Immerse yourself in French and German culture on this fabulous European river cruise vacation along the Rhône, Saône, and Rhine Rivers. Begin with two overnights on the French Riviera and relax along the remarkably blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Embark on the Rhône River in Arles, France—famous for inspiring the paintings of Van Gogh and the site of its 1st-century Roman Amphitheater. Take a guided walk in Tournon, a medieval treasure beautifully nestled among vineyards. Lyon is a showcase of medieval and Renaissance architecture. Disembark and travel to Beaune, visit the Hôtel Dieu charity hospital before proceeding to Basel, Switzerland, to board your Rhine River cruise vessel. Your first stop is Breisach, the gateway to Germany’s Black Forest, well known for Black Forest ham, cherry cake, and cuckoo clocks. In Strasbourg, France, stroll through the picturesque La Petite France district. Sail through the dramatic Rhine Gorge, the most beautiful view of the Rhine River where ancient castles stand on cliffs 400 feet above the water. A stay in Holland’s popular, modern capital of Amsterdam is the perfect way to end this sensational European river cruise. The best way to see the treasures of this 700-year-old city is on a canal cruise along the elegant Grachten lined with homes dating back to the city’s “Golden Age.”

1. Day 1
   FRENCH RIVIERA, FRANCE

   Sun, Oct 31, 2027

   Welcome to France. Enjoy free time to discover the beauty of the spectacular French Riviera, which stretches along France’s Mediterranean coast from Toulon to the border of Italy.
2. Day 2
   FRENCH RIVIERA

   Mon, Nov 01, 2027

   The “Queen of the French Riviera” CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Sightseeing in Nice. Discover the narrow, winding streets, and baroque churches of Vieux Nice, the old city—an area which has changed little since the 1700s.(B)
3. Day 3
   FRENCH RIVIERA–ARLES (EMBARKATION)

   Tue, Nov 02, 2027

   Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding. Join a motorcoach transfer to board your Avalon Suite Ship.CLASSIC En route to Arles, stop in Aix-en-Provence and enjoy a Guided Sightseeing Tour to discover the elegant beauty of Cezanne’s hometown.OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN ARLES(B,D)
4. Day 4
   ARLES

   Wed, Nov 03, 2027

   A Brush with GeniusVisit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.ACTIVE Get your daily dose of exercise through a Power Walk in Arles with your Adventure Host, OR: DISCOVERY Attend a Painting Workshop to learn techniques of Vincent van Gogh. Create your own painting in the style of the legendary artist, OR: CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Walking Tour of Arles—the captivating city of the Provence region. You’ll visit the Roman Amphitheater in this visually stunning city.Take free time to stop at Le Café Van Gogh for a glass of wine, before sailing to Avignon. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AVIGNON(B,L,D)
5. Day 5
   AVIGNON

   Thu, Nov 04, 2027

   The City of Popes in Picturesque Provence Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.ACTIVE Discover Avignon by bike with your Adventure Host, OR: CLASSIC Take a Guided Sightseeing Tour of the fortress city of Avignon—with its ramparts encircling the city—and a visit to the amazing Palace of the Popes.Guided Optional Excursions include a visit to the ancient Roman aqueduct of Pont du Gard, or a trip to the famed wine cellars of Châteauneuf-du-Pape for a true taste of the Rhône wine region. Explore Avignon on your own for the city’s art and culture, theatre, and museums. Be sure to snap photos of the captivating countryside, historic monuments, and the medieval Pont Saint-Bénézet. Later, enjoy live entertainment on board. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AVIGNON(B,L,D)
6. Day 6
   VIVIERS

   Fri, Nov 05, 2027

   World History in a Charming French Country VillageEnjoy a leisurely morning sail to Viviers.ACTIVE Walk your way up to Vivier's hilltop Cathedral with your Adventure Host, OR: CLASSIC Explore the pale-stone buildings of Viviers on an afternoon Guided Walking Tour of this charming village. You’ll see its Romanesque cathedral and Old Town with a mix of historical Christian, Roman, and medieval influences.DISCOVERY Later, enjoy a tasting of Local Specialties on board your ship.EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO TAIN L’HERMITAGE (B,L,D)
7. Day 7
   TAIN L'HERMITAGE. EXCURSION TO TOURNON

   Sat, Nov 06, 2027

   A Rendezvous with Castle Views and VineyardsJoin your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.ACTIVE Explore Tournon by foot as you follow your Adventure Host for a morning hike in this beautiful town along the Rhone, OR:CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour through the scenic Doux Valley aboard the Train des L’Ardeche steam-engine train, OR:CLASSIC Take a morning Guided Walking Tour to explore Tournon—one of France’s oldest medieval cities with its 16th-century castle.In the early afternoon cruise to Lyon. This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board.OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN LYON(B,L,D)
8. Day 8
   LYON

   Sun, Nov 07, 2027

   La Vie En Rose in Lyon ACTIVE Discover Lyon's architectural district by bike with your Adventure Host, over bridges, and along the banks where the Rhône and Saône rivers meet, OR: CLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour to survey Lyon from Fourvière Hill with its numerous churches. You’ll also explore the Old Town with its maze of medieval alleyways, and the lively cafés, monuments, and famed fountain of Place des Terreaux.Spend free time biking through Lyon’s town squares, over bridges, and along the banks where the Rhône and Saône rivers meet. Enjoy live entertainment while sailing to Tournus.EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO TOURNUS(B,L,D)
9. Day 9
   TOURNUS–CHALON-SUR-SAÔNE

