Overview

Embark on an 8-day journey of cultural richness and scenic splendor as you cruise along the majestic Rhine River with Uniworld's "Castles Along the Rhine" in May 2025. Immerse yourself in the dual influences of Germany and France, exploring the enchanting region of Alsace with its delectable cuisine and storied winemaking heritage. Marvel at formidable castles, including an insider's tour of the impressive Rheinstein Castle. Traverse ancient Cologne, stroll through the fairytale town of Rüdesheim, and discover the picturesque allure of Strasbourg. As you meander through the villages where grapes are grown, indulge in delightful white wines.

Book with Galavant to enjoy these exclusive amenities:

• Exclusive $300 per person discount on 2024 or 2025 sailings

• 10% discount on all 2025 sailings paid in full at the time of booking

• 5% discount on all 2025 sailings paid in full by June 30, 2024

Note: deals can only be used independently and cannot be combined

Cabin categories

At A Glance

dates

May 4-11, 2025

extend your trip

There are many pre- or post-trip options to extend your stay. Contact Sara or Nolie for more details:

Sara Manners: sara@galavanttravels.com

Nolie Barnes: nolie@galavanttravels.com

Activities

*The tours offered are those run by Uniworld

CANCELATION POLICY

READ TERMS & POLICIES FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Trip Itinerary

Day 1 | Amsterdam (Embark)

Day 2 | Cologne

Day 3 | Koblenz, Boppard

Day 4 | Boppard, Rüdesheim

click on the image for trip slide show

The Ship: S.S. Elisabeth

Joining Uniworld’s fleet in 2025, the S.S. Elisabeth, sister vessel to the S.S. Victoria, showcases a contemporary design highlighted by luxurious velvet and marble touches, complemented by original artwork reflecting Uniworld's distinctive boutique style. The S.S. Elisabeth boasts the largest suites on European rivers, including two Royal Suites measuring an impressive 506 square feet each. Guests also have the option to reserve the adjacent standard suite, creating a spacious 759 square foot suite with two bedrooms connected by a separate living room. All suites and Signature French Balconies provide generous space, surpassing standard dimensions, featuring ultra-comfortable beds facing the water adorned with Uniworld's premium custom linens.

The remainder of the ship is equally impressive, featuring a serene pool, gym, and massage room. Guests can indulge in dining experiences at three distinct venues: the main dining room, a private setting for smaller groups, and a sundeck bar.

Day By Day

day 1 | amsterdam (embark)

Arrive at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. If your cruise package includes a group arrival transfer or if you have purchased a private arrival transfer, you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the ship.

day 2 | cologne

History buffs will enjoy an expertly led tour through Cologne’s Old Town, where three medieval gates remain standing, as does the old city hall with its Renaissance façade. Wander through the city’s historical center and take in its charming atmosphere, narrow alleyways flanked by old houses, and countless breweries. No matter how you choose to explore Old Town, you’ll also have ample free time to explore on your own.

Featured Excursion:

Cologne Walking Tour: Follow your guide around some of the most popular sites of Cologne, the largest city on the Rhine. You’ll pass the old fish market, City Hall with its Renaissance façade, and the old Jewish mikvah (a bath used for ritual cleansing). Meander through the narrow, cobbled lanes of Old Town, lined with traditional houses in every color and a plethora of restaurants and pubs. One of the city’s 12 Romanesque churches provides a castle-like backdrop to this quaint, riverside quarter of Cologne. Your local expert will take you all the way to the Domplatte, the square where you’ll find the Cologne Cathedral. Should you wish, you can head inside this Gothic building on your own to see the Shrine of the Magi and the beautiful stained-glass windows. Otherwise, try asking your guide for tips on what to explore. Whatever your interests, our local expert knows all the best spots in town!

A special Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening.

Day 3 | KOBLENZ, BOPPARD

Get to know Koblenz, a historic town with a colorful past and eclectic architecture, and enjoy a visit to the stunningly medieval Marksburg Castle.

