A River Odyssey from Amsterdam to Vienna

Day 1 UK - Amsterdam Titan’s VIP door-to-door travel service collects you from home, for your flight to Amsterdam. Upon arrival, embark MS Serenade 1 (4T), where light refreshments are available. A welcome cocktail and Captain’s gala dinner are served this evening. Day 2 Amsterdam - cruising the Rhine We set sail this morning, arriving in Utrecht for a brief stop, before we continue our leisurely cruise along the Rhine this afternoon. Day 3 Cologne Our ship docks in Cologne for a full-day visit. Cologne’s origins go back to the days of the Roman Empire, and our included walking tour will introduce us to the city’s highlights such as the magnificent Gothic cathedral and the Praetorium, where the excavated remains of the Roman governor’s palace are on display. Also of interest is the fascinating Romano-Germanic Museum, filled with treasures from that period, and the Museum Ludwig, which holds one of Europe’s largest collections of works by Picasso, alongside those of other major 20th century artists. We sail this evening. Day 4 Koblenz - Cochem Koblenz is dominated by the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, completed in 1828, which you may choose to visit this morning on an optional excursion. Otherwise, take the opportunity to discover this historic city at leisure, maybe taking a stroll to Deutsches Eck (German Corner) at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers, watched over by an equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I. This afternoon we enjoy a relaxing cruise along the Rhine towards our next destination, Cochem, where we dock for the night. Day 5 Cochem The small town of Cochem is one of the prettiest in the Moselle Valley, crowned by the turreted Reichsburg castle which stands watch on the top of a precipitous rock high above the town. We visit the castle today on an included excursion. The first castle here was built more than a thousand years ago, although what we see today is a romantic 19th century reconstruction in the elaborate Gothic Revival style. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Cochem at leisure before we depart tonight. Day 6 Lorelei Rock - Rüdesheim This morning we sail past the fabled Lorelei Rock in the Rhine Gorge, where legend tells of a water nymph luring fishermen to their doom, before arriving at our next port of call, the picturesque town of Rüdesheim. Here, you will have time to explore by yourself or you may join our optional excursion to Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Museum, with its wonderful collection of music boxes and automated musical instruments. We sail late tonight. Day 7 Frankfurt One of the world’s leading financial and business centres, Frankfurt is more than just gleaming skyscrapers and banks, as we discover today on our guided tour. Much of the city was painstakingly rebuilt after heavy wartime damage, and we will explore the charming old town and take in sights such as the Opera House, the Goethe House, where one of Germany’s most famous writers was born and the Kaiserdom cathedral, where Holy Roman Emperors were once crowned. Day 8 Miltenberg This morning we visit the medieval town of Miltenberg, on the River Main. Take a stroll around the old town, where you’ll find pretty timber-framed houses and one of the oldest inns in Germany, Zum Riesen, which has been in operation here since at least 1411. There will also be an optional visit to a brewery to sample the local beers. We depart this afternoon. Day 9 Würzburg Today’s destination is Würzburg, where you are free to relax or explore by yourself. You may also choose to join our optional walking tour of the old town and visit to the 18th century Würzburg Residence, a palatial home built for the local prince-bishop, noted for its spectacular staircase and frescoes by Tiepolo. We return to our ship this afternoon. Day 10 Bamberg This afternoon we arrive in the picturesque town of Bamberg where we enjoy a guided tour of the historic centre including its famous rose garden. We see sights such as the Romanesque cathedral, dating from the 11th century, the medieval Old Town Hall with its wonderful frescoes and the New Residence palace, once the magnificent home of Bamberg’s prince-bishops. The rest of the day is free and we sail on this evening. Day 11 Nuremberg For centuries, the Bavarian city of Nuremberg was the unofficial capital of the Holy Roman Empire, and was one of the main centres of the German Renaissance. It was also the scene of Nazi rallies during the days of the Third Reich, and of the War Crimes Tribunal held in 1946. Our optional city tour takes in the sights of this fascinating city this morning, including the 900-year-old ramparts, towers and walls of the Imperial Castle that surround the historic city centre and the house where artist Albrecht Dürer once lived. Day 12 Regensburg Regensburg is one of Germany’s best-preserved medieval cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to architectural treasures such as the Porta Praetoria, a Roman gateway built in AD 179 and the Gothic St Peter’s Cathedral. Our included excursion today is to the Benedictine Weltenburg Abbey, which was founded in the 7th century. It also houses what is said to be the oldest monastic brewery in the world, producing several high quality beers. Day 13 Passau - Linz We arrive in the ‘Three Rivers City’ of Passau overnight, which stands on the confluence of the rivers Danube, Inn and Ilz. Perhaps join an optional walking tour of the Old Town, where you will find the Baroque St Stephan’s Cathedral, home to the largest church organ in the world. Crossing the border into Austria, we reach Linz, renowned for its wealth of Baroque and neoclassical architecture. Day 14 Linz - Melk - Vienna Departing Linz early this morning, our first stop is the little town of Melk, dominated by its spectacular Benedictine abbey which you may visit on an optional tour today. The grand interior displays exhibitions of religious art, while the abbey church is adorned with an abundance of gold, marble and colourful murals. We reach the beautiful Austrian capital, Vienna, this evening, where we moor overnight. Tonight, enjoy the Captain’s farewell gala dinner on board. Day 15 Vienna - UK We transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK. Upon arrival, your Titan vehicle will be waiting for the journey home.