Central European Experience (13 Days) 

     Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

     Welcome to Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. The city straddles the Vltava River with domes, cupolas, spires, and pinnacles highlighting its skyline.

     Prague is a 1,000-year-old city preserved in time. Its best-known treasures are the Old Town’s Astronomical Clock, once the envy of all of Europe; HRADCANY CASTLE; St. Vitus Cathedral; and the Charles Bridge. Browse the shops for hand-cut crystal or art books. Mix with the locals in Wenceslaus Square or stroll along the Vltava River. Your Cruise Director will have other suggestions for things to do. (BB)

     After lunch, drive to Nuremberg, where the crew of your vessel waits to welcome you aboard. (BB,D)

     A beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site is medieval Bamberg, with its breathtaking cathedral, Old Town Hall straddling the river, and serpentine streets with charming houses and 18th-century mansions. (FB,L,D)

     Known as the “Pearl of the Romantic Road,” Würzburg is surrounded by sloping hills covered with vineyards. The magnificent BISHOP’S RESIDENZ is another UNESCO World Heritage Site. (FB,L,D)

     Located on the Main River, Miltenberg is a picturesque Bavarian village that thrived on income from river traffic. Its cultural wealth and affluence are reflected in the beautiful medieval and Renaissance houses and the Gothic splendor of the Merchant Hall. (FB,L,D)

     Pretty Rüdesheim is the perfect example of a Rhine Valley wine town. Explore the Drosselgasse, pick up some souvenirs, and be sure to try one of the vintages in any of the little wine taverns. The dramatic Rhine Gorge is the most beautiful stretch of river. Pass the legendary Rock of the Lorelei, where sweet songs lured enchanted sailors to their doom. Situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, 2,000-year-old Coblenz is the cultural and business center of the Middle Rhine region. The Deutsches Eck, located on a tongue of land where the two rivers converge, holds an impressive equestrian statue of Wilhelm I. The Moselle River is some 312 miles long, rising in the Vosges Mountains of northeastern France and entering Germany at Trier. The entire Moselle Valley is famous for its beautiful and tranquil scenery. (FB,L,D)

     REICHSBURG CASTLE, towering above the river at Cochem, can be seen from afar and sits atop a conical hill covered in vines. Views of the little town of Cochem nestled below and of the river valley are splendid. Cruising the wide, peaceful curves of the river, it quickly becomes obvious that the Moselle is an important wine-growing region. Most notably, Riesling grapes are cultivated, producing a dry to sweet, floral white wine. (FB,L,D)

     In the middle of the Moselle region is the charming wine village of Bernkastel, with its well preserved half-timbered houses surrounding the beautiful MARKET PLACE. Wine growers in this area look after Germany’s largest expanse of vineyards, the most celebrated of the vintages being the Bernkasteler Doktor. (FB,L,D)

     After breakfast, cross the border into France and head for Paris. (FB)

     Paris’ famous sights are living history: magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, the unique Louvre Museum with its glass pyramid contrasting its ancient architecture, the commemorative Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, Champs Elysées, and the Eiffel Tower, a structural miracle of its age. The city is well known for its colorful nightlife, including some of the world’s most famous cabaret shows. (BB)

     Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (BB)