Rhine & Rhône Revealed with 2 nights in Nice & 3 nights in Barcelona 2021

This European river cruise vacation begins on the Rhine River and then continues on the Saône and Rhône Rivers. Begin with a canal cruise in splendid Amsterdam, as well as guided sightseeing in Cologne, Koblenz, and Strasbourg. Delight in excursions to Germany’s Black Forest and to Heidelberg—Germany’s oldest university town with its imposing castle. Also, sail through the dramatic Rhine Gorge, see the legendary Lorelei rock, and visit the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz. A motorcoach transfer takes you into France’s Burgundy region to fascinating Beaune for a visit to Hôtel-Dieu. Next, board your ship in quaint St. Jean de Losne and set sail for Macon. Visit France’s gastronomic capital of Lyon, as well as medieval Tournon, charming Viviers, Avignon, and Arles. Sail through the peaceful Camargue area to Port-Saint-Louis. After your cruise, enjoy a Monograms vacation in Nice and Barcelona.

Disembark your river cruise ship and transfer to Nice to begin your Monograms vacation package for your last two nights in France. Walk through the Old Town and the Promenade des Anglais, Nice’s most famous boulevard. In your free time, perhaps take an excursion to Monaco or Cannes—known for its famous film festival.

Next, fly from Nice to Barcelona, where you’ll enjoy guided sightseeing, including Passeig de Gràcia, La Pedrera, Casa Batlló, an inside visit of Sagrada Familia Basilica and relaxing free time—all part of your Monograms vacation package in Spain. At your service is an expert Monograms Local Host® who is available to assist you throughout your stay in Nice and Barcelona.

A mixture of French landscapes, cuisine, and iconic sights, combined with the spice and flavor of colorful Barcelona creates the perfect recipe for a European getaway.

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SIMILAR VACATIONS

Rhine & Rhône Revealed (Northbound)
Rhine & Rhône Revealed (Northbound)
With 2 Nights in Aix-en-Provence & 2 Nights in NiceWAL2
With 2 Nights in Aix-en-Provence & 2 Nights in NiceWAL2
Rhine & Rhône Revealed (Southbound)WALE
Rhine & Rhône Revealed (Southbound)WALE

ITINERARY

Day 1

ACTIVE Join your Avalon Adventure Host for a Hike up Philosophers’ Way for an inspiring view of the city below

Day 2

ACTIVE Grab a Nordic walking stick for a hike with your Adventure Host

Day 3

CLASSIC Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.”

Day 4

CLASSIC Take a Guided City Walk of Cologne—with its soaring twin-steepled gothic cathedral, OR:

Day 5

CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided City Walk including a visit to the Gutenberg Museum to see the captivating history of printing, 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,” OR:

Day 6

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

Day 7

CLASSIC Visit the Hôtel-Dieu Charity Hospital in Beaune, built in 1443, today home of the Van der Weyden’s painting of the Last Judgement

Day 8

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

Day 9

CLASSIC Join a Culinary Walk through the city to discover why it is known as the gastronomic capital of France

Day 10

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

Day 11

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

Day 12

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, OR:

Day 13

DISCOVERY Choose a Guided Walking Tour of Cologne’s important Jewish heritage sites

Day 14

DISCOVERY Take a Guided Tour of the incredible Mechanical Music Museum for a one-of-a-kind instrumental experience; based on your departure enjoy a local special treat

Day 15

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 Visit to Badischer Winzerkeller, the largest German wine producer in Europe. Learn about German winemaking in the vineyards of Baden, and enjoy a wine tasting

Day 16

DISCOVERY Later, enjoy a delicious Cheese Tasting on board your ship

Day 17

DISCOVERY Be our guest for a WWII & French Resistance Lecture on board your ship

Day 18

DISCOVERY Attend a Painting Workshop to learn techniques of Vincent van Gogh. Create your own painting in the style of legendary artist

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Day 33

Spectacular Seascapes of the French Riviera After disembarkation, an included transfer takes you to Nice, where you will join your Monograms vacation. Guided sightseeing features the Promende des Anglais, originally built in the second half of the 18th century and the most famous boulevard in Nice, and a walk through the charming Old Town

Day 34

Your Local Host has recommendations for your full day at leisure on the beautiful Côte d’Azur

Day 35

Transfer to Nice airport for your flight to Barcelona

Day 36

Your morning guided sightseeing includes a drive along elegant Passeig de Gràcia to see the captivating façades of Gaudí’s La Pedrera and Casa Batllò, and an inside visit of the extraordinary Sagrada Familia Basilica

