| | | | | Arrive | Depart |
| 21st21 | JulJul | 202323 | Basel, Switzerland, embark on the TUI Maya | | |
| Basel is a city in northwestern Switzerland on the Swiss, French and German borders. It is located on the bend of the River Rhine and benefits from a Mediterranean climate. It is the third most populated city in Switzerland and has been the commercial hub for Swiss arts and culture since the Renaissance. In 1967 the people of Basel voted to acquire two paintings by Picasso, who was so moved by the Basel people that he donated 3 paintings and a study to the city's Kunstmuseum (Museum of Fine Arts). Visit the Augusta Raurica, one of the largest Roman archaeology parks in Switzerland, and enjoy a river crossings over the River Rhine by non-motorised ferries. During the summer months, time is spent outdoors, either swimming in the River Rhine, dining al fresco, enjoying open air concerts, cinema, street parties and festivals. Basel is home to over 20 restaurants that have won GaultMillau or Michelin awards, and boasts Switzerland's largest collection of theatre shows, including modern contemporary dance, touring and puppetry theatre. The cosmopolitan city of Basel’s settled in the north-west corner of Switzerland, very close to the borders of France and Germany. The Medieval old town’s a must-visit, thanks to its social market square. It’s dominated by a 16th-century, red-brick town hall and is the setting for a farmers’ market on weekends. Nearby, you’ll find Basel’s 12th-century Gothic cathedral. It rises majestically above the Rhine, has far-reaching city views, and contains the tomb of the 16th-century Dutch scholar Erasmus of Rotterdam. Around a 10-minute walk from here is Steinenvorstadt. Affectionately known as cinema road, this street is where you’ll find all of Basel’s cinemas. It’s also a great place to grab a drink or an ice-cream and watch the world go by. |
| 22nd22 | JulJul | 202323 | Basel, Switzerland | | |
| Basel is a city in northwestern Switzerland on the Swiss, French and German borders. It is located on the bend of the River Rhine and benefits from a Mediterranean climate. It is the third most populated city in Switzerland and has been the commercial hub for Swiss arts and culture since the Renaissance. In 1967 the people of Basel voted to acquire two paintings by Picasso, who was so moved by the Basel people that he donated 3 paintings and a study to the city's Kunstmuseum (Museum of Fine Arts). Visit the Augusta Raurica, one of the largest Roman archaeology parks in Switzerland, and enjoy a river crossings over the River Rhine by non-motorised ferries. During the summer months, time is spent outdoors, either swimming in the River Rhine, dining al fresco, enjoying open air concerts, cinema, street parties and festivals. Basel is home to over 20 restaurants that have won GaultMillau or Michelin awards, and boasts Switzerland's largest collection of theatre shows, including modern contemporary dance, touring and puppetry theatre. The cosmopolitan city of Basel’s settled in the north-west corner of Switzerland, very close to the borders of France and Germany. The Medieval old town’s a must-visit, thanks to its social market square. It’s dominated by a 16th-century, red-brick town hall and is the setting for a farmers’ market on weekends. Nearby, you’ll find Basel’s 12th-century Gothic cathedral. It rises majestically above the Rhine, has far-reaching city views, and contains the tomb of the 16th-century Dutch scholar Erasmus of Rotterdam. Around a 10-minute walk from here is Steinenvorstadt. Affectionately known as cinema road, this street is where you’ll find all of Basel’s cinemas. It’s also a great place to grab a drink or an ice-cream and watch the world go by. |
| 23rd23 | JulJul | 202323 | Breisach, Germany | | |
| 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. The German town of Breisach sits on a vineyard-tangled edge of the Rhine. Its buildings, each with a red roof, stretch up to the Gothic turrets of St Stephen’s Church – the town’s pièce de résistance. Breisach’s particularly popular with fans of wine and history. From its authentic Medieval appearance and quaint cobbled streets, you’d never know that 85% of Breisach was flattened during World War Two and then later restored. And the Kaiserstuhl hills, 20 minutes’ drive north, are known for producing some of Germany's finest reds. The Black Forest’s also an hour’s drive away. These densely packed woods bring to mind fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm, and are a great place for keen walkers to explore. |
| 24th24 | JulJul | 202323 | Strasbourg, France | | |
