Uniworld Cruise

Amsterdam to Basel - Legendary Rhine & Moselle

The cities along the Rhine River are steeped in 2,000 years of history. From ancient Roman time, the gorgeous Rhine Valley has been an inspiration to all who journey here. Explore this fabled valley and cruise past some of Europe’s most spectacular scenery, where fairytale castles and historic sites greet you at every turn. Sail down the Moselle River with its medley of vineyards, sylvan woods and medieval villages, and traverse through the charming Dutch canals. Travel through five amazing countries, along two beautiful rivers, and through countless canals, and all along the way gain an intimate insight into the history and cultures that have shaped these regions over the centuries.

Who will enjoy this cruise: There’s something on this cruise for everyone from art connoisseurs to students of history – museums, castles, grand architecture, fairytale villages and spectacular nature.

Included Features

• 14-night cruise in an outside stateroom on River Queen
• 12 shore excursions with English-speaking guides
• All meals onboard the ship
• Captain’s Welcome & Farewell Dinners
• Exciting onboard entertainment and insightful lectures

Included Highlights

• Amsterdam City Tour, Rijksmuseum and Candlelight Canal Cruise
• Half-Day Tour of Delft
• Cologne Walking Tour with Cathedral Visit
• Cochem Walking Tour and Reichsburg Castle
• Luxembourg and World War II Cemetery
• Walking Tour and Wine Experience
• Gondola Ride to Niederwald Monument
• Speyer Walking Tour
• Strasbourg Canal Cruise
• Half-day Tour of Colmar
• Basel City Tour

The Ships

Itinerary

Day 3 Amsterdam
Our Amsterdam tour will take you though the canal-lined streets where you’ll view Mint Tower, Dam Square, the Royal Palace and Museum Square. Visit the renowned Rijksmuseum, which holds the most important collection of Dutch paintings in the world, including Rembrandt’s “The Night Watch.”

Day 4 Amsterdam
Amsterdam is truly one of those places you can spend weeks in and still not have seen it all. Museums, historical houses, colorful street performers, there’s something interesting on every corner. This morning is your last opportunity to take it all in.

Day 5 Rotterdam and Delft
Explore the beautiful picturesque town of Delft, known for its blue-and-white pottery and association with one of the most talented painters from the Dutch Golden Age, Johannes Vermeer. Birthplace and home to Vermeer, the town was featured in the film,“Girl with a Pearl Earring,”inspired by the painting of the same name. Your tour takes you to the Old City Center, Vermeer’s house and to the Royal Delft Factory, producing the original Delft pottery. Afterwards, enjoy a harbor cruise in Rotterdam.

Day 6 Cologne
You’ll meet up with your guide on the pier and begin your walking tour. Stroll the narrow streets of Old Town, passing by tiny squares and little churches as you make your way to the Cologne Cathedral, the city’s most famous landmark and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cathedral is one of the most important pilgrimage churches in Europe. Our guided tour features the Shrine of the Three Kings.

Day 7 Cochem
Cochem is an architectural gem typical of the Moselle region and best explored on foot. With your guide, explore Cochem’s narrow alleys with its half-timbered houses, and visit Reichsburg Castle, a grand structure perched high on a hill above the town.

Day 8 Trier
Trier is the site of one of the oldest Roman outposts along the Moselle. Exploring the town during your guided tour, you’ll see its many ancient monuments, including the basilica, the ruins of the imperial baths and the imposing and well preserved fortified gate called Porta Nigra.

Day 9 Remich
The independent sovereign state of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is one-third smaller than Rhode Island, yet showcases gorgeous architecture and an impressive history. Your guided tour includes Our Lady Cathedral, the Archdukes Place and a visit to a World War II cemetery.

Day 10 Bernkastel
As the heart of Germany’s wine-producing region, it’s no wonder the scenery is so enchanting. Your day in Bernkastel—with more than 500 years of winemaking history—includes a local wine tasting of the area’s Riesling, long a source of wealth for this small town.

Day 11 Rüdesheim Rüdesheim has a long history going back to Roman times, as do most coastal cities along the Rhine. The town is famous for, among other things, its long avenue of shops and wine bars, the Drosselgasse, and also the impressive Niederwald Monument commemorating the unification of Germany. Today, you’ll see the town from “up high”as you travel by gondola to the monument.

Day 12 Speyer In Speyer, enjoy a walking tour to the Old Town and the grand Speyer Cathedral, the final resting place of German emperors for nearly 300 years. The cathedral has a basilica with four towers and two domes, and is considered the most significant Romanesque edifice in Germany.

Day 13 Strasbourg See Strasbourg in the way it has been seen through the centuries—on a canal cruise. In addition to viewing the town’s covered bridges, Medieval watchtowers and modern building that houses the European Parliament, you will see Petite France, a picturesque district that seems as if it has been lifted from the pages of a fairytale.

Day 14 Colmar Colmar is so quaint you may feel you’re on a film set. Follow your guide though its cobblestone streets, which are lined with brightly colored half-timbered houses, and see the well-preserved canal quarter, known as Petite Venice.

Day 15 Basel Your city walk introduces you to Basel, Switzerland’s second-largest city. Over the centuries, it has been a center for banking, trade, and education, all of which are showcased by its striking Medieval Town Hall and exquisite 18thcentury patrician homes.

Day 16 Depart Basel Disembark the ship and transfer to the airport in Basel for your flight home.

Cost of This Trip