Glacier Express & the Romantic Rhine

Your holiday begins this morning by meeting the Tour Manager at London St Pancras. Boarding the Eurostar, we head by rail to Amsterdam.

On arrival in the Dutch capital, we're greeted onboard our ship by our friendly crew and sip on a welcome cocktail while taking in the waterside views. There is time to unwind and familiarise yourself with the luxurious new surroundings and the ship's excellent facilities.

Later this evening, we enjoy our first dinner together in the panoramic restaurant accompanied by a wonderful performance from a traditional Dutch sea shanty choir - the perfect start to a fantastic cruise down the Rhine.

• Dinner

Awaking on our floating hotel, we enjoy breakfast onboard before getting to know Amsterdam on a sightseeing canal boat cruise, soaking up stunning views of the city's picturesque canals and architecture.

Alternatively, you could choose to join an optional excursion - a visit to Volendam and Edam. These two historic towns are renowned for their cheese heritage, which can be uncovered on a guided tour. As well as being famed for Dutch cheese, Volendam is a stunning old town, with traditional houses lining serene canals and a small harbour.

Later, we embark on our first relaxing cruise of the holiday, sailing through the Lower Rhine and enjoying an onboard dinner this evening.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Optional Excursions

Amsterdam Canal Cruise

Take a wonderful canal boat tour of vibrant Amsterdam, a city famous for its pretty canals and bridges,... More

Uncovering Volendam

Visit Volendam and Edam to uncover their cheese heritage. As well as being famed for Dutch cheese, Volendam... More

Sailing this morning, we can enjoy the views as we approach Cologne, with the city's bridges and imposing cathedral honing into view as we arrive around lunchtime.

After lunch onboard, we embark on a guided tour which introduces us to its squares and Romanesque townhouses. This German city sits beside the Rhine and was founded as a military camp by the Romans who named it Colonia, which is from where the modern term 'colony' is derived. The city's most iconic landmark is its impressive cathedral, the largest in northern Europe. Construction of this UNESCO-listed edifice began in 1248 to house relics of the Three Wise Men. Rising more than 515 feet with spectacular twin spires, this Gothic masterpiece is the most visited attraction in Germany. There's time here to stand in awe and marvel at its ornate carvings and stained-glass windows.

Returning to our ship, we enjoy dinner while moored in Cologne. Staying here overnight, you could stroll along the river this evening.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Enjoy a morning of relaxed sailing as we leave Cologne and continue south along the Rhine, passing through Bonn enroute to our first destination.

After lunch, we dock in Königswinter for a holiday highlight, a trip on the Drachenfels Cog Railway. Rising high into the forests, we pass the fairytale Drachenburg Castle - the name of which translates as 'Dragon's Rock' and has inspired many of the dragon-related legends still heard today. Travelling to the summit, we can admire wonderful views across the rolling hills of the Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany.

Departing Königswinter this evening, we begin sailing towards Koblenz and enjoy dinner on the way. Keep your eyes peeled for the highest cold-water geyser in the world that erupts up to heights of nearly 200 feet on the approach to Andernach.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

There's free time this morning to explore Koblenz, once a Roman stronghold. We recommend strolling to Deutsches Eck at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers where you'll be surrounded by inspiring vistas including Ehrenbreitstein Fortress.

Setting sail, we encounter a highlight of the holiday after lunch as we drift through the romantic Rhine Gorge. This UNESCO-listed section of the river is renowned for its spectacular views. Winding around bends surrounded by miles of vineyards, hilltop castles and picturesque towns, we also hear the legend of the Lorelei Rock. Soaring almost 500 feet out of the water, this monument has been the inspiration for countless myths and legends, including the tale of a siren whose song has enchanted passing sailors.

We dock in Rüdesheim and travel to the centre of this renowned wine town by land train. There's a choice of excursions here. You could savour Rüdesheim's most famous produce with a tasting of the finest local varieties of wine or visit Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet. After dinner, you're free to explore the town's cobbled streets, including colourful Drosselgasse.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Cruising towards the Upper Rhine, we arrive in the city of Mannheim after breakfast. From here, we journey by coach to Heidelberg for a guided tour. The picturesque university town is known for its lovely Old Town and riverfront, which is perfect for a relaxing stroll. Our tour includes a visit to the magnificent ruined, red sandstone castle that towers over the city, providing amazing views of the surrounding forests, river and cityscape.

