Constructed in 2025, Connect is a brand-new, state-of-the-art European river ship joining the growing collection of bespoke charter vessels next year. With cutting-edge technology, luxurious amenities and wrap-around picture windows, this sleek 120-guest ship is uniquely designed to sail through the heart of storied destinations in Germany, France, The Netherlands and beyond. Sustainability and regional connection are at her core, creating a refined and meaningful experience that elevates every journey.
Day 1 Cologne
Cologne is a city where cathedral spires tower over Germany's oldest city and its innumerable cultural and historical treasures, world-famous museums and active art scene. In Cologne, street music on the Hohe Strasse or galas in the modern opera house; pavement painting on the cathedral concourse or old masters in the Wallraf Richartz Museum; the annual music festival along the inner ring road or carnival in the entire city all becomes synthesized into a vivacious work of art in a cosmopolitan metropolis boasting more than a million inhabitants which has never lost its neighborly character. From venerable breweries offering unique Kolsch beer and typical Cologne delicacies to first-class restaurants - boasting well in excess of 3000 public houses, restaurants and breweries Cologne is one of Germany's leading gastronomic lights. The world feels at home in Cologne, where people meet for a Kolsch, a chat or simply a laugh.
Day 2 Rhine Gorge
Winding from Bingen to Bonn, the 'heroic Rhine' has created a beautifully picturesque gorge. The river-scape has been an inspiration to both artists and authors.
Day 2 Rudesheim
Rüdesheim is located in the heart of the Rhine river area at the southern entrance to the Lorelei valley. This romantic holiday town offers much to visitors seeking a fabulous German experience. As you cruise down the Rhine, if you listen carefully, you just might hear the siren calling as you pass the Rock of Lorelei. One attraction to visit is the Niederwald monument. Erected between 1877 and 1883, this huge monument symbolizes the re-establishment of the German Empire and unity. From Rudesheim, one can either take the foot path to the monument or the cablecar leading to the top. The panoramic views from the top are spectacular. Rudesheim is also famous for the Abbey of St. Hildegard. Some think the building is older than it is, but truly, it was built at the beginning of the 20th century. Other sites to see are the Wine Museum in Broemserburg Castle, Siegfried's Mechanical Music Instruments Museum and the Medieval Torture Museum, which boasts a wide collection of medeival relics.
Day 3 Mainz
Mainz is located on the left bank of the Rhine, across from the Rhine's intersection with the Main River. It is thought that there may have been wine-producing vines in the area even before the coming of the Romans in 38 B.C., although it was from that time that the regions of the Rheingau and Rheinhessen became widely known for fine viticulture.
At the beginning of the Christian era, a bridge connected the settlement on the Rhine's left bank and the Roman fortifications opposite. In the 8th century, the town became a primary archbishopric. Over the centuries, church politics and a series of wars shuffled control of the city back and forth between the French and various German factions. Today Mainz is a bustling city, with a prosperous trade in wine and other businesses.
Day 3 Bingen
Day 4 Frankfurt
Frankfurt is the city of the International Book Fair, the National Library - a city encompassing a variety of publishing houses, libraries and bookshops. In its museums, exhibition halls, and art galleries, Frankfurt displays its distinct style of contemporary and historical art and culture. Frankfurt's highrises form part of the city's identity. The skyline is unique, thanks to its extraordinary architectural blend of tradition and modernity. Europe's largest skyscraper is also situated here, the Commerzbank building. Frankfurt is home to one of the world's finest ballet ensembles. Frankfurt is a metropolis for techno and dance music, which lends the city a reputation of musical magnetism. The city's numerous theaters and theater groups, the opera, and the concert house Alte Oper offer Frankfurt's stage aficionados and lovers of fine arts a comprehensive and diverse program.
