SUNDAY
A morning cruise to Kinderdijk where we will visit the 19 windmills which
are part of Unesco World Heritage, they were built in 1740 to drain
the polders. At lunchtime we will cruise along the Hollandse Ijsell
river, passing by the skyline of Rotterdam, one of the world’s
largest seaports. Later in the afternoon, a walking tour of Gouda,
famous for its cheese, pipes and candles.
MONDAY
After breakfast, a visit to see the remarkable stained glass windows
in St John’s church dating from the 15th c. Afterwards we cruise
to Oude Wetering on the Gouwe and Oude Wetering canals. Poulders
which are low lying lands reclaimed from the sea stretch out in every
direction. This afternoon, an excursion to the Keukenhof Gardens,
famous throughout the world for their dazzling fields of tulips,
daffodils and hyacinths.
TUESDAY
An early morning visit to the worlds biggest flower auction in Aalsmeer
where some 10 billion flowers are sold every year. Later we cruise
on the Ringvaart canal, skirting one of Holland’s oldest polders.
In the afternoon, a tour of Haarlem, the center of the Dutch bulb
trade followed by a cruise to Pumerend.
WEDNESDAY
A very scenic cruise passing fields of blooming flowers to Alkmaar where
we will have a guided visit of the town’s monuments: 17th c
fortifications, St Lawrence church with one of the finest ancient
organs in Holland, the majestic 15th c gothic Town Hall and many
picturesque old houses. There will be time for shopping.
THURSDAY
A morning cruise to Zaansche Schans, a reconstructed village of wooden
houses and windmills, transporting us 300 years into the past. Our
cruise ends in the heart of Amsterdam where we will have a guided
tour of the many monuments with time for shopping. This evening is
our farewell gala dinner.
FRIDAY
After breakfast, depart the VVG for onward travels
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CHARLEMAGNE
ITINERARIES - 16 MAY - 07 NOVEMBER
2009
NECKAR
/ RHINE CRUISE / BAD WIMPEN - KOBLENZ
SUNDAY
- BAD WIMPFEN – EBERBACH
After breakfast, a visit to the town of Bad Wimpfen.
This small fortified town dominates the river
and was the ancient Imperial residence of
the Hohenstaufen in the 13th c. The town has a picturesque ensemble
of half timbered houses that we will discover along the winding streets.
We return on board for lunch and in the afternoon, a pleasant cruise
to Eberbach. Here the Neckar rejoins the massif stone of l’Odenwald
and flows between the lush wooded areas where we can see the roofs
of castles. Charlemagne will arrive into Eberbach this evening, it
is an agreeable touristique town.
MONDAY
- EBERBACH-HEIDELBERG
This morning, a visit to Michelstadt, existing since 741. The town
in famous for its numerous half timbered houses, the Rathaus (town
hall) and the synagogue dating from 18th c, one of the very few to
have survived the nazi period. Also famous, the Einhardsbasilika which
was built on the initiative of Einhard a member of the court of Charlemagne
in 821. We return to Charlemagne by the romantic road of Odenwald.
Lunch is on board and an afternoon cruise through the narrow straits
of the Neckar, full of chateaux and small villages. Well known is Hirschhorn
with its fortified spur and Neckarsteinach where there are four chateaux.
We arrive into Heidelberg in the late afternoon.
TUESDAY
- HEIDELBERG-WORMS
This morning, we will visit Heidelberg. This important site of German
romanticism has inspired numerous poets seducted by the natural beauty
of the town and its ruined chateau built on a hillside. We will have
a guided visit of both the city and chateau, this is the pearl of the
Neckar route and is far from being a just a museum, today it has a
vibrant universite and the students bring lots of life and animation.
During lunch on board, we will leave our mooring in Heidelberg and
cruise to Mannheim, a large industrial town, this is where the Neckar
and the Rhine join. We continue our cruise on the Rhine to Worms one
of the three Imperial residences along the Rhine, it constitutes one
of the settings for the saga of Niebelungen.
WEDNESDAY
- WORMS-MAINZ-RUDESHEIM
This morning, we cruise to Mainz, a city at the confluence of the Rhine
and Main rivers and established in 39 B.C. by the Romans. The roman
cathedrale confirmed the power of the German kings but has less fame
than Gutenberg who invented the printing press. An afternoon cruise
along the famous vineyards of the Rheingau to Rudesheim where we find
the world renown Drosselgasse rich in wine bars and the mecca of reisling
with an incomparable atmosphere.
