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Charming hamlets & Norse heritage

Tour highlights of the legendary Rhine River and discover Scandinavian wonders by sea. Experience cultured Basel and Germany’s storied Black Forest. See the charming canals of Strasbourg’s Petite France, admire Cologne’s famous cathedral and explore Holland’s iconic windmills. Sail the North Sea, visit Denmark and witness Norway’s dramatic fjord landscapes and scenic cities. Spend time in historic Bergen, a city with deep Viking roots.

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To learn more about each port of call and our included as well as optional excursions, click on the individual days below.

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More features, services and excursions included

• One complimentary shore excursion in every port of call
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One Day in Cologne, Germany on a River Cruise

If you want to know what to see in Cologne Germany in a short time, or what to see if you’ll have one day there on a river cruise, this article is for you.

Open any Cologne travel guide, and odds are that Cologne Cathedral (Kolner Dom) will be the first thing it mentions. “No other Cathedral is so perfectly conceived, so uniformly and uncompromisingly executed in all its parts,” UNESCO writes. Thus did this world heritage site become the highlight of most Cologne tours.

But I’m not sure it was the highlight of our one day in Cologne. There are so many other wonderful things to see that it would be hard to choose.

If you’re cruising the Rhine, you’ll probably stop in Cologne. It was on the itinerary of both our Budapest-to-Amsterdam cruise and our Basel-to-Amsterdam Rhine Cruise. So let’s start there.

Where do cruise ships dock in Cologne?

You can skim past these parts if river cruising doesn’t apply. No hard feelings.

If you’re in town on a Rhine cruise, Cologne has docks along the river, right in the middle of town. That’s so convenient for cruisers. However, when a lot of cruise ships are in port, you might have to dock a little bit out of town. We’ve experienced both.

Out-of-town dockings mean you’ll have to take a 10-minute bus ride into town. Although it isn’t very far, it’s a long walk. For passenger convenience, many ships have buses that will shuttle between ship and city center all day. On our cruise, the last bus departed Cologne and returned to the ship at 5:30 PM.

The river cruise guided walking tour of Cologne

The nicest thing about river cruises is that they usually offer a free group tour as part of their itinerary. It takes up much of the morning, but we recommend it. You’ll have free time to explore on your own afterwards.

Keep the following in mind:

• Guides need to keep everyone together. A slow walker will slow down the tour. Don’t be that person.
• Guides try to show a variety of sights, to appeal to different interests. You’ll probably enjoy it anyway.
• A good guide will also show you other interesting things along the way, share his insights and tips, and answer any questions you might have.

Of course you aren’t obligated to take the included tour. You might prefer to simply walk around Cologne with no particular plan. We’ve done that and it’s fun.

On the other hand, if you want to focus on things that interest you, your best options are:

• use a good travel guidebook and find just what you want. We bought a €1 book of Cologne walking tours at the tourist office after our tour. Unfortunately, our interests are all over the place, so it wasn’t as useful as we had hoped.
• research what you’ll want to see beforehand, then arrange for a private guide to take you to those spots in the most efficient manner.

Where is Cologne’s tourist information office?

River cruise or not, you should stop at the Tourist Information Office for a map. It’s across the plaza from the Cathedral.

Besides offering the usual tourist maps, advice, and lodging assistance, they also have a nice gift shop and restaurant. They also have working plumbing. Hurrah!

ⓘ PRO TIP: The Tourist Information Office has clean public toilet facilities. As is common in Europe, you are expected to tip the washroom attendant. The customary amount is 50 cents (half a euro). Handicap facilities are available.

What to see in Cologne if you only have one day

Before I list the best things to see in Cologne, I should mention that we’ve been to Cologne four times: twice while on a river cruise and twice to visit friends who live there. We’ve been there in the summer, and we’ve been there for Christmas markets . This city is fantastic year-round.

You may not be able to see everything in one day, but I want to give you some options. This way, you can tailor your day as you wish.

After all, we all have different interests, right?

Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral)

Let’s start with the city’s crown jewel, Cologne Cathedral, which has exquisite stained glass windows. It may not be the only cathedral that’s taken over six centuries to build (1248 – 1880), but it is unique in one respect. Even after six centuries, the plans never changed; the builders always remained loyal to the original design.

Kölner Dom is the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe and its two massive towers dominate the city’s skyline. That being the case, it might seem a miracle that the cathedral didn’t get blasted to smithereens during World War II. Actually, it’s precisely because it was so easy to spot that it was spared: Both sides preserved it because it made a good landmark for pilots on bombing missions!

Cologne Cathedral was damaged during World War II. It’s easy to tell which sections were repaired because the stone is still white.

In the 1100s, the Holy Roman Emperor awarded Cologne Dom a reliquary. It’s said to contain the remains of the Three Wise Men. The coveted treasure made the cathedral one of Europe’s most important places of pilgrimage during the Middle Ages. Thus, it brought in a lot of donations.

You can still see the reliquary displayed in the sanctuary.

ⓘ PRO TIP: The cathedral is open from 6 am – 9 pm daily. You can also tour the treasury (€4), or simply visit the chapel (free). If you would like to explore further — and your knees can handle it — you can pay €3 to climb the 509 steps to the top for fabulous views of the city.

Cologne began as a Roman settlement called Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium. You will find fragments of Roman ruins around the city, and the Roman gate that stands in the Cathedral’s square is one of them. It’s in good shape for being 2000 years old.

Romano-Germanic Museum

Also in the cathedral’s main square, you will find the Romano-Germanic Museum. This museum holds many of the ancient artifacts they have discovered in Cologne.

The museum’s most notable artifact is an intricate mosaic floor that had once been part of a Roman villa’s main hall. The villa was discovered during World War II while they were constructing of an air-raid shelter. The mosaic could not be moved easily, so they left the floor where it was and designed the museum around the mosaic.

We didn’t visit, but other passengers told us that it was quite interesting. You can look through the windows from outside and see the mosaic on display. Apologies for the photo quality; my cell phone refused to focus through the glass.

Visiting information: Closed Mondays. Open Tuesday – Sunday 10 am – 5 pm. Tickets: €8; may change during special exhibits.

Schokoladenmuseum (chocolate museum)

Never mind the cathedral, Cologne is also home to a Chocolate Museum, and it was the highlight of our day. It’s situated right on the banks of the Rhine River, only a few minutes’ walk from the cathedral.

What’s inside the Chocolate Museum

• a fabulous gift shop of chocolate deliciousness,
• a chocolate cafe overlooking the water, and
• a museum of the history of cocoa around the world, chocolate uses, and more.

Museum displays teach you all about the history of cocoa and the process of turning this bitter bean into lovely bars of luxurious chocolate. That said, the most popular part of the exhibit was the 10-foot high chocolate fountain – complete with samples.

We watched the chocolate-making process and took advantage of a unique opportunity to order our own custom chocolate bar. Yum!

Finally, we filled a sack full of colorful foil-wrapped Lindt chocolate truffles in the gift shop. We made sure there were at least two of every available flavor in our bag, so we wouldn’t need to share!

Visiting information: Open daily, 10 am – 6 pm. Tickets: €11,50 for adults; €3,50 extra for guided tour. Tours are also available for visually handicapped and persons with disabilities. See website for details.

Walking around old town Cologne

Cologne is full of Roman ruins, Romanesque churches, a Renaissance city hall, and more than its share of breweries, pubs and restaurants. It also has an archaeological zone that includes the 2000-year-old Roman praetorium and the more recent remnants of an ancient Jewish mikveh.

