Rhine Experience Amsterdam - Basel 2023

A board and a paddle is all you need: stand-up paddleboarding is the latest trend in water sports. You can do it on almost any body of water, but Hoorn is a particularly good place as it’s a real Mecca for water sports fans. So, why not try SUP for yourself on the IJsselmeer. Your instructor will show you what to do, then you can give it a go!

The IJsselmeer is one of the most popular places in the Netherlands for sailing. Since the water is just five metres deep here, people sail in typical flat-bottomed boats. On board the Mother Goose you’ll be able to take control of the ropes and the helm yourself. Your skipper and another sailor will show you the correct hand movements to use, and over the course of the excursion you’ll become increasingly adept at making the boat glide over the water. After around four hours the Mother Goose will moor close to your A-ROSA ship.

Explore the harbour town of Hoorn with a private English-speaking guide. Experience history in the footsteps of Willem Schouten, who sailed around the southern tip of America in 1616 and gave it the name of his hometown. Or walk along the Grote Kerk to the Grote Mark and the city's town hall. Stroll along the dyke past various small shops. Design this excursion according to your own wishes and ideas.

During a walk through Hoorn you will feel travel back in time. You will learn about Willem Schouten, who sailed around the southern tip of America in 1616, and named it after his home town. Another famous man from Hoorn was Abel Janszoon Tasman, who was the first European to visit both New Zealand and Tasmania. Many buildings bear witness to how Hoorn flourished in the 16th century to become one of the most important port cities of Zuidersee. During the tour, you will be able to see the Grote Kerk, the old town hall or the Waage from 1609.

Zaanse Schans is a listed open-air museum where you can stroll through Dutch life in the 17th and 18th centuries. Whether guided or on your own, you will walk past authentic houses, a historic shipyard, a tin factory, a cheese and dairy farm, an ancient grocery shop and, above all, windmills. Afterwards, the tour continues across the polder landscape to a cheese dairy and to Edam. In the cheese dairy you will be told everything about the production of cheese and of course you will be allowed to taste a piece. In Edam, the cheese is world-famous, but the little village also has a lot to offer. During a short walk you can explore the village, which is also criss-crossed by small canals, and see the cheese market, among other things. However, hardly any cheese is sold here today. Nevertheless, the tradition is regularly revived and the cheese is carried by cheese carriers to the various traders as in the old days.

Takes place only on the following cruises:

every Saturday starting 13 May until 11 November 
 

"Take off your shoes and get into the fun" is the motto at the Barefoot Trail Elten, near Emmerich. An exclusive experience for young and old awaits you. Feel twelve different surfaces, from forest floor, clay and stones to gravel, sand and wood, and walk through the Hochelten forest. Cool off in the Kneipp treading pools and do something for your health at the same time. Enjoy nature and relax on the various tree benches.

Experience the Hanseatic city of Emmerich and discover the story of the ferrywoman Marieken von Emmerik. Join us on a journey through time along the banks of the Rhine with a view of the "Golden Gate" bridge of the Lower Rhine and learn how life was in those days. Our ferrywoman will give you a humorous first-hand account of the old professions, the ferrymen, the raftsmen, the fishermen and the pilots. Be excited and get to know Emmerich in a new way.

The excursion will not take place on the following departures:
21.05. | 13.08. | 01.09.2023

The Rüdesheimer Berg is home to several of Germany's best vineyards. Between Riesling and Burgundy, you will walk through the idyllic mountains with a wonderful view over the Rhine Valley and the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Upper Middle Rhine Valley. During the guided tour you will be able to update your knowledge of winemaking. We will end the tour with a wine tasting of five different wines from the barrels of a local winegrower.

Let the Winzerexpress take you on a tour through vineyards and right into the centre of Rüdesheim. Here, the little lanes are too narrow for our trusty vehicle, so you’ll explore the old town on foot. You’ll find one of Germany’s most well-known streets here: Drosselgasse. Lined with wine taverns and bars with outdoor seating, it offers 144 metres of pure enjoyment. You’ll have the opportunity to stop off here to learn how the traditional coffee speciality ‘Rüdesheim coffee’ is made – and you’ll be able to try it for yourself, of course.

The Palatinate is known for its laid-back atmosphere, its Mediterranean-style climate and its wonderful cuisine. If you like fine wine, good food and regional specialities, you’ve come to the right place. And, as if that wasn’t enough, there are also castles, palaces, museums and mining centres to explore. Your private tour guide will be happy to show you all of this: we recommend that you book a people carrier too, so that you can relax as you discover the beauty of the Palatinate.

Experience 2,000 years of history in Speyer. This was once the centre of the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation. In the historical old town you’ll come across traces of its remarkable past at every turn as you stroll down romantic lanes and cross busy squares. The mighty Speyer Cathedral dominates the city’s skyline. It is the largest Romanesque church today and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the end of your visit here there’ll be time to have a look around on your own: why not visit the crypt, which was consecrated in 1041 and boasts the largest Romanesque columned hall (admission costs approx. € 4).

From Germersheim it’s just a short bus ride to Speyer’s historical old town. The bus will stop near the imposing cathedral and the famous Technik Museum Speyer. The pedestrian precinct is just a stone’s throw from here, and you’ll have plenty of time to have a look around on your own.

Information: Only with berth in Germersheim, not from Speyer

Heidelberg was already sung about, painted and described by the Romantics. No wonder, given its location on the Neckar and the castle towering over the city! The city's landmark is one of the most famous ruins in Germany. The tour takes you, among other things, through the dreamy inner courtyard and to the famous Great Barrel. Afterwards, you will explore the baroque Old Town with the Old Bridge, the Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Spirit), which was completed in the 16th century, and the "Haus zum Ritter". It is the most beautiful historic town house in the city. After the tour, you can look around individually before returning to Germersheim by coach.

Few routes are better known than the Palatinate region’s German Wine Route, which passes through picturesque towns such as Bad Dürkheim, Deidesheim and Neustadt. You’ll find a wealth of treasures of all kinds in this region, which has long been famous for its wine. Thanks to your private people carrier and your driver, you’ll have the opportunity to explore this stunning region in comfort.  You can also book an expert tour guide at the same time if you wish.

During a short guided tour you will first of all explore Breisach and the Münsterberg. Passing St. Stephansmünster, we continue our trip into the well-known champagne cellar Geldermann. Here you will go into the vault, learn a lot about the sparkling drink and taste three types of sparkling wine. You will then go back on board individually.

This excursion will not take place on the following departure:
6 August 2023 A-ROSA AQUA Experience the Southern Rhine