Day 5 Mannheim
From its start as a quaint fishing village more than a thousand years ago, Mannheim has grown into one of the largest and most developed cities in Southern Germany. For a short time in the eighteenth century, the city served as a regional government center, and many of the grand old buildings remain. Boasting a large university and a nearby industrial center, Mannheim is a center of the arts and commerce. Considered by many to be one of the best-planned German cities, its easily navigable streets are arranged in a letter and number pattern. Numerous shops and design houses abound, and local events keep things interesting throughout the year. Noted attractions include the Wasserturm, which may well be the most beautiful water tower in the world, and the Residenzschloss, the largest baroque palace in the country. For its size and location, Mannheim is a great getaway with many interesting and enjoyable things to do and to see.
Day 5 Heidelberg
Heidelberg's fairy tale setting has captivated imaginations for centuries in works from writers to painters to composers. Its culture shows in its museums, private galleries, playhouses, concerts by Philharmonic and the Heidelberg Symphony Orchestra, and jazz and dance revues. Browse Main Street and Old Town's fascinating shops. Peruse stores and bars of Untere Strasse around the Church of the Holy Spirit and in “Plöck“ street. Scout treasures at the boroughs of Neuenheim and Handschuhsheim. Walk Philosopher‘s Path, one of Europe‘s most scenic overlooks with expansive views of Old Town and Heidelberg Castle. Saints‘ Mountain has a lookout tower, an amphitheater, and ruins of St. Michael‘s Basilica. Königstuhl Mountain is an excellent place to hike. Other unique attractions are: “Tiefburg“ (sunken castle), Neuburg Benedictine Monastery, the mountainside cemetery above Weststadt and Südstadt neighborhoods, and “Karlstorbahnhof“ culture center.
Day 6 Strasbourg
The rich architectural heritage of Strasbourg makes it an excellent tourist city. It has always been a town of passage, and has all architectural styles. The past is written in its walls, and its streets have a timeless quality. Few people can resist the charm of its half-timbered houses and picturesque alleys. Discover the pretty colored facades and impressive portals. Strasbourg is a popular destination where one can forget his usual surroundings. The old city lies around the cathedral on an island formed by two arms of the Ill river. La Petite France is the district which is most reminiscent of old Strasbourg. It is home to many craftsmen and antiques dealers. Its narrow streets offer a series of half-timbered houses dating from the 16th and 17th centuries with large inner courtyards and high sloping roofs. The exceptional warmth and hospitality of the people and the gastronomic reputation of Strasbourg makes tourists want to stay.
Day 7 Breisach
The town of Breisach, located on the Rhine River in southwest Germany, is a major producer of wine, textiles, electrical goods and paper. This town has been long coveted because of its strategic location. Fortified by the Romans prior to the 13th century, it became an imperial town in 1275. Taken by Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar 1638, in 1648 it was secured by Louis XIV for France in the Peace of Westphalia and ceded back to the emperor in the Treaty of Ryswick in 1697. The French repeatedly captured Breisach during the 18th century but finally gave it to Baden in 1805.
Day 7 Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany, with many beautiful hiking trails. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. Picturesque towns are plentiful in the Black Forest, and popular tourist destinations include the Schluchse and the Titisee, the thermal bath town Baden-Baden, Gengenbach, Freudenstadt, and Hinterzarten to name a few.
Day 7 Ribeauvillé
Day 7 Riquewihr
The flower-filled Alsacian town called Riquewihr (pop. 1,230) is near Colmar and worth a stop if it's harvest time. The town has several nice 12th-century houses.
Day 7 Colmar
Colmar is a gem of a town in Alsace, south of Strasbourgh. It's big enough to have lots to do, and small enough to get around easily. Some say it's the prettiest town in France, or Europe even.
Day 8 Basel
The third-largest city in Switzerland, Basel stands on the Rhine at the point where the French, German, and Swiss borders meet. At the entrance to the Swiss Rhineland, Basel is the capital of the half-canton of Basel-Stadt. On its borders are the French Vosges, the German Black Forest, and the Swiss Jura Mountains. Grossbasel, or Greater Basel, lies on the steep left bank, and Kleinbasel, or Lesser Basel, is on the right bank.