Travel from London to Amsterdam by air and then transfer to your ship. After boarding, enjoy free time and get acquainted with the city. Remain moored overnight.

Sail to Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for a tour of this ingenious network of windmills and other flood management devices. You learn why the windmills were built and see how they work, plus you enter an actual working windmill for a tour of its mechanisms and living quarters. Return aboard for lunch and an enjoyable afternoon of Dutch diversions: sample some of the many handcrafted Dutch cheeses and jenever, a distilled juniper liquor, and try your hand at sjoelen (Dutch table shuffleboard). Cruise through the night.

Cruise along the Rhine this morning, arriving just after lunch in Cologne. Disembark for your walking tour of this gem of the Rhine. Stroll through Old Town and pass St. Martin’s Church. Then, visit inside Cologne’s Dom, a remarkable Gothic cathedral. You then visit a typical brewery and sample Kölsch, the local brew. Your evening is free to explore the dockside taverns, cafés and shops. Dine aboard; depart late tonight.

Proceed along the Rhine, disembarking to tour 700-year-old Marksburg Castle and its museum. Lunch aboard as you enjoy this scenic passage, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where castles overlook the river from their hilltop locations.

Arrive in Rüdesheim in the late afternoon. Spend free time in the pedestrian-only Drosselgasse and sample a glass of locally produced wine at one of the restaurants or wine bars - dine aboard or stay in town if you prefer. Remain docked overnight.

Cruise through the morning enjoying brunch and the passing scenery. Arrive in Mannheim and disembark for a journey to Heidelberg to see Germany's oldest university, founded in 1386. Then visit the beautiful sandstone ruins of imposing Heidelberg Castle, and take in the scenery of the Neckar River Valley and the city's many red rooftops from its hilltop location. Continue with a walking tour through the Old Town to Heidelberg's renowned gates.

Rejoin your ship in Speyer this afternoon and take some time to look around. You dock in full view of the imposing Romanesque cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in the 11th century on the site of a former basilica, the building's design was highly influential upon Romanesque architecture for centuries to come, and is the final resting place of eight German monarchs. Its soaring interior features graceful rows of sandstone columns and a large stained glass window installed in the western façade during a later Gothic period.

Dock this morning in Kehl and disembark for a guided tour of Strasbourg. See the European Parliament and tour the interior of the city's famed cathedral. The afternoon is free to further explore this Alsatian city's blend of French and German cultures?fabulous churches, medieval covered bridges, beautiful parks and some lovely Art Nouveau and modernist architecture. Dine aboard and enjoy free time this evening in the quaint little city of Kehl.

After cruising through the night you arrive during breakfast in Breisach, gateway to the Black Forest. Board your coach for a scenic excursion through the area’s stunning mountain landscape, rolling meadows and dense forests. Once there, visit a local workshop and see a cuckoo clock-making demonstration. Return to your ship in Breisach where you have free time before an early evening departure. Or, take our optional excursion to Colmar, a quaint Alsatian town. Your guided walking tour shows you the Maison des Têtes, Dominican Church and more. Dine aboard while you cruise on to Basel, arriving around midnight.

After breakfast, disembark and transfer to Basle Airport for the return journey to London.