Romantic Rhine with 3 Nights in Lake Como & 1 Night in Lucerne & Mount Pilatus (Northbound) 2024 - 12 days from Lake Como to Amsterdam

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Romantic Rhine with 3 Nights in Lake Como & 1 Night in Lucerne & Mount Pilatus (Northbound) 2024

12 days from Lake Como to Amsterdam



Tour Description:

Your European vacation begins with a 3-night stay in Lake Como and 1 night stay in Lucerne, with a special excursion up Mount Pilatus for spectacular Swiss Alpine panoramas. In Como, an included guided walking tour features the charming historic district, the Gothic Town Hall, the impressive Duomo and a boat ride on the lake. In Lucerne, your guided walking tour includes the Lion Monument, the Chapel Bridgeand a special highlight ex-cursion to stunning Mount Pilatus.

Embark on your Rhine River cruise through France, Germany, and Holland. Board your Avalon Suite Ship® in Basel, Switzerland, then head for Breisach, Germany, at the foot of the Kaiserstuhl Mountain on the French-German border. Here you’ll find the gateway to Germany’s Black Forest, an area of unrivaled natural beauty, best known for Black Forest ham, cherry cake, and the cuckoo clock. Continue your river cruise to Strasbourg, France, and marvel at the red-sandstone Gothic-style cathedral with ancient murals and the fascinating astronomical clock. Stroll through the lovely La Petite France district with its quaint shops, delightful bistros, and peaceful waterfront promenade. Visit the ruins of Heidelberg Castle, towering magnificently over the city, or stop in Mainz for a guided walk and a visit to the captivating Gutenberg Museum. Sail to the charming wine town of Rüdesheim, and a visit to the unique Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum, then pass through the dramatic Rhine Gorge—the most beautiful view of the Rhine River where ancient castles stand on cliffs 400 feet above the water. Last stop in Germany is Cologne—a 2,000-year-old city known for its Gothic-style architecture and famous twin-spired cathedral.

At the conclusion of your Rhine River cruise, you’ll spend time in colorful Amsterdam. See the treasures of this 700-year-old city on an included canal cruise along the elegant grachten lined with homes dating back to the city’s “Golden Age.” Spend free time discovering world-famous museums, and an abundance of restaurants in the vibrant, modern capital of Holland.

Map for Romantic Rhine with 3 Nights in Lake Como & 1 Night in Lucerne & Mount Pilatus (Northbound) 2024 - 12 days from Lake Como to Amsterdam
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Dates & Pricing



Destination & Sightseeing

Day 1 Lake Como: Welcome to Italy
Day 2 Lake Como: Guided walking tour
Day 3 Lake Como: Boat ride on Lake Como to Bellagio
Day 4 Lake Como-Lucerne: Transfer to Lucerne guided walking tour in Lucerne, see the Lion Monument and the Chapel Bridge
Day 5 Lucerne, Mount Pilatus-Basel (Embarkation): Excursion to Mount Pilatus (in case of bad weather, visit the Swiss Transport Museum instead); transfer to Basel to join your ship; onboard welcome reception
Day 6 Breisach: Choice of excursion to Black Forest, or visit to a local winery in Breisach or sightseeing of Freiburg
Day 7 Strasbourg: Choice of guided sightseeing, visit La Petite France district and the Gothic cathedral or bike with your Adventure Host
Day 8 Mainz: Choice of guided tour of Heidelberg Castle, see the Great Vat, or walk Philosophers’ Way with your Adventure Host, or visit the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz
Day 9 Rüdesheim-Rhine Gorge-Koblenz: Visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum in Rüdesheim or hike in the vineyards with your Adventure Host; cruise through the scenic Rhine Gorge with breathtaking views of ancient castles, towering cliffs, and the leg-endary Rock of the Lorelei; free time in Koblenz
Day 10 Cologne: Choice of 'Cologne Highlights' walking tour or Jewish Heritage walking tour or bike with your Adventure Host
Day 11 Amsterdam: Choice of canal cruise or walk with your Adventure Host
Day 12 Amsterdam (Disembarkation): Your vacation ends this morning
Notes:
  • In the event of technical or water level issues, it may be necessary to operate the itinerary by motorcoach or alter the program, including hotel overnight when necessary.
  • Guided Tours, Optional Excursions, activities, sailing and docking schedules may be contingent on weather conditions or other issues outside of our control and could therefore be subject to change at any time.
  • Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.

