Castles along The Rhine

Alsatian Villages

An old stone well in Kaysersberg bears an inscription that warns against drinking water and urges the reader to “Drink with moderation old and subtil wine . . . and leave the water to the side.” What better words could guide you as you explore some delightful Alsatian wine villages? Though the remains of a 12th-century castle speak to Kaysersberg’s strategic importance in the Middle Ages, today it is an idyllic village nestled among vineyards. Join a local guide for a one-hour walking tour, passing storybook medieval houses with steeply pitched roofs and a gorgeous Gothic cathedral that was begun by a 12th-century Holy Roman emperor. In modern days, the village is best known as the birthplace of Albert Schweitzer. During your tour of this enchanting village indulge in a tasting of an Alsatian specialty, Kugelhopf, a delicious yeast-based cake traditionally baked in a circular, Bundt mold. Then it is on to Eguishem. The road from Kaysersberg to Eguishem provides quintessential wine road scenery: lush foothills, famous vineyards, castle ruins and quaint villages. You'll arrive in a town so pretty it is regularly ranked amongst the most beautiful in France. Walk its cobbled streets to admire timber-framed buildings painted in every color of the rainbow.

Note: Lunch today will be on your own.

All About Alsace

Step into a storybook today during a visit to the Alsatian town of Kayersberg. This tour pairs side-by-side with the adult’s “Alsatian Villages” excursion, with a dedicated family guide to share fun stories about Kayersberg’s history and culture just with the kids. Don’t miss a local favorite treat: Kugelhopf, a yummy Bundt cake traditional to Alsace.

The Generations tour will break for free time at the same time as the regular “Alsatian Villages” tour, so families can shop around and enjoy lunch together.

Only available on sailings that belong to the Generations Program.

Strasbourg Panoramic Tour with Cathedral and Old Town Walk

Controlled over the centuries by either France or Germany, Strasbourg is both cross-cultural and bilingual. Old and new, French and German all blend together in this wonderful city, which is also considered the legislative and democratic capital of the European Union. Get a glimpse of Strasbourg's grand political role as we drive by the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, where the European Court of Human Rights sits. Then get a feel for the cultural side of the city on a walking tour through its enchanting streets.

Canals, Cobblestones and Cathedrals

Spend your day in the “Crossroads of Europe,” Strasbourg, located halfway between Paris and Prague. See the Strasbourg Cathedral and admire its spectacular Gothic façade built in the Middle Ages. You might even venture to climb up the 332 steps to the top for splendid views among the cathedral’s gargoyles. After your cathedral visit, you may choose to spend the rest of your day exploring, shopping or enjoying a nice lunch in an Alsatian restaurant.

Only available on sailings that belong to the Generations Program.

Black Forest Natural Beauty & Living History

Today, experience the myriad facets of the legendary Black Forest, famous for cuckoo clocks, cherry brandy and its extraordinary natural beauty. Join a guide for a walking tour of the Vogtsbauernhof outdoor museum, where farmhouses (some dating to the 17th century), sawmills, chapels and gardens show you how village people have lived and worked over the past 400 years. Enjoy a typical regional lunch and stop at the family-owned House of Black Forest Clocks, where you will learn how cuckoo clocks are made-and savor a slice of Black Forest cake, too. Following your Black Forest adventure, you will Reboard the Motorcoach and return to the ship.

*Masterpiece Collection are optional experiences that go above and beyond our daily selection of included excursions and can be booked for an additional fee. Select Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences can be pre-booked. Please note that requests to pre-book must be made by calling our Reservations Team no later than 6 days prior to departure and are subject to availability. Some venues are limited in the number of guests they can accommodate. Guests can book onboard (space permitting) and pay in Euros. Pre-booked Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are refundable up to 48 hours prior to the cruise/tour start date; if inside of 48 hours they are non-refundable. Select Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences require a minimum number of participants and are subject to cancellation (with full refund) if minimum is not met. Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are non-commissionable. Prices are subject to change. Masterpiece Collection excursions may not operate if they occur on a holiday or if they require a minimum number of participants and that minimum is not met.

