Rhine Castles & Swiss Alps
- Christmas Day Celebration

The Strasbourg Christkindelsmarkt, held annually around the Notre Dame Cathedral and Place Broglie, has been running since 1570, making it the oldest Christmas market in France. The Cologne market on day three features 160 wooden pavilions in the old town. Heidelberg and Speyer both have markets on day five. Rudesheim’s market is on day four. Basel’s Christmas markets close out the week on day seven. Each has its own character, but Strasbourg’s combination of the UNESCO La Petite France quarter, the cathedral backdrop and a market with over four centuries of tradition makes it one of the highlights of the route.

The full-day Lucerne excursion takes you from Basel to Lucerne for a tour of the city, including its medieval towers and the Chapel Bridge, one of the oldest wooden bridges in Europe. Because it takes the full day, AmaWaterways flags that it can’t be combined with the other Basel excursions offered on the same day, including the city tour, Swiss wine tasting, Wildegg Castle and the bike tour. If you want to see both Basel and Lucerne, a pre- or post-cruise night in Basel would give you the flexibility to do both at your own pace.

The Middle Rhine Valley, commonly called the Rhine Gorge, is a 65-kilometre stretch of the river between Bingen and Koblenz, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2002. It’s home to more than 40 medieval castles and fortresses on the hillsides above the river, making it one of the most dramatic stretches of inland waterway in Europe. On this itinerary, the scenic cruise through the gorge takes place on day four, on the way to Rudesheim. Staying on deck for the transit is well worth it.

No. The itinerary covers the Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland, and UK citizens don’t need a visa for any of them. The Netherlands, Germany and France are all Schengen Area members; Switzerland has its own bilateral arrangement with the UK. For Schengen countries, UK citizens can travel without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. From 2025, UK travellers need to register with ETIAS before entering Schengen countries. It’s a quick online process, not a visa application.

Wildegg Castle is a Habsburg fortress in the canton of Aargau, around 30 kilometres from Basel, built in the early 13th century. According to the source itinerary, it features a 3,300 square metre garden. It’s offered as an afternoon excursion option on day seven for those not taking the full-day Lucerne tour. The alternative afternoon options are a Swiss wine tasting at a local winery, a hike to the castle, or free time at Basel’s Christmas markets. Which you choose will depend on whether you’d rather be indoors or outdoors, and how much market time you’ve had by that point in the week.