| The city of Strasbourg has two distinct styles. Despite being in France, it’s right on the border with Germany, and has picked up a lot of its neighbour’s habits. For example, entire districts – like La Petite France – are stuffed with traditionally German-style dalmatian-coloured half-timbered houses, and the restaurants around Place Kleber – a big public square – offer a mix of French and German fare. With that said, the mother country hasn’t lost her influence. Strasbourg’s centerpiece – the 1,000-year-old Strasbourg Cathedral – flaunts the same Gothic look as Notre Dame, and the city’s collection of fine-art museums are loaded with priceless pieces from all over France. |
| 25th25 | JulJul | 202323 | Mannheim, Germany | | |
| Mannheim, in south-west Germany, blurs the line between classic and contemporary. It’s nicknamed the City of Squares, because of its American, grid-like layout. You’ll find quirky start-ups and an industrial bar scene in Jungbusch. Elsewhere, the grassy lawns of Friedrichsplatz are home to the Wasserturm – a century-old Romanesque tower – and Baroque architecture can be seen in the form of the Jesuit Church and Mannheim Palace. You can get a taste of Italy and the Orient in the Luisenpark. Gondoletta boats bob along the waterways, afternoon tea’s served in the Chinese Garden and there’s a huge tower for panoramic views. Nearby, you’ll find the Old Observatory, which dates back to the 1700s and was visited by Wolfgang Mozart in its pomp. |
| 26th26 | JulJul | 202323 | Boppard, Germany | | |
| The German town of Boppard’s main claim to fame is its wine. White Riesling and red Pinot Noir’s been bottled here for centuries, starting off life in the vineyards – including the biggest in the Middle Rhine Valley – outside of town. The bars and restaurants here put on tasting sessions where you can sample them for yourself. You’ll find them clustered along the waterfront – which is also home to traditionally German, 16th-century architecture and museums – and around the modern-meets-Medieval town square. Wander around the Electoral Castle. It was built in the 13th century, and has been a hospital, a prison and a police station. These days it’s a museum, and you can dive deep into all this history through the exhibits here. |
| 26th26 | JulJul | 202323 | Rüdesheim, Germany | | |
| Rudesheim’s a little town in the heart of Germany’s wine country. It’s part of the Rhine Gorge, a 65-kilometre-long, fortress-filled UNESCO World Heritage Site. Gothic, 16th-century houses line the water’s edge. And this is backed by a hillside sprinkled with walking trails for hikers, castles for historians and vineyards for wine-lovers. In fact, some of the biggest vineyards in Germany are found near here. Stick about in the centre of town, and you’ve got plenty of shops and bars to nip in and out of, plus a collection of museums focusing on toys, musical instruments and wine. Don’t miss the Niederwald Monument. The ride up to this giant, 100-year-old statue serves up incredible views of the town down below. |
| 27th27 | JulJul | 202323 | Koblenz, Germany | | |
| 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. Settings like Koblenz’s don’t come around often. The city’s a meeting place of mountains and rivers and the Rhine and Moselle rivers come together here, too. The waterfront’s dotted with UNESCO-stamped forts and palaces, while fairy tale castles christen the hilltops on the edge of town. And the surrounding valleys are teeming with terraced vines and world-class wineries. You can take a cable car up to the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress for spectacular views over the city and its two rivers. When you arrive at the fort, you can explore its many museums, as well. Alternatively, catch a bus to Schloss Stolzenfels. This hilltop-castle-turned-palace is super-grand, which is fitting considering it’s played host to guests like Queen Victoria. |
| 28th28 | JulJul | 202323 | Frankfurt, Germany, disembark the TUI Maya | | |
| You might hear Frankfurt referred to by another name – Mainhattan, alluding to the city’s setting on the Main River, as well as its futuristic skyline. But, mixed in with the new, there are timber houses and red-brick churches. Lots of the city was damaged in World War Two, but it’s since undergone a huge restoration project. Römerberg square’s now lined with traditional, Medieval-style buildings. Palmengarten is Frankfurt’s version of Kew Gardens, with zones dedicated to rainforest, sub-Antarctic and desert plants. And the 200-year-old Städel Museum houses artworks by Van Gogh, Monet and Rembrandt. Get a feel for Frankfurt on the Ebbelwei Express tram, which does a circuit of the city, rattling past the zoo and Römerberg. |
