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Avalon Waterways Rhine & Rhône Revealed with 1 Night in Amsterdam, 2 Nights in Aix-en-Provence & 2 Nights in Nice (Southbound) (WAL3)

20 days from Amsterdam to Nice 
Immerse yourself in French and German culture on this fabulous European river cruise vacation along the Rhine, Saône, and Rhône Rivers. Begin your Rhine & Rhône Revealed vacation your way with a one-night stay in Amsterdam! Join us for an off-the-beaten-path guided walking tour through its cobblestone streets before embarking on your Suite Ship®. Enjoy 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 Heidelberg. Also, sail through the dramatic Rhine Gorge, see the legendary Lorelei rock, and visit the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz. Transfer to France’s Burgundy region to fascinating Beaune for a visit to Hôtel-Dieu before boarding your second Suite 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. After disembarking your ship in Port-Saint-Louis, transfer to Aix-en-Provence for the start of your Monograms vacation package. Enjoy guided sightseeing with an expert Local Guide, and visit the Cathedral of the Holy Saviour, known for its mix of architectural styles. Walk in the footsteps of Cézanne with free time or on a tour of the artist’s hometown.

Travel to Nice for your final two nights in France. Here, you’ll 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. At your service is an expert Monograms Local Host® who is available to assist you throughout your stay in Aix-en-Provence and Nice.

Avalon Highlights & Sightseeing

Day 1 Amsterdam: Welcome to Amsterdam

Day 2 Amsterdam (Embarkation): Off the beaten path walking tour; onboard welcome reception

Day 3 Amsterdam: Canal cruise

Day 4 Cologne: Choice of Cologne highlights walking tour, or Jewish Heritage walking tour or bike with your Adventure Host

Day 5 Koblenz-Rhine Gorge-Rüdesheim: Scenic cruise through the Rhine Gorge; visit Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum in Rüdesheim or hike in the vineyards with your Adventure Host

Day 6 Mainz. Excursion to Heidelberg: Choice of guided walk in Mainz, with a visit to the Gutenberg Museum, or a guided tour of Heidelberg Castle, see the Great Vat, or a hike up Philosophers' Way

Day 7 Strasbourg: Choice of guided sightseeing, visit the La Petite France district and the Gothic cathedral or bike with your Adventure Host

Day 8 Breisach: Choice of excursion to Black Forest, or visit to Badischer Winzerkeller

Day 9 Basel (Disembarkation)-Beaune-St. Jean de Losne (Embarkation): Transfer to Beaune and visit to the Hôtel-Dieu; onboard welcome reception

Day 10 Mâcon: Leisurely cruising; cheese tasting on board

Day 11 Lyon: Choice of guided sightseeing with picture stop on Fourvière Hill or bike with your Adventure Host; onboard lecture

Day 12 Lyon: Culinary tour

Day 13 Tournon-Viviers: Guided walk in Tournon; guided walk in Viviers, visit the Old Town and the cathedral

Day 14 Avignon: Guided sightseeing, visit to the Palace of the Popes

Day 15 Arles: Choice of guided sightseeing in Arles, visit the Roman Amphitheater, or painting workshop or walk with your Adventure Host

Day 16 Port-Saint-Louis (Disembarkation)-Aix-en-Provence: Transfer to Aix-en-Provence; guided walking tour, visit Cathedral of the Holy Saviour

Day 17 Aix-en-Provence: Day at leisure

Day 18 Aix-en-Provence-Nice: Travel to Nice; guided walking tour with Promenade des Anglais and the Old Town

Day 19 Nice: Day at leisure

Day 20 Nice: Your vacation ends this morning

Related Avalon Tours

WAL - Rhine & Rhône Revealed (Southbound)
WAL1 - With 2 Nights in Aix-en-Provence & 2 Nights in Nice
WAL2 - With 2 Nights in Nice & 3 Nights in Barcelona
WAL3 - With 1 Night in Amsterdam, 2 Nights in Aix-en-Provence & 2 Nights in Nice
WAL4 - With 1 Night in Amsterdam, 2 Nights in Nice & 3 Nights in Barcelona
WALE - With 2 Nights in the Nice
WALQ - With 1 Night in Amsterdam
WALY - With 1 Night in Amsterdam & 2 Nights in Nice
WLA - Rhine & Rhône Revealed (Northbound)

Itinerary (2023)

Day 1AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND
 Welcome to Holland.

Your day in Amsterdam is free to explore at your leisure.
Day 2AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND (EMBARKATION)
 Amsterdam Off the Beaten Path. Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding.

Discover the true beauty of Amsterdam with an off-the-beaten-path Guided Walking Tour through its cobblestone streets for a captivating look at this legendary city.

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, consider joining a Guided Optional Excursion to Zaanse Schans to see historic windmills and charming Dutch houses.

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM

(B,D)
Day 3AMSTERDAM
 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

(B,L,D)
Day 4COLOGNE, GERMANY
 Prost! Celebrate in the Rhineland

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!

Later, local musicians will join us on board for live entertainment.

OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO RÜDESHEIM

(B,L,D)
Day 5RÜDESHEIM
 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.

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; based on your departure enjoy a local special treat.

Enjoy live entertainment on board your ship this evening.

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN RÜDESHEIM

(B,L,D)
Day 6MAINZ. HEIDELBERG EXCURSION
 Printing Halls, Castle Walls, and the World’s Biggest Wine Barrel

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

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."

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO STRASBOURG

(B,L,D)
Day 7STRASBOURG, FRANCE
 A Grand Cathedral and La Petite France

Ask 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.

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 Strasbourg to visit a museum, or stroll across the city center.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BREISACH

(B,L,D)
Day 8BREISACH, 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

(B,L,D)
Day 9BASEL, 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

(B,D)
Day 10MÂCON
 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

(B,L,D)
Day 11LYON
 La Vie En Rose in Lyon Sail for lovely Lyon this morning.

ACTIVE 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.

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

Later enjoy live entertainment after dinner.

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN LYON

(B,L,D)
Day 12LYON
 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

(B,L,D)
Day 13TOURNON
 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 onboard.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO AVIGNON

(B,L,D)
Day 14AVIGNON
 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

(B,L,D)
Day 15ARLES
 Inspiring Sights and Avant-Garde Lights

ACTIVE Get your daily dose of exercise through nordic walking 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.

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

(B,L,D)
Day 16PORT ST. LOUIS (DISEMBARKATION)–AIX-EN-PROVENCE
 Leave your Avalon vacation upon disembarkation in Port-Saint-Louis, and take the included transfer to Aix-en-Provence to join your Monograms package. Your Guided Walking tour includes a visit to the Cathedral of the Holy Saviour, known for its interesting combination of architectural styles and The Burning Bush triptych art masterpiece by Nicolas Froment.

(B)
Day 17AIX-EN-PROVENCE
 Enjoy a full day at leisure in Cézanne’s hometown. Your Local Host will help you get the most out of your stay.

(B)
Day 18AIX-EN-PROVENCE–NICE
 Travel to Nice. Your Guided Sightseeing features the Promenade 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.

(B)
Day 19NICE
 Your Local Host has recommendations for your full day at leisure on the beautiful Côte d’Azur.

(B)
Day 20NICE
 Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

(B)

Avalon Pricing Details

Port charges:
$392

Gratuities to Local Guides & Excursion Drivers are included on Avalon portion only.

Avalon offers the opportunity for solo travelers to sail with no single supplement (subject to availability).

Please call for single accommodation details and prices. Triples not available.

Avalon 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.

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