ItalyTourTravel

Across Germany by River

You Get More With Us!

Intimate, Deluxe Ship - only 79 passengers in 41 cabins Excellent shipboard service and our own expert staff in Prague Seven shore excursions including Koblenz, Bamberg and Nuremberg

IT'S INCLUDED!

• Frankfurt, Rudesheim, Koblenz, Miltenberg, Wurzburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Kelheim,
  Regensburg, Passau & Prague

Transportation

• Round trip trans-Atlantic airfare and all transfers and luggage handling whenever you arrive
  and depart

Accommodations

• 7 nights in an outside cabin aboard the Deluxe MV Katharina river cruise ship and 3 nights at
  the Hotel Pariz in Prague

Meals

• Daily buffet breakfast (B), 6 lunches (L) and 7 dinners (D)

Cruise-Tour Highlights

• Services of a Tour Hosts, professional local guides and cruise directors
• Explore the towns of Koblenz, Miltenberg, Wurzburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Kelheim, Regensburg
  and Prague on included tours
• Enjoy free time in Rudesheim to walk along the Drosselgasse, a small street that is home to scores
  of wine taverns and old, half-timbered houses
• Listen for the siren's song as you cruise past the legendary Lorelei Rock
• Visit the 10th-century Fortress Ehrenbreitstein, the second largest fortress in the world after
  Gibraltar
• Visit the magnificent Residenz Palace in Wurzburg
• See Bamberg's unusual Old Town Hall that sits in the middle of a bridge
• Explore Nuremberg and see its medieval city walls and fortifications
• Take an exciting boat trip through the lovely Danube Gorge to Weltenburg Abbey
• Visit Walhalla - a "hall of fame for notable Germans" that was built by "Mad" King Ludwig I
  of Bavaria
• Spend three days in Prague
• Travel bag, document folder and luggage tags, all delivered by FedEx delivery service
• Access to a network of toll-free 24 hour-a-day emergency on-tour

ITINERARY:

Day 1 - Depart USA
Today we travel to Frankfurt, Germany on an overnight flight.

Day 2 - Arrive Frankfurt, Germany / Drive to Mainz/ Embark MV Katharina
We arrive in Frankfurt, Goethe's birthplace and the city where Holy Roman emperors were crowned, and drive to Mainz to board our ship, the Deluxe MV Katharina. In the afternoon, we sail on the Rhine to the tiny wine village of Rudesheim where there is time to explore on your own. Be sure to walk along the Drosselgasse, a small street that is home to scores of wine taverns and old, half-timbered houses (D)

Day 3 - Rudesheim / Koblenz
In the early morning we'll listen for the siren's song as we cruise past the legendary Lorelei Rock on our way to Koblenz, situated at the junction of the Mosel and Rhine Rivers. On an included morning tour here you'll visit the 10th-century Fortress Ehrenbreitstein, the second largest in the world after Gibraltar, and stroll through the Old Town to see St. Castor Church. We'll set sail at noon and have the rest of the day to relax on board. (B,L,D)

Day 4 - Tour Miltenberg
In the afternoon our ship reaches Miltenberg and we enjoy a walking tour of this old Franconian town whose cobblestone lanes are lined with gabled, half-timbered houses. There's free time to enjoy Miltenberg on your own before a late afternoon sailing. (B,L,D)

Day 5 - Visit Wurzburg
This morning the ship arrives in Wurzburg, nestled amid vineyard covered hills. We'll visit the magnificent Baroque Residenz Palace and tour the city before a midday departure. We'll cruise to Kitzingen where we make a stop before cruising toward Bamberg. (B,L,D)

Day 6 - Tour Bamberg / Sail to Nuremberg
Our ship enters the Main-Danube Canal at BambergU where we'll disembark for a guided tour of this medieval gem. See the commanding Cathedral, the Old Town Hall that sits in the middle of a bridge and the city's serpentine streets lined with charming 18th-century mansions. Afterward we sail to ancient Nuremberg, Franconia's lively capital. (B,L,D)

Day 7 - Explore Nuremberg
Our morning tour of Nuremberg highlights its medieval aspects - the city walls and fortifications, the old Imperial Castle, the Gothic St. Lorenz Church and the 14th-century "Beautiful Fountain." At lunchtime, continue cruising southward to Beilngries, where we dock for the night. (B,L,D)

