Once you’ve cleared customs at the Zurich International Airport, you will be greeted by a Transcend Cruises representative and transferred to the luxurious Victoria Jungfrau Hotel Interlaken (or similar) for our two-night stay. Interlaken lies in the Bernese Oberland on an alluvial plain, between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. This vacation destination is presided over by the three mighty mountains, Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau—the starting point for many activities in the area. Enjoy lunch on your own today and spend the afternoon relaxing, recharging, and exploring this idyllic landscape of the hotel’s grounds at your own pace. This evening, join your fellow travelers for an exclusive opening reception. (R)
This morning, we depart our hotel for our full day excursion to the Jungfraujoch, which is 3,463 meters above sea level (11,361 feet) and has the highest train station in Europe. The way up is spectacular. After you board the Eiger Express, you will reach Eiger Glacier within 15 minutes. From there, the journey continues by train to the top of Europe. The railway, built from 1896 to 1912, gives amazing views over the Aletsch Glacier, bordered by 4,000-meter peaks. It’s a different world—one you have to experience.
Alternatively, you may choose to join us for a visit to Mount Rigi and Lake Lucerne today. Take the very scenic train ride aboard the Interlaken-Luzern Express. Upon arrival, stroll through the picturesque—and perfectly preserved—Old Town. Bloom-filled flower boxes line both Chapel Bridge, with its iconic medieval tower, and Mill Bridge, which spans the Reuss River just before it empties into the lake. Wine Market Square, with its frescoed palace façades and central fountain, the town hall, and the medieval ramparts—nine of its original towers remain—make up the heart of the district. A bit farther afield you’ll find the Lion Monument, which commemorates the hundreds of Swiss Guards who died in 1792 defending Louis XVI during the French Revolution.
See Lucerne from a completely different point of view as you cross Lake Lucerne by boat. Picturesque onion-domed churches and historic palaces cast their reflection on the water while the snow-capped Alps tower in the distance. It’s an idyllic scene.
This morning we depart our hotel for a short, scenic drive to Bern. Not many cities have managed to retain their historic features quite as successfully as Bern, the capital of Switzerland. The old town of Bern is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and thanks to its 6 kilometers of arcades—the locals refer to them as Lauben—boasts one of the longest weather-sheltered shopping promenades in Europe. Bern is the seat of Switzerland’s government. The Houses of Parliament (Bundeshaus) rise above the city just a stone’s throw away from the railway station.. We then continue by coach to Basel to board our floating hotel, The Gentleman.
Upon arrival in Strasbourg, which has been controlled over the centuries by either France or Germany, the city—cross-cultural and bilingual—offers a delightful combination of old and new and French and German characteristics.
Set off for the pier in downtown Strasbourg, where you will board a panoramic boat that will take you to the famous district of Petite France. Its canals, charming houses with colored, half-timbered walls, and narrow alleyways will enchant you. You will glide past the Tanners Quarter, the Covered Bridges (Ponts Couverts), and the Panoramic Terrace on the Vauban Dam. Our cruise will continue through the German Quarter. Following the French defeat in 1870, Germany planned to make Strasbourg the capital of the Reichsland or Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine. This district, referred to as the “new town”, represented a new form of urban planning, featuring wide roads, monumental administrative and cultural buildings, and luxurious private homes. Landscaping also played a crucial role in this impressive urban planning scheme. Then, you will get to see the European Parliament Building, completed in 1999, which was designed to host monthly sessions of the European Parliament. The architecture of the building is based on a combination of circles and ellipses, with the building laid out and organized into several identified areas. Finally, you’ll discover the Human Rights Building, which is where the European Court of Human Rights is located.
Heidelberg is sometimes called the most romantic city in Germany. It is home to the nation’s oldest university, a charming baroque Old Town lying along the banks of the Neckar River, and extraordinarily beautiful castle ruins overlooking the town. Your tour will take you to the castle, with its views of the red-tile roofs of the town below, the handsome Old Bridge and the wooded hillsides beyond, and then into Old Town, where you will see the late-Gothic Holy Spirit Church, the Student Prison and the longest pedestrian street in Germany.
Rudesheim is one of the most quintessential villages along the Rhine River. Today we enjoy a private lunch and wine tasting of estate-grown Rieslings.
Nestled in the rolling, vineyard-covered hills of the Rheingau, and accompanied by a local wine expert, you will sample a number of these renowned wines from the region. There will also be time to wander the vineyards at your leisure.
We then sail the scenic Rhine River Gorge. As you sail its most picturesque stretch, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Middle Rhine, you will pass vineyard-blanketed hills whose steep slopes require vintners to pick grapes by hand, keeping a centuries-old tradition alive. Splendid castles line the banks, all of which have stories to share, and the Lorelei Rock presides at a dramatic curve in the river. This infamous river maiden mesmerized sailors with her song and lured them to their demise at her feet.
This afternoon we arrive to where the Rhine and Moselle rivers and three mountain ranges meet, Koblenz’s scenery is unmatched. Add to that the city’s 2,000-year-old history, hilltop fortress, and squares lined by classic Germanic architecture, and you will have a place ready-made for photos. Ambling along the town’s narrow lanes and river promenade, we’ll enjoy an afternoon “Weinstube” (wine tavern) tour for a sip (or few) of the Rhine River valley’s renowned Riesling, allowing time for independent exploration, such as a scenic cable car ride over the river providing incredible vistas of this charming city.
Bonn, located at the heart of North Rhine-Westphalia, used to be the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany. Visit Beethoven Haus, Ludwig van Beethoven’s birthplace (December 1770), and enjoy a special performance that brings his legacy to life. We return to the ship for scenic sailing during lunch en route to Cologne.
Upon arrival, we arranged a special visit to the UNESCO-listed Cologne Cathedral – which dominates the skyline here, its magnificent Gothic twin spires reaching toward the heavens. A visit to the cathedral this afternoon gives a glimpse of the gilded shrine, one of the largest in the world believed to contain relics of the Three Kings, or as we commonly know them, the Three Wise Men.
This evening we prepare for our exquisite farewell reception aboard your private floating boutique hotel this evening followed by a very special farewell dinner.
Following breakfast, we bid you farewell and provide airport transportation to the Frankfurt International Airport, with memories of a remarkable cruise. If you’ve opted for the Optional Amsterdam Post-Cruise Extension Program, continue your adventure to Amsterdam today aboard your high-speed train
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