Cologne and the Classic Rhine Cruise to Switzerland

Travel to Cologne. Check-in at your hotel, ready for a few days at leisure, exploring the city by your own arrangement. Familiarise yourself with your new surroundings or perhaps find a café and enjoy a glass of the local beer, Kölsch.

Spend some time exploring the city of Cologne under your own steam, with its 2,000 plus years of fascinating history, famous twin-spired Gothic cathedral and lovingly restored Altstadt (old town). The historic Altermarkt square is the perfect spot for a bit of people watching.

This morning you’ll board your sleek A-ROSA vessel at Cologne’s quay and sail south to the picturesque Rhineland city of Mainz. Famous for being the birthplace of the printing press, where Johannes Gutenberg printed the first books in the early 1450s, Mainz was also originally a fort on the Roman Empire's northern border. You'll have the chance to discover its rich history and culture on an included walking tour, and to explore the city, before your ship sails on in the evening.

After a scenic morning cruise down the Rhine, you'll arrive at Strasbourg in the early afternoon, where you’ll spend the day and night. Immerse yourself in the Franco-German culture, take in the medieval architecture, stroll the famous Petite France quarter, and visit the impressive large sandstone Gothic cathedral. End the day by spending the evening in an authentic local cafe or bar, or by returning to the ship at your leisure for a relaxed evening aboard.

Spend another morning in Strasbourg, then say farewell to this lovely city in the early afternoon as you begin meandering further along the Rhine and on towards Switzerland.

In the early morning you'll arrive in the unofficial cultural capital of Switzerland, Basel. Switzerland's third-largest city has architectural achievements spanning the centuries. The red sandstone Gothic Munster is truly a feast for the eyes. Visit the city's many museums and art galleries and keep an eye out for Basel's year-round festivals and fairs, before you return to your ship to begin the relaxed journey back downriver.

Early this morning you'll arrive in Breisach. Spend the morning strolling the quaint streets and admiring your surroundings, or perhaps take a trip away from the river and into the rolling green landscape of the Black Forest, which cloaks the landscape to the east.

You'll sail away from Breisach at lunchtime to begin a long, lazy afternoon on the water.

Pass by some remarkable scenery today as you cruise into the heart of the Middle Rhine. You'll pass vineyards and ancient villages, deep forests and mid-stream towers and medieval castles, before heading through the UNESCO-listed Rhine Gorge. You'll also pass beneath the legendary Lorelei, the mythical rock where sirens were said to have lured sailors to their fate.

In the mid-afternoon you'll arrive in Koblenz. Explore this pretty Rhineland town, which straddles the confluence of the Rhine and the Moselle under the watchful gaze of imposing Ehrenbreitstein Fortress on the opposite bank, or simply make the most of your final day on board. An included walking tour will bring the city to life, and a special included gondola ride across the river will give you a final chance to experience life on the Rhine up close.

You'll wake this morning back in Cologne, as your unforgettable cruise ends. Disembark, and begin your journey home after a wonderful few days on the Rhine.