Day 37

Your Local Host has many recommendations for your day at leisure

Day 38

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning

Day 39

AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND (EMBARKATION)

Day 40

AMSTERDAM

Day 41

COLOGNE, GERMANY

Day 42

RÜDESHEIM

Day 43

MAINZ. HEIDELBERG EXCURSION

Day 44

STRASBOURG, FRANCE

Day 45

BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO BLACK FOREST

Day 46

BASEL, SWITZERLAND (DISEMBARKATION) BEAUNE–ST. JEAN DE LOSNE (EMBARKATION)

Day 47

MÂCON

Day 48

LYON

Day 49

LYON

Day 50

VIVIERS

Day 51

AVIGNON

Day 52

ARLES

Day 53

PORT-SAINT-LOUIS (DISEMBARKATION)–NICE

Day 54

NICE

Day 55

NICE–BARCELONA, SPAIN

Day 56

BARCELONA

Day 57

BARCELONA

Day 58

BARCELONA

Day 59

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM

Day 60

AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO COLOGNE

Day 61

OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO RÜDESHEIM

Day 62

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN RÜDESHEIM

Day 63

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO STRASBOURG

Day 64

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BREISACH

Day 65

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BASEL

Day 66

OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MÂCON

Day 67

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN TRÉVOUX

Day 68

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN LYON

Day 69

EVENING CRUISE TO TOURNON

Day 70

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO AVIGNON

Day 71

EVENING CRUISE TO ARLES

Day 72

EVENING CRUISE TO PORT ST. LOUIS

Day 73

Dinner

Day 74

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Breakfast

Day 93 AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND (EMBARKATION)

Welcome to Holland. Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding. Flights into Amsterdam must arrive by 3:30 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm. Your day in Amsterdam is free to explore at your leisure. During tulip season, you may take a Guided Optional Excursion to Keukenhof gardens—with more than seven million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths, as well as other bulbs, planted each year. Outside of tulip season, join a Guided Optional Excursion to Zaanse Schans to see historic windmills and charming Dutch houses. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM
Dinner

Day 94 AMSTERDAM

Canals of Colorful Amsterdam Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities. CLASSIC Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.” This afternoon choose among the Guided Optional Excursions available or take some free time to explore Amsterdam’s colorful streets and canal houses, galleries, and shops. AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO COLOGNE
BreakfastLunch Dinner

Day 95 COLOGNE, GERMANY

Prost! Celebrate in the Rhineland CLASSIC Take a Guided City Walk of Cologne—with its soaring twin-steepled gothic cathedral, OR: DISCOVERY Choose a Guided Walking Tour of Cologne’s important Jewish heritage sites. Spend free time over a glass of Kölsch pale lager—locally brewed for over 100 years! Later, local musicians will join us on board for live entertainment. OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO RÜDESHEIM
BreakfastLunch Dinner

Day 96 RÜDESHEIM

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Wine Country Sail through the Rhine Gorge to Rüdesheim and past the legendary rock of the Lorelei—where the siren of mythology sang songs to lure ill-fated sailors. DISCOVERY Take a Guided Tour of the incredible Mechanical Music Museum for a one-of-a-kind instrumental experience; based on your departure enjoy a local special treat. Enjoy live entertainment on board your ship this evening. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN RÜDESHEIM
BreakfastLunch Dinner

Day 97 MAINZ. HEIDELBERG EXCURSION

Printing Halls, Castle Walls, and the World’s Biggest Wine Barrel CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided City Walk including a visit to the Gutenberg Museum to see the captivating history of printing, 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,” OR: ACTIVE Join your Avalon Adventure Host for a Hike up Philosophers’ Way for an inspiring view of the city below. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO STRASBOURG
BreakfastLunch Dinner

Day 98 STRASBOURG, FRANCE

A Grand Cathedral and La Petite France Ask about today’s energizing or relaxing Adventure Host activities. 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. Choose a Guided Optional Excursion to the historic Maginot Line—the pre-WWII fortifications designed to protect the eastern border of France, or visit Alsace’s wine country today. Alternatively, take some free time in Strasboug to visit a museum, or stroll across the city center. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BREISACH
BreakfastLunch Dinner

Day 99 BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO BLACK FOREST

German 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 Visit to Badischer Winzerkeller, the largest German wine producer in Europe. Learn about German winemaking in the vineyards of Baden, and enjoy a wine tasting. You may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to visit the charming village of Colmar in the morning, with its half-timbered medieval and early renaissance buildings. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BASEL
BreakfastLunch Dinner