Speyer Climbing Forest

Join your dedicated Family Host for an adventure at Speyer’s Climbing Forest. As you’re harnessed safely to ropes and nets, you’ll climb the trees and more than 200 platforms while having fun in the great outdoors with your family members. Choose from 24 different courses, depending on your comfort level, and enjoy fantastic views in this climbing haven.

Only available on sailings that belong to the Generations Program.

Submarines & Space Shuttles

If you’re interested in automotive history, trains or aeronautical technology, you’ll enjoy a stop at the Technik Museum, home to Europe’s largest space flight exhibition. Your family will want to get up close and personal with an original jumbo jet, submarine and rescue sea cruises. See the Russian space shuttle BURAN, an original moonstone, space suits, a Soyuz landing capsule, as well as locomotives, vintage cars, motorcycles and thousands of other exhibits.

Only available on sailings that belong to the Generations Program.

Private Doktorenhof Vinegar Estate Visit and Tasting

For a different spin on the Palatinate wine region, visit the Weinessiggut Doktorenhof estate for a special vinegar tasting. Yes, you read that right—a vinegar tasting. Founded by Georg Wiedemann some 30 years ago, Doktorenhof produces vinegars from premium wines, rather than inexpensive ones. Gewürztraminer, Sylvaner, Riesling and Pinot Noir are aged with a century-old vinegar “mother,” as the bacteria that makes vinegar is known, and flavored with a variety of herbs and fruits. Most importantly, Wiedemann and his family run their farm and vineyards with the utmost care, tending to them with natural materials only.

The results make complex and elegant aperitifs, intended to be sipped from a specially designed long-stemmed glass between courses or after a meal. The atmospheric tasting room (think candles, cloaks and choir music) is like no other you’ll ever experience. You’ll have plenty of time to explore their enticing gift shop, too.

This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience supports Global Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

Our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences support sustainable tourism, offering our guests opportunities to directly impact the communities we explore in a positive way.

Formula 1 Racetrack

Drive to Hockenheim, home of the German Grand Prix. There, a guide will give you an insider’s tour of the ring, including the VIP area, the podium and even the center of the track. The German Grand Prix has not been held here—or anywhere—since 2019, due to a lack of finances that is keeping the future of the German Grand Prix indefinitely in doubt. On tour in the Hockenheimring, however, you’ll immerse yourself in the history of Formula 1 racing in Germany from a perspective few fans have ever gotten to appreciate.

Please note that the site occasionally holds races and other events, in which case this experience will be unavailable.

Germersheim’s Hidden Gem

Drive out to the forest for a private tour at a unique old flour mill. Though the silos here are still used to store grain—and the delicious bread you’ll get to sample at the end of your visit is evidence of that—the mill itself is no longer active. Instead, it has been transformed into a beautiful little sanctuary by the owner. An avid world traveler and collector, the owner has filled the inside of the mill with mementos from his expeditions (not trinkets, either, but life-sized Buddha statues, gorgeous photography, and much more). The highlight though, is the award-winning garden he has curated.

Authentic Country Cooking with Vinegar

Learn the secrets of creative but easy cooking when you join a chef in his 300-year-old village home-one with a very modern kitchen-near Doktorenhof. Schnitzel and sauerkraut may include vinegar in their ingredients, but the four courses you help prepare for lunch today take vinegar in a whole new direction. You might use orange blossom vinegar to season prawns or cherry vinegar in chocolate tartlets. This is a friendly, hands-on experience with a chef who welcomes novices as well as experienced cooks into his kitchen. The menu will be determined by what's fresh and local, and your chef instructor is a master at pairing regional wines with regional foods. Sauté, sip, sample-and enjoy!

*Masterpiece Collection are optional experiences that go above and beyond our daily selection of included excursions and can be booked for an additional fee. Select Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences can be pre-booked. Please note that requests to pre-book must be made by calling our Reservations Team no later than 6 days prior to departure and are subject to availability. Some venues are limited in the number of guests they can accommodate. Guests can book onboard (space permitting) and pay in Euros. Pre-booked Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are refundable up to 48 hours prior to the cruise/tour start date; if inside of 48 hours they are non-refundable. Select Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences require a minimum number of participants and are subject to cancellation (with full refund) if minimum is not met. Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are non-commissionable. Prices are subject to change. Masterpiece Collection excursions may not operate if they occur on a holiday or if they require a minimum number of participants and that minimum is not met.

