyard flavors or take a gondola ride up to Niederwalddenkmal. For something more active, you'll hike through the vineyards or bike along the Rhine. Later, the ship cruises through the UNESCO Rhine Gorge, and you'll arrive in Lahnstein for an evening visit to Lahneck Castle perched above the town.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Cruise through UNESCO-designated Rhine Gorge
- Evening visit to Lahneck Castle
Optional Activities
- Wine tasting of local vineyard wines
- Gondola ride to Niederwalddenkmal
- Guided hike through vineyards
- Guided bike tour along the Rhine River
Landmarks Niederwalddenkmal Rhine Gorge Lahneck Castle - Day 6
Cologne
The ship reaches Cologne, and a guided tour takes you through the Old Town to see the Rathaus (Germany's oldest town hall), the Fischmarkt from the 12th century, and Great St. Martin Church. After that, stop at a local tavern to try Kölsch beer. If you prefer biking, there's a guided ride along the Rhine and through the historic Stadtgarten.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Cologne Old Town
- Visit to Cologne Rathaus (Germany's oldest town hall)
- Visit to Fischmarkt
- Visit to Great St. Martin Church
- Tasting of Kölsch beer at a local tavern
- Guided bike ride along the Rhine and through Stadtgarten
Landmarks Cologne Cathedral Cologne Rathaus Fischmarkt Great St. Martin Church Stadtgarten - Day 7
Amsterdam
You'll cruise into Amsterdam and can join a canal cruise to see some of the city's 165 canals. Or, you can take a more casual approach and float past iconic gabled houses, narrow bridges, and houseboats while tasting Dutch specialties at one of the grand cafes along the water.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Amsterdam canal cruise
Optional Activities
- Tour passing canals, gabled houses, bridges and houseboats with Dutch specialty tasting at a grand cafe
- Day 8
Amsterdam to Departure
It's time to leave Amsterdam and head to the airport for your flight home. After checking out, you'll make your way to your departure gate, ending your Rhine River cruise.
- Meals
- Breakfast
