Holland and the romantic Rhine valley

Included in tour package:<ul><li>Amsterdam by bike(1)</li><li>Keukenhof Gardens(2)</li><li>Excursion to Volendam and Zaanse-Schans(2)</li><li>Hiking through the vineyards in Rudesheim</li><li>Heidelberg</li></ul>(1) Attention: children are under the responsibility of their parents and must be autonomous by bike.(2) The Keukenhof Gardens are open from March to May. The rest of the year the visit is replaced by Volendam et Zaanse Schans.

You&#39;ll leave on foot to head to the bike rental office. This guided bike tour will last about 2.5 hours, and you&#39;ll be able to explore and learn about all the must-see and out-of-the-way sites in Amsterdam. Enjoy some free time at the Flower Market or at the Albert Cuypmarkt.

PLEASE NOTE

<ul>
	<li>Good walking shoes are recommended.</li>
	<li>The order of the visits can change.</li>
	<li>Times are approximate.</li>
	<li>Attention: children are under the responsibility of their parents and must be autonomous by bike.</li>
</ul>

Amsterdam by bike

Departure for the visit of Heidelberg. This cosmopolitan, friendly, and vibrant city is made up of 15 distinct neighborhoods and is particularly attractive to families, students, business people, and researchers. Its high quality of life comes through to visitors, who feel genuinely at home here. We&#39;ll begin with a visit to the outside of Heidelberg Castle, where you&#39;ll be able to see the Renaissance ruins and parts of its restoration. The castle has a history that is almost as old as the city itself. From either the Great Terrace or the gardens, enjoy an amazing view over Heidelberg, the Neckar River, and the valley. Don&#39;t miss seeing the Heidelberg Tun. Built in 1751 by Prince Elector Karl Theodor, it housed the wine paid as taxes by the wine growers in the region. Legend has it that the permanently intoxicated court jester who guarded the cask, Perkeo, died after mistakenly drinking a simple glass of water. You can also enjoy a stroll through the castle gardens, once considered a masterpiece of their time. Built upon several terraces, they were made up of many flower beds, mazes, sculptures, heated greenhouse with orange trees, large ponds, waterfalls, and a man-made grotto. We&#39;ll then head for the Neckarm&uuml;nzplatz, on the banks of the Necker River, and continue with a guided tour of the old city. We&#39;ll pass by the Church of the Holy Spirit, the most famous church in Heidelberg, whose steeple dominates the town. And then you can take advantage of some free time to wander through the streets and shops before returning on board.PLEASE NOTE<ul><li>Depending on the cruise, departure and/or return on board in Mannheim</li><li>The access to the castle needs climbing up a 300m gradient.</li><li>Good walking shoes are recommended.</li><li>The order of the visits can change.</li><li>Times are approximate.</li></ul>

Guided tour of Heidelberg and its castle (outdoor)

Departure by coach in the company of your hostess towards Keukenhof. Upon arrival, your hostess will give you an entry ticket that will allow you to stroll freely inside this beautiful flower garden extending on 32 hectares (79 acres). You&#39;ll be delighted by its wonders, from the enchanting colors and fragrances of the many tulips, narcissus, daffodils and other ornamental bulbs to the orchid pavilion and the Japanese country garden. Do not miss the breathtaking view over the tulip fields from the 1892 windmill located at the back of the garden! In the 15th century, the garden as we know it today was nothing but hunting grounds where aromatic herbs were grown for the kitchens of the castle belonging to Jacqueline, Countess of Hainaut, hence its current name, &quot;Keukenhof&rdquo; - &quot;kitchen garden&rdquo; in English. Return on board in Amsterdam by coach.PLEASE NOTE<ul><li>Only on pre-booking.</li><li>Good walking shoes are recommended.</li><li>Free visit in the park; open from March 24th to May 15th 2022.&nbsp;The opening dates are subject to change by Keukenhof Flower Park.&nbsp; </li><li>The order of the visits can change.</li><li>Times are approximate.</li><li>Wheelchairs are available through online booking on the Keukenhof website (passengers will have to use their own credit card).</li></ul>

Excursion to the Keukenhof Gardens

We&#39;ll leave by coach with our guide for Volendam, a charming village that has preserved its character for over six centuries thanks to the tough vitality of its fishermen. We&#39;ll then visit a cheese factory in the area to discover how the famous Gouda cheese is made. We&#39;ll enjoy tasting the different flavors and ages available of one of the most popular cheeses in the world. We&#39;ll then head for Zaanse Schans, an open air museum with wooden windmills, barns, and houses. Take a walk through the stunning buildings and the unique peat landscape or watch traditional clog making techniques. Don&#39;t miss the small but impressive clog museum that features one of the largest and most attractive collections of wooden shoes in the Netherlands: painted, carved, ice clogs with iron trimmings, horse clogs, and decorative clogs. Take advantage of some free time on this excursion to indulge in authentic Dutch traditions. We&#39;ll return to our ship in Amsterdam by coach.

PLEASE NOTE

<ul>
	<li>Good walking shoes are recommended: guided visit on foot at Volendam and Zaanse Schans.</li>
	<li>The order of the visits can change.</li>
	<li>Times are approximate.</li>
</ul>

Excursion to Volendam and Zaanse-Schans

We&#39;ll go to the center of R&uuml;desheim to catch a gondola lift to the Niederwalddenkmal, a monument built in the 19th century to commemorate the first unification of Germany. From there, you&#39;ll have a great view of the small city, the vineyards and the Rhine. We&#39;ll hike through the vineyards to the Abbey of St. Hildegard, built in the early 20th century. You&#39;ll have some free time to explore the abbey before we return to the ship through the vineyards once more.

PLEASE NOTE

<ul>
	<li>Wear comfortable, sturdy walking shoes.</li>
	<li>8km-hike with a 300m elevation gain.</li>
	<li>Times are approximate.</li>
	<li>The order of the visits can change.</li>
</ul>

Hiking through the vineyards in Rudesheim

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DISCOVERY EXCURSIONS PACKAGE

Included in tour package: Amsterdam by bike(1) Keukenhof Gardens(2) Excursion to Volendam and Zaanse-Schans(2) Hiking through the vineyards in Rudesheim Heidelberg (1) Attention: children are under the responsibility of their parents and must be autonomous by bike. (2) The Keukenhof Gardens are o...

DISCOVERY EXCURSIONS PACKAGE

DISCOVERY EXCURSIONS PACKAGE

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Holland and the romantic Rhine valley

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