Fly to Nuremberg. Transfer from the airport to your ship.* Once on board, you can relax, explore a bit on your own—or join our “welcome walk” to stretch your legs and start getting oriented. Dinner is served and we set sail this evening. (D)
Day 2 - Bamberg
Arrive early in Bamberg, founded in 902. Bamberg’s Old Town area is so beautifully preserved that it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy a walking tour past baroque patrician houses, then take time to explore or perhaps sample the town’s famous locally brewed smoky beer, Rauchbier. Lunch aboard before we depart this afternoon and begin cruising through the 106-mile-long Main-Danube Canal. Comprising 16 locks, the canal goes from Bamberg on the Main to Kelheim on the Danube. (B, L, D)
Day 3 - Würzburg
Disembark in Würzburg, a Franconian wine town, and tour the Bishops’ Residenz, a beautiful baroque palace with many paintings and frescoes. After lunch on board, enjoy some free time in Würzburg—or you may choose to participate in an optional excursion to the charming medieval town of Rothenburg. Back on board, dine and cruise through the night. (B, L, D)
Day 4 - Heidelberg
Arrive in Miltenberg during breakfast, then disembark for a full-day excursion to Heidelberg, an ancient city that is home to Germany’s oldest university. Tour the imposing red sandstone ruins of Heidelberg Castle, originally built in the 12th century but twice destroyed by lightning. A guided walk through Heidelberg’s Old Town and marketplace is included, as is lunch is in a local restaurant. Return to your ship at dinnertime; we sail through the night. (B, L, D)
Day 5 - Rüdesheim
Enjoy morning cruising along the mighty Rhine River and a delightful introduction to Rüdesheimer coffee. Arrive in Rüdesheim midafternoon; your tour features the Niederwald Monument, high above the river. You have time at leisure to enjoy the restaurants, bars and shops that line Rüdesheim’s Drosselgasse—as always, your Program Director can help you plan your free time. Dine aboard and remain docked overnight. (B, L, D)
Day 6 - Cochem
Cruise this morning through the most beautiful stretch of the Rhine, lined with castles on both sides. This area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch aboard, arrive in the quaint Moselle town of Cochem. Take a walking tour of the city and visit imposing Reichsburg Castle. Dine aboard; you can take an evening stroll if you like before we lift anchor. (B, L, D)
Day 7 - Bernkastel & Trier
After breakfast, an optional guided walk through the 700-year-old town of Bernkastel is available, replete with narrow cobbled streets lined with half-timbered houses. Return to your ship for lunch and enjoy lovely, unspoiled scenery as we cruise along the Moselle River toward Trier. We arrive late afternoon and will have time for a tour of Germany’s oldest city. See the wonderfully preserved Roman Porta Nigra, Trier Cathedral and the Church of Our Lady. Dine aboard. We remain docked here tonight so you may wish to take an evening stroll in town. (B, L, D)
Day 8 - Trier
After breakfast, disembark and proceed to the 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 transfer
Cruise ship operating this itinerary:
Viking Sky
* Ports of call may vary based on itinerary and departure dates selected
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Ports
Nuremberg
Visitors to Nuremberg, a lively city with a medieval feel, will find evidence of its 950-year history at every turn. These legacies of the past also reveal much about the past and present of the German people. Here in Nuremberg, monuments to the city's inventiveness and its cultural self-confidence over many centuries stand in the midst of the hustle and bustle of a modern, dynamic urban centre.
Country - Germany Distance from port to City - 0kms Distance from Port to Airport - 6kms Currency - Euro (EUR)
Places of Interest Castle, City Wall, Zoo, Toy Museum, Verkehrs Museum, Old Quarter
Bamberg
Country - Germany Distance from port to City - 1km Distance from port to Airport - 50kms Currency - Euro (EUR)
Places of Interest
Wurzburg
Surrounded by pleasant hillside vineyards Würzburg is both an old episcopal see and a vivacious modern university city. The great medieval fortress of Marienburg dominates the skyline, overlooking the beautiful Old Town with its architectural masterpieces from many different periods. Art, culture and the fine wines of Franconia are all important elements of the Würzburg lifestyle. This carefree city with its relaxed southern atmosphere is the perfect starting-place for a journey of discovery on the Romantic Route.
Country - Germany Distance from port to City - 0kms Distance from Port to Airport - 90kms Currency - Euro (EUR)
Places of Interest Fortress Marienberg, Town Hall
Heidelberg
Heidelberg is known for its famous castle, which overlooks the city's Old Town. A trip up to the castle affords a good view of the city and its photogenic bridge over the Neckar, whose form, with its multi-arch support structure, is reminiscent of a Roman aqueduct, and whose tower-flanked entrance was said to have inspired Walt Disney in his design of the Magic Kingdom. The Philosophenweg (Philosophers' Walk), across the river from the Old Town section, is another way to view the city and some of the older castles upriver.
Country - Germany Distance from port to City - 0kms Distance from Port to Airport - 45kms Currency - Euro (EUR)
Places of Interest Heidelberg Castle, Old Town, Museum of the Palatinate, Sculpture Park, Funicular Railway, Zoo, Philosopher's Walk
Rudesheim
Rudesheim sits at the entrance to the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. If you come from the direction of Frankfurt or Mainz, it is one of the first major tourist towns you'll reach along the Rhine River. Rudesheim makes a good base for exploring the entire Rhine Valley, which is the home of famous wines, medieval villages and beautiful scenery.
Country - Germany Distance from port to City - 0kms Distance from Port to Airport - 55kms Currency - Euro (EUR)
Places of Interest Drosselgasse, Niederwald Monument, Rheingau Wine Museum, Asbach Brandy Distillery, Medieval Torture Museum, Bird of Prey Zoo, Jagdschloss, Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet
Cochem
Cochem is a town in western Germany and is the capital of the district Cochem-Zell. It is situated in the valley of the Mosel, at the foot of a hill surrounded by a feudal castle, the Reichsburg, dating from 1051. The town is surrounded by vineyards.
Country - Germany Distance from port to City - <1km Distance from port to Airport - 100kms Currency - Euro (EUR)
Places of Interest Reichsburg Castle, wine tasting, Senfmühle mustard mill, Pinnerkreuz Mountain, Mosel-Wein-Express train, Klotten Wildlife and Leisure Park, Schlagkamp-Desoye Win Museum, Senheim Sculpture Park
Bernkastel
Country - Distance from port to City - Distance to Airport - Currency -
Places of Interest
Trier
Country - Distance from port to City - Distance to Airport - Currency -
Places of Interest
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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.
