Rhine Connoisseur: Montreux to Brussels

Included $6,130 value of private Tauck shore excursions!
From $9,840

Offer Expired

Waiting for Cruiseline update

Contact us for current specials
Rhine Connoisseur: Montreux to Brussels Maps

Culinary delights take center stage throughout this 11-day feast for foodies along the Rhine River – highlighted by three nights at a luxurious Fairmont Montreux resort surrounded by the unique charms and natural beauty of the “Swiss Riviera." Just like the French Riviera is known for its exquisite Mediterranean coastal views, the Swiss Riviera boasts its own stunning backdrop of the Swiss Alps, Lake Geneva, and charming towns like Montreux, Lausanne, Vevey, and La-Tour-de-Peilz.

EXPERIENCE WITH TAUCK
Experience a taste of Swiss wine centuries in the making when you explore the historic Lavaux Vineyards aboard a mini train or a guided walking tour, followed by a wine tasting
Become king of the castle during a Tauck Exclusive dinner at Slot Loevestein, enjoying a private island setting open only to Tauck

TAUCK VALUE INCLUDES
Explore the charms of Montreux with a music-themed look at Freddie Mercury or journey into the Alps visit to Glacier 3000, where you can walk peak- to-peak across a breathtaking suspension bridge
All private Tauck shore excursions – AUD $6,130 Value!

Savor an epicurean taste of Strasbourg on a guided tasting tour that indulges with wine, cheese, and other Alsatian specialties; and discover the secrets of Belgian beer in Antwerp and chocolate in Brussels during a chocolate demonstration
25 meals (10 Breakfasts, 7 Lunches & 8 Dinners)

  • 104861
  • River
  • 15 Dec 23
  • Antwerp
  • Dusseldorf
  • Antarctica
  • From 04 Apr 24 to 27 Oct 24
  • From 15Apr24 to 07Nov24
  • 11 nights
  • Tauck Cruising
  • Multiple Cruiseships 5.5 stars
  • Cruise-Tour

  • Antwerp, Brussels, Basel, Geneva, Montreux, Strasbourg, Dusseldorf

Important Terms

  • * Rates quoted are in Australian dollars.
  • Prices shown are fully inclusive of taxes unless otherwise stated.
  • Advertised price includes any bonus nights, special offers or discounts listed in the inclusions.
  • Surcharges may apply due to demand, Christmas & New Year's Eve, school or public holidays, trade shows, special events & other unforeseen circumstances.
  • Prices may be based on Dynamic Rates and as such, may fluctuate at anytime without notice, due to matters outside our control, such as adverse currency fluctuations, fuel surcharges, taxes and airfare increases, or at the property's discretion.
 

DAY1 Arrive Geneva / Montreux

Tour begins: 6:00 PM. A transfer is included from Geneva Airport, Geneva train station (approximately 1.5 hour drive) or Montreux train station to Fairmont Montreux Palace, nestled on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland, overlooking the Alps. Join us this evening for a welcome reception and dinner at your elegant hotel.

Stay: Fairmont Le Montreux Palace

DAY2 Lavaux Vineyards

Internationally famous as a terraced wine-growing region on the shores of Lake Geneva, the Lavaux region is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site that dates back to the 12th century when Cisterian monks built miles of terraces and walls on sloping glacial terrain for the purpose of cultivating wine. Explore the vineyards on a choice of excursions that includes a mini-train tour of the vineyards, a visit to one of the area’s quaint villages and a wine tasting at a local cooperative wine cellar; or a gentle walk on unpaved paths through the vineyards, ending with a wine-tasting at a local winery. Enjoy free time for lunch on your own along the shores of Lake Geneva and spend the remainder of the day at leisure in Montreux. Your hotel is located in the city center, with landmark sites and dining venues a short walk away.