Day 8 - Kelheim / Regensburg / Visit Walhalla
This morning the ship arrives in Kelheim where you'll see the Hall of Liberation before we tour the Weltenburg Abbey. Your cruise then continues to Regensburg, one of Germany's best preserved medieval cities for a city tour and a visit to Walhalla - a "hall of fame for notable Germans" that was built by King Ludwig I of Bavaria. The monument is comprised of fifty two antique columns, colored marble floors, magnificent friezes and relief scenes from history and mythology and beautiful sculptures. From the terrace of Walhalla the Danube lies before you, with Straubing to the east and Regensburg to the west. On a clear day, even the Alps can be seen in the distance. Returning to the ship, enjoy dinner on board as you sail toward Passau. (B,L,D)

Day 9 - Disembark in Passau / Drive to Prague, Czech Republic
We'll disembark in Passau, a pretty little town with old buildings lining the waterfront, and drive to PragueU, a city Goethe once declared to be "the jewel in the crown of the world". (B)

Day 10 - Explore Prague
Prague's renowned beauty is little-changed over the centuries, thanks to this city's fortunate escape from the destruction of the last World War. The city's Town Center was placed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1992, and you see why on today's tour. Sights you'll see include Wenceslas Square, the 14th-century statue-lined Charles Bridge, the Hradcany Castle area, Old Town Square and Town Hall with its famous Astronomical Clock. The afternoon and evening are free to explore Prague on your own. Prague is constantly filled with special exhibitions and performances; your local host will be happy to make arrangements for any that are available during your visit. (B)

Day 11 - Free Day in Prague
The entire day is at leisure to explore the cobblestone streets of the "city of a hundred spires." Don't miss strolling across Charles Bridge, visiting Wenceslas Square, or seeing the astonishing Museum of National Literature with over 900,000 books and illuminated manuscripts. Optional tours are available, too, including fascinating visits to the Mucha Museum or the old Jewish Quarter - a place that was a lively, ancient community before the Nazi Holocaust.(B)

Day 12 - Return to USA or Extend Your Stay
Transfer to the airport for flights home. (B)

MV Katharina
The MV Katharina was built in 2000 with 41 cabins for only 79 passengers. The Katharina is deluxe and intimate; the spacious outside cabins are beautifully furnished and feature built in closets, desk, shower and toilet, television, telephone and 4-channel radio. The Katharina features six meals daily (Breakfast, Morning Bouillon, Lunch, Afternoon Tea, Dinner and Midnight Snack) with all meals served in a single seating. Onboard you will also find original works of art, a bar, lounge, sun deck, and infirmary with a physician. English language announcements, menus and daily programs are also a part of each cruise.

12 Days From $2,699 Including Airfare

Depart   Return Itinerary Air Inclusive Land Only Cruise Only 2003 May 20 May 31 B 2899 2349 1645 Aug 26 Sep 06 B 3199 2349 1645 Sep 26 Oct 07 A 2899 2349 1645 Sep 30 Oct 11 B 2899 2349 1645 Oct 31 Nov 11 A 2699 2149 1495 Single Supplement   1130 1130 Call

Port charges of $70 per person are not included.

Itinerary B operates in reverse, from Prague to Mainz Air inclusive rates feature round trip flights from New York For low cost add-ons from other
cities, please call.   Rates are per person, double occupancy based on Category B cabins (140 sq. ft.)and include cruise, land and air arrangements. A charge of $100 per person covering U.S. Departure Tax, Customs, Federal Inspection Fees and other costs imposed by airlines and the Government is not included. Any applicable forgoing departure taxes are not included. Cruise only - embarkation/disembarkation Mainz & Passau - does not include shore excursions, transfers or Prague land arrangements.

Three Nights in Berlin from $429

Once Again, One of Europe's Most Exciting Places to Be
No contemporary city in Europe has the drive and historical vigor of BerlinU. Reflecting its pre-war past, Berlin is again thriving with fantastic architecture, the performing arts and some of the most fascinating sightseeing on the Continent. Loving life, Berliners flock to cafes along broad boulevards and fill theatres and restaurants at night. Even museums are emerging from the terrors of the past - the new Holocaust Museum is powerful in its conception and realization - and Museum Island still boasts its World Heritage designation. And, once again, the Reichstag is the center of German democracy and the Brandenburg the core of the city. We make it easy to experience Berlin with a first class ticket on the convenient through train from Prague where we meet you at the station and take you to the very comfortable and air-conditioned Hotel Berlin. A bountiful buffet breakfast greets you every morning and we provide an instructive orientation tour of the changed city to get you started. Our price is $429 per person, double. Should you wish to stay on the stylish Kurfurstendamm, the Deluxe Kempinski Bristol is only $70 more for your entire stay (a great hotel with wonderful rooms, but not air-conditioned). A single supplement is $180.