European Jewels - Amsterdam to Budapest Cruise

Day 1 - Amsterdam

Arrive: Wed 20 August 2025

Delve into the glories of Amsterdam’s golden age: the doors to the Van Gogh museum open early just for you and your fellow passengers, and an art expert guides you through this remarkable collection (The Potato Eaters and Sunflowers are just two of its highlights), followed by one of two ways to experience the historic city. You may cruise the 400-year-old canals or stroll through the medieval Begijnhof, home to Amsterdam’s oldest wood houses, and visit the elegant 17th-century Van Loon mansion.

Day 2 - Amsterdam

Depart: Thu 21 August 2025

Delve into the glories of Amsterdam’s golden age: the doors to the Van Gogh museum open early just for you and your fellow passengers, and an art expert guides you through this remarkable collection (The Potato Eaters and Sunflowers are just two of its highlights), followed by one of two ways to experience the historic city. You may cruise the 400-year-old canals or stroll through the medieval Begijnhof, home to Amsterdam’s oldest wood houses, and visit the elegant 17th-century Van Loon mansion.

Day 3 - Cologne

Arrive: Fri 22 August 2025 / Depart: Fri 22 August 2025

You have an array of choices for how you wish to experience Cologne’s many treasures. Those interested in history and architecture can stroll with a local expert through Old Town to the city’s iconic UNESCO-listed Gothic Cologne Cathedral.

Day 4 - Rudesheim

Arrive: Sat 23 August 2025 / Depart: Sat 23 August 2025

Rüdesheim am Rhein is a town in the Rhine Valley, Germany. It’s known for winemaking, especially of Riesling wines. In the center, Drosselgasse is a lane lined with shops, taverns and restaurants. Nearby, Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet is a museum of automated musical instruments. Medieval Brömserburg Castle is home to the Rheingau Wine Museum, exhibiting wine paraphernalia from ancient times to the present.

Day 5 - Heidelberg

Arrive: Sun 24 August 2025 / Depart: Sun 24 August 2025

Heidelberg is a town on the Neckar River in southwestern Germany. It’s known for venerable Heidelberg University, founded in the 14th century. Gothic Heiliggeistkirche church towers over the cafe-lined Marktplatz, a town square in the Altstadt (Old Town). The red-sandstone ruins of Heidelberg Castle, a noted example of Renaissance architecture, stand on Königstuhl hill.

Day 6 - Wertheim, Germany

Arrive: Mon 25 August 2025 / Depart: Mon 25 August 2025

Wertheim is a town in southwestern Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg with a population of around 23,400. It is located on the confluence of the rivers Tauber and Main. Wertheim is best known for its landmark castle and medieval town centre.

Day 7 - Wurzburg

Arrive: Tue 26 August 2025 / Depart: Tue 26 August 2025

Art lovers will want to visit the Würzburg Residence, and fairytale lovers will want to go to Rothenburg and Weikersheim, where you can visit a grand palace.

Day 8 - Cruising the Main River

Day 8 - Rothenburg

Arrive: Wed 27 August 2025 / Depart: Wed 27 August 2025

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a German town in northern Bavaria known for its medieval architecture. Half-timbered houses line the cobblestone lanes of its old town. The town walls include many preserved gate houses and towers, plus a covered walkway on top. St. Jakob’s Church houses an intricate, late Gothic altarpiece by woodcarver Tilman Riemenschneider. The medieval Town Hall has a tower with panoramic views.

Day 9 - Bamberg

Arrive: Thu 28 August 2025 / Depart: Thu 28 August 2025

City dwellers will wish to discover Bamberg—a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and country dwellers will wish to experience a Franconian village outing.

Day 10 - Nuremberg

Arrive: Fri 29 August 2025 / Depart: Fri 29 August 2025

Nuremberg is the largest city of the German federal state of Bavaria after its capital Munich, and its 518,370 inhabitants make it the 14th-largest city in Germany.

Day 10 - Cruising the Main Danube Canal

Day 11 - Regensburg

Arrive: Sat 30 August 2025 / Depart: Sat 30 August 2025

Discover Germany’s best-preserved medieval city on a walking tour; visit a Bavarian hops farm.

Day 12 - Passau (Munich)

Arrive: Sun 31 August 2025 / Depart: Sun 31 August 2025

Discover Passau with a variety of choices, either on an intimate walking tour, panoramic city tour or via a “Go Active” choice with a ride along one of the most beautiful stretches of the Danube and into the heart of Passau.

Day 13 - Weissenkirchen

Arrive: Mon 01 September 2025 / Depart: Mon 01 September 2025

Weißenkirchen in der Wachau is a town in the district of Krems-Land in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. The ferry across the Danube here is interesting in that it has no motor or sail: it is powered by rudder set against the river current, anchored to a cable above the river.

Day 14 - Vienna, Austria

Arrive: Tue 02 September 2025 / Depart: Tue 02 September 2025

Get acquainted with Vienna’s treasure trove of imperial gems with a city tour or visit Prince Eugene’s Winter Palace. If you prefer to experience the city’s artistic gems,you can join an art tour, featuring a Gustav Klimt exhibit at the Belvedere.

Day 15 - Budapest

Arrive: Wed 03 September 2025

Budapest, Hungary’s capital, is bisected by the River Danube. Its 19th-century Chain Bridge connects the hilly Buda district with flat Pest. A funicular runs up Castle Hill to Buda’s Old Town, where the Budapest History Museum traces city life from Roman times onward. Trinity Square is home to 13th-century Matthias Church and the turrets of the Fishermen’s Bastion, which offer sweeping views.

Day 16 - Budapest

Depart: Thu 04 September 2025

Budapest, Hungary’s capital, is bisected by the River Danube. Its 19th-century Chain Bridge connects the hilly Buda district with flat Pest. A funicular runs up Castle Hill to Buda’s Old Town, where the Budapest History Museum traces city life from Roman times onward. Trinity Square is home to 13th-century Matthias Church and the turrets of the Fishermen’s Bastion, which offer sweeping views.