We spent the balance of our afternoon looking at the excavations, wandering through its twisting streets and alleyways and admiring the traditional architecture and fountains. We also read every menu we passed.

Eau de Cologne museums

Cologne, Germany may be most famous for its fragrance, because eau de Cologne means “water of Cologne.” Both 4711 Eau de Cologne and Farina Eau de Cologne claim to be the true original. I couldn’t resist picking up small bottles of each as a souvenir.

If you appreciate fragrance, here are two places for you:

• Farina House Fragrance Museum offers 45-minute guided tours. Tickets €9, reservation required. Open Monday – Saturday 10 am – 7 pm, Sunday 11 am – 5 pm
• 4711 House of Fragrances has a flagship store that is open Monday – Friday 9.30 am – 6.30 pm and Saturday 9.30 am – 6 pm. Guided historical tours are also available daily at 1 pm, €7.

Eating in Cologne

What to eat. Our Viking Daily had recommended that we try Cologne’s typical Halver Hahn. Oddly for a German city, the sandwich doesn’t contain a single pork product. Rather, it’s a buttered rye roll that has been halved and topped with Gouda cheese and mustard and comes with pickles and onions.

Unfortunately, that’s not for people who are on a low-carb diet, nor is it gluten-free. We didn’t try it, so if you know how it tastes, please share your thoughts.

Where we ate. I have a “thing” for visiting Hard Rock Cafés in cities all over the world, just to say I’ve been there. Silly, I know, but there you have it. And there, too, was Cologne’s Hard Rock. Dan didn’t mind, as long as they served Kölsch, a brew unique to Cologne. He has a “thing” for that beer. So we’re even.

We each had the restaurant’s specialty burger and saved just enough room for our next destination.

Random photos from exploring Cologne

Here are a few highlights from our Cologne photo albums .

Tünnes and Schäl are two figures from Hänneschen-Theater, the puppet theater of Cologne. Tünnes is wearing Dan’s cap and Schäl is holding Dan’s camera.

Back on board

We returned to the ship just before the 5:00 presentation on Germany Today, given by a guest lecturer. It was quite interesting and especially nice to relax with a cocktail and rest our feet.

Following that, our Program Director gave the daily briefing. We didn’t like the part that included disembarkation details. Nooo! I have had far too much fun on this cruise to want it to end!

Dinner on board

Viking went all out with tonight’s dinner: A Taste of Germany. Staff dressed up in traditional costumes and a musical duet paraded through the dining room serenading us throughout the meal.

Between the pork and wheat, I would have preferred to order one of Viking’s “always available” meals off the menu. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible tonight, so Chef Zsolt took me around personally and made sure that I didn’t take anything I shouldn’t eat.

The meal itself was served buffet-style, and they had choices galore. Even for me.

Touring the kitchen

Guests are invited to visit the galley during the dinner, so Dan and I went to see where all the food is prepared. All was so very high tech, efficient and easy to clean that I found myself wishing it were our kitchen at home.

Kölsch brauhaus tour in Köln

Cologne is known for its brauhaus (pub) culture, thanks to its unique beer, known as Kölsch . Kölsch is one of the palest German beers made. It has been called Germany’s answer to the British pale ale (though it’s brewed from mainly Pilsener malt), and more than 20 breweries in the city make it.

Prost! is the German way to say cheers!, and we said it a lot on our evening in Cologne. Call it a German pub crawl, if you will. Viking offered a Brauhaus culture excursion so guests could experience Cologne’s beer culture first hand. We had taken this optional excursion on our previous cruise and enjoyed it so much we signed up for it again. It was so worth the €29.

Sure, you can pub crawl on your own, but it’s a lot more fun when you go with a bunch of people you know. It’s also nice having a local provide insight into Cologne’s history and culture. Even some who were not beer fans joined in, just so they could experience Cologne’s nightlife.

Brauhaus-hopping

Our tour guide began by telling our group that each breuhaus (beer hall) carries kolsch from one brewery exclusively , so we would visit three beer halls and try three varieties of kolsch. We might be able to try a fourth, he promised, if we didn’t linger in any of the first three for too long.

It’s hard to get drunk quickly in Cologne, because Kolsch is served in .2 liter glasses. Because kolsch is top-fermented, it can lose its fizz quickly. The smaller serving size help the bubbles remain until you’ve finished your glass.

Waiters walk between the tables carrying trays of kolsch and keeping their eyes open for empty glasses. When they see one, they quickly replace it with a new, full glass.

Tip: In Kölsch culture, they will keep the beers coming until you place a coaster over your glass. That is the signal that you don’t want a refill.

We all had so much fun that we didn’t want the evening to end. We begged Dewi, who had accompanied us on the tour, to let us visit just one more brauhaus. Pretty please?

All I can say is that we were the last group to return to the ship, laughing and chatting all the way like old friends. I don’t think the captain was pleased, because we left Cologne mere moments after the gangplank was raised.

• Next stop: Kinderdijk

Plan your Cologne visit

• Lonely Planet Germany is a best-selling travel guide on Amazon.
• Cologne has many useful trip-planning resources on its official website.
• There is a tourist information office across the plaza in front of Cologne Dom.
• Transportation – This website shows how to get anywhere by plane, train, bus, ferry and car.
• For more sightseeing, see our photo album from Cologne .
• Google Maps offers an aerial view of the area around Cologne Cathedral. Zoom, scroll around and explore!

Note: As is common in the travel industry, Dan and Linda were provided with a complimentary cruise package for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced coverage, AWSI believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.

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Written by Linda

Linda is multilingual and has been to over 50 countries. Her insatiable love of travel, cuisine, and foreign languages inspired her to create As We Saw It, where she documents her trips, shares practical itineraries, and offers insider tips. She’s passionate about helping fellow travelers save time, money, and hassle, and loves to discover new places to explore.

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6 thoughts on “one day in cologne, germany on a river cruise”.

Beautifully written article I loved each and every word of it cologne is one of my favourite place to visit. Thanks for this information.

We’re glad you enjoyed it.

Cologne looks like a charming city with lovely churches.

It is! We had a wonderful time exploring the back streets, too. I’ve developed an appreciation for local architecture as a result.

Beautiful collection of photos! I have always just seen the stunning cathedral when people post things about Cologne. I’m glad there are many other attractions. You can certainly cover a lot in a day. I’m salivating at the thought of the Chocolate Museum.

Eau de Cologne originated here so there’s a fragrance museum as well. We thought about seeing that instead, but our taste buds won out.

Comments are closed.

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6 Fabulous Shore Excursions On A Viking Rhine River Cruise

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A Rhine River Cruise is on the bucket list for many. Who has seen a commercial showcasing the castles along the Rhine as guests sail by on-board a river cruise?

TravelAwaits writer Peggy Cleveland and Senior Vice President Missy Glassmaker were hosted on Viking’s new Longship, the Viking Egdir , on the 8-day Rhine Getaway itinerary. This cruise took them to four countries — Switzerland , France , Germany , and the Netherlands — and included six guided tours. 

This cruise is heavy on castles and cathedrals as you cruise along the Rhine River. It is a rich landscape renowned for vineyards producing white wines, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the culinary traditions of the Alsace region — with its influences from both Germany and France — as well as the windmills and cheeses of the Netherlands.

