Rhine Castles & Swiss Alps with Amsterdam and Lake Como (Christmas)

Arrive in Amsterdam and check into your hotel.

Follow your guide through the charming capital of the Netherlands, with its iconic meandering canals, bridges and distinctive architecture. (B)

Excursions:

• Amsterdam walking tour

Embark your ship in Amsterdam for your Rhine Castles & Swiss Alps cruise. (D)

Excursions:

• Transfer to ship
• Zaanse Schans visit

There are 165 canals in Amsterdam, and you'll get enjoy some of them on your canal cruise. Later in the day, set sail out of Amsterdam. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

• Canal cruise
• Scenic cruising

Enjoy cruising to Cologne. Join a guided tour through the Old Town. During your free time, browse through the city's most impressive Christmas Markets, offering 160 attractively designed wooden pavilions. Active guests will want to join a guided bike ride along the Rhine and through the historic Stadtgarten. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

• Cologne walking tour and Christmas Markets OR Cologne bike tour

Cruise through the captivating UNESCO-designated Rhine Gorge, the most stunningly beautiful stretch of the river before reaching the winemaking town of Rüdesheim. In the afternoon, join a wine tasting to discover the flavors of the town's iconic vineyards. Afterwards, enjoy free time in the town, perhaps to explore the Drosselgasse, the town's cultural heart, and the Christmas markets. Or drink up the stunning views by soaring high above the vineyards with a gondola ride to the Niederwalddenkmal and with free time visiting the Christmas markets.

For a more active adventure, hike through the town's beautiful vineyards or join a guided bike tour along the scenic Rhine River. Later in the day, let Siegfried's Mechanical Instrument Cabinet charm you with its remarkable collection of self-playing musical instruments; or taste one of the town's special delights, Rüdesheimer coffee, ceremoniously made with brandy, coffee and whipped cream. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

• Castles along the Rhine scenic cruising
• Wine tasting and Christmas market OR Gondola ride with Christmas market OR Guided bike tour of the Rheingau OR Vineyards hike
• Siegfried's Mechanical Instrument Cabinet OR Rüdesheimer Coffee

Ludwigshafen is your gateway to a choice of four excursions. Visit Heidelberg, the perfectly preserved medieval city nestled in the Neckar River Valley along Germany's Castle Road. Discover the iconic red sandstone Heidelberg Castle and Great Vat, an 18th-century, 49,000-gallon wine cask. Here you can also enjoy visiting some of the festive Christmas Markets.

For a more active adventure while in Heidelberg, join a guided hike up the Philosopher's Path, aptly named during the Romantic Period, and enjoy panoramic views of the city. Alternatively, you can visit one of Germany's oldest cities, Speyer, known for the largest Romanesque cathedral in Europe—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—and the medieval Old Gate, Altpörtel. In your free time, you might choose to visit the Christmas Markets or Technik Museum featuring exhibits of vintage cars, military aircraft and even a submarine! (B/L/D)

Excursions:

• "Romantic Heidelberg" tour and Christmas Markets OR Medieval Speyer and Christmas Markets OR Heidelberg Philosopher's Path hike OR Ladenburg bike tour

Strasbourg offers flavors of both France and Germany because of its borderline location. Enjoy walking through the iconic “La Petite France” district, lifted straight from the pages of a fairytale. Wander through charming streets past the Cathédrale de Nôtre Dame with its famous astronomical clock. During the tour you will receive free time to visit the Christmas markets. Alternatively, take a guided bike ride through the city and Parc de l'Orangerie. (B/L/D)

Excursions:

• “The Gem of Alsace” tour with Christmas Markets OR Strasbourg bike tour

Enjoy getting to know Basel, Switzerland's third largest city. Long an important university, banking and trade center, Basel's glorious past is still evident in its medieval town hall, richly decorated market square and exquisite 18th-century patrician homes. Tour the city by foot or on a guided bike tour that takes you through three countries: Switzerland, France and Germany. Alternatively, go on a full-day excursion to Lucerne* to walk beneath the city's towers – nine of which date back to 1386 – and the medieval Chapel Bridge, one of the oldest wooden bridges in Europe.

For those guests who have not chosen our full-day Lucerne excursion, your afternoon is full of possibilities. Sample Swiss wines at a local winery, tour Wildegg Castle – a fortress built by the Habsburgs in the early 13th century that features a 3,300 square meter garden, embark on an exhilarating hike to the castle or spend your afternoon strolling through Basel's Christmas Markets. (B/L/D)

*Not combinable with other tours offered this day.

Excursions:

• “City of Art” tour with Christmas Market OR Full-day Lucerne excursion with Christmas Markets* OR “Three Countries” bike tour
• Swiss wine tasting OR Swiss castle excursion OR Castle hike OR Basel Christmas Markets

Disembark the ship and enjoy a scenic drive to Lucerne, Switzerland, where you will enjoy a brief orientation tour and free time for lunch. From Lucerne, you will board a train to Lugano where you will be met by a motorcoach for the drive to Lake Como. Once in breathtaking Lake Como, nestled at the foot of the Alps, check into your hotel for the evening. (B)

Excursions:

• Transfer to Lake Como with Lucerne visit

Be treated to a walking tour of Lake Como, a former glacial lake and popular resort area for the rich and famous since Roman times. Gaze at the azure waters and impressive villas that line the lakeside from the hills above and perhaps recognize the scenery from such Hollywood blockbusters as Ocean's Twelve and Casino Royale. (B)

Excursions:

• Walking tour

Let the wind tousle your hair as you board your boat for a scenic ride along Lake Como to its stunning pearl, Bellagio. This intimate village offers postcard-perfect views whether you choose to stroll along the lakeside or venture up hill to its cobbled streets. Browse the shops or sample the local fare at Bellagio's restaurants before returning to the boat. (B)

Excursions:

• Lake Como boat excursion to the “Pearl of Lake Como,” Bellagio

Bid farewell to Lake Como and prepare for your flight home. (B)