Jungfrau Express & the Majestic Rhine

Your holiday begins as you meet the Tour Manager at London St Pancras this morning, before boarding the Eurostar service to Paris. From the French capital, we continue our journey by rail to Basel.

This attractive Swiss city, close to the borders with France and Germany, sits on the Rhine River and is considered the country's cultural capital. Basel's Old Town is dominated by its twin-spired Gothic minster, with its distinctive red sandstone walls and colourful roof tiles.

After checking in to our overnight hotel, we enjoy the first dinner of our tour with our group this evening.

• Dinner

From Basel, we continue our journey bound for the stunning setting of Interlaken after breakfast at our hotel. We make our way by rail to this popular Swiss town, set between two idyllic alpine lakes - Thun and Brienz - and surrounded by majestic peaks.

Our hotel is in a quiet yet convenient spot, allowing for a stroll through the town's historic streets. When the skies are clear the views are wonderful, offering a panoramic vista of the Bernese Oberland including the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau mountains.

As we settle into our hotel for the next two nights, you can explore the town at leisure or simply relax and soak up our new surroundings before dinner this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today brings the first highlight of the holiday, a journey to Jungfraujoch - Europe's highest train station. Boarding the iconic Jungfrau Express at Kleine Scheidegg, this extraordinary route takes us through a tunnel dug into the rocks of the Eiger mountain before arriving at the summit.

Here, you're free to admire countless awe-inspiring mountain peaks from the Sphinx observatory, be wowed by the endless Aletsch Glacier or maybe head to Lindt Swiss Chocolate Heaven to see how Swiss chocolate is made. You could also visit the Alpine Sensation exhibition which uses projected images and music to pay tribute to the miners who built the railway more than 100 years ago.

After returning to Interlaken via the scenic Swiss mountain village of Grindelwald - where there is time to stroll around - we head back to our hotel before dinner this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

The morning is yours to continue to soak up the alpine beauty of Interlaken. After having breakfast at the hotel, you might like to wander around the waterfronts or stroll along the Höheweg, the main shopping street.

After lunch, we walk to the station to board the train to Basel. On arrival, a coach transfer takes us to the banks of the Rhine, where we board our luxury cruise ship. Our wonderful crew welcomes us aboard with a drink, and there is time to relax in our new home on the river and familiarise yourself with the ship's excellent facilities. You can also use this time to admire the surrounding views.

This evening, we enjoy our first dinner in the ship's panoramic restaurant and set sail on an overnight cruise toward Strasbourg.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Sailing into the historic Alsace city of Strasbourg after breakfast, there's a choice of two wonderful excursions. The first is a trip into the magical Black Forest to witness stunning views. Germany's largest nature park is filled with rolling hills, fairytale villages, dense forests and wildflower meadows. On an exploration of this idyllic setting, you'll learn about the enchanting history and folklore of the region.

Alternatively, you could enjoy a tour of Strasbourg, a city in Alsace that was once part of Germany but is now in France - and Strasbourg's grand architecture reflects this blend of the two cultures. On the tour, we visit its striking cathedral and the quaint La Petite France district. Home to tanners, millers and fishermen in the Middle Ages, this pretty area is now a UNESCO World Heritage site of cobbled streets, flower-lined canals and beautiful half-timbered houses.

There's a free afternoon to explore Strasbourg independently before we return to our ship this evening and enjoy drinks with dinner.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Optional Excursions

Strasbourg City Tour

On the tour, we visit its striking cathedral and the quaint La Petite France district. Home to tanners,... More

Black Forest

Explore the magical Black Forest to witness stunning views. Germany's largest nature park filled with... More

Waking to views of Speyer, one of Germany's oldest cities, today there is the option of a guided tour of Heidelberg or to explore Speyer independently. Heidelberg is a picturesque university town with a beautiful Old Town and stunning riverfront, ideal for a relaxing stroll. Our tour includes a visit to the magnificent ruined, red sandstone castle above the city, which has wonderful views of the surrounding forests and river.

If you'd prefer to stay in Speyer, there's plenty to discover here too. There's a beautiful Old Town, and among the highlights is the jaw-dropping cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Returning to our ship for lunch, we enjoy a scenic afternoon cruise. Sailing downstream, we pass the famous Roman city of Mainz and spa town of Wiesbaden before arriving in Rüdesheim early this evening.