One of the benefits of a Viking River Cruise is that a shore excursion is included in each port. We were both pleasantly surprised at the quality of these trips. Peggy is one who tends to explore on her own because, frankly, most tours she’s taken in the past have been pretty boring. The included Viking excursions typically took place in the morning and lasted about 3 hours. 

The guides were awesome! All were well-vetted and so knowledgeable about the destination. You will either be on a walking tour or a bus tour for which Viking uses their own buses. In your room, you will find a QuietVox audio receiver to wear around your neck with an earpiece. It allows you to hear the guide while the group can spread out a bit, which is nice for social distancing and if you want to linger and look at something a bit more as the group moves ahead.

Pro Tips: Tours start as early as 8:30 a.m. so get a good night’s sleep. Also be sure to wear good walking shoes. Peggy wore Keen’s Women’s Targhee II Waterproof Hiking Shoes . A hiking shoe gives you a great tread and support without the bulk of a boot. The terrain on this trip was very uneven with cobblestones and old pavement as well as some trails. Also note if you have mobility issues. Even tours rated “easy” have a walk from the ship to the bus which can be a challenge for some. Work with the ship’s program director or guest services for options.

Here are some of the fabulous excursions Peggy enjoyed on her Viking Rhine River Cruise.

1. The Black Forest

Breisach, germany.

I thought this was a great excursion and it was included. After our ship docked along the shore in Breisach, it was a short walk to the Viking buses where we met our guide, Walter Hirsch. The trip took us on a scenic drive through the fabled Black Forest, past three quaint villages and rolling hills covered in vineyards. We stopped at the Hofgut Sternen Hotel situated at a more than 700-year-old crossroads in the heart of the Black Forest. The location has a long history of hospitality towards travelers. 

My first stop was at the restaurant to enjoy a slice of Black Forest cake before visiting the shops and looking at the amazing assortment of cuckoo clocks. I ended up having enough time to take a hike into the forest and walk along a rushing stream before heading back to the bus.

2. Flavors Of Alsace

Strasbourg, france.

This is the best tour I have ever taken and, with my travel history, that is saying a lot. This was the most expensive of the optional excursions I took at over $200, but I felt it was well worth it. This tour is rated “demanding” as total walking or standing time may exceed 3 hours. 

The tour took us through Grande-Île, UNESCO World Heritage Site in Strasbourg, France. This charming historic district is filled with darling small shops, restaurants, and food merchants. It seemed like every type of food had its own small shop. We went to a bakery for eclairs, a shop for cheese, and even one for gingerbread. 

Our guide Steve is certified by the French Government and had to pass both a written and oral test. This certification is required to give tours of French monuments and museums. Steve was so personable and knowledgeable about the culinary traditions of the Alsace region. This made all the difference when spending 7 hours with someone. 

In addition to stops for food sampling, the tour included a stop at a Winstube where we enjoyed a wine tasting of Alsace wines and nibbled on local cheese and charcuterie. We also learned about and ate Flamkuchen, a local Alsace specialty. Similar to a pizza with a thin crust, we tried a savory one with onion and bacon lardons, and a sweet one with apples then flambeed with calvados liquor. Very impressive. 

We also toured the Strasbourg Cathedral, timing it perfectly to watch the astronomical clock in action, before heading back to the ship.

3. Kinderdijk Windmills & Dutch Cheese Making

Kinderdijk, the netherlands.

I am a big foodie, so any excursion that involves a farm-to-table experience is one I will always sign up for. The ship made a brief stop in Gorinchem, the Netherlands, for guests leaving on this excursion. Alas, we just walked from the ship along the historic city walls to our bus because this was such a darling small town and so picturesque that I wished we had time to explore it. 

The bus took us to a farm in Streefkerk to see the Booij kaasmakers (cheese makers) and learn how raw milk cheeses are made. The Booij family has made cheese for over 350 years and the craftsmanship and experience shows in their superior cheeses. After tasting the cheese, I think our whole group purchased some to bring home; it was that good.

We then boarded the buses and headed to the Kinderdijk Windmills to take a tour and link back up with the ship. A nice surprise was greeted by our program director, who took all our cheese for us so we didn’t have to carry it around while exploring the windmills. I enjoyed my afternoon in this bucolic setting. The historic windmills provided a perfect backdrop to the canals with a variety of waterfowl swimming about.

Here are some of the fabulous excursions Missy enjoyed on our Viking Rhine River Cruise.

4. Medieval Village Of Colmar

This was the first taste of the adorable villages you dream about when planning a Rhine River Cruise. We took a bus to the village and then were on our way. It was the end of the Easter break in Europe and several Easter Markets, think Christmas Markets but with a spring feel, were still set up — a real treat! 

Colmar is just so picturesque. It’s like being dropped into a storybook. Our guide excellently engaged us with stories from centuries of history, unique architecture, and other small details I would have been sure to miss had I been exploring on my own. The stroll was lovely and at an easy pace. The only problem was, you want to stop and linger at the cafes and shops! 

That’s where the QuietVox audio receiver Peggy mentioned above really pays off. It’s in every room on a Viking River Cruise and allows you to linger at the store windows to take a look, but still listen in as the group moves ahead. We did have about 45 minutes to explore at the end of the tour. This was plenty of time to pick up a few goodies.

5. Cologne By Bicycle

Viking offered an included walking tour of Cologne during our stop. Many on board took part and really enjoyed it. However, if you like a smaller group setting, want to work off a few calories from all the delicious food, and of course, enjoy riding a bike, this is the perfect tour for you. 

We met our lovely guide just off the ship and we were off. We biked across the Rhine River with several stops along the way to hear about the history and take pictures, including outside of the cathedral and the store where eau de cologne was invented. Our guide, a trained opera singer, even shared her talents with us at one stop. While that can’t be guaranteed on every Cologne bicycle tour, it was magical. The tour also included a stop to relax and grab a coffee or tea, which was included. Then, we made our way along the Rhine for several miles before heading back to the ship.

This tour allowed our group to see a lot of the city in less time, and with just six of us taking part, created great opportunities for getting to know one another, even while biking along the Rhine. We became fast friends and it made the entire experience so much more enjoyable. 

I hadn’t ridden a bike for years before joining this tour and while riding through a major city was daunting, and I felt a bit rusty at the beginning, it was a great experience and the guide was very patient. Finally, the team behind the guide is prepared should any issues arise. We had one member of our party blow a tire and they met us within minutes.

Another Option: Cologne’s Beer Culture & Dinner

This excursion was a ton of fun. We learned a little and laughed a lot! If you like beer and want to try authentic German fare, which was delicious, this is a great experience. The only problem was that it had to end, but guests on the ship were dancing the night away when we returned and you only need to know one thing: there was a conga line which always signals a great time.

Pro Tip: I ended up wearing my comfortable, exercise-type clothes much more than I thought I would on this trip. There’s no need to overpack, but just don’t forget to pack a few things you would normally wear when out for a good walk or bike ride.

6. Kinderdijk Windmills By Bicycle

Viking really puts you in the middle of the action on this stop. The windmills are basically across the road from the ship just begging you to come visit. Viking offered a walking, barge, and bicycle tour of the windmills. After having such a great time on the Cologne bicycle tour, I decided to join this one as well. 

