Belgium: Antwerp | The Netherlands: Willemstad, Kinderdijk, Nijmegen | Germany: Bonn, Cochem, Trier, Bernkastel, Boppard, Speyer | France: Strasbourg | Switzerland: Basel
Ship
Privately Owned, 140-passenger Ship
Includes airfare
During your trip, you will have the opportunity to join optional tours to further your discoveries—all of which are noted below. Most of these tours can only be reserved onsite with your Program Director, however due to limited space and other special requirements, some optional tours must be reserved before your departure from the U.S. If this trip has optional tours that need to be purchased in advance, they will be noted with a disclaimer below.
Day 5 | $99 per person
Day 5 | $99 per person
Spend the afternoon in the famous Black Forest region. First, you’ll take a guided tour of The Black Forest Open Air Museum to see how people lived and worked here 600 years ago. Next, witness the preparation of this region’s most popular sweet, the Black Forest cake. Comprised of rich chocolate and cherries, this cake is beloved all over the world—and you’ll discover why when you enjoy a taste for yourself, accompanied by a hot beverage. Finally, you’ll visit a traditional cuckoo clock shop, where you can admire the painstaking craftmanship of these iconic time pieces. Perhaps you’ll take home a hand-carved clock of your own.
Day 10 | $150 per person
Day 10 | $150 per person
On this full-day tour you'll visit Luxembourg, the tiny nation who—despite its diminutive size of less than 1,000 square miles—is an especially important ally to the U.S. The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a constitutional monarchy located between Belgium, France, and Germany. Here, the everyday language is Letzebuergesch, which symbolizes the national identity of the people. In addition to a city tour and visit to the American and the German cemeteries, you’ll also enjoy lunch and free time to explore on your own.
German forces occupied Luxembourg in May 1940, and its liberation (primarily by American troops) began in September 1944. The Battle of the Bulge began with Hitler’s desperate attack through the Ardennes to attempt to drive out the Allied forces. The resulting encounter, considered “the greatest American battle of the Second World War” by Winston Churchill, raged here from December 16, 1944 through January 28th, 1945, a period in which American troops suffered tremendous losses. In the city of Luxembourg itself, you’ll see the market square, the Palais of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Notre-Dame cathedral.
Day 7 | $65 per person
Day 7 | $65 per person
On this excursion, you'll travel to one of the most beautiful structures standing along the Rhine River, Marksburg Castle. Unaltered by war or reconstruction, the 13th-century fortress offers an unrivaled glimpse into medieval daily life. Walking among the three towers and the connecting rooms, you will fully feel what it was like to live in a castle. You'll climb a stone staircase leading to the romantic bed chamber (the only room heated with a stove), see the Great Hall with its enormous fireplace (large enough to grill a steer whole), and take in a commanding vista of the east bank of the Rhine as you stand atop the towers. Then make a discovery of a different nature as you sample regional beer. Return to town for an included walking tour of Boppard before reuniting with your fellow travelers for lunch onboard.
Please note: The optional Marksburg Castle tour features a considerable amount of walking uphill and on uneven surfaces; steep inclines; rocky terraces; narrow passages, no handrails; and dim lighting at times.
Day 6 | $65 per person
Day 6 | $65 per person
Discover Heidelberg, a historic university town nestled between wooded hills at the edge of the Odenwald Forest and crowned with the ruins of Heidelberg Castle. Begun in the Gothic style of the 14th century and built up gradually over the next 400 years, the castle demonstrates the evolution of architectural style, finally completed in the Baroque period. Start the tour with a visit to the Heidelberg Castle. After exploring the Gothic ruins, set out for a walking tour of the city.