Tauck River Cruises, The Rhine and Moselle from Basel, May 18, 2023

Cruising from: Basel, Switzerland;

Departure Date: 18 May, 2023;

Cruise Line: Tauck River Cruises;

Cruise Ship: MS Esprit;

Duration: 15 days;

Ports of Call: Basel, Basel, Strasbourg, Baden-Baden, Heidelberg, Boppard, Cochem, Luxembourg, Trier, Alken, Cologne, Nijmegen, Huizen, Amsterdam, Amsterdam;

Day 0 Basel, Switzerland

Basel, nestled on the Rhine river, is Switzerland's third-largest town and, partly because of its proximity to France and Germany, has a strong sense of its own identity. Historic landmarks of the city include the large market square with its richly decorated red sandstone town hall and the late Romanesque-Gothic cathedral. The city of culture, for connoisseurs, has the highest concentration of museums in the country. Basel also has a beautiful Old Town, modern architecture, and famous traditional Basel honey cake.

Day 1 Basel, Switzerland

Basel, nestled on the Rhine river, is Switzerland's third-largest town and, partly because of its proximity to France and Germany, has a strong sense of its own identity. Historic landmarks of the city include the large market square with its richly decorated red sandstone town hall and the late Romanesque-Gothic cathedral. The city of culture, for connoisseurs, has the highest concentration of museums in the country. Basel also has a beautiful Old Town, modern architecture, and famous traditional Basel honey cake.

Day 2 Strasbourg, France

Strasbourg is the capital and largest city of the Grand Est region of France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Strasbourg is the second most popular tourist city in France, after Paris. There are three main attractions: the cathedral, historic quarter of Petite France, with its half-timbered medieval houses and its quays overlooking branches of the river Ill and the Strasbourg Christmas market, the oldest and biggest historic Christmas market in Europe. The old town is a maze of narrow streets and alleys and the reflections of half-timbered houses with sloping roofs, reminiscent of those seen in fairytales

Day 3 Baden-Baden, Germany

Baden-Baden is one of the world's best-known spa towns and one of the most popular places to visit in Germany. Baden Baden is also a popular destination for sports enthusiasts, with many golf and tennis clubs, as well as equestrian sports such as horse racing. Baden-Baden is rich with elegant architecture from the opulent casino, to the charming cathedral. In the city's centre, there is a charismatic church and the natural surroundings of the Lichtentaler Allee with bountiful blooms, towering trees, and the sparkling Oos river that runs parallel to the picturesque pathway.

Day 4 Heidelberg, Germany

Heidelberg is a university town in Baden-Wurttemberg situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. Heidelberg remains primarily a university and residential city. It is one of the most romantic cities in Germany, thanks to its picturesque riverside location, its beautiful old buildings and bridges, and the castle ruins that overlook the town center. Attracting nearly four million visitors each year, the city is chock-full of historic sites and attractions for tourists, as well as excellent dining and entertainment experiences.

Day 5 Boppard, Germany

Boppard is a town and municipality in Germany, lying in the Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With gorgeous river views, hiking trails, rolling vineyards and a lovely old town the town is also a state-recognized tourism resort. Notable buildings include the Romanesque Church of St. Severus, the Gothic Carmelite Church, and the archbishop's castle which now houses the municipal museum. The city also has a spa with mineral springs.

Day 6 Cochem, Germany

Cochem is a beautiful riverside town along the river Mosel in western Germany. It's a popular stop on the short haul river cruise route, and for good reason. Surrounded by vineyards climbing up the steep sides of the river valley, and topped off with the magnificent Castle Cochem, this town is a perfect weekend trip. In summer, grapevines in leaf are all over the buildings and stretching across arbours. Many restaurants have terraces overlooking the river.

Day 7 Luxembourg, Luxembourg

Luxembourg is the capital city of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and one of the de facto capitals of the European Union. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has a lot to offer - it is very scenic and full of quirky sights and great viewpoints. The Old Town has lots of tunnels, nooks and crannies sheltering some outstanding museums, as well as lively drinking and dining scenes.

Day 8 Trier, Germany

Trier is a city on the banks of the Moselle in Germany. Karl Marx, philosopher and founder of the theory that would become known as Marxism, was born in the city in 1818. Trier is known for its well-preserved Roman and medieval buildings, which include: Porta Nigra, the huge Constantine Basilica, Trier Cathedral, a Catholic church and many more. Spread across both sides of the Mosel river, Trier has some stunning waterfront vistas.

Day 9 Alken, Belgium

Alken, Belgium. Cruising Dutch-Belgian Waterways. Belgium river cruise.

Day 10 Cologne, Germany

Cologne is fourth largest city in Germany and largest city of the Land of North Rhine-Westphalia. One of the key inland ports of Europe, it is the historic, cultural, and economic capital of the Rhineland. Cologne is famous for its 12 great Romanesque churches - especially the magnificent Cologne Cathedral - all an easy walk from the historic Old Town. Its university is one of the oldest and largest in Europe. Among its attractions are Roman remains, medieval churches, Baroque palaces, and museums that reflect such diverse subjects and the various products for which it is known: fragrances, mustard, and chocolate.

Day 11 Nijmegen, Netherlands

Nijmegen is located in the east of the Netherlands near the German border and it is well known for being the oldest city in the Netherlands. The city is full of magnificent historic buildings and centuries-old plazas and is home to Holland's oldest shopping street, the Lange Hezelstraat. The main museums are the Museumpark Orientalis and House of the History of Nijmegen. Nijmegen with its active social scene and beautiful surrounding countryside is well worth to visit.

Day 12 Huizen, Netherlands

Huizen is a municipality and a village in the Netherlands, part of the metropolitan area of Amsterdam in the province of North Holland.

Day 13 Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands. Amsterdam has a rich history and famous Amsterdam residents include the diarist Anne Frank, artists Rembrandt and Van Gogh, and philosopher Baruch Spinoza. Beside many parks, open spaces, and squares throughout the city, Amsterdam is famous for De Wallen, the red-light district. It is an unusual city to explore.

Day 14 Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands. Amsterdam has a rich history and famous Amsterdam residents include the diarist Anne Frank, artists Rembrandt and Van Gogh, and philosopher Baruch Spinoza. Beside many parks, open spaces, and squares throughout the city, Amsterdam is famous for De Wallen, the red-light district. It is an unusual city to explore.