of two activities: an orientation tour of Old Town Koblenz with your Tauck Director... or bicycling on easy riverside trails through forests, meadows and Riesling winelands, taking in views of the passing pleasure boats and freighters. Bicycling is a countrywide passion in Germany, so you’re bound to see the locals riding too. Return to your riverboat for lunch and sail on this afternoon. As you cruise through the quiet Rhine River Valley, noting the small cities, churches, ancient walls, and castles along the way, onboard commentary informs you about the history and geography of the river. This afternoon also provides an opportunity to relax and enjoy the amenities onboard your “floating hotel.” Dip in the plunge pool, practice on the putting green, hit the fitness center, visit the hair salon... Meals BLD
5. SPEYER OR HEIDELBERG CASTLE Spend the morning observing the beauty of the passing landscape from your riverboat. This afternoon you’ll have a choice of sightseeing activities. One possibility is to get to know
Speyer. For centuries the Rhine River was a major transport hub and a source of wealth for many, through trade and taxation; Speyer thrived on trade in the 10th and 11th centuries. That’s when the construction of its amazing double-domed cathedral began. When you see the cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you may be surprised by its natural glass windows, rather than stained glass, and the roof made entirely of stone – the first ever in Europe. Buried in the crypt are some 300 years of early German emperors. Next, on a visit to the city’s impressive Technik Museum, you’ll find exhibits dedicated to every form of technology that moves, from vintage cars to the Russian Buran space shuttle – and a Boeing 747 jumbo jet and U9 submarine that you can go inside. Afterward, relax over a refreshing bier at one of the town’s many inviting biergartens, a Rhine summer delight. Your other choice of sightseeing is an excursion to Heidelberg, Germany’s oldest university town. Narrow lanes, shops, and pubs housed in 17th-century structures in the Altstadt (Old Town) are lively with the cadence and activity of student life. On the hillside above the city, you’ll visit the romantic ruins of Heidelberg Castle, celebrated in writing by many, including the German poet Goethe and Mark Twain, who both spent time here; Twain wrote about the striking red sandstone ruins of Schloss Heidelberg in A Tramp Abroad. This once grand palace was a home to Bavarian royalty from the 13th to 18th centuries. Today you’ll find an imposing ensemble of buildings from different architectural periods, reflecting the architectural ambitions of successive owners, surrounding a central courtyard. From the castle’s terrace and gardens, the sweeping views of Heidelberg and the Neckar River Valley below are amazing – as is the feel of 600 years of history. Meals BLD
In the Alsatian city of Strasbourg, you’ll see why Victor Hugo called its pink sandstone cathedral a “gigantic and delicate marvel” and why Goethe described it as a “sublimely towering and wide-spreading tree of God.” The masterpiece is one of Europe’s finest examples of high Gothic style.
Call your travel agent or Tauck at 877-519-1035
6. STRASBOURG / BADEN-BADEN SPA TREAT Your riverboat docks on the Rhine today surrounded by the hills of southern Alsace, many checkered with vineyards. Your morning introduces you to the Alsatian cultural capital of Strasbourg, France, where centuries of being passed between German and French control are reflected in the dual languages and atmosphere of the city. Strasbourg is home to the charming canals and half-timbered houses of La Petite France; stately city residences; a Gothic cathedral; and plenty of winstubs, traditional Alsatian wine rooms. The city skyline is punctuated by the modern offices of the European Parliament and the European Court of Human Rights; along with Geneva, Strasbourg is one of only two European cities with these kinds of international institutions. Today you’ll have the opportunity to sample Alsatian wines, which are typically white, including Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Muscat. Not necessarily sweet, but elegant and complex, they are bottled in the tall narrow bottles customary to German wines, but crafted with a French flair. À votre santé! The afternoon offers a choice of activities. One possibility is to head for the German resort town of Baden-Baden on the edge of the Schwarzwald (the Black Forest), where you’ll visit the Caracalla Spa for a pampering experience devoted to wellness and relaxation. Spa
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