What made this unique was being able to really see the windmills from various perspectives, as well as riding along the village that adjoins them, which wasn’t accessible on the walking or barge tours. I will say, our guide was just okay. He wasn’t very engaging, nice enough, but the competition was stiff with the many other fabulous guides we experienced throughout the week.

What We Both Loved

Finally, I agree with Peggy that the Flavors of Alsace was amazing and would highly recommend it. We had an excellent guide and a really great group of people from the ship on the tour, which made it even more enjoyable. We even had time to ride the double-decker carousel — a first! I also loved the included Black Forest excursion. The drive up was a bit windy, in case tight turns on a bus can make you woozy.

Other Excursions Guests Enjoyed

I made a point of chatting with the guests, learning which excursions they were going to experience and following up to see what they thought. A few that stood out were: the Black Forest E-bike tour, Mercedes-Benz Factory visit, Wine tasting and Dinner at Eberbach Monastery, and Moselle Wine Tasting.

Castles Of The Middle Rhine

While not an excursion, seeing 21 castles in just a few hours is what draws guests to this cruise. The sailing through the Middle Rhine is an unforgettable experience. The crew shares details of each castle over the ship’s intercom while you are able to just excitedly watch each go by. I feel the top deck is the best place for this, but it can really be enjoyed from anywhere, which is pretty special. 

Pro Tip: After booking your Viking Cruise, make sure to read 5 Important Things To Do To Prepare For Your Viking Cruise . There are detailed tips on how to research shore excursions and when to book.

Missy Glassmaker is an Emmy-nominated producer and writer. She spent most of her career in broadcast television news, working in Providence, Rhode Island; Knoxville, Tennessee; and St. Louis, Missouri. Missy enjoys cooking, entertaining, and of course, traveling. Her favorite travel companions are her twin sons, who are always ready to explore.

She currently lives in the Pacific Northwest. Her work can be found in Northwest Travel & Life Magazine , 253 Lifestyle Magazine , and other regional publications. She is the author of 100 Things to Do in Tacoma Before You Die , Reedy Press, and a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA). The name of her travel blog came about from her friends constantly asking her, "Peggy, Where Should I Go?"

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What It’s Really Like on a Viking River Cruise

Want to know if a Viking River Cruise is right for you? I’m spilling all the details, including what they don’t tell you in the brochure, so you can make an informed decision. I’ll take you from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland along the Rhine River with lots of stops at charming old towns and villages in between. This Viking River cruise Rhine review is chock full of information that is helpful in planning your own Rhine getaway cruise.

I took 8 million photos so it’s impossible to share them all in one post. I’ll break up this trip into two posts so stay tuned for part two next weekend.

When Viking invited me to set sail with them, I immediately packed my bags! Who wouldn’t want to sail to all the charming little European towns that dot the riverside? We traveled in October and I highly recommend Europe during this time of the year because not only do you get to experience the beautiful foliage and cooler temps, but it’s much less crowded and it’s cheaper too!

What I love about the Viking Longships is that they are just the right size to float down the river and get up close and personal to all of the little towns. Plus there are only 90 staterooms which means it’s easy to get to know the crew and passengers. I love that you only have to unpack once instead of changing hotels every couple of days.

We sailed on the Hlin (pronounced “Lynn) on the 8 day Rhine River Cruise from Amsterdam to Basel , Switzerland (they do the same tour in the opposite direction too).

Booking was a breeze and a few weeks before we set sail, a package arrived in the mail with our personalized itineraries, red leather Viking luggage tags and more.

Airfare Tip: Viking can book your airfare and while I thought I could get a better deal by handling my own flights, I was wrong! I saved so much money by booking through Viking and I was able to have complete control over which flights I chose. So be sure to do your research. We flew into the Amsterdam airport.

We decided to add three nights in Amsterdam before the cruise and we’re so glad we did! With 165 canals, I can see why this is called “The Venice of the North.” Don’t let the stories of sex shops and pot scare you away because Amsterdam is so much more than that! I’ll share more about our time here in a separate post. Fun Fact: Amsterdam has more bikes than people!

Hotel Tip: If you are adding on time before and/or after your cruise, Viking offers lots of hotel packages you can choose as add ons to your trip. We saved money by booking our own hotels in Amsterdam and Basel because we didn’t feel we needed the extras that Viking offered including city tours and shuttle service to and from the ship.

Day 1 – Board Ship in Amsterdam

We celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary this day (October 13) and what a way to celebrate! We were greeted with a bottle of champagne and that night, after dinner, we were surprised to find a special “Happy Anniversary” dessert waiting for us in our room!

A buffet lunch was perfect for people who were arriving at different times of the day not to mention a late afternoon cheese and wine tasting, then dinner before we set sail that night. Can you say food coma?

Our veranda stateroom was small but well laid out and I used the desk as my vanity (I loved the huge, well lit mirror) which made getting ready a breeze. The veranda made the room seem larger and I loved being able to pop outside to check the weather or just relax with a glass of wine. The bathroom was tiny but adequate (I loved the heated floors) but don’t expect to be able to bend over to shave your legs in the shower!

I’ll let you in on a little insider secret … when the boats dock, they often tie up to each other which means sometimes, you’ll have another boat parked smack dab against your window as you can see form the photo above. This is common on river cruises no matter which company you choose but it’s definitely something I want you to know before you go.

It’s all about the common spaces and the lobby, with its glass roof, was such a welcoming place to come back to after a day spent exploring.

The top sun deck was the perfect place to walk off all of the food we seemed to be eating at every waking moment but hey, isn’t that what vacations are all about! I loved the fresh herb garden too.

Day 2 – Kinderjidk

We woke up to this peaceful view from our veranda. After breakfast, we only had to take a short walk to our destination (led by our guide of course).

Tip: There is an intercom in every stateroom so you can hear early morning wake up calls and announcements of when and where to meet for excursions. If you plan on sleeping in, be sure to turn off the intercom!

You may be wondering is it worth getting a balcony on a river cruise and I can definitely say it was amazing! However, if it’s not in your budget, the French balcony cabins with their floor to ceiling doors that can be opened to catch the breeze are wonderful too.

Today’s shore excursion takes us to Kinderdijk which is a UNESCO World Heritage site with 19 enormous windmills. This is an included tour so it costs no extra money! It is such a spectacular sight to behold and straight out of a fairytale. Our local guide took us into a working windmill where families still live today.

This post contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something, I will make a small commission.

My rain coat was the perfect layering piece for the unpredictable weather and I recommend a cross body bag (I love this water resistant bag ).

The best part about returning to the ship was being surprised with a different daily treat in our stateroom.

The afternoon was spent on board taking in the scenery as we cruised along the Rhine.

Day 3 – Cologne Germany

It’s all about the food and the breakfasts on the ship were fabulous! We loved the made to order omelettes. Breakfasts were casual buffets while lunches and dinners were more formal sit down meals. I loved the casual dress code because after a long day of exploring, it was nice not to have to worry about getting all dolled up for meals.

We boarded a bus for a short ride to Cologne where our tour guide gave us a quick lay of the land then left us on our own to explore. The Cologne Cathedral (another UNESCO World Heritage sight) is HUGE and it was pretty impossible to get a decent photo!

Did you know Cologne is where the original Eau de Cologne was invented! I had to find the Farina Fragrance Museum and pick up some of the iconic red packages for friends and family (and of course one for me).

