This extraordinary 11-day “Grand Tour” of Europe features an incredible combination of river, rail, lake, and mountain travel including five nights aboard the new, deluxe Amadeus Imperial. Journey through Switzerland, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, cruising the Rhine River. Spend two nights each in Zermatt and Lucerne. Ride aboard three legendary railways—the Gornergrat Bahn for views of the Matterhorn, the Glacier Express from Zermatt to Andermatt, and the Pilatus Railway, the world’s steepest cogwheel railway—and enjoy a scenic cruise on Lake Lucerne. This is the trip of a lifetime at an exceptional value. Amsterdam Post-Program Option featuring Floriade.
Program Details
- Program Highlights
- Itinerary at a Glance
- Vessel Sailing
- Enhance Your Journey
- Trains Featured
- Accommodations
- Extraordinary, specially designed European tour exclusively offered by Gohagan & Company in our tradition of innovative programming and educational travel.
- Experience three of the world’s greatest railways—the panoramic Glacier Express, the scenic cogwheel Gornergrat Bahn, and the dramatic Pilatus Railway.
- Eleven-day program, including four nights in the Swiss Alps and a five-night river cruise.
- A unique combination of river and lake cruising, rail travel, and evenings on land.
- Specially arranged cruise of Lake Lucerne and wine tasting in Rüdesheim.
- Incredible value for a comprehensive travel program.
- Amsterdam Post-Program Option featuring the Floriade World Horticulture Expo, held once every 10 years.
Day 1 - Depart the U.S. or Canada
Day 2 - Geneva, Switzerland / Zermatt
Day 3 - Zermatt for Matterhorn
Day 4 - Zermatt / Glacier Express to Andermatt / Lucerne
Day 5 - Lucerne for Mount Pilatus
Day 6 - Lucerne / Bern / Basel / Embark Amadeus Imperial
Day 7 - Strasbourg, France
Day 8 - Mannheim, Germany, for Heidelberg
Day 9 - Rüdesheim / Koblenz
Day 10 - Cologne
Day 11 - Amsterdam, the Netherlands / Disembark boat / Return to the U.S. or Canada
Itinerary also operates in the reverse direction.
Amadeus Imperial
Exclusively Chartered, Deluxe River Boat
The elegant and meticulously crafted Amadeus Imperial, launched in 2020, features all the comforts of a refined and traditional hotel. 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 Post-Program Option
The historical center of Amsterdam, laced with tree-shaded canals and stately 16th- and 17th-century merchant houses, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the perfect conclusion to your Great Journey. Visit the world-class Rijksmuseum and enjoy a full-day excursion to quaint Edam, world famous for its cheese, and historical Hoorn, one of the great seafaring towns of the Golden Age. Enjoy a full-day excursion to Floriade, the largest world horticultural expo and held only once every 10 years. Accommodations are for three nights in a centrally located hotel.
The Post-Program Option is available at 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 three 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.
Chalet-style Hotel Alex is situated in a beautiful, quiet location in the center of Zermatt.
The five-star Schweizerhof Hotel is located on the banks of Lake Lucerne in Switzerland.