The Romantic Rhine Basel to Amsterdam featuring Oberammergau Northbound

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Munich
Tour begins: 6:00 pm, The Westin Grand Munich. A transfer is included from Munich Airport or Munich Hauptbahnhof (the Main Munich Train Station) to your hotel, The Westin Grand Munich. Join us this evening for a welcome dinner and reception at the hotel.
Overnight: The Westin Grand Munich
Meals Included: D

Day 2: Munich sights then off to the Oberammergau region
Join a local guide for a sightseeing tour of Munich this morning that introduces you to the city's iconic sights, perhaps viewing the Marienplatz, Old Town, the Altes Rathaus, the rebuilt Frauenkirche and St. Mary's Column. The remainder of the morning is free to explore Munich as you please. Early afternoon, travel to the Oberammergau region in anticipation of tomorrow's spectacle of the Passion Play; enjoy a two-night stay.
Overnight: Hotel Blaue Gams
Meals Included: B, D

Day 3: The Passion Play
Travel to the Bavarian village of Oberammergau this morning; first up is a walking tour with a local guide, followed by some free time to explore as you please. Early afternoon marks the beginning of one of Europe's most beloved and venerable traditions, the 2022 performance of the Oberammergau Passion Play (or Passionsspiele) depicting the story of the Passion of Christ. In the 1630's, as the plague raged throughout Europe, the people of Oberammergau vowed to perform a play about the life of Jesus Christ every ten years if they were spared from the epidemic... and they have kept their promise. Enjoy Tauck's premier seating – in the best category available – for the performance, beginning early afternoon; following a dinner break, the play continues into the evening. An English libretto is provided to enhance your enjoyment of this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Overnight: Hotel Blaue Gams
Meals Included: B, D

Day 4: Arrive Basel and embark your riverboat

Journey today to Basel, Switzerland, to embark your riverboat for the start of your cruise; check-in for all guests aboard the riverboat is 4:00 PM. Meet your riverboat crew for a welcome briefing, then join us for a welcome dinner this evening.

Overnight: ms Grace
Meals Included: B, D

Day 5: Lucerne & Mt. Pilatus or wine tasting

Welcome to Switzerland! If you choose to join our excursion to Lucerne, the lakeside "city of lights," landmarks include the Kappelbrucke, a covered wooden footbridge crossing the Reuss River that dates back to the 1330s, an octagonal Water Tower once used as a prison, narrow lanes and lovely squares. In Altstadt Lucerne, narrow cobblestone lanes lead to town squares lined with houses painted with frescoes. From town, you'll head out for the heights of Mt. Pilatus aboard the world's steepest cogwheel train, climbing from Alpnachstad at the edge of Lake Lucerne to the very top (Oberhaupt) – nearly 7,000 ft. high. Alternatively, you may prefer the pleasures of lunch and a wine tasting along the Alsatian wine route. If so, you'll head to Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg, originally built in the 1200s on a rocky promontory high above the French Alsatian plains. Burned, abandoned and restored to its former glory in 1899, the castle presents a picture of a mountain fortress of the Middle Ages; after your visit, head to the French Alsatian town of Riquewihr for sightseeing and a wine tasting. Regardless of your choice, you'll return to Basel, at the "Three Corners" where France, Germany and Switzerland meet at the Rhine –  a major crossroads of travel and thought since the 15th century – from which your riverboat departs this afternoon, bound for Strasbourg.

Overnight: ms Grace
Meals Included: B, D

Day 6: Sightseeing in Strasbourg & Baden-Baden

You'll wake docked on the Rhine this morning, surrounded by the hills of southern Alsace, many checkered with vineyards. The day begins in the Alsatian cultural capital of Strasbourg, France. It is home to the charming canals and half-timbered houses of La Petite France, stately city residences, a Gothic cathedral, and plenty of winstubs, traditional Alsatian beer pubs. After a morning of sightseeing in Strasbourg, you may choose to stay in town to explore on your own or travel to the German spa resort town of Baden-Baden, on the edge of the Black Forest – where you can either take a walking tour then enjoy free time in this famed spa town, or visit Caracalla Spa, a day devoted to wellness and relaxation. The spa resembles a glass temple, with facilities that include whirlpools, waterfalls, counter-current pools, massage jets and turquoise pools of warm water sourced from natural springs. Add in a sauna complex with both hot and cold rooms (some wellness treatments at additional cost) and you'll feel re-energized at the end of your visit. Return to the ship for dinner and an evening of cruising.

