8 days Saarbrücken-Heidelberg-Stuttgart 2019

Introduction 3

A special romantic cruise on the four most beautiful rivers of Germany: Picturesque alleyways exude a medieval atmosphere; idyllic vineyards and striking castles pass by on the river banks. Travel back to Roman times in Mainz and Trier. Stuttgart, Heidelberg, Bernkastel and Saarbrücken invite you to amble and marvel, while the Baroque Palace at Ludwigsburg will inspire daydreams. Experience unforgettable days and unique views of the Rhine, Neckar, Moselle and Saar. We guarantee that you will want to come back again and again! Why this river cruise? The most beautiful rivers in Germany: the Rhine, Neckar, Moselle and Saar Trier, Germanys oldest city, with the famous Porta Nigra dating from Roman times A rare cruise along the Neckar The federal state capital of Stuttgart with its unique location in the valley between forest and vineyards The former imperial palace of Bad Wimpfen - a centre of power of the Hohenstaufen emperors in the Middle Ages The "Swabian Versailles", the palace of Ludwigsburg with its "Blooming Baroque" gardens

Day 1 Saarbrücken - Merzig In and around Merzig Saarbrücken: Casting off 4:45 pm. Embark 3.00 p.m. Guided tour of Saarbrücken (beginning at 1.15 p.m. at Saarbrücken Central Station). ** Excursion Package: In 1909, the three towns Saarbrücken, St. Johann and Malstatt-Burbach were merged to create todays university town and the only city in the Saarland. Over 1,000 years old, Saarbrücken has had a tempestuous past. In the last 200 years it switched allegiance several times between Germany and France. One of the highlights of the city is undoubtedly the Ludwigskirche, built by the Baroque master architect Stengel, who also completed the St. Johann Basilica, the Friedenskirche and the Old Town Hall. As well as the historic buildings in the city centre, the state capitals palace boasts an architectural mixture of Baroque, Classicism and modernity. Look forward to a sight-seeing tour with plenty of variety before the bus returns you to the city. Merzig: Mooring 10:30 pm

Day 2 Merzig - Trier / Riol - Bernkastel In and around Trier, Bernkastel, Riol Merzing: Casting off 7:30 am Trier / Riol: Mooring 1:30 pm. Casting off 6:00 pm. Tour by coach and on foot through Trier, Germany’s oldest city, visiting the famous Porta Nigra and the cathedral. ** Excursion Package Built in the year 17 BC by the Romans under Emperor Augustus, Trier is Germanys oldest town and looks back on a rich history. As a Roman imperial city, Trier enjoyed a time of cultural prosperity and served as a residence for several Roman emperors. Culturally speaking, Trier is a kind of open-air museum of European architecture. Come with us on a journey through time which ranges from ancient Roman, Romanesque and Gothic eras to the Renaissance, Baroque and Classicism. On a short ride through town, you will see remnants of Triers Roman past, such as the Barbara Baths and the amphitheatre, which can be best admired from the viewpoint at Petrisberg. The following tour will lead you past the the Episcopal Palace, the palace garden and the Basilica of Constantine, and of course to the symbol of the city - the 2,000 year old memorial to Roman building skills, the "Porta Nigra". Bernkastel: Mooring 11:15 pm

Day 3 Bernkastel Casting off 12:15 pm. Wine tasting tour which includes a coach journey through the attractive Moselle countryside. In Bernkastel, every stone and every house breathes history. Convince yourself of this during a short guided walk through the ancient alleyways of Bernkastel. The following panoramic tour towards Brauneberg will open up wonderful views of the Moselle and its sinuous bends from above. In a visit to the site of a Roman wine-pressing facility, you can gather plenty of interesting knowledge about the 2,000 year old wine-growing landscape of the Moselle. In a selected vineyard on the central Moselle, you can learn more about wine-growing and will have the opportunity of discussing steep slope viniculture and oenology with the wine grower. Finally, you can convince yourself of the quality of the local wines at a tasting.