When in Cologne, you must drink Kölsch beer in an original “Brauhaus” (a traditional German pub where the beer is brewed). The waiters will continue to refill your glass unless you put your coaster on top to signal that you’re done!  By law, this refreshingly light brew can only be produced in Cologne so don’t miss it!

When we had our fill of Cologne, we enjoyed strolling across the Love Locks Bridge to get back to the ship.

Our ship had a prime location with a spectacular view of the bridge and the cathedral! The ship has two dining areas and this is the more casual Aquavit lounge with seating inside and out on the front (or the bow) of the ship.

We loved getting to know the friendly crew including Captain Wim, Sara our Program Director, and Mohamed (or Mo as everyone called him) the Hotel Manager. They mixed and mingled with the guests and one morning when we found the Captain sitting alone at breakfast in the main dining room, we joined him and had a great time chatting.

There are lots of optional night tours too like the popular Cologne’s Beer Culture Dinner but we enjoyed touring the beer halls on our own so we were happy to eat dinner on the ship.

Tip: House wine is served at lunch and dinner but if you prefer a nicer bottle of wine and cocktails, I recommend buying the Silver Spirits package so you can get unlimited drinks any time of the day or night!

Day 4 – Koblenz Germany

We chose to tour Marksburg Castle (there are many tour options to choose from every day) which is one of the few remaining castles on the Rhine that has remained intact. We took a short bus drive up a winding road to the top of a hill and were met with this spectacular view! There are optional tours this day including a walking tour of Koblenz so you’ll have to decide which one works best for you.

Middle Rhine Castle Corridor

When we were done exploring the castle, we went back to the ship to enjoy the most scenic sailing day of the trip!

This stretch of the Rhine is filled with castles perched high in the hills. Most have been turned into luxury hotels! There are tons of castles on both sides of the river.

We sailed past this spectacular 430 foot Lorelei Rock where legend has it that the beautiful maiden Lorelei sunk the ships of distracted sailors.

A little wind and rain didn’t dampen our spirits! The upper deck of the ship has a clear overhang making it perfect for being able to take in the sights while staying dry. Viking handed out a map of the castles and Sara, our Program Director, gave commentary over the loud speaker. If you want to see the castles up close and personal, pack a pair of binoculars.

Tip: Pack layers! We traveled in October and some days called for heavy coats while other days, a long sleeve shirt was all that was needed. Also, pack a small travel umbrella (Viking provides bright red umbrellas but you’ll stand out like a tourist if you use one)!

Rudesheim Germany

What a day! After being wowed by the castles, we docked in Rudesheim around 5 pm just in time for dinner. The only problem was, not many restaurants were open so we spent our time wandering around this charming little town of vine covered, story book buildings.

I was a little bit disappointed and didn’t think there was much to do here (lots of touristy t-shirt shops) so we eventually took the scenic walk along the river back to our ship where it was time to dine!

Wein is a universal language!

I’ll be back soon with part two of our Viking River Cruise where I’ll share more amazing sites including my favorite city that we visited! I’ll share who we hung out with and an unbelievable blast from the past that we ran into on the ship!

P.S. I posted more in my Instagram Stories here including some great videos!

Read Part 2 of My Rhine River Cruise Here

Have you ever been on a Viking River Cruise ? Are you thinking of going on one? Feel free to ask questions or leave your reviews and tips in the comments.

My friend Diane wrote a great post about her Viking Cruise along the Seine from Paris to Normandy and you can read it here !

See More of Kelly’s Travels Here

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36 Comments

Wow, sounds amazing. I can’t wait to read part 2. Happy Anniversary!

I can’t wait to share Melissa! Rooting through 8 million photos right now!

We took this fabulous Viking cruise a couple of years ago, so reading this post brought back so many memories! The canals and charm of Amsterdam (even the red light zone : ), the castles along the Rhine and the spectacular windmills were just a few of the many enchanting sights we viewed from the balcony of the ship. Having sailed on both ocean liners and river cruise ships, I have to say that river cruises have so much more to offer in terms of comfort, size and individual services. Highly recommend! Happy Anniversary and can’t wait to hear how you enjoyed Strasbourg!

Amsterdam is incredible and I definitely want to go back! The best part about a river cruise is no sea sickness!

Oh, wow! I loved this! I get mail from Viking and wondered what one of their cruises would be like. I feel like all cruise ships have small rooms and bathrooms so that won’t deter me. The sites look amazing! Thank you for sharing! I am looking forward to Part 2!

Small bathrooms aren’t the end of the world I was just happy to have such a great counter space in the bedroom. Very well thought out!

We were on the Viking Villi during that same time! Our trip was Amsterdam to Budapest and then we racked on days in Amsterdam and Prague. Beautiful sights on the river and cities. Loved Cologne, Kolsch beer, Cathedral and the Lock bridge, and also bought cologne!

How funny! Maybe we sailed by each other Linda!

First, Congratulations on 24 yrs of marriage! Second, can’t wait to hear more about your trip, it looks amazing. The trip has lots of beautiful sites to see. Looks like I’ll have to add this journey to my list.

So many places to see, so little time Tammara!

What a beautiful trip! We haven’t gone a cruise before, and have even been reluctant. Thank you for sharing the beauty saw and tips on how to set up everything.

I’ve only been on a big ocean cruise over 25 years ago and didn’t love it but this is so different! Smaller ships that go right to the little towns!

Happy Anniversary!! This was very informative Kelly. Awesome job! I love the windmills and the pics of you and your husband. May I ask about all the purses hanging up??

Ok I’m so dumb and embarrased. I just googled it and saw that they are locks, not purses. On my phone it looks like purses. 😢😔

Don’t be embarrassed Lisa! Now that I look, they do look like a bunch of purses!

Viking is wonderful! We did the Amsterdam, Windmills and Tulips one in March-April. It was fabulous! So beautiful. We have been on the Seine Paris to Normandy. Highly, highly recommend that trip. We have booked and scheduled our next one, the Mediterranean Odyssey. Barcelona, Venice, all and everything in between! We always book the bigger Veranda’s. Sitting area separate from the bedroom/bathroom. Highly recommend! Did I say I love Viking cruises?!?! Glad you had that wonderful time. You need to treat yourselves to another! Thanks for sharing your trip!

Wow Melanie sounds like you are a river cruise fanatic! We met so many people on the cruise who had taken others in the past and I think that shows how great they really are to have people keep coming back for more! Enjoy the Med! I’ve been to Venice and it’s fabulous but very crowded!

Thanks for all this information, yes i have thought about it and wondered what they were like so i am writing down all these tips. You guys are such a cute couple no wonder your girls are so pretty.

Thanks so much Marlene! Our girls definitely hit the looks jackpot and they’re funny and smart to boot!

We took the same cruise in May of 2013. Love revisiting & reminiscing. Thank you.

How nice! I enjoyed writing the post and remembering all the fun we had (and it’s only been 3 months)!

Thank you for your comment. We are taking this cruise this May for our 50th anniversary. First time on a cruise. Are there any hints that would help. It does not sound like there were any negatives that we need to be concerned about. Ellie

We did this journey on our own years ago, visiting Marksburg Castle which was amazing. The stories told by our German speaking tour guide was incredible (we don’t speak German so we eavesdropped on a girl who was translating for her friend). I timed our trip to do the Rhine in Flames. To this day, my family still says it was the most incredible fireworks display we’ve ever seen. Hundreds of boats, decorated with Christmas lights, even though it was July, line up and we all set sail up the Rhine. From each of those castles fireworks began going off and it was a sight to see! We stayed in Rudesheim and when I woke up early in the morning and opened the shutters, I did feel like I was in a fairy tale. I have blonde hair & as I was gazing over the rooftops I heard clicking & chattering in maybe Japanese(?) below. Apparently my blonde hair made me look like a typical German Frau and they were pushing each other out of the way to take my picture!! I’ve always wanted to do a cruise, avoid the terror I always feel driving on the autobahn so I’m looking forward to the rest of your post.

