Journey through Switzerland, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, cruising the Moselle and Rhine rivers on this 10-night program, which includes 4 nights in the Swiss Alps—featuring the Matterhorn and Mount Pilatus—and a 6-night river cruise. Ride aboard 3 legendary railways—the Gornegrat Bahn for views of the Matterhorn; the Glacier Express from Andermatt to Zermatt; and the Pilatus Railway, the world’s steepest cogwheel railway. Also enjoy a scenic cruise on Lake Lucerne. Enhance your “Grand Tour” with the Amsterdam Post-Program Option.
Program runs in alternative orders on some departures.
Program Details
- 12-day, 10-night “Grand Tour” of Europe featuring an incredible combination of river, rail, lake, and mountain travel from Lucerne to Amsterdam
- Enjoy 4 nights in the Swiss Alps—featuring the Matterhorn and Mount Pilatus, plus a 6-night river cruise.
- Retrace the “Grand Tour,” a traditional European holiday taken by aristocratic young ladies and gentlemen of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
- Reach Mount Pilatus’ 7,000-foot summit by panoramic gondola for a 360-degree vista.
- Walk through the UNESCO World Heritage-designated La Petite France in Strasbourg.
- Travel from Mannheim to Heidelberg, a highlight of the historical "Grand Tours."
- Cruise through the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Middle Rhine Valley to see Lorelei Rock.
- Enjoy a walking tour of charming Cochem with a visit to the Imperial Reichsburg castle.
- Explore Cologne’s Old Town and see the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Kölner Dom.
- Amsterdam Optional Extension*
Program runs in alternative orders on some departures.
Day 1 - Depart home city
Day 2 - Geneva, Switzerland/Täsch/Zermatt
Day 3 - Gornergrat/Zermatt
Day 4 - Zermatt/Andermatt/Lucerne
Day 5 - Lucerne/Mount Pilatus
Day 6 - Lucerne/Basel/Embark Amadeus Queen
Day 7 - Strasbourg, France
Day 8 - Mannheim, Germany for Heidelberg
Day 9 - Rüdesheim/Koblenz
Day 10 - Cochem
Day 11 - Cologne
Day 12 - Amsterdam, the Netherlands/Return to home city
Program runs in alternative orders on some departures.
Amadeus Queen
Exclusively Chartered, Deluxe River Boat
The elegant and meticulously crafted Amadeus Queen, features all the comforts of a refined and traditional hotel. Its 72 stylish staterooms and suites are among the most spacious of any European river boat (188 to 284 square feet). Suites include a private balcony, and select staterooms feature a unique floor-to-ceiling window that lowers to French-balcony height at the touch of a button.
The Golden Age of Amsterdam Optional Extension
Get acquainted with this captivating city graced with leafy canals and gabled houses on a 2-night, post-cruise extension at the deluxe DoubleTree by Hilton Amsterdam Centraal Station. Enjoy a cruise along its delightful, 17th‑century waterways, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and view acclaimed art by the great Dutch Golden Age masters at the Rijksmuseum. Venture to Hoorn, a picturesque, 17th-century harbor town and key Dutch East India Company port, and soak up the inviting ambience and historic architecture of Edam, legendary for its tasty cheese.
Depending on your chosen departure date, the optional extension may be a Pre-Program or Post-Program.
The Optional Extension is available at an additional cost. Details will be provided with your reservation confirmation.
Admire the awe-inspiring, visionary work and vast scope of Switzerland’s impressive railways as you experience firsthand the sublime majesty of the iconic Alps from incredible perspectives. Journey on 3 of the world’s great Alpine railways—the panoramic Glacier Express, the scenic Gornergrat Bahn, and the dramatic Pilatus Railway—and, while admiring the innovative engineering necessary to create these routes, savor vignettes of the quintessentially Swiss landscape—including 14,000-foot-high mountain peaks, flowing streams, cavernous gorges, and crystalline glaciers.
The first-class Hotel Alex is situated in a beautiful, quiet location in the center of Zermatt.
The deluxe Schweizerhof Hotel is located on the banks of Lake Lucerne in Switzerland.