Stay: Fairmont Le Montreux Palace

DAY3 Freddie Mercury or Glacier 3000

Montreux has been a favorite lakeside resort destination since the 19th century when artists and writers sought inspiration in its peaceful surroundings and scenic Alpine beauty. Ever since, it has been a magnet for the rich and famous, musicians included, who head here for its mild climate, hilltop Old town, and premier jazz festival. Take a virtual walk with a local guide who shares insights on Queen, Freddie Mercury and the time the band spent here, using a tablet to view a collection of videos and photos that were not available to the general public, and listen to the music they made here. Or, venture to Glacier 3000 for an Alpine adventure that truly makes your spirit soar. Ride a cable car to the summit for time to enjoy the attractions at the top. Walk across the PeakWalk by Tissot, the only suspension bridge connecting two peaks in the world, amidst head-turning scenery of the Matterhorn, Mont-Blanc and Jungfrau, and experience a wonderland of glacier fun as you wish. Have dinner as you like in Montreux this evening.

Stay: Fairmont Le Montreux Palace

DAY4 Château Chillon / Embark ship in Basel

After breakfast, visit nearby Chillon Castle, renowned as among the best-preserved medieval European castles. On a locally guided tour, view some its 40 rooms, including the Castellan’s Dining Hall, with walls depicting painted family crests. Drive to a quant Swiss village for free time and lunch before continuing on to Basel. Embark your riverboat in Basel; attend a Discovery Briefing and enjoy cocktails before dining onboard your ship.

DAY5 Stories of Strasbourg

Spend the morning in Strasbourg, disembarking for a choice of excursions after breakfast. Blending Franco-Germanic culture, architecture, and ambiance, this Alsatian city is nestled on the Rhine across the border from Germany and boasts a compelling and complex history. Join a local guide for an epicurean-inspired walking tour of its city center, along with tastings of wine, cheese and other Alsatian specialties. See its Gothic-inspired Notre Dame Cathedral and half-timbered houses and explore its Petite France quarter, criss-crossed by canals and a swing bridge reminiscent of days gone by. Or do as the locals do and explore the sights by bicycle as your local guide leads the way. Have lunch onboard your riverboat as it sails for the Middle Rhine Valley.

DAY6 Cruise the Middle Rhine Valley

Spend a leisurely morning cruising through the Middle Rhine Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage region renowned for iconic landscapes crowned by castles and fortresses, along with terraced vineyards established more than 1,000 years on the steep slopes of the valley. The strategic location of this dramatic stretch of the Rhine between Bingen, Rüdesheim and Koblenz reflects its importance as a transportation route; the sixty small towns, terraced vineyards and the castles ruins found here reflect how prosperous this trade route once was since prehistoric times. Your Tauck Director provides commentary as you glide past vine-covered, terraced slopes, and rocky bluffs, sharing the stories of the Lorelei Rock and ancient castles standing watch onshore. Arrive in Koblenz this afternoon for a guided e-bike ride* or an orientation walk and a gondola ride. Enjoy dinner and musical entertainment onboard ship.

DAY7 A taste of Düsseldorf

Wake up in in Düsseldorf, one of Germany’s wealthiest cities, known for its charming Altstadt (Old Town) and avant garde architecture. Walk off the riverboat into town for your choice of a walking tour focused on the city’s history, architecture and culinary traditions, along with some tasty local treats; or a bicycling excursion along the city’s Rhine River waterfront. After lunch, experience a craft beer tour that visits a number of breweries to offer a sampling of the varieties of dark Altbier the region is known for. Dinner is at leisure onboard the riverboat this evening.

DAY8 Gorinchem & an island castle

Voted “the most beautiful fortified town in the Netherlands,” Gorinchem was founded in 1,000 AD, fortified in the 13th and 14th centuries, and today boasts the largest fully intact fort in the Netherlands. Join our local guide for a walking tour of its historic heart, viewing its charming canals, the well-preserved Renaissance-style and medieval architecture, and pretty parks and gardens. Explore as you wish this afternoon, before joining us for a Tauck Exclusive reception and dinner at Slot Loevestein. Set in a nature reserve on a private island, the 14th-century castle has served as a prison, residence and toll taker, reigning unrivaled over its strategic location where the Maas and Waal rivers come together. Tonight it will be yours to enjoy as the island and castle are open for Tauck guests only.

