Picture-postcard Towns and Alpine Peaks by rail

Day 1: UK/Cologne
Take the Eurostar to Brussels, with an onward coach transfer to the ship where you will join the MS Serenade 1 in Cologne.

Meals: Dinner

Day 2: Cochem
The beautiful Moselle Valley slips past as you cruise to the wine town of Cochem. Enjoy a stroll around the old town, or opt to tour the mighty Reichsburg Castle.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 3: Rhine Gorge & Rudesheim
You arrive in pretty Rüdesheim at breakfast time. Why not join an optional visit to quirky Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Museum before enjoying some free time. As Rüdesheim is surrounded by vineyards, it would be a shame not to visit a local tavern.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 4: Strasbourg
You cross into France just before arriving in medieval Strasbourg. This beautiful city of canals, rivers and elegant buildings has a wealth of historic sights, including the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Be sure to join our optional city tour to see the best of Strasbourg.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 5: Basel/Bernese Oberland
On today’s optional full-day tour of the Bernese Oberland you’ll travel through picturesque alpine regions and past sparkling waterfalls. You’ll spend some time in Interlaken, set in the shadow of the Jungfrau.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 6: Basel
Located right where the French, Swiss and German borders meet, Basel is the cultural capital of Switzerland. Enjoy an optional walking tour, or join us on our optional visit to the pretty Black Forest region.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 7: Mannheim
Relax on board this morning as MS Serenade 1 cruises to Mannheim. The university quarter and historic centre have attracted many writers and painters over the centuries. Make your own discoveries, or join an optional tour to Heidelberg, set on the banks of the Neckar.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 8: Koblenz
Witness one of the scenic highlights of your cruise as you sail through the Rhine Gorge and past the Lorelei Rock to Koblenz. This charming town sits at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers and is surrounded by mountains. Join our optional walking tour, or perhaps rest a while in a tavern and sample some local wines.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 9: Cologne
Enjoy more stunning scenery as MS Serenade I heads towards Cologne. On arrival this afternoon, an optional walking tour will introduce you to the highlights of the city, including the fine Gothic cathedral. Alternatively join our optional panoramic tour of the city by coach.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 10: Cologne/UK
Transfer to Brussels by coach, for your onward journey back to the UK.
Meals: Breakfast

Please note

Chartered exclusively for Travelsphere, MS Serenade 1 offers a relaxing river cruise experience amid luxurious, elegant surroundings

The stylish and extremely comfortable MS Serenade 1 is a 4-star floating hotel that has been exclusively chartered for Travelsphere customers.

The cabins are amongst the largest of any river cruiser, at 16m2, and so you feel right at home, we’ve included plenty of storage space and individually controlled air conditioning to keep the temperature just how you like it.

The twin beds are hotel standard and there is a seating area for relaxation. All cabins have satellite TV, telephone, fridge, tea and coffee-making facilities, safe and a hairdryer, while en suite bathrooms have a WC as well as a separate shower and bath, which is unusual for a river cruiser.

All cabins are non-smoking but you may smoke on deck. There is a sauna on board, along with a small range of fitness equipment. On the upper two decks all cabins have floor-to ceiling sliding French windows for a great view or cooling breeze and the lower deck cabins feature a smaller fixed window

You can spend your time watching the stunning views unfold from the panoramic windows of the lounge, savour delicious cuisine in the elegant dining room or sit back and relax with a range of low-key evening entertainment.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Optional excursions

Reichsburg Castle
Cologne
Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Museum
Strasbourg
Bernese Oberland
Basel walking tour
Black Forest
Heidelberg
Koblenz walking tour

Your holiday includes

The services of two experienced Travelsphere Cruise Representatives and the cruise staff
Full board commences with dinner on day of arrival and finishes with breakfast on day of departure, including morning coffee and afternoon tea plus Captain’s Gala Dinner
Scheduled rail journey on Eurostar from St Pancras
Luggage transfer on Eurostar
All transfers
Evening entertainment on board
Porterage on board

With 50 years’ experience in arranging escorted tours to exciting destinations across the globe, Travelsphere have built an excellent reputation founded on quality and value.

By choosing a Travelsphere escorted holiday you can travel with confidence, knowing that every aspect of your holiday has been carefully planned and arranged from start to finish. Further to this they are ATOL bonded and members of ABTA.

Travelsphere’s thorough planning of travel arrangements, itineraries and accommodation combined with the unique insight of their knowledgeable Tour Managers and Local Guides will enable you to experience the culture, traditions and hidden away places less accessible to other travellers.

Our Opinion
“Travelsphere are one of the biggest names in the Escorted Tour market. Finely tuned over the last 50 years their tours have been tried, tested and refined by thousands of customers.”