Overnight: ms Grace
Meals Included: B, L, D

Day 7: Speyer or Heidelberg & its Castle
For centuries the Rhine River was a major transport hub and a source of wealth for many; today you'll have a choice of visiting Speyer, a town that thrived on trade in the 10th and 11th centuries when construction on its double-domed cathedral began, or Heidelberg. At Speyers' impressive Technik Museum, you'll find exhibits dedicated to every form of technology that moves, from vintage cars to a Boeing 747 jumbo jet to the Russian BURAN space shuttle. On a visit to Speyer Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you may be surprised by its use of natural glass windows, which pre-dated the use of stained glass, and its roof made entirely of stone – the first ever in Europe. Alternatively, you may spend the morning on an excursion to Heidelberg, Germany's oldest university town. Narrow lanes, shops and pubs housed in 17th-century structures in the Altstadt are kept lively by the cadence of student life. On the hillside above the city, you'll visit the romantic ruins of Heidelberg Castle (Heidelberger Schloss), an imposing ensemble of buildings from different architectural periods; from its terrace and gardens, the sweeping views impress along with the feel of 600 years of history. Return to the riverboat for an afternoon of cruising and dinner onboard this evening.
Overnight: ms Grace
Meals Included: B, L, D

Day 8: Koblenz or riverside cycling, then dinner at a castle
A morning of sailing precedes your riverboat's arrival in Koblenz. The city's roots go back to the Middle Ages, when its location made it a powerful one as the controller of trade along these major waterways. You may choose an afternoon of guided exploration of Koblenz, or a cycling excursion * along the Rheinradweg bicycle route. If you choose to explore Koblenz, your orientation tour includes a walk to Deutsches Eck – the "German Corner," where the Rhine and Moselle rivers meet – and a visit to Aldstadt (Old Town), a mix of delightful town squares, tucked-away corners, medieval churches, baroque residences and cozy wine taverns. Should you choose to go bicycling (a countrywide passion in Germany), you'll follow easy riverside trails through forest, meadows and Riesling winelands, taking in views of the passing pleasure boats and freighters. The late afternoon is spent back onboard your riverboat, cruising through the quiet Rhine River Valley, past small cities, churches, ancient walls and castles. Early this evening, disembark for a Tauck Exclusive private reception and family-style farm-to-table dinner at the Ehreshoven Foundation's Ecolut-Center, a modern venue in the countryside dedicated to forest sustainability. Rejoin the riverboat tonight in Köln.
Overnight: ms Grace
Meals Included: B, L, D

Day 9: A day in historic Köln

Sightseeing in Köln (Cologne) begins with a guided tour of the immense twin-towered Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral), whose construction took a mere six centuries. Completed in 1880, UNESCO declared this Gothic "Dom" a World Heritage Site in 1995, recognizing its cultural value as "a testament to the longevity of faith." You'll explore this intimately scaled city by coach and on a walking tour. Following lunch aboard the riverboat, depart Köln in the early afternoon as your river cruise sails toward its final days in the amazing Dutch capital, Amsterdam.

Overnight: ms Grace
Meals Included: B, L, D

Day 10: A day in Amsterdam - canals, museums and more

In a city indelibly linked to water, it's fitting that your day begins with a cruise on its 17th-century grachten (canals) which fan out in crescent-shaped rings from the northern waterfront. On the drive to board your canal boat, you'll get an orientation to the city, which at its heart feels more like a village than the compact center of a cosmopolitan city. Landmarks include Centraal Station, built at the end of the 19th century and still a place in constant motion – with people, bicycles, trams and buses; De Waag (Weigh House), once a fortified gate that today houses a popular outdoor café; and the Mint Tower, a gate in the city wall (circa 1400) that marks the intersection of two canals, tram paths, a pedestrian-only shopping street, and the city flower market – an ever busy, ever interesting crossroads. Aboard the canal boat, you'll glide beneath curved bridges carrying walkers and cyclists – sometimes trams and cars – and by narrow merchant homes, whose goods were once pragmatically stored on the upper floors. After a guided visit to the famed Rijksmuseum – home to many works by Rembrandt and other old Dutch Masters – and lunch onboard, spend a free afternoon as you please in Amsterdam. Return to your riverboat for tonight's farewell reception followed by dinner, then live music in the lounge – a fitting finale to an fantastic week on the River Rhine!

Overnight: ms Grace
Meals Included: B, L, D

Day 11: Journey home

Tauck's newest Basel – Amsterdam river cruises end in Amsterdam. Disembark your riverboat this morning by 9:00 AM. A transfer is included from the riverboat to Amsterdam's Schipol Airport or Centraal Station. Fly home anytime. Allow 3 hours for flight check-in. For guests wishing to spend more time in Amsterdam, ask at booking about extending your stay with an additional hotel night at Tauck's hotel.

Overnight:
Meals Included: B