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Christmastime on the Romantic Rhine (Southbound) 2026

8 days
•
From Amsterdam to Basel
4.6
234 reviews
  • Canal with tour boat passing through.
  • Tulips in full bloom by a canal.
  • Panoramic view of Cologne with the Cathedral.
  • Aerial view of Cologne at sunset.
  • St. Stephen's Cathedral with a clear blue sky.
    View all
  • Aerial view of a cathedral by the Rhine River.
  • Colorful traditional wooden houses by a canal.
  • Aerial view of Strasbourg Cathedral and city.
  • Traditional Alsatian houses by a canal.
  • A church on a hill with surrounding town.
    View all

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Plan your adventure:
Gold Operator
Avalon Waterways
River Cruise
Cruise scenic waterways for 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

    Amsterdam

    Meals
    Dinner

    Optional Activities

    • Explore Amsterdam during free time before boarding
    Landmarks
    Amsterdam
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2
  2. Day 2

    Amsterdam

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided Canal Cruise past Amsterdam's Golden Age homes
    Landmarks
    Amsterdam Canals
  3. Day 3

    Cologne

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided City Walk of Cologne including the gothic cathedral
    • Christmas Traditions Lecture (onboard)

    Optional Activities

    • Explore Cologne's Christmas markets during free time
    Landmarks
    Cologne Cathedral
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2
  4. Day 4

    Rhine Gorge - Rüdesheim

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided Tour of Mechanical Music Museum with Rücdesheimer coffee tasting
    • Rhine Gorge scenic sailing with views of castles and the Rock of the Lorelei

    Optional Activities

    • Explore winter markets and seasonal handiwork in Rüdesheim
    Landmarks
    Rhine Gorge
    Rock of the Lorelei
    Mechanical Music Museum
  5. Day 5

    Mainz - Heidelberg

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided Tour to Heidelberg Castle (option 1) OR Guided City Walk with Gutenberg Museum visit (option 2)
    Landmarks
    Heidelberg Castle
    Gutenberg Museum
    Great Vat (World's Largest Wine Barrel)
    Itinerary Image 1
  6. Day 6

    Kehl - Strasbourg

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • City Sightseeing Tour of Strasbourg including Gothic cathedral and La Petite France

    Optional Activities

    • Explore Strasbourg's French winter markets during free time
    • Guided Optional Excursion to Alsace wine country
    Landmarks
    Strasbourg Cathedral
    La Petite France
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  7. Day 7

    Breisach - Black Forest

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Full-day Guided Tour to Black Forest (option 1) OR Guided Tour of Freiburg's medieval city center (option 2)

    Optional Activities

    • Guided Optional Excursion to Colmar village
    Landmarks
    Black Forest
    Freiburg
    Colmar
    Itinerary Image 1
  8. Day 8

    Basel

    Meals
    Breakfast
    Landmarks
    Basel

Want to read it later?

Download this tour’s PDF brochure and start tour planning offline

What's Included

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

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • Optional
  • Additional Services

Operated by

Avalon Waterways

Gold Operator
Rating
4.6(234 reviews)
Response time
within 2 days
Response rate
76%
Cancellation policy

Avalon Waterways Ship

  • Avalon View
    Avalon View
    The Avalon View is the newest addition to the 2020 Avalon Suite Ship fleet. With the youngest fleet of ships on Europe's waterways, Avalon W… Read more
    Capacity
    Built
    2019
    Guests
    166
    Crew
    47
    Length
    443 ft / 135 m
    Width
    12m / 39 ft
    Suites
    67
    Staterooms
    16
    Registry
    Gross Tonnage
    2775 gt
    Electricity
    Beam
    Cruising Speed
    12 kn / 22 kph / 14 mph
    Generators
    Engines
    Draft
    Staterooms / SuitesDeck PlansDining

Reviews from other tours by Avalon Waterways

  • Charles
    September 8th, 2025
    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
  • Klaus
    July 28th, 2024
    ship was excellent, food and drinks were great, adventures perfectly organized,all crew members were extremely...
    Show more
  • Lisa
    May 12th, 2024
    This was our first cruise and we enjoyed it very much. The ship was immaculate, the staff was lovely, and the food...
    Show more

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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 on 24 Jun, 2026
  • From Tuesday
    13 Oct, 2026
    To Tuesday
    20 Oct, 2026
    English
    This departure date is available and will 100% depart
    Guaranteed departure
    Avalon View
    From:
    US $4,499 per person
    Taxes
    $231
    Wine Lovers (Southbound) Version
    View this tour
  • From Tuesday
    27 Oct, 2026
    To Tuesday
    3 Nov, 2026
    English
    This departure date is available and will 100% depart
    Guaranteed departure
    Avalon View
    From:
    US $4,199 per person
    Taxes
    $231
    Wine Lovers (Southbound) Version
    View this tour
  • From Friday
    30 Oct, 2026
    To Friday
    6 Nov, 2026
    English
    This departure date is available and will 100% depart
    Guaranteed departure
    Avalon Expression
    From:
    US $4,099 per person
    Taxes
    $231
    with Alternative A Version
    View this tour
  • From Tuesday
    10 Nov, 2026
    To Tuesday
    17 Nov, 2026
    English
    This departure date is available and will 100% depart
    Guaranteed departure
    Avalon View
    From:
    US $5,898 per person
    Taxes
    $231
    Wine Lovers (Southbound) Version
    View this tour

Want to read it later?

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Why book with TourRadar?

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Can’t find the answer to your question?
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Good to Know

Tour ID: 288026

  • Currencies
    €
    Euro
    France, Germany and Netherlands
    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 September 20th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after September 20th, 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.
  • People also viewed

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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
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2028

Jan
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