ITINERARY

Day 1
LAKE COMO, ITALY Welcome to Italy! The remainder of the day is free to start exploring Lake Como and its surroundings, which offer you plenty of opportunities to get the most out of your three nights stay. LAKE-COMO.jpg

Day 2
LAKE COMO Historic Center and Gothic Style CLASSIC Join a Guided Walking Tour which includes the charming historic center, the Broletto (Town Hall) with its fascinating gothic façade, and the imposing, marble-clad Duomo. Embark on a Boat Ride on Lake Como which includes a stop in beautiful Bellagio. LAKE-COMO-BOAT-RIDE.jpg
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Day 3
LAKE COMO Breath-taking Views Enjoy the day at leisure to relax, recharge or explore the lakeshores. Lake Como offers you every kind of solution for your spare time. Choose a boat trip on the lake, a relaxing walk on the riverbanks or do some shopping. And be sure to taste the authentic Italian specialties in a local restaurant! LAKE-COMO-CAFE.jpg
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Day 4
LAKE COMO–LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND A Historic Bridge and Heart of a Lion Travel to Lucerne. CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Walking Tour to explore beautiful Lucerne which includes Thorvaldsen’s poignant Lion Monument and the famous Chapel Bridge. LUCERNE-CHAPEL-BRIDGE.jpg
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Day 5
LUCERNE–MOUNT PILATUS–BASEL (EMBARKATION) Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding CLASSIC This morning enjoy a special Highlight Excursion to Mount Pilatus. Journey almost 7,000 ft. (2,132 m) up for spectacular views over central Switzerland (in case of bad weather, visit the Swiss Transport Museum instead). Transfer to Basel to board your Suite Ship®. EVENING CRUISE TO BREISACH MOUNT-PILATUS.jpg

Day 6
BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO BLACK FOREST German Winemaking and the Beautiful Black Forest Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host. ACTIVE Enjoy the view on a relaxing bike ride along the Rhine with your Adventure Host, OR: 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 a local winery in Breisach, where you will learn about German winemaking and enjoy a wine tasting; 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. 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 CRUISE TO STRASBOURG BLACK-FOREST-SCENIC.jpg
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Day 7
STRASBOURG, FRANCE A Grand Cathedral and La Petite France 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. You may also choose to join 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 Strasbourg to visit a museum, or stroll across the city center. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MAINZ STRASBOURG-PETIT-FRANCE.jpg
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Day 8
MAINZ, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO HEIDELBERG Castle Walls, and the World’s Biggest Wine Barrel ACTIVE Join your Avalon Adventure Host for an inspiring walk in Heidelberg, the Philosophers' way, 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: CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided City Walk in Mainz, including a visit to the Gutenberg Museum to see the captivating history of printing. This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship after a short sailing to Rüdesheim. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN RÜDESHEIM HEIDELBERG.jpg
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Day 9
RÜDESHEIM–RHINE GORGE 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 Take a Guided Tour of the incredible Mechanical Music Museum for a one-of-a-kind instrumental experience; enjoy a tasting of the authentic Rüdesheimer coffee 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. KOBLENZ 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 RUDESHEIM-VINEYARDS.jpg
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Day 10
COLOGNE 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! AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO AMSTERDAM COLOGNE-BEER.jpg
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Day 11
AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND Canals of Colorful Amsterdam ACTIVE 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.” 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. You may also choose an Optional Biking Tour to discover the countryside. Take some free time to explore Amsterdam’s colorful streets and canal houses, galleries, and shops. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM AMSTERDAM-CANAL-CRUISE.jpg
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Day 12
AMSTERDAM (DISEMBARKATION) Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. AMSTERDAM-SUNRISE.jpg

Accommodations

ComoLake ComoLucerneAmsterdamAmsterdam
Como
Moderate First-Class

Hotel as shown or similar

Via Mentana 28 Como Italy

Located just 10 minutes walk from the historic center, the hotel has 79 spacious, air-conditioned rooms, all fully furnished with a flat-screen TV, Free Wi-Fi access, minibar, desk, safe and a private bathroom, equipped with hairdryer and free toiletries. The seasonal panoramic swimming pool is located on the terrace and has a bar service with hot and cold dishes, drinks, snacks and cocktails in a relaxing atmosphere with background music. The breakfast buffet provides a wide range of choice between sweet and savory, hot and cold delicious products.
Check Mark Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.

FAQ Avalon Cruises Frequently Asked Questions FAQ

Pavlus Travel tells you there's a wide World out there just waiting to be explored on river cruises by you, and Avalon Waterways like Pavlus Travel knows there is more than a river cruise for you and your family to see it all. Why not experience local cities, villages, and countrysides your way with a wide selection of active excursions and activities brought to you by Avalon River Cruises that put you right in the middle of it all. Borrow a bike to ride through the streets of Amsterdam, grab a Nordic walking stick to capture the castle with a hike up the vineyard off the Rhine River, or paddle a canoe along Austria’s river shores. Pavlus makes it easy to turn sightseeing into doing your adventure in real time. You’ll find all the guidance and gear you from Avalon Waterways staff to embark on an expedition of your own. From a complimentary yoga class aboard your Avalon River Cruise to a jogging tour of Vienna or an optional kayaking excursion. Know that Pavlus Travel discounts Avalon River Cruises be they in Europe or the Far East. You'll enjoy every Avalon River Cruises Ship.