Featured Excursions:

Koblenz Walking Tour: Watch the waters of the Moselle meld with the Rhine’s as you stand on the spit of land called German Corner: It’s the perfect spot for a symbol of German unity, an equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I, who united the nation in the 19th century. (There’s another symbol of German unity here too: three panels of the Berlin Wall.) Behind it is Koblenz’s oldest church, St. Castor’s Basilica, first erected in the ninth century, and just one of the charming churches and squares you’ll encounter as you wander through Old Town. Like many Rhineland towns, Koblenz suffered at the hands of Louis XIV’s forces—that’s why you’ll see so many baroque features in the buildings you pass, since so many needed to be reconstructed after the French left. That’s also why the Church of Our Lady has twin onion domes. Despite their travails over the ages, though, Koblenz’s citizens kept their sense of humor: One example of it might catch you by surprise as you pass the fountain known as the Spitting Boy, which spits water without warning. After the tour, you’ll have some free time to enjoy the Marktplatz (Market Square) and its bounty of shopping and wine bars.

Marksburg Castle Visit: With its pale walls, slate-gray roof, and unusually slender towers and turrets, Marksburg looks as though it has been lifted straight from the pages of a fairytale. But don’t be deceived: this is a powerful fortress, built to withstand attack. Marksburg’s defenses were so daunting that enemies generally chose to leave it alone. That’s why this is the only hill castle in Germany that has never been destroyed—a remarkable fact when you consider its 700-year-long history. Enter the fortress through a drawbridge gate and vaulted tunnel—just the first of the many defensive features you’ll encounter on your tour. Notice the “murder holes” in the walls; these would have let defenders pour boiling pitch on would-be invaders. Horsemen once thundered up the Riders’ Stairway, which was hewn into the bedrock, but you can take the steps at a more leisurely pace. Guides will show you the cannons of the Great Battery, once aimed at the Rhine River, and the castle kitchen with its enormous fireplace. You’ll tour the bedchamber, the great banquet hall, the armory, the stables, and, if you’re feeling brave, the torture chamber. Don’t miss the re-created medieval garden, with 150 plants used in the Middle Ages for curative (or magical) purposes.

The Four Lakes Cable Car: Boppard sits on the widest loop of the river Rhine, and if you find the right spot, this makes for one incredible view. Take a cable car up to the Vierseenblick, a vantage spot with a name that translates to “Four Lakes View.” Don’t be fooled by the name however, what you’re actually seeing a wide curve of the Rhine River, broken up by rolling hills to create an illusion of four distinct lakes. You’ll have a bit of free time to appreciate this incredible sight before riding the cable car back down to Boppard.

Day 4 | BOPPARD, RÜDESHEIM

Experience Germany’s fabled Rhine River in beautiful Rüdesheim. Enjoy a private tasting of estate-grown Rieslings at Castle Vollrads or explore Rüdesheim and the impressive Niederwald monument.

Featured Excursion:

Castle Vollrads Wine Tasting: Nestled in the rolling, vineyard-covered hills of the Rheingau, Castle Vollrads has a square tower that dates back to the 14th century, as does the moat. Just one family owned the castle for 700 years, until 1997, adding on to it and remodeling it over the centuries. While the interior of the castle is rarely open to the public, you will have the opportunity to step inside to see some of the elegantly appointed rooms, including the beautiful gold-embossed Flemish leather wall covering in the 17th-century dining room. Grapes have been grown here for more than a thousand years; records show that Castle Vollrads wines were first sold in 1211. These days the excellence of its Riesling is well known; it’s so well known, in fact, that Schloss Vollrads is one of the few German vineyards whose name stands alone on a wine label—no village name is required. Accompanied by a local wine expert, you will sample three wines in three different locations. There will also be time to wander through the grounds at your leisure.

Other Activity:

Let’s Go: Vineyard Hike: Immerse yourselves in the vines today with a refreshing walk through the vineyards by Rüdesheim. Starting with a walk by the river, you’ll wind your way past the markets square and up through the Weinlehrpfad, the Wine Trail. Along the way, you’ll pass several historic buildings and monuments, learning their stories from your guide as you go, enjoy a glass of wine made from the vines around you, and discover some beautiful views of the surrounding landscapes, including the Nahe river with its Roman Bridge.

Day 5 | GERMERSHEIM (SPEYER)

Speyer—“spire” in English—is well named, since the four red towers of the Romanesque cathedral dominate the Old Town.