Day 100 BASEL, SWITZERLAND (DISEMBARKATION) BEAUNE–ST. JEAN DE LOSNE (EMBARKATION)

Disembark your ship and drive on to Beaune. CLASSIC Visit the Hôtel-Dieu Charity Hospital in Beaune, built in 1443, today home of the Van der Weyden’s painting of the Last Judgement. This afternoon, travel to St. Jean de Losne to board your Suite Ship®. OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MÂCON
Breakfast Dinner

Day 101 MÂCON

Wine and Cheese on the Stunning Saône Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host. Enjoy leisurely cruising en route to Mâcon along the majestic Saône River. Consider a Guided Optional Excursion to a Chardonnay wine cellar or to the Castle of Cormatin. DISCOVERY Later, enjoy a delicious Cheese Tasting on board your ship. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN TRÉVOUX
BreakfastLunch Dinner

Day 102 LYON

La Vie En Rose in Lyon Sail for lovely Lyon this morning. 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. Spend free time biking through Lyon’s town squares, over bridges, and along the banks where the Rhône and Saône rivers meet. DISCOVERY Be our guest for a WWII & French Resistance Lecture on board your ship. Later enjoy live entertainment after dinner. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN LYON
BreakfastLunch Dinner

Day 103 LYON

Adventures in Food and Wine CLASSIC Join a Culinary Walk through the city to discover why it is known as the gastronomic capital of France. The rest of your day is free to explore, relax, or shop in France’s third largest city. Take a bike from the ship and explore local produce markets and parks, or take a leisurely tour of the city’s more than 100 murals. EVENING CRUISE TO TOURNON
BreakfastLunch Dinner

Day 104 TOURNON

A Rendezvous with Castle Views and Vineyards CLASSIC Take a morning Guided Walking Tour to explore Tournon—one of France’s oldest medieval cities. See its 16th-century castle, and Roman ruins between the Rhône River and the granite slopes of the Hermitage. Enjoy a leisurely sail to Viviers after lunch. VIVIERS World History in a Charming French Country Village 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. Later, enjoy live entertainment on board. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO AVIGNON
BreakfastLunch Dinner

Day 105 AVIGNON

The City of Popes in Picturesque Provence Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities. 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. Guided Optional Excursions include a visit to the ancient Roman aqueduct of Pont du Gard, or a trip to the famed wine cellars of Châteauneuf-du-Pape for a true taste of the Rhône wine region. Explore Avignon on your own for the city’s art and culture, theatre, and museums. Be sure to snap photos of the captivating countryside, historic monuments, and the medieval Pont Saint-Bénézet. Later, enjoy onboard live entertainment. EVENING CRUISE TO ARLES
BreakfastLunch Dinner

Day 106 ARLES

Inspiring Sights and Avant-Garde Lights ACTIVE Grab a Nordic walking stick for a hike with your Adventure Host. 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, OR: DISCOVERY Attend a Painting Workshop to learn techniques of Vincent van Gogh. Create your own painting in the style of legendary artist. Consider a Guided Optional Excursion to the Carrières de Lumières (Cathedral of Images) a unique experience of art, sound, and light in the old quarries of Val d’Enfer. Take free time to stop in Café Van Gogh for a glass of wine. EVENING CRUISE TO PORT ST. LOUIS
BreakfastLunch Dinner

Day 107 PORT-SAINT-LOUIS (DISEMBARKATION)–NICE

Spectacular Seascapes of the French Riviera After disembarkation, an included transfer takes you to Nice, where you will join your Monograms vacation. Guided sightseeing features the Promende des Anglais, originally built in the second half of the 18th century and the most famous boulevard in Nice, and a walk through the charming Old Town
Breakfast

Day 108 NICE

Your Local Host has recommendations for your full day at leisure on the beautiful Côte d’Azur
Breakfast

Day 109 NICE–BARCELONA, SPAIN

Transfer to Nice airport for your flight to Barcelona
Breakfast

Day 110 BARCELONA

Your morning guided sightseeing includes a drive along elegant Passeig de Gràcia to see the captivating façades of Gaudí’s La Pedrera and Casa Batllò, and an inside visit of the extraordinary Sagrada Familia Basilica
Breakfast

Day 111 BARCELONA

Your Local Host has many recommendations for your day at leisure
Breakfast

Day 112 BARCELONA

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

Accommodations