Romantic Heidelberg

A motorcoach carries you to Heidelberg, sometimes called the most romantic city in Germany. It is home to the nation's oldest university, a charming baroque Old Town lying along the banks of the Neckar River, and extraordinarily beautiful castle ruins overlooking the town. Your tour will take you to the castle, with its views of the red-tile roofs of the town below, the handsome Old Bridge and the wooded hillsides beyond, and then into Old Town, where you will see the late-Gothic Holy Spirit Church, the Student Prison and the longest pedestrian street in Germany.

*Masterpiece Collection are optional experiences that go above and beyond our daily selection of included excursions and can be booked for an additional fee. Select Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences can be pre-booked. Please note that requests to pre-book must be made by calling our Reservations Team no later than 6 days prior to departure and are subject to availability. Some venues are limited in the number of guests they can accommodate. Guests can book onboard (space permitting) and pay in Euros. Pre-booked Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are refundable up to 48 hours prior to the cruise/tour start date; if inside of 48 hours they are non-refundable. Select Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences require a minimum number of participants and are subject to cancellation (with full refund) if minimum is not met. Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are non-commissionable. Prices are subject to change. Masterpiece Collection excursions may not operate if they occur on a holiday or if they require a minimum number of participants and that minimum is not met.

Castle Vollrads Wine Tasting

Nestled in the rolling, vineyard-covered hills of the Rheingau, Castle Vollrads has a square tower that dates back to the 14th century, as does the moat. Just one family owned the castle for 700 years, until 1997, adding on to it and remodeling it over the centuries. While the interior of the castle is rarely open to the public, you will have the opportunity to step inside to see some of the elegantly appointed rooms, including the beautiful gold-embossed Flemish leather wall covering in the 17th-century dining room. Grapes have been grown here for more than a thousand years; records show that Castle Vollrads wines were first sold in 1211. These days the excellence of its Riesling is well known; it’s so well known, in fact, that Schloss Vollrads is one of the few German vineyards whose name stands alone on a wine label—no village name is required. Accompanied by a local wine expert, you will sample three wines in three different locations. There will also be time to wander through the grounds at your leisure.

Cable Car Climb to Niederwald Heights

Board an aerial tramway for a cable car trip up to the Niederwald Monument, and be treated to sweeping views of the Rhine River below. From there, you can choose either a half-hour hike through the breathtaking vineyards or you can hop back on the cable car and head into town.

Only available on sailings that belong to the Generations Program.

Boppard Stroll with Ice Cream Stop

Only available on sailings that belong to the Generations Program.

Boppard Village Stroll

Join the Cruise Manager on a walk through this attractive town with a long and surprising history; the Cruise Manager will point out its highlights and recommend a host of activities. Take a chairlift to the top of the hill for a great view of the valley and the river (you can hike the return route, if you’re up for it); enjoy a glass of wine at a local tavern and watch the water traffic on the river; or ride a bicycle along the Rhine promenade. You might also visit Saint Severus Church, whose twin towers dominate the waterfront, or explore the remains of a fourth-century Roman fort. If you’re interested in design and the decorative arts, stop by the Museum Boppard to see the exhibit on native son Michael Thonet, who developed the technique of bentwood furniture in the 1840s. His iconic, lightweight chairs are still popular in cafés throughout Europe. Or simply stroll beneath the trees along the city’s scenic riverside promenade, which is lined with the gorgeous villas of 19th-century entrepreneurs.

Let's Go: Rhine Hiking

Set out on a brisk hike up to the Gedeonseck for unparalleled views of the Rhine River Valley. You’ll want to bring good shoes for this steep hike up to the top, where you can look upon the picture-perfect riverbend below.

Take a break at the restaurant here if you would like to rest and have a bite on your own. Alternatively, you could join your guide on a brief walk to Vierseenblick, a spot where 4 stretches of the Rhine can be seen, each looking like an individual lake.

Conditions permitting, we’ll take the aerial cable car down to the bottom of the hill, so you can relax and enjoy the views a little while longer during the ride.

