Music, Arts & Craft of Switzerland and the Rhine - MS Geoffrey Chaucer

Cologne is a city in western Germany located across the Rhine river. It is the oldest in Germany, dating back 2000 years and is considered the region’s cultural hub. The city is known for its iconic landmark of the twin-spired Cologne Cathedral set against the reconstructed Old Town buildings. When in Old Town, visit the historic Old Town Hall and the Roman Church Great St Martin, or take time out and sit at one of the traditional breweries and enjoy the scenery around you. Historical sites such as the Roman Dionysus mosaic and the medieval Overstolzenhaus are worth a visit too. Another iconic sight in Cologne is at Hohenzollern Bridge. Here, local and tourist couples affix padlocks to the railings of the bridge and swear their loyalty to each other, they then throw the key into the Rhein to ensure everlasting love. Cologne is home to over 30 stages providing cabaret, free ensembles, theatre and dance and also celebrates its openly gay culture.

Arrive in Basel - Arriving in Basel, we’ll transfer by coach to our luxurious ship. From the moment you board, the welcoming crew will be at your service. In no time you’ll be settled into your luxurious, thoughtfully furnished accommodation and familiarising yourself with all the first-class aspects of this floating boutique hotel.

Located in the West of the country, Koblenz is one of the oldest cities in Germany. It is situated on both banks of the river Rhine, at its confluence with the Moselle River. The beginnings of Koblenz can be traced back to its military beginnings around 8 BC. The city is rich in its history and heritage and is easily explored on foot. Take the cable car crossing over the river Rhine for spectacular aerial views or enjoy the city from the one thousand year old fortress, Ehrenbreitstein. The upper middle Rhine Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its unique landscape can be enjoyed and discovered through the interactive multimedia journey at the Romanticum. Historical and architectural sites of interest include Stolzenfels Castle, the Electoral Palace of Koblenz and Old Town. From the romantic winding streets and small squares of Old Town, stroll through the alleyways from the Church of the Holy Virgin to the St Kastor Basilica and enjoy the picturesque buildings and squares along the way. Koblenz is also very popular for its Riesling and strong Spatburgunder wines since the Romans introduced it two thousand years ago.

Stanserhorn & Lucerne - Our day starts with breakfast on board followed by a visit to a Swiss glass manufacture in Hergiswil. Here we’ll learn more about the history of glass making, walking through centuries of glassmaking history and finding out more about the workers who made this their craft. You may even have the opportunity to watch the glassblowers of today as they go about their rhythmical work – a technique passed down from generation to generation. Next is Stanserhorn - one of the mountains near Lucerne - where we’ll take the unique Cabrio cable car high into the mountains. This naturally beautiful area is almost 1,900m above sea level, so you’ll be able to enjoy fresh mountain air and take in the amazing views of the Swiss Alps over lunch at your leisure. Later we'll take a short drive through the Swiss countryside to Lucerne. Often called Switzerland's most beautiful city - and we have to agree - it's set on a crystal-clear lake and backed by mighty snow-capped mountains in the distance. Discerning travellers in the know have flocked to the city for two centuries, even our own Queen Victoria is said to have loved it here (and she was notoriously not easy to amuse). And it’s been the serene retreat for many composers such as Rachmaninoff, Toscanin and Wagner. Here we’ll enjoy a musical themed guided tour learning more about the famous musicians that found the inspiration to write some of their most remarkable work – including Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde and Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Tonight, you’ll enjoy another splendid dinner in the excellent restaurant as the ship remains moored in Basel overnight. 

Speyer is a town located in southwest Germany situated beside the river Rhine. Originally founded by the Romans, it is one of the oldest settlements in Germany and is situated in the popular wine growing region of the Palatinate. A key attraction of Speyer is the Historical Museum of the Palatinate, which is one of the most celebrated culture-history museums in Germany. It features five permanent collections including Prehistory, Roman Times, Cathedral Treasury, Modern Era and Wine Museum. Not far from the museum, visitors will find the Imperial Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is considered the largest preserved Romanesque church in Europe. Originally constructed by Konrad II, this magnificent and looming building was intended to demonstrate the Lord’s religio-political claim to power against the papacy. Speyer has been producing wine since its Roman beginnings and wine tasting, festivals and events are popular all year round. The town is popular for outdoor activities such as hiking and cycling as well as guided walking tours of the town.

Strasbourg - We'll take our first steps into France in the capital of the Alsace region, Strasbourg, where we'll begin with a walking tour. The picturesque 16th-century old town is a maze of narrow streets and canals lined with timber-framed houses and sculptured portals. On our tour, we'll visit the Alsatian Museum, for a sneak peek back through time to see life in Alsace in the 18th and 19th centuries. Housed in the traditional homes of Strasbourg, you'll see furniture homeware, toys, clothing, tools, sacred artefacts and images in around 30 rooms. If time is on our side, we'll also stop in to see Saint Thomas Church. One of the many treasures here is the organ, which was played by Mozart in 1778. Proudly on display in the door of the console, you'll see a framed copy of a letter from Mozart to his father, in which he describes his experiences in Strasbourg. The church itself is an excellent example of Alsatian Gothic art and the choir is home to the mausoleum of Maréchal de Saxe - the count of Saxony and famed military commander. It's a solemn masterpiece of 18th-century baroque funerary art. During lunch, our elegant vessel will glide away from Strasbourg as we commence an afternoon’s scenic cruising. You could head up to the sun deck and take in the views along the riverbank from a sun lounger or retire to the shady comfort of the lounge to chat over a coffee with newly made friends.   As evening falls, and thoughts turn to what might be on the menu tonight, head to the relaxed ambience of the ship’s restaurant as the chef presents another delicious meal. We'll arrive in Speyer later tonight. 

