Romance of the Rhine & Mosel

Join us this afternoon and evening for an optional excursion to Flanders Fields, a museum commemorating World War I. You will travel to the city of Ypres, now known as the “City of Peace,” and visit the interactive Flanders Fields Museum, where you'll learn about the Great War and then tour the battlefields. After dinner at a local restaurant, you’ll visit the Menin Gate Memorial and listen to the buglers from the local fire brigade who play there every night in remembrance of those lost in the war. The cost of this optional excursion includes dinner.

On this full-day tour you'll visit Luxembourg, the tiny nation who—despite its diminutive size of less than 1,000 square miles—is an especially important ally to the U.S. The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a constitutional monarchy located between Belgium, France, and Germany. Here, the everyday language is Letzebuergesch, which symbolizes the national identity of the people. In addition to a city tour and visit to the American and the German cemeteries, you’ll also enjoy lunch and free time to explore on your own.

German forces occupied Luxembourg in May 1940, and its liberation (primarily by American troops) began in September 1944. The Battle of the Bulge began with Hitler’s desperate attack through the Ardennes to attempt to drive out the Allied forces. The resulting encounter, considered “the greatest American battle of the Second World War” by Winston Churchill, raged here from December 16, 1944 through January 28th, 1945, a period in which American troops suffered tremendous losses. In the city of Luxembourg itself, you’ll see the market square, the Palais of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Notre-Dame cathedral.

On this excursion, you'll travel to one of the most beautiful structures standing along the Rhine River, Marksburg Castle. Unaltered by war or reconstruction, the 13th-century fortress offers an unrivaled glimpse into medieval daily life. Walking among the three towers and the connecting rooms, you will fully feel what it was like to live in a castle. You'll climb a stone staircase leading to the romantic bed chamber (the only room heated with a stove), see the Great Hall with its enormous fireplace (large enough to grill a steer whole), and take in a commanding vista of the east bank of the Rhine as you stand atop the towers. Then make a discovery of a different nature as you sample regional beer. Return to town for an included walking tour of Boppard before reuniting with your fellow travelers for lunch onboard.

Please note: The optional Marksburg Castle tour features a considerable amount of walking uphill and on uneven surfaces; steep inclines; rocky terraces; narrow passages, no handrails; and dim lighting at times.

Discover Heidelberg, a historic university town nestled between wooded hills at the edge of the Odenwald Forest and crowned with the ruins of Heidelberg Castle. Begun in the Gothic style of the 14th century and built up gradually over the next 400 years, the castle demonstrates the evolution of architectural style, finally completed in the Baroque period. Start the tour with a visit to the Heidelberg Castle. After exploring the Gothic ruins, set out for a walking tour of the city.

On this full-day excursion, enjoy a panoramic 40-minute train ride on the Jungfrau Line Railway to Kleine Scheidegg at an altitude of almost 7,000 feet. Admire the Alpine scenery with dramatic views of the Wetterhorn and the Eiger North Face, successfully climbed for the first time in 1938. You’ll savor traditional Swiss fare for lunch and have time to take some great pictures. No other area of Switzerland offers so much: majestic mountains, waterfalls and lakes, and scores of charming villages. Long before skiing and hiking became popular pursuits, the aristocrats of France and England flocked here to view the imposing triple peaks of the Jungfrau, Monch, and Eiger in comfort. You'll then descend to the resort town of Grindelwald before returning to your hotel.

Spend the afternoon in the famous Black Forest region. First, you’ll take a guided tour of The Black Forest Open Air Museum to see how people lived and worked here 600 years ago. Next, witness the preparation of this region’s most popular sweet, the Black Forest cake. Comprised of rich chocolate and cherries, this cake is beloved all over the world—and you’ll discover why when you enjoy a taste for yourself, accompanied by a hot beverage. Finally, you’ll visit a traditional cuckoo clock shop, where you can admire the painstaking craftmanship of these iconic time pieces. Perhaps you’ll take home a hand-carved clock of your own.  

This morning, take part in a hands-on chocolate-making workshop at a local chocolatier where you will learn to create one of Belgium's most famous—and sweetest—products. 

Travel to the resort town of Rigi Kaltbad high in the Alps during our optional Best of Switzerland tour. We start our tour with a boat trip to Weggis. We then transfer by bus to the aerial cableway station. Rigi Kaltbad is a car-free resort that you reach only by boat or cable car. The views across the nearby lake are spectacular. Later, enjoy dinner and a folk performance.