JOIN CHRISTINA BOYER ON THE
CENTRAL EUROPEAN
EXPERIENCE
JULY 9 - 20, 2017 (PARIS TO PRAGUE)
This marvelous Central Europe river cruise introduces you to the magnificent Moselle, Rhine, and Main Rivers, as well as to the fascinating
Main Danube Canal. Your vacation begins with two overnights and guided sightseeing in Paris, the splendid “City of Light.” Also enjoy guided
sightseeing in Trier, Würzburg, and Bamberg. Visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum in pretty Rüdesheim, the Bishop’s
Residenz in Würzburg and taste some of the Moselle’s much loved wines in Bernkastel. Other highlights: travel by high-speed train from Paris
to Metz or Luxembourg City, cruise through the dramatic Rhine Gorge, and see the legendary Lorelei rock. Your vacation ends with two
overnights, guided sightseeing, and a visit of the Hradcany Castle grounds in the “Golden City” of Prague.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Paris, France�Welcome to Paris, France’s capital on the River Seine and the “City of Light,” where romance fills the air!
Day 2 Paris�Known as one of the world’s most romantic and lively cities, Paris is a delight for all your senses. Your INCLUDED CITY
SIGHTSEEING shows you magnificent must-see sights, such as Notre Dame Cathedral, the unique Louvre Museum with its glass pyramid as
a contrast to its ancient architecture, the commemorative Arc de Triomphe, and the Eiffel Tower. In your free time, stroll down the
Champs-Elysées with its lavish cafés, or perhaps visit the world-famous Louvre or Montmartre with its gleaming white Sacré Coeur Basilica
and bevy of artists on Place du Tertre. Paris is also well known for its colorful nightlife, and an optional outing to one of the world’s most famous
cabaret shows is available.
Day 3 Paris-Remich, Luxembourg (Embarkation)�This morning, board a HIGH-SPEED TRAIN for a swift and comfortable journey to Metz or
Luxembourg City. Continue to Remich in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, where your river cruise vessel is docked on the Moselle River.
Before dinner, meet your crew at a welcome reception. The Moselle River is some 312 miles long, rising in the Vosges Mountains of
northeastern France and entering Germany at Trier.
Day 4 Trier, Germany�At the head of the Moselle Valley is Trier, Germany’s oldest city. Some say Trier is even older than Rome and was
populated over a thousand years before the Romans arrived. Many Roman remains have survived, including a 20,000-seat amphitheater; the
Porta Nigra, the only surviving fortified gate from the original Roman settlement, which still gives access to the town’s center; imperial baths;
and the Roman Bridge, Germany’s oldest bridge, with stone pilings dating from 144-152 AD—all evidence of this once-grand Roman city.
Choose from an included GUIDED CITY SIGHTSEEING or the more history-focused “ROMAN TRIER” guided tour. As you cruise the wide,
peaceful curves of the Moselle River, it becomes obvious why the Moselle Valley is famous for its picturesque scenery, and that this is an
important wine-growing region.
Day 5 Bernkastel�In the middle of the Moselle region is the charming wine village of Bernkastel with its fascinating narrow streets and
half-timbered houses that have stood since the Middle Ages. Enjoy a GUIDED WALK that includes the beautiful marketplace with its
renaissance-style Town Hall, built in 1608—and the “pointed house,” built in 1416. Wine growers in this area look after Germany’s largest
expanse of vineyards, the most celebrated of the vintages being the Bernkasteler Doktor. During your free time this afternoon you might like to
visit the Moselle.
Day 6 Rhine Gorge-Rudesheim�This morning, sail through the dramatic RHINE GORGE, the most beautiful stretch of the Rhine. Here,
ancient castles stand sentry on lofty cliffs rising 400 feet above the waters. Cruise past the legendary rock of the Lorelei, where enchanted
siren song lured unwitting sailors to their doom. In Rüdesheim, the quintessential Rhine Valley wine town, visit SIEGFRIED’S MECHANICAL
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM, where you’ll see and hear a large collection of self-playing calliopes and music boxes from the 18th to the
early 20th centuries. Enjoy a SPECIAL TREAT, then there’s free time to pick up some souvenirs on the narrow, cobblestoned Drosselgasse,
where colorful flowers, open-air wine gardens, and live music add to the festive atmosphere.
Day 7 Main River Village�On the banks of the Main River you find cultural gems of small towns, many of them tucked away behind defensive
walls and towered gates. With half-timbered houses, narrow streets, and medieval town centers, these picturesque Bavarian villages are a
photographer’s delight. Join your Local Guide to experience one of these towns on a GUIDED WALK.
Day 8 Wurzburg�Relax on board this morning as you cruise the Main River. This afternoon, arrive in Würzburg. Surrounded by verdant hillside
vineyards, Würzburg, the “Pearl of the Romantic Road,” makes an immediate impression with imposing Marienberg Fortress perched above
town and the 15th-century Alte Mainbrücke (Old Main Bridge). On your GUIDED SIGHTSEEING TOUR, visit the magnificent baroque
BISHOP’S RESIDENZ, home to the largest ceiling fresco ever painted. Then, there’s time to relax, do some shopping, or stop in a Konditorei
for a mouth-watering pastry and a cup of coffee—a German afternoon tradition.
Day 9 Bamberg�Enjoy another pleasant morning of sailing before you arrive in medieval Bamberg in the early afternoon. The town is the
former residence of one of Germany’s most powerful imperial dynasties and today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your GUIDED WALKING
TOUR takes in its historic center, including the great 13th-century Romanesque cathedral and the fascinating Altes Rathaus (Old Town
Hall)—built on an island in the middle of the Regnitz River when the bishop refused to give the townspeople land for a town hall!
Day 10 Nuremberg (Disembarkation)-Prague, Czech Republic�This morning, arrive in Nuremberg, where you bid farewell to your crew after
breakfast and transfer by motorcoach to cross the Czech border in the Bohemian Forest and head for Prague, the “Golden City.”
Day 11 Prague�Prague is a 1,200-year-old city preserved in time, and, unlike other Central European capitals, it was not bombed during the
20th-century wars. On your GUIDED SIGHTSEEING TOUR, see its best-known treasures, such as the Old Town’s Astronomical Clock, dating
from the 15th century and once the envy of all of Europe; HRADANY CASTLE GROUNDS; St. Vitus Cathedral; and the Charles Bridge, the
oldest bridge in Prague. Browse the shops for hand-cut crystal or art books. Mix with the locals in Wenceslas Square, an important meeting
point where people demonstrated against the communist regime; watch performers and shop at the market stalls on Charles Bridge; sample
the local plum dumplings and Pilsner; or stroll along the Vltava River. Your Cruise Director will have more suggestions for you.
Day 12 Prague�Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
$4176 per person (based on double occupancy; singles available upon request. Includes port taxes)
Air: TBD
Insurance is highly recommended to protect your vacation investment, please see agent for pricing/details.
Transfers: Available, please see agent for more details.
Pre/Post Nights: Available, please see agent for more details.
Deposit: $250 per person, non-refundable
Final payment due by March 22, 2017
ALL ABOARD TRAVEL
10 S. Howell St.
�Hillsdale, MI 49242
517.437.4844 or [email protected]