Sit back and relax and enjoy some in-flight meals and entertainment on your overnight flight to Frankfurt, Germany.
Arrive at Frankfurt Airport and meet your Adelman Travel Tour Manager for a group transfer to Baden-Baden. Few other cities in Germany are as cosmopolitan and exclusive as Baden-Baden. In the 19th century, it flourished as a sophisticated spa town thanks to its thermal baths and was rediscovered as an internationally renowned meeting place for aristocrats and wealthy citizens, aided by the income from its famous casino. A rich and well-preserved cultural heritage - both tangible and intangible - remains from this golden era. We will have time for lunch on your own at the local Christmas market before checking into our hotel for the night. This evening, we gather for a welcome cocktail.
After breakfast, we will enjoy a city tour of Baden-Baden before heading to Strasbourg, France, to board our cruise for the next four nights. The Rhine welcomes you with its wintry charm as we transfer to the Amadeus Riva, our home for the next four nights. Once settled into your cabin, you may explore the ship, join the on-board cruise management for a welcome cocktail, and enjoy your first dinner on board. We remain docked in Strasbourg overnight. (B, D)
Wake up once again in the wonderful city of Strasbourg, France. After breakfast, we will embark on a short coach tour through the city, continuing with a walk through the historic center and a visit to the famous Straßburger Münster - the city's iconic cathedral. From here, you will stroll through the historic and festively decorated district of Petite France, with time to stop and
explore the charming Christmas markets along the way. After lunch, the afternoon is yours to return to the Strasbourg Christmas Market or join an OPTIONAL excursion to the village of Gertwiller, renowned for its Lebkuchen (Christmas gingerbread). (B, L, D)
Christmas magic awaits you again when we take an included trip to visit to Heidelberg, one of the few German Cites with a widely preserved baroque old town. We will have a castle tour that leads also into the castle garden. From the Grand Terrace, you will have a wonderful view of the city and the Neckar River. The tour continues with a stroll through the enchanting old town, to Karl-Theodor Bridge, the late-gothic Church of the Holy Spirit and the town hall. At the end of the tour, you may take the chance and stroll around the Christmas market of Heidelberg. After lunch aboard our ship, the afternoon is yours to
explore the town of Speyer on your own or take an OPTIONAL Speyer walking tour, with a visit to the Christmas Market. (B, L, D)
We arrive in the wine town of Rüdesheim, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Upper Rhine Valley. On our included excursion, we board the Winzerexpress train, which takes us to the Siegfried Mechanical Music Cabinet - an adventure for the ears featuring historical self-playing instruments. We then continue with a guided walk through this picturesque town. Our journey carries on through the magical Middle Rhine Valley, passing the legendary Lorelei Rock. The enchanting landscape loses none of its charm in the winter months, and this section of the Rhine is rightly considered one of the most beautiful. This afternoon, our ship docks in Koblenz, where you can explore the romantic town in the northern Rhineland-Palatinate on an extended guided walk. Let the festive charm of the old town's Christmas flair captivate you. (B, L, D)
This morning, after breakfast, we bid adieu to our Amadeus home as we dock in Cologne. We will enjoy a city tour with a local guide, including a stop outside the Cologne Cathedral to learn about this masterpiece of Gothic architecture
and its rich history. After some free time to explore the area around the cathedral, we continue to Wiesbaden for our overnight stay. Home to 15 mineral springs - 14 of which are hot - Wiesbaden is one of the oldest spa towns in Europe. We will also have time to enjoy its festive Christmas market. (B)
Known for its medieval architecture and half-timbered houses that line the cobblestone streets, Rothenburg ob der Tauber awaits us for a city tour with a local guide, followed by free time to visit the Kaethe Wohlfahrt Christmas Store and the local Christmas market. We then continue to Nuremberg to experience one of the oldest and most famous Christkindlesmarkte in the world. After checking into your hotel, the rest of the day is yours to explore the city and its festive market. (B)
We start this morning with a walking tour of Nuremberg with a local guide, where you will see all the wonderful history this city has to offer. The rest of the day is yours to pick up those last-minute gifts and visit the Christmas market. Tonight, we will get together for a farewell dinner and reminisce about our time together exploring the German Christmas markets. (B, D)
This morning, we pack our bags and head to Munich to catch our flight home with unforgettable winter memories of the German Christmas Markets. (B)
LEGEND: ( ) = Included meal, B = Breakfast, D = Dinner, DB = Dinner Banquet, L = Lunch
HIGHLIGHTS:<br/>• 4 nights aboard the Amadeus Riva<br/>• Round Trip Scheduled Airfare as listed in your brochure<br/>• 1 night pre cruise Baden Baden<br/>• 3 nights post cruise program<br/>• Superb dining with all meals included during your cruise (buffet breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner)<br/>• 24-hour coffee station<br/>• Free-flowing hand-selected wines from the best wine regions of Europe served with dinner on board<br/>• Welcome Drink & Farewell Dinner<br/>• Mulled Wine Party on Board the Ship<br/>• Adelman Discoveries staff<br/>• Non-smoking environment (smoking permitted only on the Sun-Deck)<br/>• Fuel Surcharges, air and port taxes<br/>• 4 included excursions: Koblenz Walking Tour; Rüdesheim with Music <br/>Cabinet Museum; Heidelberg Castle & Christmas Market; Strasbourg City <br/>tour with Christmas Market Visit<br/>• Port taxes included
Prices are subject to Deck and Cabin Type
Credit Card Processing Fee
A 3% processing fee applies to all payments made by credit card and will be automatically added upon receiving of your reservation. To avoid this fee, you may choose to pay your final balance by check. Please mail your check (excluding the 3% fee) to: Adelman Discoveries 6980 N Port Washington Road Suite 203 Milwaukee, WI 53217. Once your check has been received, we will remove the 3% credit card fee from your invoice.
Please note cabin numbers will be assigned by the cruise line once final payment and complete registration is received and processed. Your early booking discount will be manually added once we have received your reservation and you will be sent an updated invoice with the discount.
Speyer Walking Tour with Christmas Markets
Speyer, the venerable emperor’s city on the Rhine, has had a rich and turbulent past. Religious architecture steeped in history, impressive facades of various styles, winding alleys and romantic squares express the character of the city. The city tour includes a visit to the Romanesque Imperial Cathedral from the exterior, with its striking twin tower portal,
and visits to the Church of the Holy Spirit, the Old Gate (Altpoertel) and the Jewish Ritual Bath. Afterwards, the Christmas market will fill you with warmth as the smell of punch and toasted almonds, hot roasted chestnuts
and freshly baked apples envelopes your nose.
Per Person Price: $55.00
Wintry Alsace and Obernai
On this excursion, we’ll drive through the romantic, wintry landscapes of Alsace to discover the village of Gertwiller, famous for its Lebkuchen (Christmas gingerbread). After enjoying an included glass of Glühwein, the tour continues to the magical town of Obernai, where we’ll stroll through the charming old quarter, beautifully decorated for Christmas.
Admire the Christmas crib with its life-size figures of people and animals, a beloved tradition that has been set up in the marketplace each year for centuries.
Per Person Price: $140.00
*Optional Tours and Tour Extensions require minimum participation numbers and as such are subject to cancellation, change and price changes based upon participation rates.*