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If you want to climb a church tower, I suggest going up to the top of the Notre-Dame in Strasbourg instead. Enjoy scenic cruising through the Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO Site, passing iconic Lorelei Rock. Stroll through quaint Mainz and see an original Gutenberg Bible in the Gutenberg Museum. Visit Speyer and its landmark cathedral, the burial place of eight emperors. Explore Strasbourg, the cultural center of France’s Alsace region. Vineyard-flanked slopes and historic cities make this 8-day journey irresistible.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
We wandered mostly on our own, ducking into gelato shops and chocolate stores while enjoying the colorful, medieval feel. Also unlike many other cruises or guided tours, almost everything was included, which made it feel like a truly relaxing vacation. Recently, I sailed on my first Viking River Cruise up the Rhine River to explore Switzerland, Germany, France and The Netherlands on their classic ‘Rhine Getaway’ river cruise.
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You truly pass one castle every few minutes once you enter the Rhine Gorge. Our cruise Program Director also provided a running commentary on all of the things we were seeing as we sailed by. There’s something incredible about seeing these archaic stone structures from various angles as you move along the water. Some notable landmarks include the Dom zu Speyer (Speyer Cathedral) and the Altpörtel (Old Gate) directly west of there. The two are connected by the short Maximilianstraße, which serves as the main street in the historic district.
DAY 3 Cologne, Germany
River cruises are highly dependent on local water levels, and abnormally low water can negatively impact your trip by forcing the boat to re-route. Viking offers both pre and post extensions, which are a fun way to see more of Europe and combine the best of both worlds (guided group tours with individual trips). The number one reason why I like river cruises so much is because you get to see many small towns and sights in a leisurely fashion. You’ll have to make this decision for yourself, but beer and wine are included with each meal even if you don’t purchase the unlimited drink package. I did the math, and you’d basically have to drink two additional cocktails each day (outside of lunch and dinner) to make the package worthwhile.
Day 1: Arrive in Basel, Switzerland
Viking offered a short included tour, then we had about an hour or so to explore on our own. There are some other interesting churches a little further inland, or you could check out the many side alleys that branch off of the Maximilianstraße. After two long years of pandemic restrictions, Europe is fully open again!
Rudesheim am Rhein, Germany
We had lunch a couple times there and it’s quite nice to see the river views and sit outside. Another advantage to booking airfare through Viking is they also include round trip transfers. When I went on my cruise to Cuba, we received a group number each evening for the next day’s stop.
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The trip provides an easy jumping-off point to scenic vineyards, bustling cities and ancient lore. More days means more to discover, with extension packages you can add before or after your Viking cruise or cruisetour. Tour highlights of the legendary Rhine River, then discover Nordic wonders by sea. Experience cultured Basel before setting sail for Germany’s storied Black Forest and France’s multicultural Strasbourg.
However, since we docked in the late afternoon, time felt even more limited here than in Speyer. At every port of call, Viking offered one included (free) tour. These tended to be walking tours that lasted about two hours and introduced guests to the various cities.
Marksburg Castle was the most fascinating castle I have ever visited, and I’ve visited quite a few. Our Viking River Rhine Cruise tour guide gave an intriguing glimpse into what life was like during the time of castles, kings, knights and princesses. Find out what made this castle so intriguing in this story, Marksburg Castle with Viking River Cruises. Rich with history, Heidelberg is home to Germany’s oldest university, the ruins of a romantic Renaissance castle, and the world’s largest wine barrel. Learn about these sites and more things to do in Heidelberg, Germany today.
Viking Gersemi Cruise: Expert Review (2023) - Cruise Critic
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I loved seeing the patchwork of vineyards on the steep mountainsides, but the coolest part of the day is seeing all the castles. Strasbourg is a fascinating city that’s much larger than Breisach. Due to its location on the Rhine, Strasbourg has a unique mix of French and German cultural elements.
Sample flavors of the Alsace region, explore Frankfurt, one of Europe’s high-powered business hubs, and visit lesser-known historic towns in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. Turreted castles and a fascinating history exude a rich tapestry of medieval charm. Viking introduces the definitive way to explore the world in comfort. We call them Ocean & River Voyages, an innovative marriage of our award-winning river and ocean cruises. On cruises booked in some countries, such as the U.K., flights are included in the fare.
Enjoy an onboard lunch as you marvel at this scenic passage, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where castles overlook the river from their hilltop posts. Stay current with special offers, news and destination-focused content. Uncork new discoveries as you raise a glass of Riesling on our acclaimed Rhine River cruises through Switzerland, Germany and The Netherlands. See how the Rhine, Main and Moselle river systems unfold to create a spellbinding display of storybook villages, Dutch windmills, German vineyards and splendid UNESCO Sites. We chose to do 2 optionals and on the other days, relaxed on board or went into town to explore on our own!
I helped myself to endless madeleines and double dark chocolate muffins. The ships are well designed to really maximize space and cabins feature a giant closet and tons of drawers to put away your clothes, should you wish to fully unpack. River cruising is a much more intimate experience, with unreserved seating at meal times so you get to mix and mingle with almost everyone on board by the end (if you want!). Because of this, they have the flexibility to turn each propeller a full 360 degrees for precision and smooth sailing so you shouldn’t experience any seasickness on board. One thing I liked about sailing with Viking is how leisurely the day to day pace is.
However, if you’d rather explore one of the stops on your own (or even stay on the ship), you are more than welcome to skip any of the tours. Cologne is the largest city this cruise stops in, so there wasn’t enough time to explore all that I wanted to. The included Viking tour served as a brief introduction to the riverfront and Kölner Dom, the city’s massive iconic cathedral. For your best first time river cruise experience, don't be tempted to miss the daily pre-dinner port talk about the next day's port of call and activities.
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