Tour Rhine Holiday Markets (2025) (Cologne To Basel, 2025)

Guide

Services of an experienced Uniworld Cruise Manager

Others

3 countries: France, Germany, Switzerland 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites Services of an experienced Uniworld Cruise Manager Group Transfers are included on arrival and departure days (please see terms and conditions for transfer guidelines) Gratuities for onboard personnel (ship staff, crew, Cruise/Tour Manager) are included during the cruise/tour Cultural enrichment, including captivating onboard local entertainment Excursions included: - Cologne Walking Tour with Old Town Visit and Christmas Markets - Nights Out: Cologne Christmas Markets - Koblenz Walking Tour with Christmas Market - Basel Walking Tour with Christmas Market Additional excursions to choose from: - Rüdesheim Walk with Local Treats and Christmas Market - Rheinweinwelten Visit - The Best Rhine Rieslings - Wiesbaden Twinkling Star Christmas Market - Mainz Christmas Market Stroll - Baden-Baden Walking Tour with Christmas Market - Private Doktorenhof Vinegar Estate Visit and Tasting - Strasbourg Walking Tour with Christmas Market - “Taste of Christmas” Strasbourg Walking Tour

Accommodation

7-night cruise in a riverview stateroom on the exquisite S.S. Antoinette or the elegant S.S. Elisabeth Lavishly appointed riverview staterooms and suites have handcrafted Savoir® Beds of England, high thread count 100% Egyptian cotton sheets and European duvets, and a menu of pillow options Free Wi-Fi

Transport

The exquisite S.S. Antoinette or the elegant S.S. Elisabeth

Meals

All meals onboard, prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners Captain’s Welcome and Farewell Receptions Welcome and Farewell Gala Dinners Unlimited beverages onboard, including fine wine, beer, spirits, specialty coffee and tea, soft drinks, and mineral water

Not included:

Insurance

Insurance is not included

Optional

Other activities and services are not included

Others

Other activities and services are not included

Flights

Flights are not included

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Cologne (Embark)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Cologne (Embark)

Arrive at Cologne Bonn Airport. If your cruise package includes a group arrival transfer, or if you have purchased a private arrival transfer, you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the ship.
Day 2 Day 2: Cologne
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Cologne

Your local expert will show you favorite haunts around the Old Town and share some of the cathedral’s most intriguing and magical secrets with you.

Excursions included:
- Cologne Walking Tour with Old Town Visit and Christmas Markets
- Nights Out: Cologne Christmas Markets
Day 3 Day 3: Koblenz, Cruising The Romantic Rhine River
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Koblenz, Cruising The Romantic Rhine River

This morning, you’ll reach the famous intersection of the Rhine and the Moselle. Here, where the two rivers meet, you’ll find the enchanting town of Koblenz. Watch the waters of the Moselle gush into the Rhine as you stand on the spit of land called German Corner before embarking on a walking tour of Koblenz’s historical treasures. Later, spend a spectacular afternoon onboard your luxurious boutique ship as you sail the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this stretch of the Rhine is extraordinarily picturesque: Castles perch atop steep cliffs above the water and each quaint village is marked by the spire of its historic church.

Excursions included:
- Koblenz walking tour with Christmas market
Day 4 Day 4: Rüdesheim, Mainz
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Rüdesheim, Mainz

Your day begins in Rüdesheim, which, like many cities along the Rhine, dates back to Roman times, when the Rhine was the northern border of the empire. Today, Rüdesheim is famous for its beauty and its entertaining alley of shops and wine bars called the Drosselgasse. Then you’ll head back to the ship for a short cruise to Mainz. Mainz’s Old Town brims with specialty shops tucked into lovingly restored buildings. You’ll find jewelry, leather goods, books, toys—something special for every special person on your list. Or opt to explore neighboring Wiesbaden’s Christmas Market.

Excursions to choose - pick 1:
- Rüdesheim Walk with Local Treats and Christmas Market
- Rheinweinwelten Visit - The Best Rhine Rieslings
- Wiesbaden Twinkling Star Christmas Market
- Mainz Christmas Market Stroll
Day 5 Day 5: Germersheim (Baden-Baden)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Germersheim (Baden-Baden)

Wake up and choose your adventure for the day. Today you’ll have two choices: Venture into the storied city of Baden-Baden, whose contemporary flair meshes with hot springs, spas and unspoiled nature, or visit the Doktorenhof vinegar estate for a special vinegar tasting. The atmospheric cellar is like no other you’ll ever experience, and the candlelit tasting room is decked for the holidays. If you speak no German, here’s one phrase you might want to learn now: “Fröhliche Weihnachten,” or “Merry Christmas!”

Excursions to choose - pick 1:
- Baden-Baden Walking Tour with Christmas Market
- Private Doktorenhof Vinegar Estate Visit and Tasting
Day 6 Day 6: Strasbourg
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Strasbourg

Strasbourg is invariably described as quaint, a rather overused word that in this case is perfectly apropos. It’s also been known as the “Crossroads of Europe” for its strategic location halfway between Paris and Prague. With a friendly local expert, see this historic town with its cobbled lanes, half-timbered homes, giant stork nests, and impossible-to-resist pastry shops that will win your heart. You won’t want to miss the holiday treats like bûche de Noël, the delicious Christmas cake made to look like a yule log.

Excursions to choose - pick 1:
- Strasbourg Walking Tour with Christmas Market
- “Taste of Christmas” Strasbourg Walking Tour
Day 7 Day 7: Basel
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Basel

Basel is a cultural and artistic powerhouse, with all sorts of galleries, theaters, and museums. And at this time of year, the city’s Christmas Market draws visitors from all over Europe, as does its Christmas Street, lined with more than 100 beautifully decorated and illuminated Christmas trees. Do you have a special wish for Christmas? Write it in the Wish Book, which lies open in Basel’s 17th-century Town Hall during Advent, waiting for residents and visitors to express their hopes and dreams for the holiday—or for the world.

Excursions included:
- Basel Walking Tour with Christmas Market
Day 8 Day 8: Basel (Disembark)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Basel (Disembark)

Disembark the ship. If your cruise package includes a group departure transfer, or if you have purchased a private departure transfer, you will be transferred to EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg for your flight home.

8 days tour

Rhine Holiday Markets (2025) (Cologne To Basel, 2025)

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Rhine Holiday Markets (2025) (Cologne To Basel, 2025)

Day 1: Cologne (Embark)

Day 2: Cologne

Day 3: Koblenz, Cruising The Romantic Rhine River

Day 4: Rüdesheim, Mainz

Day 5: Germersheim (Baden-Baden)

Day 6: Strasbourg

Day 7: Basel

Day 8: Basel (Disembark)

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