THURSDAY
- RUDESHEIM-BOPPARD-KOBLENZ
This morning we navigate in the heart of the Rhine valley, known as
the Romantic Rhine, full of idyllic villages, chateaux, some ruined
and all impressionable, together the Lorelei, the legendary rock which
has become the symbol of this passage. At Boppard, we stop for a small
stroll along the riverside and during lunch on board, we continue our
cruising towards Koblenz. After lunch, a guided tour of Koblenz, a
city at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. We visit the
basilica of St Kastor and the monumental statue of the emperor Guillaume
1er. There will be free time in the city before our Farewell Gala dinner
this evening.
FRIDAY
- KOBLENZ-FRANKFURT
This morning, after breakfast, we return to Frankfurt by motor coach,
arriving around lunchtime.
Please note that itinearaies are subject to change at anytime due to
water levels, lock closures or circumstances beyond our control
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CHARLEMAGNE
ITINERARIES -
MORSELLE RIVER
/ KOBLENZ - METZ
SATURDAY
- KOBLENZ
We meet in Frankfort and transfer to MS Charlemagne moored in the city
of Koblenz, a welcome aboard reception will await you and then you will
be shown to your cabins, time to settle into your accommodations before
dinner is served at 7.30pm
SUNDAY
- KOBLENZ-COCHEM-ZELL
A morning cruise on the Moselle brings us to Cochem, this famous riverside
town is dominated by its medieval castle. Later, during a wine tasting
you will be able to familiarize yourself with the different wines of
the region. We return to Charlemagne and continue our cruise to the small
wine village of Zell, known for its wine Zeller Katz.
MONDAY
- ZELL-BERNKASTEL-TREVES
The Moselle winds and turns and takes a route along the terrain which
is entirely cultivated with vines which extend as far as the eye can
see, occasionally broken by small villages. We make a stop at Bernkastel-Kues
for a visit to this small town and its half timbered houses. We continue
our cruise to Treves where we will overnight.
TUESDAY
- TREVES-KONZ-MERZIG-METTLACH
After breakfast, a tour of the city of Treves.
This city was the capital of the Occidental Roman
Empire in the 3rd c and was named Rome of the
North. Treves can qualify, along with Worms as the oldest town in Germany.
Its remarkable collection of Roman ruins have been classified as a World
Heritage Site by UNESCO. We return to Charlemagne in time for lunch and
continue our cruise. In Konz, we leave the Moselle valley for the Sarre
valley, which cuts a clear path through the solid mountains of Hunsruck,
causing the river to wind and twist which only embellishes the route
and helps to conserve the authenticity. The passage of the loop of the
Sarre is one of the highlights of the cruise. We arrive into Mettlach
in the evening, the town is most famous as the headquarters of the ceramics
company Villeroy & Boch.
WEDNESDAY
- METTLACH-KONZ-REMICH
This morning, an excursion in our motor coach to Cloef for the impressive
panoramic view of trhe loop of the river Sarre. We continue to Saarburg,
a picturesque town dominated by its imposing ruined castle, classified
as an historical monument. The streets of the town are narrow and the
half timbered houses date from the middle ages, also there is a waterfall,
over sixty feet high in the very center of the town, this gives a very
charming aspect and is one reason the town is sometimes called Little
Venice. We rejoin the Charlemagne in Konz and continue our cruise, we
are back on the river Moselle and arrive into Remich. This charming small
town is part of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and we will take anv excursion
there this afternoon. The capital is a thousand years old, fascinating,
built on rock and called the Gibralta of the North. The guided visit
will explain the historical and financial aspects and its function as
the headquarters of several European institutions. We return to Charlemagne
in Remich.
THURSDAY
- REMICH-METZ
This morning we will visit the Roman mosaiques of Nenning. They were
discovered in 1852 as part of an immense villa with this sumptuous mosaique
wall measuring 16 x 10 meters, this is the largest, most beautiful and
best preserved north of the Alpes. We return to the boat and cruise,
we are now in France, as far as Metz. The countryside changes radically
and we leave the hills and vineyards behind us, replaced by the vast
plaines of the Lorraine. This afternoon, a visit to Metz, the city is
Roman, medieval, classic, German and keeps its aspects from its three
thousand years of history. The cathedral of Saint-Etienne is world renown
for its stained glass which covers a surface of 6496 square meters. We
have the pleasure of admiring the masterpieces from the 13th c until
recent times, including works by Marc Chagall. There will be free time
in the city before we return to Charlemagne for our farewell Gala Dinner.
FRIDAY
- METZ-FRANKFORT
After breakfast, the motor coach will drive you back to Frankfort, arriving
there by lunch time.
Please
note that itinearaies are subject to change at anytime
due to water levels, lock closures or circumstances
beyond our control
Canal
and Company - Charlemagne 2009
Rates & Itineraries