   Mon, Nov 08, 2027

   Wine and Cheese on the Stunning Saône DISCOVERY Travel into the rolling landscapes of the Mâconnais region to learn about its world-famous Chardonnay vineyards, the wines produced here, and to attend a wine-tasting in the cellars of a real medieval castle!ACTIVE Enjoy a hike with your Avalon Adventure Host in Tournus, OR:CLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Tournus. See the highlights of this delightful town, one of the oldest and most important monastic centers in the region.DISCOVERY Later, enjoy a delicious Cheese Tasting on board your ship while sailing to Chalon-sur-Saône.OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN CHALON-SUR-SAÔNE(B,L,D)
10. Day 10
    CHALON-SUR-SAÔNE (DISEMBARKATION)–BEAUNE–BASEL, SWITZERLAND (EMBARKATION)

    Tue, Nov 09, 2027

    Drive to Beaune and transfer to Basel CLASSIC Visit the Hôtel-Dieu Charity Hospital in Beaune, built in 1443, today home of the Van der Weyden’s painting of the Last Judgment and is one of France’s architectural highlights.This afternoon, travel by motorcoach to Basel to board your Rhine River cruise.EVENING CRUISE TO BREISACH(B,D)
11. Day 11
    BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO BLACK FOREST

    Wed, Nov 10, 2027

    German Winemaking and the Beautiful Black Forest Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.ACTIVE Take a Guided E-bike Tour to experience the magical Black Forest from a unique point of view, OR:CLASSIC Join a full-day Guided Tour to the magical Black Forest to experience the Vogtsbauernhof open-air-museum, visit an authentic water mill, and see a traditional butter-making demonstration, OR:CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour to explore Freiburg’s medieval city center, sheltered by the Black Forest amid vineyards and gardens of the Upper Rhine Valley.You may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to visit the charming village of Colmar in the morning, with its half-timbered medieval and early renaissance buildings. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO KEHL(B,L,D)
12. Day 12
    KEHL. EXCURSION TO STRASBOURG, FRANCE

    Thu, Nov 11, 2027

    A Grand Cathedral and La Petite FranceACTIVE Discover Strasbourg by bike with your Adventure Host, OR: CLASSIC Join a City Sightseeing Tour, including Strasbourg’s Gothic, stained-glass cathedral with its celebrated ancient murals and astronomical clock, as well as the magical La Petite France District.Choose a Guided Optional Excursion to the historic Maginot Line—the pre-WWII fortifications designed to protect the eastern border of France or visit Alsace’s wine country today.Alternatively, take some free time in Strasbourg to visit a museum, or stroll across the city center.OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO LUDWIGSHAFEN(B,L,D)
13. Day 13
    LUDWIGSHAFEN, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO HEIDELBERG

    Fri, Nov 12, 2027

    Castle Walls, and the World’s Biggest Wine BarrelACTIVE Join your Avalon Adventure Host for an inspiring walk in Heidelberg, the Philosophers' way, OR:CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Tour to Heidelberg Castle to see the ruins of the magnificent renaissance treasure towering above the city, and its famed Great Vat, the “World’s Largest Wine Barrel,” OR: CLASSIC Join a Guided Visit to Schwetzingen Palace—the heart of a stunning site consisting of the palace, palace gardens, and historic palace square.This afternoon through the evening, enjoy leisurely sailing to Rüdesheim.OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN RÜDESHEIM(B,L,D)
14. Day 14
    RÜDESHEIM–RHINE GORGE

    Sat, Nov 13, 2027

    Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Wine CountryACTIVE Enjoy a hike with your Avalon Adventure Host through the picturesque vineyards of Rüdesheim; enjoy a tasting of the authentic Rüdesheimer coffee, OR:CLASSIC Take a Guided Tour of the incredible Mechanical Music Museum for a one-of-a-kind instrumental experience; enjoy a tasting of the authentic Rüdesheimer coffee, OR:DISCOVERY Take a Guided Visit to the historic 18th-century wooden-barrel cellar of Johannisberg Castle and enjoy a delicious wine tasting.En route to Koblenz, sail through the Rhine Gorge (a UNESCO World Heritage site). Take in the breathtaking views of ancient castles perched on cliffs 400 feet above the water and pass the legendary Rock of the Lorelei—where the mythological siren’s songs lured ill-fated sailors.KOBLENZTravel Through 2000 Years of Monumental History Enjoy free time in Koblenz before a relaxing evening on board with dinner and live entertainment. This evening enjoy live entertainment onboard.OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO COLOGNE(B,L,D)
15. Day 15
    COLOGNE

    Sun, Nov 14, 2027

    Prost! Celebrate in the Rhineland Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.ACTIVE Enjoy a bike ride like the locals in Cologne with your Adventure Host, OR:CLASSIC Choose a Guided Walking Tour of Cologne’s important Jewish heritage sites. OR:CLASSIC Take a Guided City Walk of Cologne—with its soaring twin-steepled gothic cathedral.Spend free time over a glass of Kölsch pale lager—locally brewed for over 100 years! AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO AMSTERDAM(B,L,D)
16. Day 16
    AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND

    Mon, Nov 15, 2027

    Canals of Colorful AmsterdamACTIVE Start your day joining your Adventure Host on an early morning walk in Amsterdam, OR: CLASSIC Discover the true beauty of Amsterdam with an off-the-beaten-path Guided Walking Tour through its cobblestone streets for a captivating look at this legendary city, OR: CLASSIC Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.” During tulip season, you may take a Guided Optional Excursion to Keukenhof gardens—with more than seven million tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths, as well as other bulbs, planted each year. Outside of tulip season, join a Guided Optional Excursion to Zaanse Schans to see historic windmills and charming Dutch houses. You may also choose an Optional Biking Tour to discover the countryside.OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM(B,L,D)
17. Day 17
    AMSTERDAM (DISEMBARKATION)

    Tue, Nov 16, 2027

    Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)