Europe's Rivers & Castles with Paris and Prague

Arrive in Paris and check-in to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at your leisure. Walk through the city's enchanting streets, drop by a charming sidewalk café or visit one of many world-class museums.

Enjoy a tour of Paris, taking in all its iconic sites, including the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs-Élysées and Place de la Concorde. You'll pass the magnificent Opéra Garnier, the legendary Louvre and, on the Left Bank, the Sorbonne University and the Panthéon. (B)

Excursions:

• “City of Light” tour

Enjoy an evening visit to Montmartre, long known as the city's premier artist's enclave. During the mid to late 1800s, artists also began calling Montmartre home. Pissarro and Jongkind were two of the first to live there. For easy access to Montmartre, you'll hop aboard the funicular railroad that ascends the hill. Montmartre's most recognizable landmark is the Basilica du Sacré-Coeur, constructed from 1876 to 1912. The white dome of this Roman Catholic basilica sits at the highest point in the city. After your visit to Montmartre, you'll be taken on an illumination tour, discovering why Paris is renowned as the “City of Light.” (B)

Excursions:

• Evening Montmartre and illuminations tour

Board your ship in Luxembourg for your Europe's Rivers & Castles cruise. (B/D)

Excursions:

• Hotel check-out
• TGV high-speed train
• “Grand Duchy” city tour

Walk through Bernkastel's colorful Old Town center and past many medieval and Renaissance buildings on a guided tour that also includes a winery visit and tasting. If you prefer a more active tour, join our guide on a cycling excursion along the picturesque Moselle River. You may also join a guided hike up to the Grevenburg Castle ruins and through the village's vineyards, with a tasting of local wines awaiting at the end of the trail. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

• Bernkastel Walking tour & Wine Tasting OR Old Castle Ruin Hike & Wine Tasting OR Guided Bike Ride Along the Moselle
• Scenic cruising

Head to fairytale Cochem and visit Reichsburg Castle followed by a walking tour. As an alternative, hike to Reichsburg Castle and enjoy a visit inside, or pedal through the charming town on a guided bike tour. Later in the day, sit out on your balcony or go up on the Sun Deck to marvel at the beautiful views as we cruise to Koblenz. There, you can join a guided evening walk through the charming historic town, perhaps stopping for photos at the Augenroller (eye roller) of Koblenz. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

• Reichsburg Castle visit and Cochem walking tour OR Guided bike tour of Cochem
• Scenic cruising
• Evening Walk

Drink up the stunning views by soaring high above the vineyards with a gondola ride to the Niederwalddenkmal Statue or allow yourself to be treated to a wine tasting. For a more active adventure, hike through the town's beautiful vineyards above the Rhine River. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

• Scenic cruising
• Rüdesheim wine tasting OR Rüdesheim Gondola ride OR Rüdesheim Vineyards hike

Wertheim's old town center still features half-timbered houses and the Gothic architecture of the Stiftskirche, its oldest Protestant church. You may either join a guided walking tour through the historic city center or learn the art of pretzel making with a visit to a local bakery. For those seeking a more active adventure, take a scenic bike ride through the Main River Valley or hike high above the town for a visit to the castle, one of the most picturesque ruins in Germany. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

• Wertheim walking tour OR Pretzel bakery visit and tasting OR Wertheim Castle Hill hike OR Guided bike ride along the Main

Enjoy a city tour of Würzburg, bursting with Baroque splendor. Or visit Würzburg's Baroque Residenz Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that features an opulent interior, including a grand fresco by Tiepolo. Or stretch your legs while hiking to Würzburg Castle. Alternately, go on a full-day excursion to Rothenburg, Germany's best-preserved walled town located on the Romantic Road. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

• Würzburg walking tour OR Residenz Palace tour OR Rothenburg excursion OR Würzburg Castle hike

Head to Bamberg, which has been referred to as “Franconian Rome” as, like Rome, it was built on seven hills—but in Bamberg, a church graces each one. Bamberg's medieval and Baroque architecture has withstood the test of time and, as such, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Join a guided walking tour of this medieval gem where you'll see its cathedral, Old Town Hall and elegant old mansions, and afterwards, indulge in the town's famous smoked beer, Rauchbier. Or, indulge in the culinary specialties of Bamberg, including licorice root, Hornla pastries, traditional German sausage and smoked beer. As a more invigorating alternative, pedal from Eltmann to Bamberg, meeting the ship there later in the day. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

• Bamberg walking tour OR Tastes of Bamberg OR Eltmann to Bamberg bike tour

Disembark the ship in Nuremberg and enjoy a city tour before transferring to Prague, where you will check into your hotel. (B)

Excursions:

• City tour
• Transfer to Prague

Discover fairytale Prague via a city tour or a hike to the castle. Both will reveal why Prague is considered one of Europe's most attractive and vibrant cities, with a historic city center that's recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (B)

Excursions:

• “Golden City of a Hundred Spires” tour OR Castle hike

Beer has a long and illustrious history in the Czech Republic, so join a tasting and discover some of the very best beer in the world. (B)

Excursions:

• Czech beer tasting

Bid farewell to Prague as you prepare for your journey home.