Let's Go: Bike the Castles

Explore the beautiful stretch of the Middle Rhine region that lies between Boppard and Koblenz by bike on this 25km ride. You'll pass the romantic, timber frame houses of Spay, the sweeping vineyards of Bopparder Hamm, the famous "German Corner" where the Rhine and Moselle converge, lush Lahn riverscapes and, of course, some fairytale-esque castles. One such castle is the UNESCO designated Marksburg Castle, the only hilltop castle along the Rhine that has never once been destroyed during its long history. It's 13th to 15th century structures have been virtually unchanged since their construction.

Medieval Marksburg

This morning, venture to the only undamaged hill castle on the Rhine, Marksburg Castle. Step into a real-life fairytale as you enter the fortress through the drawbridge gate and vaulted tunnel, the first of many defensive features you’ll see on your tour. Originally constructed to withstand enemy attacks some 700 years ago, you’ll see its cannons, torture chambers and battlements from the time of the knights. Your special family tour will take you on a journey of what it was like to live in the Middle Ages.

Only available on sailings that belong to the Generations Program.

Koblenz Walking Tour

Watch the waters of the Moselle meld with the Rhine’s as you stand on the spit of land called German Corner: It’s the perfect spot for a symbol of German unity, an equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I, who united the nation in the 19th century. (There’s another symbol of German unity here too: three panels of the Berlin Wall.) Behind it is Koblenz’s oldest church, St. Castor’s Basilica, first erected in the ninth century, and just one of the charming churches and squares you’ll encounter as you wander through Old Town. Like many Rhineland towns, Koblenz suffered at the hands of Louis XIV’s forces—that’s why you’ll see so many baroque features in the buildings you pass, since so many needed to be reconstructed after the French left. That’s also why the Church of Our Lady has twin onion domes. Despite their travails over the ages, though, Koblenz’s citizens kept their sense of humor: One example of it might catch you by surprise as you pass the fountain known as the Spitting Boy, which spits water without warning.

After the tour, you’ll have some free time to enjoy the Marktplatz (Market Square) and its bounty of shopping and wine bars.

Marksburg Castle Visit

With its pale walls, slate-gray roof, and unusually slender towers and turrets, Marksburg looks as though it has been lifted straight from the pages of a fairytale. But don’t be deceived: this is a powerful fortress, built to withstand attack. Marksburg’s defenses were so daunting that enemies generally chose to leave it alone. That’s why this is the only hill castle in Germany that has never been destroyed—a remarkable fact when you consider its 700-year-long history. Enter the fortress through a drawbridge gate and vaulted tunnel—just the first of the many defensive features you’ll encounter on your tour. Notice the “murder holes” in the walls; these would have let defenders pour boiling pitch on would-be invaders. Horsemen once thundered up the Riders’ Stairway, which was hewn into the bedrock, but you can take the steps at a more leisurely pace. Guides will show you the cannons of the Great Battery, once aimed at the Rhine River, and the castle kitchen with its enormous fireplace. You’ll tour the bedchamber, the great banquet hall, the armory, the stables and, if you’re feeling brave, the torture chamber. Don’t miss the re-created medieval garden, with 150 plants used in the Middle Ages for curative (or magical) purposes.

Cologne Walking Tour

Follow your guide around some of the most popular sites of Cologne, the largest city on the Rhine. You’ll pass the old fish market, City Hall with its Renaissance façade and the old Jewish mikvah (a bath used for ritual cleansing).

Meander through the narrow, cobbled lanes of Old Town, lined with traditional houses in every color and a plethora of restaurants and pubs. One of the city’s 12 Romanesque churches provides a castle-like backdrop to this quaint, riverside quarter of Cologne.

Your local expert will take you all the way to the Domplatte, the square where you’ll find the Cologne Cathedral. Should you wish, you can head inside this Gothic building on your own to see the Shrine of the Magi and the beautiful stained-glass windows. Otherwise, try asking your guide for tips on what to explore. Whatever your interests, our local expert knows all the best spots in town!

Gargoyles and Chocolate

What do gargoyles and chocolate have in common? Not much, except that the ones in Cologne are famous. Start with the gargoyles as your walking tour through Cologne takes you past the city’s iconic Gothic cathedral, where over 100 stone beasts stand guard. Then end your tour with a sweet treat as we stop at the local chocolate museum.

Only available on sailings that belong to the Generations Program.