This September, my husband and I are headed to Basal, Switzerland for an adventure of a lifetime. Bill turns 50 in December and I wanted to celebrate the milestone in a big way. What better way to celebrate turning a half-century old than taking an adults only food & wine river cruise down the Rhine River.
Our cruise starts in Basal, Switzerland. Bill and I are flying in a couple of days early to acclimate to the time change and to see a little of Switzerland. Our plans are still up in the air, but we are thinking of spending our first-day touring Basal on our own. I was told we must try the fondue. On our second day, I am looking into day tours of Lucerne. I hear it is quite beautiful.
The actual cruise starts on a Monday. This a river cruise on the AmaMora River Cruise ship. The AmaMora is part of the AmaWaterways company. Adventures by Disney has leased their ships out for certain sailings. Did I mention this particular cruise is adults only?
For the first couple of days, we will dock in Strasbourg, France. On day 1 in France, we will venture to Riquewihr, where we will participate in a walking & tasting tour. Riquewihr is known for its beautiful architecture and Reisling wine. It is a full day tour, and I am so excited to explore this picturesque town.
On our second day in Strasbourg, Bill and I chose Alsace Canoeing. We have never been canoeing before, so this should be interesting! In the afternoon we head back to the ship for a French Macaron Making Demonstration. Who wouldn’t want to learn how to make these little beauties?
Our next stop will be Mannheim, Germany and a full day tour of Heidelberg Castle. I recently shared an article on this tour. You can check it our here.
Day five, we find ourselves in Rudesheim, Germany. We will have a private tour of Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet Museum, a gondola ride to Neiderwald Monument and a visit to Rüdesheimer Schloss. Rüdesheimer Schloss is a wine hotel and restaurant.
In the afternoon, Bill and I have chosen to ride bikes along the Rhine River. Now, my husband loves riding a bike. I have not ridden one since I was a kid. I plan on practicing this summer. LOL!!
Our next adventure takes us to Cologne, Germany. Here we will do a walking tour of Cologne and a chocolate museum. I really hope we get some samples. Later on we will go on a pub crawl through the city and in the afternoon have some beer, sausages and pretzels. Not a bad way to end our time in Germany.
Our last stop on this fantastic cruise is the city of Amsterdam. There is just so much I want to do and see here, that we will be staying an extra day. First up is a canal cruise through the city.
Upon finishing the canal cruise, we head over to the Van Gogh Museum where we will attend a painting workshop. Later that day we will head out to the countryside for Clog Decorating in Zaanse Schans. I can’t wait to make myself a pair of wooden clogs!
The next day we disembark the ship, but as I mentioned, Bill and I will be staying a extra day. We have decided on a city tour in the morning and Anne Frank’s House in the afternoon. We will finish the trip with a nice meal somewhere in the city. If you know of a good place, let me know!
I hope you have enjoyed this preview of our adventure to come. I plan on posting photos along the way and coming back with an in depth report of all that we see and do. I can’t wait to share more with you all. 86 days until we leave, but who is counting?