After dinner, you could enjoy the sounds and sights of the attractive town, famous for its delicious white wine, especially the dry Riesling variety.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, we travel through charming Rüdesheim aboard a land train, arriving in the centre of the renowned wine town. Here, there's a choice of excursions. You could savour Rüdesheim's most famous produce with a tasting of the finest local varieties of wine or discover Europe's largest collection of mechanical instruments at Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet. Afterwards, there's time at leisure.

We begin sailing this afternoon and enjoy a highlight of the holiday - gliding through the Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO-listed section renowned for its spectacular views. Winding around bends surrounded by miles of vineyards, hilltop castles and picturesque towns, we also hear the legend of the Lorelei Rock. Soaring almost 500 feet out of the water, this monument has been the inspiration for countless myths and legends, including the tale of a siren whose song has enchanted passing sailors.

Arriving in the city of Koblenz, you have time to explore. We recommend visiting Deutsches Eck at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle. Later, we make our way back to the ship, where dinner is served onboard.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

During a morning of relaxed sailing, we leave Koblenz and continue north along the Rhine. Shortly after Andernach, look out for the highest cold-water geyser in the world that erupts up to heights of nearly 200 feet.

After lunch, we dock in Königswinter for a fantastic trip on the Drachenfels Cog Railway. Rising high into the forests, we pass the fairytale Drachenburg Castle - the name of which translates as 'Dragon's Rock' and has inspired many of the dragon-related legends still heard today. Travelling to the summit, we can admire wonderful views across the rolling hills of the Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany.

Back onboard this afternoon, we continue our cruise through beautiful scenery towards Cologne. During the approach, the city's bridges and imposing cathedral hone into view. On arrival, we gather for dinner and drinks as we stay overnight in this historic city.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Awaking in Cologne, we embark on a guided tour which introduces us to its squares and Romanesque townhouses. This German city sits beside the Rhine and was founded as a military camp by the Romans who named it Colonia, which is from where the modern term 'colony' is derived.

The city's most iconic landmark is its impressive cathedral, the largest in northern Europe. Construction of this UNESCO-listed edifice began in 1248 to house relics of the Three Wise Men. Rising more than 515 feet with spectacular twin spires, this Gothic masterpiece is the most visited attraction in Germany. There's time here to stand in awe and marvel at its ornate carvings and stained-glass windows.

Returning to our ship, we enjoy lunch as we set sail towards the Netherlands, savouring dinner and drinks as we wind towards our fourth and final country on an overnight cruise.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Our ship sails through the Lower Rhine this morning, with a distinct change in scenery further downstream as we approach the Netherlands. Arriving in Amsterdam early this afternoon, we take a canal sightseeing cruise of the Dutch capital, a cultural city that's as modern as it is historic, soaking up stunning views of picturesque waterways and architecture as we glide along.

Alternatively, you can choose the optional excursion - a visit to Volendam and Edam to uncover their cheese heritage. Besides being famous for Dutch cheese, Volendam is a stunning old town, with traditional houses dotted beside serene canals and a small harbour.

Back on board our ship this evening, we gather for a gala dinner accompanied by the songs of the Dutch sea shanty choir - the perfect end to our Rhine cruise.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Optional Excursions

Amsterdam Canal Cruise

Take a wonderful canal boat tour of vibrant Amsterdam, a city famous for its pretty canals and bridges,... More

Uncovering Volendam

Visit Volendam and Edam to uncover their cheese heritage. As well as being famed for Dutch cheese, Volendam... More

After three days exploring Switzerland, including a memorable trip on the Jungfrau Railway, sailing from the Swiss city of Basel to Amsterdam has showcased the diverse beauty of four countries. Gliding along the Rhine on our cruise and through spectacular Swiss Alps landscapes by rail allowed us to soak up breathtaking scenes from our front-row seats.

After breakfast, it's time to disembark and say goodbye to our crew. We make our way to the railway station and head towards Brussels where we board the Eurostar to London St Pancras. Arriving in London this evening, your Tour and Cruise holiday comes to an end.

• Breakfast