Day 1: Following your home taxi collection you will board our platinum tour coach and we will head to Kent for our short sea crossing to France. Upon our arrival we cross the border into Belgium and make our way to our overnight hotel in the Liege area, on a dinner bed & breakfast basis.
Day 2: This morning after breakfast we continue our journey through Belgium and into Germany to the city of Cologne, where we board our vessel for the next 7 nights, the A-ROSA Aqua on a premium all-inclusive basis. Lined with a bustling wide promenade and criss-crossed with bridges, your first glimpse of the mighty Rhine in Cologne is destined to be a memorable one. You will have a short amount of time to explore before we set sail at 6pm on our exciting Rhine cruise, heading for the southern Rhine.
Day 3: We arrive at our first destination, Rüdesheim, in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley late morning. the town of Rüdesheim marks the end of several old merchants’ routes. This strategically important point used to be protected by four castles. Picturesque Rüdesheim is known all around the world for its outstanding wines. Make sure you take a walk through the charming little streets of the old town. Drosselgasse, an alleyway with half-timbered facades, is known as ‘The World’s Longest Wine Bar‘ and is reputed to be the most-visited tourist attraction in Germany after Cologne Cathedral. Wine cultivation was already in full swing here in Roman times – learn more about the winegrowers of antiquity and their successors at the Rheingauer Weinmuseum in the Brömserburg, an old castle. And if you want to sample the wines that are being produced today, head to the rustic wine taverns in the old town.
Day 4: Today, you'll find yourself in Germany's enchanting Upper Rhine nestled in the heart of Europe. Here, the natural surrounds are some of the most picture-perfect you'll see on your A-ROSA river cruise, with terraced vineyards, expansive forests, high peaks and nature trails just waiting to be explored. Your port today will be Germersheimm, where you'll discover rich German hospitality and history, and the perfect place to spend a day of laidback discovery.
Day 5: Make sure you have your cameras to hand as you sail into your next port. Perched on a steep cliff above the Rhine, Breisach is picture-perfect with pastel-hued buildings set in beautiful rolling vineyards. Where the Black Forest spills into the Alsace region, this German town shares a lot with its French neighbours - its love of good food and good wine amongst them. Painstakingly reconstructed after almost total devastation in WWII, this pretty port is made for a leisurely day's exploring. We recommend making the climb uphill to St Stephen Cathedral, the town's major landmark and seat of extraordinary views across this attractive region.
Day 6: Today we call at Strasbourg – a centre of European policymaking. With its medieval half-timbered houses and its elegant city palaces, Strasbourg really stands out from the crowd. But the highlight is the cathedral. From its viewing platform, the city’s half-timbered houses appear as small as pieces from a model railway set. Enjoy your day in the French part of the Rhine region!
Day 7: Today we awaken in the very heart of the Rhineland's wine growing region, sophisticated Mainz. Wander the cobbled streets of the Old Town, and lose yourself among half-timbered buildings housing colourful bars, traditional shops and great eateries. This area is most famed for its fantastic Riesling and Silvaner wines, so it'd be remiss not to sit, soak up the atmosphere and enjoy a perfectly chilled glass of this top tipple whilst on dry land. There's much more than just excellent vintages to this pretty city though. The Altstadt also plays host to the impressive 1,000-year-old Mainzer Dome, a masterpiece of Gothic, Romanesque and Baroque styles, as well as the fantastic Gutenberg Museum.
Day 8: Our destination today is Norwich’s Twin City Koblenz. Its history dates back over 2,000 years, making it one of Germany’s oldest cities. The site of an early commandery for the Teutonic Order, sailing past its iconic headland, Deutsches Eck (German Corner) and famous Kaiser Wilhelm statue on your A-Rosa river cruise ship will be one of the unforgettable highlights of this trip.
Day 9: Sadly this morning we disembark our vessell and re-join our coach as we head back to France where we make the short sea crossing to Kent. Upon our arrival we continue our journey back to Norfolk arriving late evening where we will be met by our door to door taxi service who will be waiting to take you home.
Outer Cabin - £1998pp (based on two people sharing a double cabin)
Outer Cabin - £2645pp (based on single occupancy of a double cabin)
Deck 2 - Balcony Cabin - £2247pp (based on two people sharing a double cabin)
Deck 2 - Balcony Cabin - £3043pp (based on single occupancy of a double cabin)
Deck 3 - Balcony Cabin - £2330 (based on two people sharing a double cabin)
Deck 3 - Balcony Cabin - £3176 (based on single occupancy of a double cabin)
Please note: These cruise holidays cannot be booked through a travel agent.
Holiday Information:
8 Nights Dinner, Bed & Breakfast
Tour Reference: ARO003
Deposit Required: £530PP
Balance Due: 13 weeks prior to departure
Please note: deposit is non refundable or transferable unless cancelled by Eastons