I love that you will appear in all of those tourists photo albums Darlene! The fireworks sound spectacular!

Hi, Kelly. We did this same cruise 2 years ago at Christmas (seeing those famous Christmas markets has been on my bucket list for a while and I wasn’t disappointed). So glad to hear you had a favorable experience. Coming from Miami, I thought I knew cruising. But Viking takes it up a notch. Also, while I’m not an ocean cruise fan, river cruising is a whole ‘nother thing. Travel is about your destination – the terrain, people, customs, etc. These Viking cruises allow you to appreciate and enjoy that. Can’t wait to read the second post. Bet I know your favorite city already! Oh, and happy anniversary!

I went on one ocean cruise 25 years ago and wasn’t a fan! I know Viking does some though – maybe I’ll have to try one of theirs! The Christmas markets sound amazing and I’d love to go back for them.

I enjoyed reading this Kelly – I did an AmaWaterways cruise in Dec ’18 – basically the same route you took, but started in Basel – I THOROUGHLY enjoyed it! I’m doing another cruise in May of this year – this time up the Danube (with Ama) – looking at your pic’s of the ship, ours was pretty comparable – that was really ‘different’ the way the boats dock next to each other!

How fun Leanne! At one stop, we were tied to an Ama ship and had to walk across it to get to land! The Danube sounds fabulous and I hope you enjoy your trip!

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What a wonderful experience! Your photos are so beautiful and it’s nice to see what the ship looked like…It really is a good size and your stateroom looked comfortable too! Those huge Caribbean type cruise ships never appealed to me but this is definitely something I would like. Much more intimate with constantly changing scenery! Great tips, Kelly! Shelley

I went on one ocean cruise over 25 years ago and I wasn’t a huge fan! The small ship really appealed to me Shelley!

Fun Kelly! That’s the same cruise Mark and I took last May & we loved it. We are going on another Viking River Cruise in September to France & we are excited. It was fun to see your pics of all the places we went.

How exciting Rhoda! Are you taking the Paris to Normandy trip along the Seine? If so, don’t miss Diane’s post!

Kelly, you did a wonderful job with descriptions and photos of your excursions. My sister and I are taking the Rhine Getaway trip in July of 2023. Since the descriptions of the excursions on the Viking site are not very detailed it difficult to decide which ones to take. We are trying to decide between the Medieval Colmar and the WWII Colmar excursions. I have heard positive and negative reviews of the Medieval trip. Also it looks like the food tour in Alsace is a lot more extensive than the description of it. It looks like you see more places along the way than I had imagined. Thank you for any input you might have.

You can always call Viking for a more detailed description of the tours Elaine! The Alsace was a highlight of our trip for sure. So many great little shops and food we would never have tried on our own. Enjoy your trip with your sister!

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• River Cruising

Viking Cologne Beer Culture Excursion

By Mp1035 , July 20, 2017 in River Cruising

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Has anyone done the optional Beer Culture & Dinner tour in Cologne on a Viking Rhine Getaway? Is it worth it?

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Mike, I have the same question. I feel like I could do my own Kolsch beer tour and get back to the boat for dinner saving the better part of $89. I have an article from the May/June 2017 Zymurgy (Home Brew) magazine that describes where to go in Cologne. We are on the Baldur leaving Budapest on 9/24.

tjb19841987

A number of folks on our trip went and enjoyed the excursion thoroughly. You could certainly do a DIY adventure for much cheaper, as the boat docks walking distance to many of the famous brew houses and stays in town until late, but we heard the guides were what really made the experience so special. We opted to wander into town and enjoy a glass of Kölsch and a pretzel on our own, as the city was very easy to navigate on foot.

My thought is doing it with a group could make it a little more fun. I imagine that most will feel that way, so I'd be surprised to hear otherwise. Just wondering, as okiegreen is, if it's worth the cost.

Here's info on Cologne from my go to beer geek. http://www.ottosrambles.co.uk/cologne.php - also many other cities.

It's hard for me to imagine a guide providing enough value added to justify that price.

Fruh is a good spot, and it's an easy walk from where we docked.

If your cruise goes to Rudesheim, we really enjoyed the dine out in Rudesheim excursion. It was a fun evening.

Here's info on Cologne from my go to beer geek. http://www.ottosrambles.co.uk/cologne.php - also many other cities. It's hard for me to imagine a guide providing enough value added to justify that price. Fruh is a good spot, and it's an easy walk from where we docked.

Thank you, Sir. This is what I have been looking for. What quality reporting. Saves me $89 minus what a "boatload" of Kolsch will cost.

You're quite welcome. Otto probably has commentary on every stop you'll make.

We did this in June from Viking Ve. Guide was very fun and gave a lot local info on each brewhouse we visited. What some seem not to realize is that you do get dinner at one of the places you visit along with the beer there and 3 other stops.

OP . . . A sample menu from a place likely on the tour. http://www.frueh-am-dom.de/fileadmin/menus/Brauhaus_Speisekarten/Speisekarte_Brauhaus_170401.pdf

ETA - you can get a lot to eat for 89€ and it's an easy walk from the Dom.

Rudesheim was my favorite stop. We didn't do the excursion but ran into them at the restaurant and they looked like they were having a lot of fun. This was by far my favorite cruise. I loved all the ports.

Going to a brew house is a ton of fun with a big group of people. It's meant to be a communal environment. With more people, there's more beer going around, lots of fun teasing by staff.

On the other hand, my husband and I have never had a hard time finding others to chat with in a pub or bar or beer garden. As you note - it's a communal environment. You don't have to bring the community with you, though ;p

(my husband is an avid homebrewer so we made sure to sample local beers - and wurst (my contribution) at each of our stops on our NUE-BSL itinerary)

Which wurst was better, Nuremberger or Regensburger? ;)

We didn't make it to Regensburg on our itinerary :-( I'd like to visit the Christmas Market there! I'll see if I can find the photo of my favorite wurst...

My husband adores the smoked beer of Bamberg. No one else does (I don't!) So he cleaned up getting all the free bottles we were provided as part of the cruise tour that no one else wanted. We filled our cabin!

We mostly missed the Christmas Market at Bamberg because we stopped on a Sunday and left just as it was opening. I ran over early to see if I could grab a wurst there and also found mulled beer that was delicious - it tasted like Belgian kriek (also an acquired taste, but I studied in Belgium and I love it!)

So, what is the best wurst?

Host Jazzbeau

So, what is the best wurst? ��

I don't know. But I do know what is the wurst joke of the day ;p

I think Rudesheim is my favorite - trying to upload photos and being foiled by sizing ;p

I didn't eat any wurst I wouldn't try again:hearteyes: The long skinny Nuremberg were my least favorite, though. Not terribly flavorful....

