Compare River Empress-Castles Along the Rhine by World Luxury Cruise Vacations vs London to Paris and Berlin Tour by Discovery Nomads
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| Trip |
0 | Poor
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4.5 | Great
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| Duration | 8 days | 7 days |
| Price From | $ 4,164 | $ 1,654 |
| Price Per Day | $ 521 | $ 236 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | River cruise | Private guided tour |
| Lodging Level | Luxury | Standard |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Internal airfare and ground transport included |
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| Meals Included |
7 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, 7 Dinners |
4 Breakfasts |
| Description |
Classic luxury exemplifies the cosmopolitan style of the River Empress, with its rich jewel tones and vibrant atmosphere. Her well-rounded personality is certain to captivate you, whether you're dining in the sleek restaurant reminiscent of a New York jazz and supper club or enjoying afternoon tea, while gazing out of her large panoramic windows in the light and bright Main Lounge. Throughout the ship, savor stylish elegance and inspiring art. Artists, musicians, writers, and poets from all over Europe have immortalized the Rhine’s unadulterated natural beauty in their songs, art, stories, and poetry. Byron, Dumas, Hugo, and Heine celebrated it in their writing. Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms, Schubert, and Wagner idolized it in their music, and Turner captured it in his paintings. And even today, the Rhine continues to inspire those who visit—especially Germany’s Upper Middle Rhine Valley, spanning approximately 40 miles between Rüdesheim and Koblenz. More than 40 castles grace its shores, along with vineyard-terraced landscapes and breathtaking countryside, and as such, this area has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s only fitting to sail this inspirational region onboard Uniworld’s stunning ship, S.S. Antoinette. Travel in ultimate style and comfort to numerous UNESCO World Heritage sites. Take a breathtaking tour along the Alsatian Wine Road. Indulge in the region’s famous Rheingau Rieslings at Castle Vollrads, and view fairytale Strasbourg as it has been seen for centuries, via a canal cruise. All this and more awaits you on ”“Castles along the Rhine.”” Who will enjoy this cruise: Romantics, history buffs, wine connoisseurs, and nature lovers will rejoice in Medieval wine towns, glorious castles, majestic cathedrals, and world-class cities. |
Take a 7-day odyssey through 4 European countries, where you will plunge into the history and architecture of London, see Paris from the top of Eiffel Tower, take a walk along the canals of Amsterdam and then party in techno Berlin. |
Day 1: Amsterdam (embark)
Meals: Dinner
Arrive at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport where you will be transferred to the ship.
Day 2: Cologne
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Featured Excursion: Cologne walking tour with Cologne Cathedral visit
Stroll through the narrow streets of Old Town with your guide, passing by tiny squares and small churches as you make your way to Cologne Cathedral, the city’s most famous landmark. It took 632 years for Germany’s largest cathedral to be completed, and it is one of the most important Gothic churches in Europe. Inside this UNESCO World Heritage Site, the earthly remains of the fabled Three Kings—the Magi—are believed to lie at rest. You’ll learn about the history of the cathedral and its artwork, especially the pieces surrounding the Shrine of the Magi. Christian pilgrims have been flocking here for centuries. In
fact, one of the cathedral’s expansions was intended to accommodate the many faithful who travel from far and wide to experience the wonder of this sacred site.
Note: On Sundays and Catholic holidays, guided tours inside the cathedral will not be possible.
Day 3: Koblenz, Boppard
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Featured Excursions: Choice of Koblenz walking tour OR exclusive aerial cable car ride to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress
Awaken on the romantic Rhine and enjoy a morning cruise along the castle-lined river. German Corner, with its famous monument to Kaiser Wilhelm I, announces your arrival in Koblenz, where the Moselle and Rhine rivers meet. Choose a walking tour highlighting the appeal of Koblenz—its, romantic narrow streets and historic squares, the picturesque alleyways and fountains in the old quarter, and the 12th-century churches of St. Florin and Our Lady. Or ride the aerial tram across the Rhine to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress—inspiration to authors Melville and Byron—which in one form or another has stood high on the hill overlooking the rivers’ confluence since its beginnings as a fortification in 1,000 BC.
