Your Itinerary
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.
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)
FRENCH RIVIERA–ARLES (EMBARKATION)
Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding. Join a motorcoach transfer to board your Avalon Suite Ship.OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN ARLES(B,D)
Inspiring Sights and Avant-Garde Lights Visit 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 in Le Café Van Gogh for a glass of wine, before sailing to Avignon. DISCOVERY Join a lecture about wine hosted by your Master of Wine.OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AVIGNON(B,L,D)
The City of Popes in Picturesque Provence 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.DISCOVERY Enjoy a trip to the famed wine cellars of Châteauneuf-du-Pape for a true taste of the Rhône wine region. Later, enjoy live onboard entertainment. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AVIGNON(B,L,D)
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 a late 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 This evening, join an onboard food and wine pairing dinner hosted by your Master of Wine.EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO TAIN L’HERMITAGE (B,L,D)
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 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. DISCOVERY Enjoy an onboard chocolate and wine tasting hosted by your Master of Wine while sailing to Lyon. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN LYON(B,L,D)
Adventures in Food and Wine in the Gastronomy Capital of FranceACTIVE 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, OR:DISCOVERY Take a guided tour to the lovely Beaujolais area and learn more about its light and pleasant wine.Enjoy live entertainment while sailing to Tournus. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO TOURNUS(B,L,D)
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!DISCOVERY Later, enjoy a delicious cheese and wine tasting hosted by your Master of Wine.Enjoy live entertainment on board this evening. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN CHALON-SUR-SAÔNE (B,L,D)
CHALON-SUR-SAÔNE (DISEMBARKATION)–BEAUNE–BASEL, SWITZERLAND (EMBARKATION)
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)
BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO BLACK FOREST
Winemaking and the Beautiful Black Forest DISCOVERY Join a full-day Guided Tour to the magical Black Forest to experience the Vogtsbauernohf open-air-museum, visit an authentic water mill, and see a traditional butter-making demonstration, OR:DISCOVERY Take a full-day Guided Tour to the charming village of Colmar in the morning, with its half-timbered medieval and early renaissance buildings, followed by a visit to a countryside chateau wine cellar, 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.EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO STRASBOURG(B,L,D)
A Grand Cathedral and La Petite FranceAsk about today’s energizing or relaxing Adventure Host activities.ACTIVE 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.DISCOVERY Join an enchanting Guided Tour along the famed Alsace Wine Route to discover the heart of France’s wine country and sample several local wines. DISCOVERY Onboard food and wine pairing dinner hosted by your Master of Wine.OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO SPEYER(B,L,D)
SPEYER. EXCURSION TO HEIDELBERG
The World’s Biggest Wine BarrelCLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Tour through the vibrant streets of Speyer and learn about its fascinating history and traditions. Also enjoy a wine tasting, 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.”EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO RÜDESHEIM (B,L,D)
Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Wine Country ACTIVE Enjoy a hike with your Avalon Adventure Host through the picturesque vineyards of Rüdesheim, OR: DISCOVERY Join a Guided Tour to experience the beauty and simplicity of 13th-century Eberbach Monastery-a former abbey for Cistercian monks that today is known for its wine production and as the film location for the blockbuster movie, "The Name of the Rose". Also enjoy a wine tasting *, OR: DISCOVERY Take a Guided Tour of the incredible Mechanical Music Museum for a one-of-a-kind instrumental experience; enjoy a 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. DISCOVERY Enjoy an onboard wine and cheese tasting hosted by your Master of Wine. Travel Through 2000 Years Of Monumental History Enjoy free time in Koblenz before a relaxing evening on board with dinner and live entertainment. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN KOBLENZ *On departure 1012 this excursion will be replaced by a visit to Johannisberg Castle.(B,L,D)
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:DISCOVERY 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! DISCOVERY Enjoy a wine and chocolate tasting hosted by your Master of Wine.AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO AMSTERDAM(B,L,D)
Canals of Colorful AmsterdamACTIVE Start your day joining your Adventure Host on an early morning walk in Amsterdam, OR:CLASSIC Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.”With a free day to explore before your cruise ends, take time to enjoy this charming city on your own or 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)
AMSTERDAM (DISEMBARKATION)
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)