We didn't make it to Regensburg on our itinerary :-( I'd like to visit the Christmas Market there! I'll see if I can find the photo of my favorite wurst...   My husband adores the smoked beer of Bamberg. No one else does (I don't!) So he cleaned up getting all the free bottles we were provided as part of the cruise tour that no one else wanted. We filled our cabin!   We mostly missed the Christmas Market at Bamberg because we stopped on a Sunday and left just as it was opening. I ran over early to see if I could grab a wurst there and also found mulled beer that was delicious - it tasted like Belgian kriek (also an acquired taste, but I studied in Belgium and I love it!)

OK, so we got distracted about wurst, but back to beer. Could your husband (or anyone else) give me a few recommendations for Bamberg's smoked beer?

http://www.schlenkerla.de/rauchbier/beschreibunge.html

They do have more than 1 rauchbier, which I didn't know (I didn't spend much time in the pub - I hied off to the Christmas Market to see if I could sneak in early) I actually found out this year when husband ordered a beer at a bar in Manhattan and thought it would be the Schlenkerla beer he knew - but it was the Lentbeer, instead of the marzen he was more familiar with. If I'd known there were different options I might have looked for the urbock, since our visit was in late Nov/early Dec.

http://www.schlenkerla.de/schlenkerla/karte/getraenkee.html

Maybe they do flights. If you like the rauchbier, you can't go wrong.

I can't speak for other cruiselines, but Avalon includes a ticket for freebies - tote & a bottle of beer - I don't think they had choices for what was bottled. Of course, if you sit and have a drink or two at the pub, you'll have draft options.... ;p

Grand Circle had it as the last stop on our morning walking tour . . . glass of rauchbier and a sausage. A very good morning for those of us that enjoyed the "bacon beer."

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Cologne cruise port

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OK so let’s try that again.

They should tell you that in your reservation. Viking is usually pretty good. Just look at your documents, it should be mentioned where they dock. When in doubt, call them

Ah that’s better.

On the left bank roughly from the Deutzer Brucke to about 400m downstream from the Hohenzollern Brucke

I have not received my documents yet.

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Viking Rhine Getaway suggested excursions

My husband and I and another couple are going on a viking river cruise at the end of August starting in Amsterdam and ending in Basel, Switzerland. I would love to hear from others who have done this or a similar trip to find out which excursions are a must and which are a skip. Also, we are starting with a couple extra days on our own in Amsterdam and would love the same info. The selections include: Kinderdijk windmills, Kinderdijk windmills by bicycle, Kinderdijk windmills and Dutch cheese making, Kinderdijk by Vintage Barge. Cologne by Bicycle, Bruhl UNESCO Palaces, Colognes Beer Culture Dinner. Koblenz: Medieval Marksburg castle, Ehrenbreitstein Fortress Rudesheim: Dine in Redesheim amRhein Speyer: Panoramic Heidelberg and lunch with University Students Strasbourg: Alsatian Wine Tasting Breisach: Colmar in WWII: Museum and Memorial, Medieval village of Colmar, Into the Black Forest by E-bike Thank you everyone!!

We did this cruise a few years ago. I think you have to figure out what your specific interests are, and your activity level. I didn't have energy for either biking tour, and not interested in dining with students, wine tasting or beer culture, or too many museums. One castle was enough for me. But that's me. Things I liked - Kinderdijk & the cheese making; medieval Colmar; the Open Air museum in the Black Forest. We just had a leisurely stroll around Cologne and a nice lunch, rather than an activity.

But realize that the four of you don't have to do the same things all the time.

Walk along the paths at Kinderdijk, no other ways to see them give as good a view as walking right up to them. You can go inside a few of the windmills too.

We did a Rhine cruise with Uniworld from Basel to Amsterdam. Our cruise was 8 days and ended in early November. Uniworld offered similar excursions to these ones. We enjoyed:

• Heidelberg (but didn't have to lunch with university students as we were there when the Christmas markets were on so we did castle plus markets and just a drive by for the university),
• Koblenz we skipped Marksburg Castle as we had already seen quite a few castles in Czech Republic before the cruise; we wanted to see the fortress but it was closed the day we were there,
• Colmar we did the medieval option,
• Cologne we had a great guide and did a walking tour of the city and cathedral. It's not a city where I would have enjoyed riding a bike as it was quite crowded, especially near the cathedral.
• Kinderdjik windmills weren't offered on our cruise but we saw them ourselves later when we stayed in Rotterdam. If the weather is not good this would be a miserable trip as it is exposed and windy.

Not on your list but we really enjoyed it was the air museum in Speyer.

For your Amsterdam pre trip time it depends on your interests. The Van Gogh museum and the nearby museum of contemporary art are very good, a canal cruise is a must, we liked the maritime museum, and we really enjoy the the Vondelpark. We have been to Amsterdam three times but have never been to the Anne Frank house (have no interest in going; it's not the real house and by the looks of the lines will be very crowded) or the Rijksmuseum (on all our trips Amsterdam has been close to the final stop and we feel like we have seen enough great art by this point).

On our last two trips to Amsterdam we have stayed in Haarlem and just come into Amsterdam for day trips. We prefer Haarlem to Amsterdam in the evenings as it doesn't have the coffee house culture so it doesn't reek of weed and it also doesn't seem to have been found by the boozing backpackers so is much more peaceful and feels safer to walk around at night.

Hi Nancy, we did this Viking river cruise a few years ago (Basel-Amsterdam). We enjoyed all the included and several optional excursions.

In Breisach, we did Colmar Pocket and the WWII museum, very interesting. In Strasbourg the excursions were a bit different but we did one similar to the Alsatian Wine Tasting. We visited the castles in Heidelberg and Marksburg, and Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. In Cologne we did the included walking tour and the optional Top of Cologne Cathedral at night. The Cathedral was amazing and we loved the private tour. The included excursion to the Kinderdijk Windmills was very good and we were able to walk among the windmills and go inside a few.

After the cruise we spent a few days in Amsterdam on our own. We visited the Anne Frank House, Riks and Van Gogh Museums. Check the websites and purchase tickets in advance (very important). We also did a canal cruise. Hope you enjoy your trip!

We went on this cruise in 2019, and had a great time. I think they have adjusted the stops slightly, but our trip matches up very closely.

We did the Kinderdijk windmills and Dutch cheese making and really enjoyed it.

We did the included tour of Cologne and wandered around the city on our own afterwards. We were lucky enough to stumble upon a wine festival and a separate beer festival! It’s a good town to explore.

I believe we did the medieval Marksburg castle and it was fine. We’ve been to the Rhine before and have seen other castles. At some point and novelty does wear off. I thought doing the included Koblenz walking tour wouldn’t be interesting enough after having seen the bigger Cologne the previous day.

My mother-in-law and her friend did the Dining in Rudesheim, and it seemed like a good time. How do I know? Because we wandered into the same restaurant that the Viking excursion was patronizing. We sat inside and had a nice meal, and the Viking group was in the outside patio/ beer garden area. The ship was docked in town so we were able to explore on our own and pick our restaurant. If you’re looking for a fun time this is probably a good excursion, but if you want to save a few bucks you can DIY it.

We did the included panoramic Heidelberg tour. It was pretty good and the town was solid. Keep in mind that Germany can get very hot. Our trip was around memorial day and the weather was in the 90s. We live in Las Vegas, so we don’t mind the heat; however, my wife and I didn’t bring enough lightweight clothing so we had to buy some things in Heidelberg.