Choose between:

Private Doktorenhof Vinegar Estate Visit and Tasting: For a different spin on the Palatinate wine region, visit the Weinessiggut Doktorenhof estate for a special vinegar tasting. Yes, you read that right—a vinegar tasting. Founded by Georg Wiedemann some 30 years ago, Doktorenhof produces vinegars from premium wines, rather than inexpensive ones. Gewürztraminer, Sylvaner, Riesling, and Pinot Noir are aged with a century-old vinegar “mother,” as the bacteria that makes vinegar is known, and flavored with a variety of herbs and fruits. Most importantly, Wiedemann and his family run their farm and vineyards with the utmost care, tending to them with natural materials only. The results make complex and elegant aperitifs, intended to be sipped from a specially designed long-stemmed glass between courses or after a meal. The atmospheric tasting room (think candles, cloaks, and choir music) is like no other you’ll ever experience. You’ll have plenty of time to explore their enticing gift shop, too.

Formula 1 Racetrack: Drive to Hockenheim, home of the German Grand Prix. There, a guide will give you an insider’s tour of the ring, including the VIP area, the podium, and even the center of the track. The German Grand Prix has not been held here—or anywhere—since 2019, due to a lack of finances that is keeping the future of the German Grand Prix indefinitely in doubt. On tour in the Hockenheimring, however, you’ll immerse yourself in the history of Formula 1 racing in Germany from a perspective few fans have ever gotten to appreciate.

Please note that the site occasionally holds races and other events, in which case this experience will be unavailable.

Germersheim’s Hidden Gem: Drive out to the forest for a private tour at a unique old flour mill. Though the silos here are still used to store grain—and the delicious bread you’ll get to sample at the end of your visit is evidence of that—the mill itself is no longer active. Instead, it has been transformed into a beautiful little sanctuary by the owner. An avid world traveler and collector, the owner has filled the inside of the mill with mementos from his expeditions (not trinkets, either, but life-sized Buddha statues, gorgeous photography, and much more). The highlight though, is the award-winning garden he has curated.

DAY 6 | KEHL (STRASBOURG)

See Strasbourg on foot with an insightful local expert, where this historic town with its cobbled lanes, half-timbered homes, giant stork nests, and impossible-to-resist pastry shops will win your heart. Kehl, directly across the river from Strasbourg, will be your ship’s base while you explore the Alsatian capital. If you’re feeling adventurous, take advantage of Uniworld’s bicycles or Nordic walking sticks and explore the banks of the river.

You have the entire afternoon to see more of Strasbourg on your own.

Featured Excursion:

Strasbourg Panoramic Tour with Cathedral and Old Town Walk: Controlled over the centuries by either France or Germany, Strasbourg is both cross-cultural and bilingual. Old and new, French and German all blend together in this wonderful city, which is also considered the legislative and democratic capital of the European Union. Get a glimpse of Strasbourg's grand political role as we drive by the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, where the European Court of Human Rights sits. Then get a feel for the cultural side of the city on a walking tour through its enchanting streets.

Day 7 | BREISACH

Breisach is your gateway to the Alsatian wine road and your launching point for an excursion along the celebrated Route des Vins, which hugs the foothills of the Vosges mountain range.

A special Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening.

Featured Excursion:

Alsatian Villages: An old stone well in Kaysersberg bears an inscription that warns against drinking water and urges the reader to “Drink with moderation old and subtil wine . . . and leave the water to the side.” What better words could guide you as you explore some delightful Alsatian wine villages? Though the remains of a 12th-century castle speak to Kaysersberg’s strategic importance in the Middle Ages, today it is an idyllic village nestled among vineyards. Join a local guide for a one-hour walking tour, passing storybook medieval houses with steeply pitched roofs and a gorgeous Gothic cathedral that was begun by a 12th-century Holy Roman emperor. In modern days, the village is best known as the birthplace of Albert Schweitzer. During your tour of this enchanting village indulge in a tasting of an Alsatian specialty, Kugelhopf, a delicious yeast-based cake traditionally baked in a circular, Bundt mold. Then it is on to Eguishem. The road from Kaysersberg to Eguishem provides quintessential wine road scenery: lush foothills, famous vineyards, castle ruins, and quaint villages. You'll arrive in a town so pretty it is regularly ranked amongst the most beautiful in France. Walk its cobbled streets to admire timber-framed buildings painted in every color of the rainbow.

Note: Lunch today will be on your own.

Day 8 | bASEL (disembark)

Disembark the ship. Contact Nolie or Sara for options on extending your trip!

Note: The itineraries presented are subject to modification due to water levels, closures because of public holidays or other uncontrollable factors. Every effort will be made to operate programs as planned, but changes may still be necessary throughout the cruise. This day-to-day schedule is subject to change. Your final day-to-day schedule will be provided onboard on the first day of your cruise.