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2026

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2027

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2028

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
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Jun
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1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

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AdultsAges 18 or above

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2026

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2027

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2028

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Who is travelling?

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2

ChildrenUnder 18

0
From
US $4,699 per person

Christmastime on the Romantic Rhine (Southbound) 2027

8 days
•
From Frankfurt-am-Main to Basel
4.6 (234 reviews)
  • Vibrant aerial scene of Frankfurt’s bustling Christmas market filled with lights and crowds.
  • Daytime skyline of Frankfurt’s modern skyscrapers under scattered clouds.
  • Cologne skyline with the twin spires of Cologne Cathedral viewed across the Rhine.
  • Historic pastel houses of Cologne’s old town with cathedral spires rising behind.
  • Stone church fortress perched on a hill above a row of traditional German houses.
    View all
From
US $4,699 per person
+ $252 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

Best price guarantee Learn More

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

    Frankfurt

    Frankfurt
    Meals
    Dinner
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2
  2. Day 2

    Mainz

    Mainz
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided City Walk including Gutenberg Museum visit
    • Live Christmas carols with entertainment onboard

    Optional Activities

    • Browse Christmas Markets of Mainz
    Landmarks
    Gutenberg Museum
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2
  3. Day 3

    Cologne

    Cologne
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided Tour and Tasting at Cologne Chocolate Museum (choice of activity)
    • Guided City Walk of Cologne with gothic cathedral (choice of activity)

    Optional Activities

    • Browse Cologne Christmas Markets
    • Onboard workshop on European Christmas decorations
    • Christmas concert in Baroque venue at Engers Castle
    Landmarks
    Cologne Cathedral
    Chocolate Museum Cologne
    Engers Castle
  4. Day 4

    Rhine Gorge - Rüdesheim

    Rhine Gorge - Rüdesheim
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

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

    Optional Activities

    • Browse Rüdesheim Christmas Markets and winter wonderlands
    • Live entertainment onboard
    Landmarks
    Rhine Gorge
    Rock of the Lorelei
    Mechanical Music Museum
  5. Day 5

    Ludwigshafen - Heidelberg / Speyer

    Ludwigshafen - Heidelberg / Speyer
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided Tour of Heidelberg Castle and Great Vat (choice of activity)
    • Guided Tour of Speyer Cathedral (choice of activity)

    Optional Activities

    • Heidelberg Christmas Markets
    • Speyer Christmas Markets
    Landmarks
    Heidelberg Castle
    Great Vat
    Speyer Cathedral
  6. Day 6

    Strasbourg

    Strasbourg
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • City Sightseeing including gothic cathedral with stained glass and astronomical clock, and La Petite France district

    Optional Activities

    • Browse Strasbourg French Christmas Markets
    Landmarks
    Strasbourg Cathedral
    La Petite France
  7. Day 7

    Breisach - Black Forest / Colmar

    Breisach - Black Forest / Colmar
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Included Activities

    • Guided Tour through Colmar (choice of activity)
    • Full-day Guided Tour to Black Forest (choice of activity)

    Optional Activities

    • Guided Optional Excursion to Freiburg medieval city center
    • Browse Breisach Christmas Markets
    Landmarks
    Colmar
    Black Forest
    Freiburg
  8. Day 8

    Basel

    Basel
    Meals
    Breakfast

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

What's Not Included

  • Additional Services

Operated by

Avalon Waterways

Gold Operator
Rating
4.6 (234 reviews)
Response time
within 1 day
Response rate
79%
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

  • Charles5.0•September 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
  • Julie5.0•August 2025
    Unforgettable, stress-free trip.
  • Klaus5.0•July 2024
    Led by Nour
    ship was excellent, food and drinks were great, adventures perfectly organized,all crew members were extremely...
    Show more

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Dates & Availability

Select departure month and travellers

Select Date

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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 in0d0h30m7s
  • From Tuesday
    30 Nov, 2027
    To Tuesday
    7 Dec, 2027
    English
    This departure date is available and will 100% depart
    Guaranteed departure
    Avalon View
    From:
    US $4,699 per person
    Multiple Room Types
    Taxes
    $252
  • From Tuesday
    7 Dec, 2027
    To Tuesday
    14 Dec, 2027
    English
    This departure date is available and will 100% depart
    Guaranteed departure
    Avalon Envision
    From:
    US $6,798 per person
    Multiple Room Types
    Taxes
    $252
  • From Tuesday
    14 Dec, 2027
    To Tuesday
    21 Dec, 2027
    English
    This departure date is available and will 100% depart
    Guaranteed departure
    Avalon View
    From:
    US $4,699 per person
    Multiple Room Types
    Taxes
    $252

Want to read it later?

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

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From
US $4,699 per person
+ $252 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

Best price guarantee Learn More

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Good to Know

Tour ID: 338247

  • 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 October 31st, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after October 31st, 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
Oct
Nov
Dec

2028

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