Day 1 - Avignon Arrive in Marseille and transfer to your ship, * docked in Avignon. After boarding, take free time to explore this quaint town on the scenic Rhone River - or join our "welcome walk" to stretch your legs and start getting oriented. (D)
Day 2 - Arles Arrive during breakfast and take a walking tour of Arles with its diverse architectural highlights. Experience the city's vibrant colours and striking quality of light that have inspired artists. Arles is also the site of some impressive Roman ruins, including Les Arenes, an arena that seats 20,000 and is still in use, as well as Romanesque monuments such as the Church of Saint Trophime, completed in the 15th century. Return aboard for lunch followed by an afternoon on your own to explore or shop for handcrafted gifts - as always, your Program Director can help you plan your free time. Dinner is served as you depart. (B, L, D)
Day 3 - Avignon & Viviers This morning, set out on a guided walk of Avignon, nicknamed "City of Popes" because it was home to seven popes from 1309 to 1377. Stroll through the historic centre, stop at the picturesque Pont d'Avignon and walk the Place de l'Horloge. Continue to the renowned Palace of the Popes for a guided tour through this rambling maze of Gothic architecture, which served as papal residence, fortress, church and palace. After the tour, enjoy an afternoon at leisure exploring Avignon. You can join the optional tour to Chateauneuf-du-Pape, visiting the vineyards and tasting the famous wine. Lunch and dinner are served aboard. Arrive after dinner in Viviers, a quaint town in a mountainous setting. Join your Program Director for an evening stroll through the Old Town with its medieval and Renaissance buildings. Enjoy free time before retiring for the evening. (B, L, D)
Day 4 - Tournon After a scenic morning cruise and lunch aboard, take a tour through Tournon to Chateauneuf-sur-Isere near Tain l'Hermitage. During a guided tour of the area, learn about the region's winemaking traditions and taste some famous regional red wines. Then visit the Musee de Tain l'Hermitage, located in the oldest house in the region. Dine aboard and cruise through the evening. (B, L, D)
Day 5 - Vienne & Lyon This morning, take a walking tour of Vienne, a beautiful town with an ancient Roman past. Visit the Temple of Augustus & Livia, the Roman amphitheater and the Gothic Cathedral of St Maurice; then spend some time discovering more of this charming riverside town on your own. Return to your ship for lunch and an afternoon departure. Later, this afternoon, arrive in Lyon. Enjoy free time to explore this remarkable 2,000 year old city in the heart of France. Dinner is served aboard and your ship remains docked overnight, so you may choose to take an evening stroll. (B, L, D)
Day 6 - Lyon After breakfast, tour Lyon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Begin with a drive to the top of Fourviere Hill for amazing views of the city. Continue with a guided visit to the Basillica of Notre Dame and drive through town past the magnificent St Jean Cathedral and the Palace of Justice. Then take a walking tour through the cobbled streets of Vieux Lyon (Old Town), with free time to shop for souvenirs or sample some of the fine french cuisine for which Lyon is world famous. Return to your ship for an afternoon departure. (B, L, D)
Day 7 - Burgundy Wine Tour & Beaune After breakfast, take a scenic drive along France's Burgundy wine route through Pommard, Volnay and Meursault. Arrive in Beaune, wine capital of Burgundy, for a guided tour of beautiful Hotel Dieu, founded as a hospice in 1443. Learn about local viticulture and enjoy a wine tasting at one of Beaune's famous cellars. Return to your ship, which is docked in Chalon-sur-Saone, for lunch. Enjoy free time to explore this quaint town on the scenic Saone River
Day 8 - Chalon-sur-Saone & Paris After breakfast, disembark and enjoy a leisurely ride through the countryside of east central France from Chalon-sur-Saone to Paris. Stop in picturesque Dijon, with its many churches, its Porte Guillaume (a miniature Arc de Triomphe) and its museums, including one devoted to steak and mustard. Continue to Paris to board your second ship, stopping for lunch along the way. A welcome dinner is served on board. (B, D)
Day 9 - Paris Wake up to a full day in Paris. After breakfast, embark on a half day tour of this beautiful city and take in its most remarkable sights, including the famous Eiffel Tower. Continue past the Ecole Militaire, Orsay Museum and Latin Quarter. See the Cathedral of Notre Dame, then drive past the Louvre and Opera House and along the famous Champs Elysees. Return aboard for lunch. Afternoon is free to visit the Louvre, shop the many boutiques, visit the artists' district of Montmartre or enjoy a cruise along the Seine - as always, your Program Director can help you plan your free time. Dinner is served aboard. (B, L, D)
Day 10 - Giverny & Vernon This morning, take a short ride into the town of Giverny, where Claude Monet lived from 1883 until his death in 1926. Visit the beautiful gardens and charming stone farmhouse where he lived and worked; see the water garden with its Japanese bridge, water lilies, wisteria and azaleas that inspired many of his masterpieces. After lunch, we spend some time in the provincial town of Vernon. Take a stroll to see the Maison du Temps Jadis (House of Past Times), Vernon's oldest house, and the 11th century Church of Notre Dame. Dinner is served aboard. (B, L, D)
Day 11 - Rouen Indulge in a leisurely morning cruising along the Seine. The afternoon is spent in the medieval city of Rouen, historic capital of Normandy. Begin with a walking tour through the old town center, where you see the spectacular Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral so often painted by Claude Monet and the famous Gros Horloge, a 16th-century astronomical clock. As you walk among the half-timbered buildings you feel yourself transported back through time. Finally, we visit the 14th-century courthouse where Joan of Arc was sentenced to death and the nearby Market Square where she was martyred.