Back onboard, we begin sailing to Speyer after lunch. Arriving later this afternoon, you can discover one of Germany's oldest cities at your own pace. There's a beautiful Old Town and among the highlights is the 11th-century cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and one of the most important landmarks of the Holy Roman Empire.

Returning to our ship, we enjoy dinner onboard ahead of a restful overnight sailing upstream.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Sailing into the historic Alsace city of Strasbourg after breakfast, there's a choice of two wonderful excursions. The first is a trip into the magical Black Forest to witness stunning views. Germany's largest nature park is filled with rolling hills, fairytale villages, dense forests and wildflower meadows. On an exploration of this idyllic setting, you'll learn about the enchanting history and folklore of the region.

Alternatively, you could enjoy a city tour of Strasbourg. Alsace is now in France but was once part of Germany. The grand architecture of its main city reflects this blend of the two cultures. On the tour, we visit its striking cathedral and the quaint La Petite France district. Home to tanners, millers and fishermen in the Middle Ages, this pretty area is now a UNESCO World Heritage site of cobbled streets, flower-lined canals and beautiful half-timbered houses.

After your excursion this afternoon, we return to our ship for lunch and begin our final cruise towards Switzerland, enjoying the picturesque vistas enroute.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Optional Excursions

Strasbourg City Tour

On the tour, we visit its striking cathedral and the quaint La Petite France district. Home to tanners,... More

Black Forest

Explore the magical Black Forest to witness stunning views. Germany's largest nature park filled with... More

After enjoying our final breakfast onboard our ship, we say farewell to our wonderful crew and disembark in Basel.

Continuing the journey by rail, enjoy a scenic route to the iconic alpine setting of Zermatt for the second part of your trip. Sitting at the heart of the Swiss Alps, this car-free mountain village has wonderful views of the surrounding alpine peaks including the mighty, Matterhorn mountain.

After checking in to our hotel for the next two nights, we enjoy our first dinner together in the Swiss mountains.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Waking up in Zermatt, we enjoy breakfast before setting off on a heritage train ride. More than 125 years old, the charming Gornergrat Mountain Railway is Switzerland's original electric rack railway and the second highest in Europe. Climbing over picturesque valleys and through lush alpine forests, the train carries us to an altitude of more than 10,000ft above sea level.

The spectacular views from the top are utterly jaw-dropping, and on a clear day an astonishing 29 mountaintops are visible. We have time to soak up these spellbinding vistas, including the best view of the majestic Matterhorn's pyramidal peak. This famous mountain is an iconic symbol of Switzerland, and its striking shape also provided the inspiration for the design of Toblerone.

Back amongst the low-pitched roofs of Zermatt's timbered chalets, an expert guide reveals that this charming alpine resort has several surprising connections to the UK, including the intriguing story of English mountaineer Edward Whymper. We dine independently tonight, and you could opt for one of Zermatt's many cosy restaurants.

• Breakfast

Today, we board the magnificent Glacier Express. Our panoramic journey takes us through undeniably Swiss scenes of snow-capped mountains, plunging valleys and dense forests. Travelling at an average of 24mph, 'the slowest express train in the world' enters the nine-mile-long Furka Base Tunnel after Brig, emerging high in the Alps.

Enjoy lunch onboard this world-famous train as we soak up breathtaking vistas of alpine meadows and storybook villages around Andermatt, before we descend towards the 'Swiss Grand Canyon'. Here, the emerald Rhine winds between bright-white cliffs further highlighted by verdant forests in the background.

On arrival in Chur, we check in to our hotel. Before dinner, there's time to explore Switzerland's oldest town. Wander the Altstadt to discover cobbled streets and charming squares surrounded by historic buildings.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The changing landscapes of the Rhine were revealed on a luxury cruise from Amsterdam to Strasbourg and the Black Forest. Enroute, we soaked up breathtaking scenery from our front-row seats, gliding through the stunning Rhine Gorge between Koblenz and Rüdesheim. Our tour continued in Zermatt as we viewed the awe-inspiring Matterhorn from the Gornergrat Railway, then experienced the iconic Glacier Express during a journey to Chur.

After breakfast, it's time to bid farewell to Chur. We make our way to the railway station and head towards Paris where we catch the Eurostar back to London St Pancras, where your holiday concludes.

• Dinner