Tour begins: 4:00 PM. A transfer is included from Schiphol International Airport or Amsterdam Centraal Station to your riverboat. Check in time aboard ship is 4:00 PM for all guests. Join us for a welcome reception followed by dinner onboard your riverboat tonight and an evening cruise on Amsterdam's storied canals, after-dinner drink in hand.

You have a choice of sightseeing adventures today. Join our local guide for a walking tour into the heart of Nijmegen, the oldest town in the Netherlands and vibrant with medieval sights that straddle streets from the 16th-century Lower Town by the banks of the Waal River to the older Upper Town. Alternatively, learn about the Dutch passion for horticulture during an expertly guided visit to the Gardens of Appeltern and a water pumping station, or venture to the Freedom Museum in Groesbeek, chronicling 20th century history in the Netherlands. Your ship sails this afternoon, bound for Köln, Germany.

Spend a leisurely morning aboard the riverboat, arriving in Köln before lunch for a walking tour with a local guide. Founded by the Romans in 38 BC, the city is like a living textbook of history and architecture, with Roman ruins, medieval churches, avant-garde buildings and the famous filigree-towered Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral), designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Dock in Koblenz for your choice of excursions. Drive to the Nürburgring race track that was featured in the movie Rush; see its Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a long Nordschleife "North loop" track, built in the 1920s, around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel Mountains. Or, go at your own pace as you ride a bicycle along the Rhine from Koblenz to Boppard. Enjoy head-turning scenic beauty this afternoon as your riverboat charts a course through the picture-book landscapes of the Middle Rhine Valley, designated a UNESCO World Heritage for its history as an important transport route and its castle-crowned hilltops. Arrive in Wiesbaden this evening where a Tauck Exclusive dinner at Schlosshotel Kronberg, built in 1893 under the commission of Empress Victoria Friedrich and sparkling with antiques and paintings from her private estate.

While its name evokes images of the famous sausage that inspired modern-day hot dogs, Frankfurt is home to one of the most impressive skylines in Germany, with world-renowned museums, historic cathedrals and ornately gabled half-timbered houses lining its streets and squares. Join a local guide for a walking tour of its landmark sites or whet your appetite for some of the city's most tempting culinary specialties on a tasting walk. Return to your riverboat for an afternoon of cruising, followed by dinner at leisure onboard.

Dating back to the 7th century, Wertheim is located where the Main River meets the Tauber River in southwest Germany in a fairy-tale setting. It is crowned with a hilltop castle that reigns over the city with delightful views, is renowned for its Franconian wine and glass making – and is home to a paper mill and piano collection that are yours to experience on a choice of excursions. See how paper is made on an interactive visit to a working paper mill; meet the owner of a private piano collection as your host shows you his prized musical instruments or visit a blacksmith worshop and museum.

Arrive in Würzburg this morning, set on the banks of the Main River in the heart of Franconian wine country along the Romantic Road for a choice of shore excursions. Join a local guide for a walking tour of Würzburg, known for its lavish Baroque and Rococo architecture, including the 18th-century Residenz Palace. Or visit the walled Bavarian town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber at the north end of the Romantic Road, resplendent with medieval architecture, half-timbered houses and a cobblestoned Old Town.

Your riverboat docks in Bamberg this morning, located on the River Regnitz close to the Danube Main Canal, for a day of Bavarian discoveries. You can choose to join our local guide for an in-depth tour of Bamberg, spread over seven hills that earned is nickname, "Franconian Rome." Explore its medieval old town, surrounded by Europe's largest intact wall and discover the special smoked beer it is famous for. Or drive to nearby Bayreuth to see its Baroque opera house, charming palaces, historical gardens and museums on a locally guided tour. At its center is the former home of composer Richard Wagner, whose music is featured every year at the Richard Wagner Festival, Germany's most important opera event. Dinner is at leisure onboard the riverboat.

An important commercial hub from the Middle Ages onward, Nuremberg, the second largest city in Bavaria, is steeped in a rich historic legacy that can be seen and felt today, both above and below ground. View its well-preserved landmarks, including the imperial castle and the walled Old Town on a locally guided walk that provides insights about this Franconian capital or go underground with a local guide learning about centuries of history both above and below ground. Explore the historic rock-cut tunnels that were cut into the rock starting in 1380. Their main uses were beer storage for local breweries but in the 1940s, they were also used as air raid bunkers. Enjoy time to discover the sights on your own before returning to the riverboat for a farewell cocktail and dinner.

Tour ends: Regensburg. Disembark ship in Regensburg this morning. A transfer from your riverboat to Munich's International Airport is included, approximately a 90-minute drive away. Flights should be booked after 12 noon. Allow a minimum of three hours for flight check-in at the airport. For additional nights in Munich, ask at booking.