Itinerary
- Day 1
Paris
Paris
- Day 2
Paris
Paris- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided bus tour of Paris including Notre-Dame de Paris and Arc de Triomphe
- Seine River cruise
Optional Activities
- Explore Tuileries Garden Christmas market
- Visit Notre Dame Christmas market
- Evening stroll along the Seine
- View Eiffel Tower light show
Landmarks Notre-Dame de Paris Arc de Triomphe Champs-Élysées Eiffel Tower Seine River Tuileries Garden 
- Day 3
Paris
Paris- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Louvre Museum and view the Mona Lisa
- Explore the Paris Catacombs
- Tastes of Paris guided walking tour - Le Marais district including Place des Vosges, Hôtel de Sully, Rue des Rosiers, and Jardin des Archives Nationales with French pastries sampling (extra expense, 2.5 hours, moderate activity level)
- Sample Bûche de Noël (Yule Log) in a tearoom
- Attend a Christmas concert or performance
Landmarks Louvre Museum Paris Catacombs Le Marais Place des Vosges 
- Day 4
Paris to Amsterdam
Paris to Amsterdam- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Welcome dinner on board)
- Day 5
Amsterdam
Amsterdam- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit to Festive Amsterdam including Christmas markets
Optional Activities
- Private hidden Gems Tour of Amsterdam including Jordaan area, chocolate shop visit, Our Lord in the Attic 17th-century house, local beer and traditional Dutch snacks at a brewery (extra expense, 2.5 hours, moderate activity level)
Landmarks Museumplein Westergas Amsterdam Canals Jordaan Our Lord in the Attic - Day 6
Cologne
Cologne- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Quest for Cologne's treasures - self-paced treasure hunt with map and guide checkpoints
Optional Activities
- German beer experience - guided tour of Cologne's brewhouses and Kölsch beer tasting (extra expense, 2 hours, easy activity level)
Landmarks Cologne Christmas Market Cologne Cathedral - Day 7
Rüdesheim
Rüdesheim- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Cruise through the Rhine Gorge
- Visit Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet Museum
- Ride the Winzerexpress train through Rüdesheim's narrow city streets
- Explore the Christmas Market of Nations
Landmarks Rhine Gorge Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet Museum Christmas Market of Nations - Day 8
Miltenberg - Wertheim
Miltenberg - Wertheim- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Miltenberg including cobblestone streets, Gothic Merchant Hall, oldest inn in Germany (dating from 1411), Miltenberg Castle, and red sandstone church and bridge
Optional Activities
- Bronnbach Abbey with concert and tasting - well-preserved Cistercian monastery in nearby Wertheim featuring private concert and wine tasting
Landmarks Miltenberg Castle Bronnbach Abbey - Day 9
Würzburg
Würzburg- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Würzburg and visit to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Bishops Residence featuring World War II restoration history
Optional Activities
- Excursion to Rothenburg - best-preserved medieval town in Germany with medieval walls, Town Hall Tower panoramic views, Gothic churches, museums and local sausage tasting (extra expense, 6.5 hours, moderate activity level)
Landmarks Würzburg Residence Rothenburg ob der Tauber - Day 10
Bamberg
Bamberg- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Bamberg including the New Residence with German and Baroque paintings from the Bavarian State collection and Rose Garden stroll
Landmarks Bamberg New Residence - Day 11
Nuremberg
Nuremberg- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided sightseeing tour of Nuremberg including architectural wonders and World War II effects
Landmarks Nuremberg Christmas Market - Day 12
Regensburg
Regensburg- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Regensburg exploring UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town, 13th-century Town Hall, and 12th-century Stone Bridge
- Visit to Christmas market in the Thurn and Taxis Palace grounds with guide and complimentary glühwein voucher
- Traditional Bavarian band performance on board at Horizon Bar & Lounge
Landmarks Regensburg Old Town Town Hall Stone Bridge Thurn and Taxis Palace - Day 13
Passau - Linz
Passau - Linz- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Passau including Baroque buildings from the 17th century, Gothic Town Hall, Bishop's Residence, and St. Stephen's Cathedral with the largest church organ in Europe
Optional Activities
- Excursion to Salzburg - full day exploring birthplace of Mozart and The Sound of Music setting, wandering historic downtown, visiting Linzer Gasse shopping street and Mozart's home (extra expense, 10 hours, easy activity level)
- Excursion to Český Krumlov - UNESCO World Heritage-listed medieval town in Czech South Bohemia with Renaissance and Baroque architecture, cobblestone streets, townhouses and historic buildings (extra expense, 8.5 hours, difficult/active level)
Landmarks St. Stephen's Cathedral Salzburg Český Krumlov - Day 14
Melk - Dürnstein
Melk - Dürnstein- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Tour of UNESCO World Heritage-listed Melk Abbey including opulent rooms with Italian Baroque architecture, gold leaf walls, ancient monastic library with medieval manuscripts
Landmarks Melk Abbey - Day 15
Vienna
Vienna- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Vienna covering Ringstrasse and city centre including Opera House, Baroque Burgtheater, and Flemish Gothic Parliament by coach and on foot, or guided bike tour
Optional Activities
- Visit to Schönbrunn Palace - former summer residence of the Habsburg Empire, UNESCO World Heritage site with historic importance and splendid furnishings (extra expense, 5 hours, easy activity level)
- Viennese evening concert at one of Vienna's beautiful concert halls featuring Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss and Schubert with complimentary glass of sparkling wine (extra expense, 2.5 hours, easy activity level)
Landmarks Vienna Ringstrasse Vienna State Opera House Burgtheater Parliament Building Schönbrunn Palace - Day 16
Bratislava
Bratislava- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Bratislava including Old City, Episcopal Summer Palace botanical gardens, Old Town Hall with Renaissance courtyard, and Slovak National Theatre
- Home-hosted coffee and cake with a local Slovakian family to learn about culture, history and traditions
Optional Activities
- Explore viticultural towns of the Small Carpathian Wine Route including Vinosady and family-run winery in Senkvice with local wine sampling in historic wine cellar (extra expense, 4 hours 40 minutes, moderate activity level)
Landmarks Bratislava Old City Old Town Hall Slovak National Theatre - Day 17
Budapest
Budapest- Meals
- Dinner (Traditional Hungarian dinner with Hungarian folk dancing and music performance on board)
Included Activities
- Guided coach tour of Budapest covering World Heritage-listed centre with Romanesque to Baroque architecture
- Visit to Liberty Statue
- Visit to Heroes' Square
- Visit to Buda Castle district
- Walking tour of Matthias Church and Fisherman's Bastion
- Explore Christmas market
- Traditional Hungarian dinner and folk dancing and music performance on board
Optional Activities
- Excursion to Szentendre - walking tour through pedestrian city centre with Baroque architecture, churches, colourful houses, and cobbled streets; visit to Fo Tér main square with art galleries, museums and shops (Moderate activity level, 4 hours, extra expense)
- Jewish heritage tour - guided tour of significant Jewish sites including buildings from pre-World War II Jewish trade and 'Shoes on the Danube' memorial (Moderate activity level, 4 hours, extra expense)
Landmarks Chain Bridge Liberty Statue Heroes' Square Buda Castle Matthias Church Fisherman's Bastion Shoes on the Danube Szentendre Fo Tér 
- Day 18
Budapest
Budapest- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Budapest
Landmarks Budapest 