We did the included tour of Strasbourg and had a very nice time. My wife and I are Francophiles and we hadn’t been to that town. If I recall, we were there on a Sunday and we couldn’t check out the main cathedral because it was closed to tourists. We’ll have to go back I guess.

We did an Alsatian wine tasting instead of Colmar because we have been there before. The wine tasting was fine, I think we would’ve enjoyed revisiting Colmar more though.

We did the black forest by E bike on our last full day. We’ve been on three Viking cruises, and it was hands-down the worst excursion we’ve ever done. The e bike tour was way too long and demanding given the fitness level of your average Viking passenger. As usual, we were some of the youngest people on the cruise and it was a very long taxing day even for us. The E bike tour started very close to the ship and we peddled our way through some forest near the river which was lovely. We stopped at a village and had black forest cake which was fun. We paddled through some farmland, including by asparagus fields which was very pungent. Unfortunately the excursion ended at a much higher elevation. Many members of our group could not handle the incline, even with the assistance of the E bike. Because of that, the whole group kept getting separated, but there were only two guides to wrangle everyone. We ended at a farm, had some schnapps and cake and were bussed back. We should’ve started at the higher elevation and ended closer to the ship. We were really concerned somebody was going to end up in the hospital. I think our group was too large, and it needed to be advertised as extremely demanding. If you’re not in good shape, it would be very hard. If you are in good shape then it will be quite frustrating as you wait for everyone else. Hopefully they’ve made improvements to the excursion, because it should be awesome.

I hope all that helps.

As far as Amsterdam goes, we did a lot of the main sites recommended by Rick. Van Gogh museum, Anne Frank house, red light District, CityWalk, resistance museum, etc. One of our favorite activities was a bike tour. I don’t recall the agency but there are many to choose from if you are interested. We covered a lot of ground and got to some out-of-the-way places. Our guide was great and gave us a lot of info about the city.

The Anne Frank house is very moving. As long as you are pre-booked the lines are not a problem. We went to a fantastic Banksy exhibit when we were there last, MOCO still has some Banksy but not sure if it's to the extent of what we were able to see. But still something to consider. Restaurant: De Kas

While we didn’t see them from a cruise, we enjoyed Kinderdijk and its windmills, wandering around Cologne, and visiting the Heidelberg castle. Will be visiting the Black Forest area, Strasbourg and Colmar soon, so could comment after we return.

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A Zürich, Switzerland Land Trip With Viking River Cruise

D uring our unforgettable Paris to the Swiss Alps cruise with Viking River Cruises, my husband (Eddie) and I found ourselves in the captivating city of Zürich, Switzerland. Although I had been to Switzerland before, Zürich was an unexplored gem. Viking River Cruises seamlessly transported us from the cruise ship to the hotel, and later to the airport, as part of their all-inclusive package.

Zürich bewitched us with its mesmerizing beauty and undeniable charm, despite being notoriously expensive. Over the course of our two-day stay, we eagerly immersed ourselves in the city’s delights, making the most of the complimentary walking tour and invigorating boat ride organized by Viking River Cruises. Allow me to share a glimpse of what awaits you on your visit to Zürich.

Read more about the 12 day river cruise here.

Zürich Scenery

Breathtaking scenery unfurls in every direction in Zürich. Whether it be the grandeur of the architectural masterpieces or the vibrant façades of historical buildings, the snow-capped Swiss Alps serving as a backdrop or the enchanting cobblestone streets that wound their way through the city, there is no shortage of picturesque moments that will prompt your camera to work overtime.

Zürich is an incredible city to explore on foot. Without even realizing it, we covered an impressive seven miles in a single day, diligently recorded by our trusty Fitbit. Such was the pleasure derived from our stroll that the concept of distance faded away, leaving us fully engrossed in the awe-inspiring ambiance that unfolded at every turn.

The Food in Zürich

Switzerland is renowned for its exquisite culinary offerings, with one of my personal favorites being cheese. Everywhere you go, you’ll encounter a plethora of exotic cheese choices. During my visit, indulging in authentic Swiss cheese fondue at the Swiss Chuchi Restaurant , nestled in the heart of the old town, was a must for me and my companion Eddie.

We opted for the traditional recipe, combining Vaudois cheese, white wine, cherry liquor, and garlic, resulting in a gastronomic delight that exceeded all expectations.

Another popular cheese delicacy in Zürich is raclette, which has recently gained popularity even in American eateries. While exploring the town, we noticed numerous raclette shops scattered around, its tantalizing aroma captivating our senses well before catching sight of it.

It’s worth noting that dining in Zürich can be quite costly. Simple meals often came with a hefty price tag of $24, and even a small bottled soda would cost between $4 and $7 at our hotel. Surprisingly, beer turned out to be more economical than both water and soda.

However, in the old town, we stumbled upon a gem called Blue Monkey —a delightful Thai restaurant boasting chic decor and offering a lunch buffet priced at $26 per person. I wholeheartedly recommend this establishment for an exquisite culinary experience.

Overall, Switzerland’s gastronomic offerings, particularly its cheese creations, exceeded all expectations, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of my culinary adventure in this beautiful country.

Parade Square

Eddie and I thoroughly enjoyed strolling through Paradeplatz (Parade Square) located in downtown Zürich. This upscale district is renowned for its exceptional shopping opportunities and the chance to observe people in action.

Parade Square places fashion and accessories at center stage, while home accents come in a close second.

If you happen to be staying outside the downtown area, fret not as getting there is incredibly convenient via the tram system. Coming from someone who seldom relies on public transportation, I can attest to its ease of use.

Tram stations provide instructions in English and accept credit cards. They are maintained well, operate efficiently, and offer a superb means of traversing Zürich. As you journey through the city, do observe the dignified architecture and stunning floral displays that grace its streets.

Lake Zürich

During our Viking River post-cruise excursion, we had the pleasure of embarking on a delightful boat ride around the picturesque Lake Zurich. The boat tour commences from Bürkliplatz and extends for approximately 90 minutes.

With both indoor and outdoor seating options, passengers are treated to breathtaking views of the serene lake and majestic, snow-capped mountains.

Our route led us to the charming medieval town of Rapperswil, featuring a captivating 12th-century castle gracefully perched on a hillside across the lake. If desired, passengers had the flexibility to disembark in Rapperswil and catch a later boat back into town.

Undoubtedly, the boat ride boasts exceptional scenery, allowing guests to relish the rejuvenating fresh air. Moreover, this memorable experience came at no cost for Viking River Cruise guests, ensuring that you seize the opportunity to partake in it.

Our Zürich Hotel

During our Viking River Cruise, we had the pleasure of being accommodated at the Sheraton Zürich Hotel , an elegant and sophisticated establishment situated in a cosmopolitan district. The rooms provide a comfortable sitting area, heavenly beds, an ergonomic desk and work area, a mini-fridge, and a refreshing shower, ensuring a pleasant stay.

To the delight of cruise ship guests, Viking offers a complimentary breakfast in a private space at the hotel, which proved to be a significant money-saving opportunity. Moreover, the Sheraton Hotel’s convenient location near the Toni-Areal tram station opens up a plethora of possibilities for exploring the city.

Zürich, Switzerland: One for the Books!

Zürich itself is known for its stunning scenery, making it a lovely city to visit. As part of Switzerland, a truly breathtaking country with an abundance of attractions, Zürich stands out as my favorite city thus far.

Read more from our Viking River Cruises:

Things to Know for your Viking Cruise

Remembering My Rhine River Cruise