Day 4 Braubach - Mainz In and around Braubach Braubach: Mooring 1:45 am. Casting off 7:45 am Mainz: Mooring 4:45 pm. Tour of Mainz on foot with the magnificent St. Augustines Church and a visit to the mighty cathedral of St. Martin. ** Excursion Package The city of Mainz has a long history and boasts impressive buildings, monuments and museums. The old town, with its winding streets and alleyways around Augustinerstraße, the citys main trading street until the 17th century, gives a good impression of what the medieval and Early Modern town would have looked like. The magnificent Baroque facade of St. Augustines church, which survived the war unscathed, towers up among the houses into which it is integrated. Magnificent Baroque buildings, noble palaces and the "Heunensäule", a massive column in the market square, take you back to the epoch of the Electoral Princes. The tour also includes the mighty Mainz Cathedral of St. Martin. Take a closer look at the various eras and many faces of Mainz on this guided tour.

Day 5 Mainz - Heidelberg - Eberbach In and around Heidelberg, Eberbach Mainz: Casting off 2:15 am. Heidelberg: Mooring 12:45 pm. Casting off 6:15 pm. Guided tour of Heidelberg with its picturesque old town, including a visit to the towns landmark, the famous castle. The famous castle and the picturesque old town embedded in beautiful scenery make Heidelberg enduringly popular with visitors. Experience the special charm of this town and its beautiful Palatinate churches, Old Town squares and Old Bridge on a guided walk through the alleyways of Heidelberg. A highlight of your stay is of course a visit to the castle grounds, in which unfortunately only the ruin of the former residence remains. The towns landmark is located on the edge of the Königstuhl about 70 metres above the Neckar. The castle inspired poets and artists from the Romantic era to create wonderful works of art. Get active and explore Heidelberg on our guided cycle tour “Traces of the Palatinate”. Time for you to take your personal shore leave. Eberbach: Mooring 10:30 pm.

Day 6 Eberbach - Bad Wimpfen - Lauffen Eberbach: Casting off 8:00 am. Bad Wimpfen: Mooring 1:00 pm. Casting off 5:00 pm. Guided tour in historic dress through the medieval town centre of the former imperial stronghold Bad Wimpfen. Bad Wimpfens history was shaped by Celts, Romans and the Hohenstaufen dynasty. In the towns heyday it was an important strategic location on the Roman frontier and later during the era of German imperial strongholds. Its name implies Celtic roots, and the Romans left behind the statues known as the "Wimpfen Pantheon". The largest imperial stronghold north of the Alps, dating from the Hohenstaufen dynasty, still dominates the townscape today. On a guided tour in historic dress, you will experience the unique atmosphere of the medieval town centre with its half-timbered buildings in Alemannic and Frankish styles. Lauffen: Mooring 9:00 pm

Day 7 Lauffen - Ludwigsburg - Stuttgart In and around Stuttgart, Ludwigsburg Lauffen: Casting off 7:30 am. Ludwigsburg: Mooring 12:00 pm. Casting off 5:30 pm. Visit the majestic Ludwigsburg Palace and the breathtakingly artistic “Baroque in Bloom” parks. ** Excursion Package Join us on an excursion to the "Blooming Baroque" parks with a tour of Ludwigsburg Palace. The Residential Palace was built in the early 18th century under Duke Ludwig Eberhard and is one of the largest intact Baroque palaces in Germany. The "Swabian Versailles", former residence of the Dukes and Kings of Württemberg, enjoys a picturesque location in the middle of the "Blooming Baroque" gardens. "Blooming Baroque" is the oldest and most beautiful horticultural show in Germany and is the perfect place to saunter, pass the time and daydream. In the fairytale park, an overwhelming floral display will greet you at any time of the year - all expertly tended by the park gardeners. Walking through the gardens is like taking a botanical journey through the world and its various eras. Stuttgart: Mooring 9:00 pm

Day 8 Stuttgart Disembarking until 9.00 a.m.Guided tour of Stuttgart (ends approx. 11.00 a.m. at Stuttgart Central Station). Enjoy an entertaining guided tour through the capital of Baden-Württemberg, taking you along the city ring road to the National Gallery and the State Parliament. This will be followed by a trip to a viewpoint from which you can enjoy a wonderful view of Stuttgart, ensconced between the hills. The guided tour of this Swabian city also takes in the central Schlossplatz (Palace Square), which will fascinate you not only because of its architectural contrasts: New palace meets old palace; the striking royal building in the late neo-classical style with its colonnade is right next door to the Stuttgart Museum of Art, which is a modernist cube-shaped building; equally, the busy activity of the pedestrian precinct forms a contrast to the beautiful palace lawn, which especially in summer invites you to enjoy a leisurely picnic, eat ice cream, etc. The bus will then bring you back to Stuttgart Central Station.