Take free time to discover more of Rouen or visit one of its museums of art or antiquities. Dine aboard, or visit a sidewalk café—your ship remains docked overnight. (B, L, D)
Day 12 - Normandy Beaches After breakfast, begin your full-day tour to the historic beaches of Normandy. See World War II landmarks such as Omaha Beach, the American Military Cemetery and Arromanches Debarkment Museum. On the way back to the ship, pass Gold Beach, Courseulles sur Mer and Juno Beach. Have dinner and relax on board or take an evening stroll; we depart late tonight. (B, L, D)
Day 13 - Les Andelys & Conflans Arrive this morning in the small town of Les Andelys, known for its imposing castle, Château Gaillard, built in 1196 by Richard Lionheart. Join a guided walk to this fatally flawed masterpiece of Middle Ages architecture. Return to your ship for lunch and afternoon cruising. This evening we dock in Conflans, a riverside town whose unique culture reflects its status as a local hub for barge transportation along the Seine and its tributaries. (B, L, D)
Day 14 - Conflans & Paris After breakfast, take a walking tour through the charming neighborhoods of Conflans and visit its museum. Or, join an optional tour to the luxurious Palace of Versailles, former home of Louis XIV. Lunch aboard as you sail back to Paris this afternoon. Dine aboard and then enjoy some free time in the City of Light. (B, L, D)
Day 15 - Paris After breakfast, disembark and proceed to the Paris airport for your return flight.* (B)
The following meals are included:
B = Breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner
*Transfers are not included. Let us know if you would like help arranging your airport transfers.
* Ports of call may vary based on itinerary and departure dates selected
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Ports
Avignon
Take your time wandering about the streets of Avignon, The ancient streets, the courtyards of the private mansions, the renovated facades will all charm you! One of the most elegant streets is the rue Joseph Vernet, adjacent to the Calvet museum and the Requien Museum. Don't miss the Antiquaire quarter, the Place de l'Horloge or the Chemin de Ronde which will take you to the Rocher des Doms. From the top of the ramparts you can understand why the site was chosen for a fort: Avignon stands high above the immense plains of the Rhône River and is the strategic point of the whole valley.
Country - France Distance from port to City - 0kms Distance from Port to Airport - 8kms Currency - Euro (EUR)
Places of Interest
Palace of the Popes, Opera House, Museum of Painting and Sculpture, Pont d'Avignon
Arles
Enjoying more than 300 days of sunshine a year Arles is regarded as the land of light. Both Picasso and Cezanne tested their artistic flair in Arles but it was Vincent Van Gogh who completely fell in love with this region and created over 200 pieces in just one year. Despite Van Gogh creating so many of masterpieces in Arles none of his works have remained in the area.
Country - France Distance from port to City - 0kms Distance from Port to Airport - 35kms Currency - Euro (EUR)
Places of Interest Van Gogh Foundation, Bullfighting Arena, Roman Baths
Viviers
Viviers consists of a lower town, where tradesmen and artisans once lived, and an upper or religious town that was the seat of a bishop during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance The upper walled town is an attractive warren of narrow cobbled streets with stone houses, a cathedral, and a castle terrace that offers spectacular views of the rooftops and river below.
Country - France Distance from port to City - 0kms Distance from Port to Airport - 85kms Currency - Euro (EUR)
Places of Interest The House of the Knights, Roman Bridge, The Tower of the Michaelmas
Tournon
A pretty town with wide tree-lined avenues it is proud of its historical heritage and 11th-16th-century chateau which houses a museum of local history. To the north of the Grand Rue on Place St Julien lies Collegiale St Julien with its imposing bell tower. It serves as an example of the Italian influence on architecture in the area in the 14th-century.
Country - France Distance from port to City - 0kms Distance from Port to Airport -92kms Currency - Euros (EUR)
Places of Interest Collegiale St Julien, Vallee du Doux
Vienne
No other city in the Rhône Valley offers such a concentration of architectural history as Vienne. Located in a natural basin of land between the river and the hills, this site was recognised for both its strategic and aesthetic advantages by the Romans, who vastly expanded the existing village when they invaded the area in the 1st century BC.Vienne was known in Roman times as 'Vienne the Beautiful', possibly due to the fact that its riverside position on the East bank of the Rhône made it a major port for wine. The wine in this region is outstanding and Romans may have enjoyed a glass or two while watching the evening's entertainment at one of the town's two theatres.
