European Capitals & the Romantic Rhine

Go where history, romance, and flowers bloom with an Independent City Stay in London, Paris, and Amsterdam! See the magnificent sights of Britain’s capital city with a blooming good time in London. Lose your heart to the romantic rues of Paris, and delight in the Dutch treats of Amsterdam along the cobblestone lanes that line the iconic canals. Triple the fun to fascinate your independent spirit with the freedom to explore these three legendary cities just as you please.

One of Europe’s most legendary rivers awaits you on this exciting journey along the Rhine River, which takes you across Germany—and touches in Holland, France, and Switzerland! This magnificent river cruise begins in the ever popular, modern city of Amsterdam, Holland. The best way to see the treasures of this 700-year-old city is on a canal cruise along the elegant grachten, lined with homes dating back to the city’s “Golden Age.” Cologne, Germany—a 2,000 year-old city known for its Gothic architecture—will be an exciting stop with its famous twin-spired cathedral and Old Town with many shops, cafés, and taverns.

Pass through the dramatic Rhine Gorge—the most beautiful view of the Rhine River where ancient castles stand on cliffs 400 feet above the water. Cruise to the charming wine town of Rüdesheim and visit the unique Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum. Continue your Rhine River cruise to Mainz for a guided walk and visit to the captivating Gutenberg Museum, or take an excursion to Heidelberg to visit the ruins of its red-walled castle. In Strasbourg, France, you’ll be amazed by the red-sandstone Gothic cathedral with ancient murals and fascinating astronomical clock. Also, stroll through the lovely La Petite France district with its quaint shops, delightful bistros, and peaceful waterfront promenade. Before the end of your European river cruise holiday, stop in Breisach, Germany, the gateway to Germany’s Black Forest. Here, find unrivalled natural beauty in the area best known for Black Forest ham, cherry cake, and the cuckoo clock.

Your Fly, Tour & Cruise Package Includes:

• $2500 flight credit per person
• 8 night London, Paris & Amsterdam independent tour with Globus, London to Amsterdam
• Includes arrival airport transfer, superior accommodation, breakfast, train travel plus more
• 2 nights 4-star accommodation in Amsterdam with breakfast
• 7 night Romantic Rhine river cruise with Avalon Waterways, Amsterdam to Basel
• Includes 20 meals, select beverages, onboard activities, sightseeing, free WiFi plus more
• Select private transfers in Amsterdam & Basel

Pricing is per person twin share and based on travel 08 – 25 May 2024

Solo traveller pricing available, speak with your travel consultant

Independent Tour Itinerary:

Day 1: ARRIVE IN LONDON, ENGLAND

Welcome to London! Uniformed Globus Hosts will be waiting to welcome you at the hotel between 3pm and 5pm. Free time this afternoon. Today's I-Time Tips Indulge in an optional Taste of London experience with dinner in a traditional London pub followed by a guided illumination cruise on the Thames River. Spend free time with a hop on a double-decker bus to see London like a local. Your GlobusGO mobile app has all the information you need!

Day 2: LONDON

A morning guided sightseeing drive past London's famous landmarks includes the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben; Westminster Abbey, where Prince William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, were married; Whitehall's mounted horseguards; the Prime Minister's Downing Street; Piccadilly Circus; and Buckingham Palace. Visit St. Paul's Cathedral to see Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece. (B) Today's I-Time Tips The curtain is going up on the West End with world-class theatrical productions on one of its more than 35 stages. Join us for an optional evening out at the theatre with dinner included. Spend free time shopping for bits and bobs on Piccadilly Circus. You'll find the best shops, sips, and sups on your GlobusGO mobile app.

Day 3: LONDON

The day is yours to explore as you please. (B) Today's I-Time Tips Unlock the secrets of Stonehenge on this optional excursion and marvel at the remarkable and mysterious feat of ancient engineering and design that perplex archaeologists and scientists to this day. Take the ultimate selfie at London's famous landmarks, including Big Ben and the Tower Bridge. Need directions? Just tap the GlobusGO mobile app and you're there!

Day 4: LONDON- PARIS, FRANCE

Travel to Paris by high-speed Eurostar train. A Globus Local Host will be waiting to welcome you. Free time this afternoon. (B) Today's I-Time Tips To truly experience Paris, take a seat in any of its thousands of cafes. Whether you linger at a sidewalk table in the shade of a boulevard or a dimly lit bar, you'll soak in true Parisian life with each sip of café au lait or French wine. Your GlobusGO mobile app has all the dining tips you need.

Day 5: PARIS

Admire the heart of the city from a different perspective on a Seine River cruise. Spend a relaxing hour gliding by many of the city's important landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower; Notre Dame Cathedral, Hotel de Ville and famous Louvre Palace and museum. (B) Today's I-Time Tips Skip the long lines on this optional small-group adventure through the incomparable Louvre Museum. Led by an expert guide you'll easily navigate one of the world's largest Museum to see its most iconic pieces including the Venus de Milo, Cupid & Psyche, and the enigmatic Mona Lisa. Strike a pose in front of the Eiffel Tower or along the Seine River for the ultimate travel selfie! Your GlobusGO mobile app has the maps and more free-time tips you'll love.

Day 6: PARIS

The day is yours to explore as you please. (B) Today's I-Time Tips Pack your passion for wine with an optional Tour de France of Wine excursion. Our expert sommelier will cover a variety of themes and topics to enhance your wine knowledge with a tasting included! Find the perfect cafe au lait and croissants along the avenues of Montmartre. Maybe have your portrait sketched by a local street artist! Tap into your GlobusGO mobile app for more free-time tips, maps, and more.