Day 4: Cruising the romantic Rhine River, Rüdesheim
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Lunch
Featured Excursions: Exclusive Castle Vollrads wine tasting and guided Boppard village stroll
Rüdesheim has been a magnet for romantics since the 19th century. Among its most famous sights is the Drosselgasse, a narrow alleyway lined with wine taverns and shops. Explore Rüdesheim at your leisure. Then be our guest at a princely wine tasting at the prestigious Castle Vollrads, a handsome 14th-century castle perfectly situated in the vineyard-covered hills of the Rheingau. Though it is one of the smallest wine-growing regions of Germany, it is world famous for its Rieslings—and Castle Vollrads is one of the world’s top wine estates for the varietal. Later, find a spot on deck for an afternoon of scenic cruising along the romantic Rhine—the breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage designated Upper Middle Rhine Valley. Picturesque castles appear around every bend in the river for a 40-mile stretch, a sight that inspired poets, painters, and composers throughout the 19th century. End your day with a guided stroll around Boppard, a typical wine village on the shores of the Rhine.
Day 5: Germersheim (Speyer or Germersheim)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Featured Excursion: Speyer walking tour
Your guided walking tour through Speyer reveals a Medieval town with a grand heritage and a compact historic center dominated by the largest Romanesque cathedral in Europe—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With its basilica laid out in the form of a Latin cross, including four towers and two domes, this marvel is a symbol of Medieval imperial power; the rulers of three dynasties are interred here. Nearby, a well-preserved mikvah, or ritual bath, bears witness to a Jewish community that dates to roughly the same era; it is the oldest remaining bath of its kind in Europe.
Day 6: Kehl (Strasbourg)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Featured Excursion: Strasbourg by canal with Notre Dame Cathedral
Situated halfway between Paris and Prague, the Alsatian town of Strasbourg is known as the “Crossroads of Europe.” The heart of the old city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is crisscrossed with Medieval canals. You’ll board a canal boat and cruise past ancient covered bridges and their watchtowers, the picturesque Petite France district with its beautiful half-timbered houses and window boxes, and the magnificent Gothic cathedral—and you’ll also see the dynamic modern city that hosts numerous European Union organizations. Then spend your afternoon at leisure in this beautiful city, home to a large and lively student population and the only national theater outside Paris
Day 7: Breisach (Colmar or Riquewihr)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Farewell Dinner
Featured Excursions: Choice of Alsatian wine villages OR Colmar city tour
Starting from Medieval Breisach, the gateway to the Black Forest, you will cross the Rhine and head for the Alsatian Wine Road, which hugs the foothills of the Vosges Mountains. Charming villages, pastoral land- scapes, and lush vineyards line this beautiful winding road. You may choose to visit just the historic center of enchanting Colmar or continue on to the wine villages of Kayserberg and Riquewihr, rambling along the narrow lanes past crooked-timbered Medieval houses with conical roofs that are straight out of a fairytale illustration.
Day 8: Basel (disembark), transfer to the airport
Meals: Continental Breakfast/ Breakfast
Disembark the ship and transfer to EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg for your flight home, or extend your stay in lovely Lucerne.
Day 1-2: London
Accommodation: Park Plaza Riverpark London or similar
Arrival before 11.00am. Today you will go on amazing walking tour around the city, see Westminster Abbey, the Cathedral of St. Peter, Tower Bridge, Hyde Park and in the evening you enjoy the city lights from the top of the London Eye.
Day 2-4: Paris
Accommodation: Trinite Haussmann Paris or similar.
On Day 2 travel by train to fascinating Paris and go on a City Tour with local guide. See the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, the Champs-Élysées, and Notre Dame Cathedral. Take a walk through the creative Montmartre, visit Sacre Coeur Cathedral and in the evening you will have free time to explore the gastronomy and nightlife of the city. Next day you will visit the Louvre and get on top of the Eiffel Tower.
Day 4-6: Amsterdam
Accommodation: Mercury Accommodation Amsterdam or similar
On Day 5 travel by train to Amsterdam, a city which is called the Venice of the North, to see the cute little houses, cruise along the canals on the boat, explore the museums and see masterpieces of the Van Gogh Museum and additionally you can visit Madame Tussauds museum or enjoy Heineken brewery.
Day 6-7: Berlin
You will have a flight to Berlin and then go on a tour to explore the city, you will see the famous Berlin Wall, the Bundestag, beautiful Gendarmenmarkt square and modern Potsdamer Platz with its Sony centre. Visit the main cathedral - the Dome and historical museum island."