Country - France Distance from port to City - 0kms Distance from Port to Airport - 25kms Currency - Euro (EUR)
Places of Interest Roman Theatre, Temple d'Auguste et Livie, Le Palais Ideal
Lyon
Two thousand years of history have left their mark on the cityscape. Lyon's rich heritage resources reflect the different eras and tell the story of the city. Lyon's listing by UNESCO as a World Heritage site gives recognition to two exceptional features: "continuity of urban development" -the listed site covers a territory of 500 hectares (1235 acres) where the entire history of the city can be seen, from the founding of the Roman city of Lugdunum. And as "an outstanding illustration of city planning over the centuries" in this continually populated and active territory.
Country - France Distance from port to City - 0kms Distance from Port to Airport - 7kms Currency - Euro (EUR)
Places of Interest Lyon National Opera House, Tete d'Or Park, Fourviere Hill, Vieux Lyon (Old Lyon)
Beaune
Beaune is the capital of Burgundy's wine country, with walled fortifications and innumerable shops, restaurants, and cafés for the hordes of tourists and oenophiles who come to savor medieval atmosphere and sample wines from the region's world-class vineyards. The city is home to the Hôtel-Dieuof theHospices de Beaune, a hospital from the Middle Ages (now a museum) that was built in 1443 to care for sick and starving residents of the town. You can still see the rooms and beds where patients received care until the 20th Century, and the building itself is a beautifully preserved Gothic masterpiece with an arcaded courtyard and a multicolored tile roof.
Country - France Distance from port to City - 0kms Distance from Port to Airport - 132kms Currency - Euro (EUR)
Places of Interest Musee du Vin de Bourgogne (Burgandy Wine Museum), Musee de l'Hotel-Dieu (Hospital Museum), Opera Night Disco
Chalon-sur-Saone
Chalon is a sizeable port and bustling industrial centre on a broad meander of the Saône. Its old riverside quarter does have an easy charm, and it makes a good base for exploring the more expensive areas of the Cote d'Or. It's a thriving business centre, and trade fairs frequently take over the town, but more festive occasions are also an important part of its appeal and good reasons to stop if you're around at the right time. The pre-Lent carnival (February or March) features a parade of giant masks and a confetti battle, and there's a national festival of street artists and theatre in July.
Country - France Distance from port to City - 0kms Distance from Port to Airport - 100kms Currency - Euro (EUR)
Places of Interest Maison de Vins (Wine House), Niepce Museum, Chalon Rose Garden
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Viking - Europe River Cruises Cabin Info
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Viking River Cruises
Viking River Cruises itineraries journey along the rivers of Europe and Russia, allowing you to explore fascinating destinations up close and in comfort.
Better than an ocean cruise or bus tour, our river cruises show you the best of Europe from the large cosmopolitan cities to small quaint villages.
So come aboard, unpack just once, and see it all. Spend your time exploring Europe, not getting to it, and enjoy the best of Europe with Viking River Cruises.
A river cruise with Viking River Cruises is the best way to see the real Europe up close and in depth. Explore the best of Europe from an intimate perspective, spending your time being there, not getting there.
Unlike a bus tour where you spend more time on the bus than actually seeing the country, or a hotel-hopping trip where you constantly pack and unpack, Viking River Cruises offers you fine food, great service and scenic cruising along Europe's great rivers.
Viking River Cruises visits at least one port a day on virtually every itinerary and you can explore small villages off the beaten path that are inaccessible via an ocean cruise. Docking in the heart of town, you'll have more to time to see the cities, not just travel to the cities. You'll experience ever-changing riverside scenery as well as local nightlife when your ship overnights in port.
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Viking - Europe River Cruises
To visitors, Europe is a colorful world of picturesque landscapes, legendary rivers, lush vineyards and hilltop castles. As you travel through Europe with Viking River Cruises, its rich history is arrayed before your eyes—Roman ruins, magnificent monasteries, hallowed universities, rural villages and sophisticated cities, and a vibrant collage of food, music, dance, costumes and languages recalling thousands of years of human history. Traveling with Viking River Cruises gives you the opportunity to experience and learn about all these aspects of your cruise destinations. Throughout history, each great European river has played a crucial role, carrying goods and passengers from city to city and country to country. Today’s river cruises continue this proud tradition. The Rhine River, the Seine River, the Danube River, the Elbe River—their very names evoke a timeless beauty and grace. Viking River Cruises excels at giving travelers an authentic European experience on land and by river. Take one of our unforgettable river cruises along a legendary European river; these waterways cover the entire Continent, from the North Sea through the heart of Europe to the Black Sea. Enjoy natural wonders on our river cruises, like Austria’s Wachau Valley and Germany’s Rhine Valley—both UNESCO World Heritage Sites—and engineering marvels like the Main-Danube Canal. Hilltop castles, lush vineyards and gorgeous countryside are right outside your ship on our European river cruises. Experience Europe’s legendary history, contemporary life and bright future for yourself.
Viking River Cruises ships cruising the waterways of Europe are listed below. Click on the ship name for details about each specific ship.