Breisach is a town located in Southwest Germany on the French border. The town is situated in the Rhine Valley on the banks of the river Rhine and dates back over four thousand years. Breisach and its history can be experienced through the City History Museum, which houses a permanent exhibition taking you from Stone Age through the Celtic, to the Romans and Middle Ages, right up to modern day. St Stephen's Cathedral is home to the city’s famous art treasures, the wheel wells, which are housed in the neighbouring Radbrunnenturm with the forty one metre deep water well. The cathedral is also home to many other treasures including the High Altar of Master HL and wall paintings by Martin Schongauer as well as High Gothic and Roman architecture. A visit to the Blue House, the former Jewish Community Centre, is highly recommended. Now owned by the Friends of Former Jewish Community House Breisach it exhibits memorials to Breisach’s Jewish heritage.

Rüdesheim, Rhine Gorge & Koblenz - After a night spent moored in Rüdesheim, we'll head out to explore the wine village with a visit to Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet. It’s a world of automatic musical instruments filled with a cornucopia of self-playing contraptions in the atmospheric setting of the Brömserhof, the residence of a fifteenth-century knight. It's a feast for the ears as much as the eyes as the amazing engineering serenades us with unknown and recognisable tunes. There are over 400 functioning instruments to see and hear. This afternoon, we’ll witness a real highlight of the cruise, the dramatic Rhine Gorge: steep vineyards give way to almost vertical rocky outcrops, towering over 1,000 feet above the sweeping valley sides. Sailing past Saint Goar and the many ruined castles, you’ll get a real sense of the myths of this historic river coming alive around you. No legend is more famous than that surrounding the Loreley Rock, where a beautiful siren distracted hapless sailors, luring them to their deaths in the treacherous waters.  As we sail you could sit back and enjoy as you listen to the beautiful music inspired by the stretch of water with its myths and legends – Die Lorelei by Heinrich Heine.   Top tip: Head up to the sun deck as our captain skilfully navigates the ship through the huge looping bend at Boppard – it’s one of the most impressive on the river. And keep an eye out for the mighty Marksburg Castle too, an impressive fortress dating back to the 13th century.  Soon after, we’ll arrive in picturesque Koblenz; founded by the Romans, the city is beautifully located at the confluence of the Rhine and its sister, the Moselle.  On our guided tour, we’ll discover Koblenz’s maze of medieval buildings in the Altstadt – old town – which is studded with a fine array of traditional shops and classic Rhineland cafés.  As you wander, historic buildings appear seemingly at every turn; see a former mint, the Four Towers – 17th-century houses with striking turrets set at a crossroads – and many fascinating squares and churches, including the 9th-century Basilica of Saint Kastor.  Wherever you go you’re never far from a riverbank, and it’s worth crossing the 14th-century stone Balduin Bridge across the Moselle for fine views back across the spires of the Altstadt.   If you manage to resist the tempting cakes on offer from the beckoning pavement cafés, then you’ll be ready for your meticulously prepared dinner on board. Afterwards, enjoy local stories told through the medium of song and dance, as our local performers don colourful authentic costumes for a live rendition of Rhenish folk music with traditional instruments.

Lucerne, a compact city in Switzerland known for its preserved medieval architecture, sits amid snowcapped mountains on Lake Lucerne. Its colorful Altstadt (Old Town) is bordered on the north by 870m Museggmauer (Musegg Wall), a 14-century rampart. The covered Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge), built in 1333, links the Aldstadt to the Reuss River's right bank.

Bonn - Those up early this morning will witness our departure from Koblenz as we set sail towards Bonn.  You can enjoy a leisurely morning as our crew navigates through the lovely Rhineland scenery, passing quaint riverside towns with pretty waterfronts and carefully tended vineyards. We'll also pass the famous ruined bridge at Remagen, which was captured intact by the Allies towards the end of the Second World War, allowing thousands of troops to cross into Germany’s heartland, and the forested Siebengebirge - Seven Mountains – a cluster of ancient volcanic hills that inspired many of the Brothers Grimm’s legends, including Snow White. By lunch, we arrive in Bonn, a former capital city. Today, Bonn has a widespread reputation as a city of arts with two of Germany's most significant art museums. The Bonn Museum of Modern Art features one of the most extensive collections of German Expressionism. The Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany (better known as the Bundeskunsthalle) has art from all eras as well as exhibitions on cultural-historical topics, archaeology, and natural science - even hosting performances and in-house productions by various artists. As you might expect from the birthplace of Beethoven, classical music permeates the air as buskers play their instruments along the crisscross of narrow streets. You’ll find Beethoven’s birthplace on Bonngasse Alley in the heart of the historic town centre, where the city is proud to present the largest Beethoven collection in the world with original scores and instruments. The Old Town is a bustling district of cobblestone streets lined with nostalgic bookshops, cosy cafes and traditional taverns. In spring, the streets of Heerstrasse and Breite Strasse rival Japan with a sea of pink cherry blossoms - it's a lovely way to mark the changing seasons. This evening is our last on board so it’s the perfect time to reflect on the spectacular sights seen and wonderful places visited whilst travelling with us on this magical cruise and bid a fond farewell to new friends, as we continue over dinner to our final destination, Cologne.

Lucerne, a compact city in Switzerland known for its preserved medieval architecture, sits amid snowcapped mountains on Lake Lucerne. Its colorful Altstadt (Old Town) is bordered on the north by 870m Museggmauer (Musegg Wall), a 14-century rampart. The covered Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge), built in 1333, links the Aldstadt to the Reuss River's right bank.

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