DAY9 A choice of activities in Antwerp

With a history dating back to the Middle Ages, the port city of Antwerp was one of Europe’s most important cities in the mid-16th century. Home to the artist, Pieter Paul Rubens, it welcomes with cobblestone charms, a riverside fortress, guildhalls and a Gothic cathedral that took 169 years to build. Join a local guide for an insightful walking tour of Old Town or choose to visit the acclaimed Royal Museum of Fine Arts to view its collection of paintings, sculptures and drawings from the 14th to the 20th centuries, as well as the spectacular architecture of the building itself. A beer tasting after lunch showcases the city’s famous Belgian ales.

DAY10 The best of Brussels

Explore the best of Brussels today on your choice of guided excursions, including an informative city tour that views its landmark sights or a guided look at the Art Nouveau and Art Deco architecture that’s found throughout the city. Belgian chocolate is renowned the world over; a chocolate demonstration this afternoon reveals its delectable secrets. Join us tonight for a farewell toast and dinner.

DAY11 Journey Home

Tour ends: Brussels. Disembark ship by 9:00 AM. Fly home anytime; a transfer from your riverboat to Brussels Airport is included. Allow three hours for flight check-in.

Tauck Cruising

Go beyond the ordinary and experience cruise travel at its best with Tauck. What makes Tauck’s Small Ship Cruising and River Cruising unique is the focus on the destination. Each scenic ports of call connect you with people and places,  which will give you a moving, compelling and heart-warming experience both onboard and ashore.

Time ashore is enriched by in-depth cultural exploration and insider access that ensures up-close-and-personal connections with the locals and daily life. Tauck’s cruise travel adventures include guided sightseeing with local experts such as naturalists, historians, and accomplished lecturers. You’ll dine on regional cuisine on land at aboard ship that showcases specialties of the destination. After a day of extraordinary sightseeing, Tauck welcome you back onboard the hand-picked vessels for warm camaraderie and lively conversation that’s inherent on every Tauck cruise travel experience. The stories are endless, the memories are timeless and the connections priceless.

You can expect to see the sights a bit differently than you would with anyone else. Tauck explores Europe’s great waterways from the Rhine and the Danube to the Rhône and the Seine in France. Their luxurious riverboats are spacious and comfortable, welcoming you to an onboard experience characterized by the Tauck. Discover river cruises that go beyond the ordinary!

Tauck Voted World’s Best River Cruise Line

For the second time in three years, Tauck has been named the “World’s Best River Cruise Line" by the readers of Travel + Leisure, one of the world’s most authoritative and respected publications for travellers. The World’s Best Awards from Travel + Leisure are selected by the magazine’s readers. Every year, T+L holds a survey for readers to fill out on their main website. The survey remains open until April.

Winners are announced in the August/September issues of Travel + Leisure. These awards are given in categories such as hotels, resorts, spas, cruises, airlines, travel companies, tour operators, cities, islands, family travel, and more.

River Cruising

The heart of history meets the art of sophisticated river cruise travel aboard Tauck’s river cruises. Experience the Tauck difference on cruise travel days along great European waterways from the Rhine to the Danube, from the canals of the Netherlands to the Rhône, from the Main to the Danube and the Moselle…

You’ll cruise aboard spacious riverboats that have been custom designed to meet American standards with well appointed outside facing cabins and suites, a choice of on-board dining venues, complimentary wine with dinner, fitness centers and attentive personal service from Tauck’s staff and the ship’s crew.

Ancient civilizations beckon on cruise travel days along the River Nile in Egypt and China’s Yangtze River on Tauck’s Exotic journeys, where 3- and 4-night river cruise travel enhances land journeys.

Small Ship Cruising

The difference in Tauck’s small ship cruise travel lies in the choreography of the total cruise travel experience – the combination of personalized cruising with cultural land exploration. How you spend your days ashore – where you go, what you do, who you meet – that’s the Tauck difference. From the moment you step ashore, with 85 years of expertise on land ensures that on every cruise travel day, every moment of your shore excursions (all included in the price) count! Smaller ships hold fewer passengers, which means more personal attention from the captain and the crew – you’ll find the on-board atmosphere to be both club-like and comfortable. The pace is more relaxed, the conversations are richer, and the day-to-day experiences are shared with like-minded travelers.


 
 

Call a Luxury Cruise Specialist on 1300 308 081 and Quote #104861

(During Business Hours)