The Magic of Christmas: Savory delights and holiday traditions on a Rhine River cruise

Included in tour package

<ul>
	<li>R&uuml;desheim: tourist train and Museum of Mechanical Musical Instruments</li>
	<li>Mainz and the Gutenberg Museum </li>
	<li>The Lalique Museum</li>
	<li>Strasbourg and its Christmas Markets</li>
</ul>

We&rsquo;ll leave by coach from Gambsheim for Wingen-sur-Moder. The Mus&eacute;e Lalique is located in the village where Ren&eacute; Lalique set up his glass factory in 1921. The museum crisscrosses the universe of this luxury brand by highlighting its glassware. Ren&eacute; Lalique, his successors, and the history of their iconic creations are presented within the spacious, modern halls.

Ren&eacute; became one of the greatest names of his time, both as a jeweler and a master glassmaker. His instantly recognizable style was a significant influence in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements. The museum is tucked away in a beautiful, natural setting and provides a retrospect on the art of glassmaking. The collection contains 650 fascinating works from its private collection, as well as from the company&rsquo;s warehouses, loans from Parisian museums, and private collections. This is the only museum dedicated to Lalique in Europe. The exhibit is organized by theme and era and provides a good overview of creations, Art Nouveau jewelry, modern crystal, and Art Deco glassware.&nbsp;The locale allows visitors to get a spirit of the craft through large-format photos and audio-visual displays focused on the jewelry, drawings, perfume bottles, tableware, lights, mascots, or vases. And because no object exists without talent, the museum pays respect to the men and women who have kept the art of glassmaking alive over the centuries.

The special exhibit dedicated to Christmas in December is a pure delight to see. The older and newer objects for that special time of year are on display in a sparkling setting. And in celebration of Advent, a new door in the calendar is opened every day, revealing a crystal surprise. We&#39;ll return to the ship by coach.

PLEASE NOTE 

<ul>
	<li>The order of the visits can change.</li>
	<li>Times are approximate.</li>
</ul>

Mus&eacute;e Lalique

You will set off on foot from accompanied by your guides and visit the town of Mainz. Capital of the Rhine Palatinate, Mainz was founded more than 2000 years ago by the Romans. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the top architects and sculptors created the basic shape of the town, with fine palaces and churches. Here you can admire the magnificent historic houses which have been outstandingly well-restored. Located on the banks of the Rhine opposite the confluence of the Rhine with the Main, Mainz will captivate you with its quite incomparable lifestyle, its unique charm and its openness to the world. In the company of your guide, you will be able to enter the magnificent Cathedral, whose construction began in 975 and which has left a deep mark on the history of the town. The interior of the cathedral houses some wonderful historic treasures, including tombs and funerary monuments from the 13th to the 18th centuries. You will also have the opportunity to wander up and down the colorful streets in the old town. Finally you will visit the Gutenberg Museum, the world&#39;s finest museum for printing equipment, materials and books. Born in Mainz around 1400, Johannes Gensfleisch Gutenberg himself prepared the copy of the Bible referred to as &quot;the 42-line Bible&rdquo; which was published in 1455 - the oldest printed book in the world. Out of the 46 copies still in existence, the museum has just one, along with a &quot;Mainz Psalter&rdquo;, the first ever document printed using three different colors of ink. The museum extends over five floors and provides a quite remarkable exhibition on the history of the book and written word in both Europe and the world as a whole. Return on board on foot.

PLEASE NOTE

<ul>
	<li>The Gutenberg Museum is closed on Sunday mornings and on Mondays.</li>
	<li>Good walking shoes are recommended: visit entirely on foot; streets are cobblestoned in the old town.</li>
	<li>The order of the visits can change.</li>
	<li>Times are approximate.</li>
</ul>

Guided tour of Mainz and the Gutenberg Museum

A little train will take us through the small alleyways of Rudesheim. The visit will continue on to the Music Museum, located in an old building from the 15th century, close to the Drosselgasse. We&#39;ll visit the &quot;Siegfrieds Mechanisches Musikkabinett&quot; which holds an impressive collection of no less than 350 mechanical musical instruments dating back to the 18th century to the 20th, all spread out on more than 4000 ft&sup2;. 
&quot;You won&#39;t believe your ears&rdquo; once you embark on a musical adventure into the world of historical automated instruments. This is a vast collection, dating back three centuries, of fascinating musical instruments that function like computers, ranging from tiny, delicate music boxes to an enormous orchestrion. Tools and machines for the production of organ pipes, cardboard sheet music, rolls of sheet music and perforated disks are also on display in the collection. 
You will then walk down the Drosselgasse, famous for its small restaurants with orchestras. Free time and return on board on foot.

PLEASE NOTE

<ul>
	<li>The order of the visits can change.</li>
	<li>Times are approximate.</li>
	<li>Good walking shoes are recommended.</li>
</ul>

Rudesheim: small train and Music Museum

Departure with our hostess to Strasbourg City Centre. At this time of year, the entire city is covered in garlands and Christmas decorations, especially the streets and shops. Discover the Christmas Markets on the Place Broglie and in front of the cathedral. Once the sun sets, we'll set out to admire the Christmas lights around the city near the cathedral, the Place Kl&#233;ber, Carr&#233; d'Or and Place Gutenburg. Afterwards, we'll return to the ship.PLEASE NOTE <ul><li>Wear comfortable, sturdy walking shoes.</li><li>Times are approximate.</li><li>The order of the visits can change.</li></ul>

Old Strasbourg and Christmas markets

CLASSIC EXCURSIONS PACKAGE

Included in tour package Rüdesheim: tourist train and Museum of Mechanical Musical Instruments Mainz and the Gutenberg Museum The Lalique Museum Strasbourg and its Christmas Markets

CLASSIC EXCURSIONS PACKAGE

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The Magic of Christmas: Savory delights and holiday traditions on a Rhine River cruise

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