Day 7: PARIS- AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

Travel to Amsterdam by high-speed train. A Globus Local Host will be waiting to welcome you. Free time this afternoon. (B)

Day 8: AMSTERDAM

Get onboard a canal cruise and take the best views of houses built during Holland's Golden Age. Glide by traditional gable- roofed homes, fascinating houseboats and the Westerkerk (Western Church). Take photos of the Anne Frank House, the Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge) and Blauwbrug (Blue Bridge). (B)

Day 9: AMSTERDAM

Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. (B)

Cruise Itinerary:

DAY 1:   AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND (EMBARKATION)

Welcome to Holland. Your Suite Ship is Ready for Boarding Flights into Amsterdam must arrive by 3:30 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm. Your day in Amsterdam is free to explore at your leisure. During tulip season, you may take a Guided Optional Excursion to Keukenhof gardens-with more than seven million tulips, daffodils and hyacinths, as well as other bulbs, planted each year. Outside of tulip season, join a Guided Optional Excursion to Zaanse Schans to see historic windmills and charming Dutch houses. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM (D)

DAY 2:   AMSTERDAM

Canals of Colourful Amsterdam Join your Adventure Host for today's special activities. CLASSIC - Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam's "Golden Age." This afternoon choose among the Guided Optional Excursions available or take some free time to explore Amsterdam's colourful streets and canal houses, galleries, and shops. AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO COLOGNE (B,L,D)

DAY 3:   COLOGNE, GERMANY

Prost! Celebrate in the Rhineland ACTIVE - Enjoy a bike ride like the locals in Cologne with your Adventure Host, OR: DISCOVERY - Choose a Guided Walking Tour of Cologne's important Jewish heritage sites, OR: CLASSIC - Take a Guided City Walk of Cologne-with its soaring twin-steepled gothic cathedral. Spend free time over a glass of Kolsch pale lager-locally brewed for over 100 years! Later, local musicians will join us on board for live entertainment. OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO RUDESHEIM (B,L,D)

DAY 4:   RUDESHEIM

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Wine Country En route to Rudesheim, sail through the Rhine Gorge (a UNESCO World Heritage site). Take in the breathtaking views of ancient castles perched on cliffs 400 feet above the water, and pass the legendary Rock of the Lorelei-where the mythological siren's songs lured ill-fated sailors. ACTIVE - Enjoy a hike with your Avalon Adventure Host through the picturesque vineyards of Rudesheim, OR: DISCOVERY - Take a Guided Tour of the incredible Mechanical Music Museum for a one-of-a-kind instrumental experience; enjoy a tasting of the authentic Rudesheimer coffee. Enjoy live entertainment on board your ship this evening. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN RUDESHEIM (B,L,D)

DAY 5:   MAINZ. EXCURSION TO HEIDELBERG

Printing Halls, Castle Walls, and the World's Biggest Wine Barrel ACTIVE - Join your Avalon Adventure Host for an inspiring walk in Heidelberg, the Philosophers' way, OR: CLASSIC - Enjoy a Guided City Walk, including a visit to the Gutenberg Museum to see the captivating history of printing, OR: CLASSIC - Enjoy a Guided Tour to Heidelberg Castle to see the ruins of the magnificent renaissance treasure towering above the city, and its famed Great Vat, the "World's Largest Wine Barrel." EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO STRASBOURG (B,L,D)

DAY 6:   STRASBOURG, FRANCE

A Grand Cathedral and La Petite France Ask about today's energizing or relaxing Adventure Host activities. ACTIVE - Discover Strasbourg by bike with your Adventure Host, OR: CLASSIC - Join a City Sightseeing Tour, including Strasbourg's Gothic, stained-glass cathedral with its celebrated ancient murals and astronomical clock, as well as the magical La Petite France District. Choose a Guided Optional Excursion to the historic Maginot Line-the pre-WWII fortifications designed to protect the eastern border of France, or visit Alsace's wine country today. Alternatively, take some free time in Strasbourg to visit a museum, or stroll across the city centre. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BREISACH (B,L,D)

DAY 7:   BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO BLACK FOREST

German Winemaking and the Beautiful Black Forest DISCOVERY - Join a full-day Guided Tour to the magical Black Forest to experience the Vogtsbauernohf open-air-museum, visit an authentic water mill, and see a traditional butter-making demonstration, OR: DISCOVERY - Visit to a local winery in Breisach, where you will learn about German winemaking and enjoy a wine tasting, OR: CLASSIC - Join A Guided Tour to explore Freiburg's medieval city centre, sheltered by the Black Forest amid vineyards and gardens of the Upper Rhine Valley. You may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to visit the charming village of Colmar in the morning, with half-timbered medieval and early renaissance buildings. EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BASEL (B,L,D)

DAY 8:   BASEL, SWITZERLAND (DISEMBARKATION)

Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning. Flights should not leave Zurich airport before 10 am or Basel airport before 8 am. (B)

Prices listed are per person in Australian/New Zealand Dollars, based on twin occupancy, including all discounts unless otherwise stated. The offer is subject to availability at time of booking and shown on the lowest outside category available at the time.  Fares are capacity controlled and are subject to change at any time without notice. Prices/Offers are correct as at 12 October 2023 and can be withdrawn without notice. Cabin categories include prepaid government fees and port taxes unless otherwise stated.  Hotels may charge resort fees not included in this package, payable direct upon check in. Visas are not included.  Payments made by credit card will incur a surcharge. Air credit is applicable on airline of choice, subject to availability and subject to the carriers’ flight schedules and conditions.