10-night Rhine Enchantment – Milan to Amsterdam Northbound Cruise/Land Package

Land Tour: Tremezzina

Milan is a city that arouses extreme feelings, just like the city lifestyle. A frenetic, restless rhythm is part of both work and leisure, so much so that it is difficult to stay unmoved and not get overwhelmed by all the cultural and social stimulus.
Maybe for this reason, Milan makes itself indispensable, because it is impossible to feel so alive and full of energy when you are away from the city. Milan is always one step ahead: a laboratory of artistic experiments and a building site for social behavior that is continuously changing. City full of contradictions, ancient and modern, trends and counter-trends, fashion and underground, middle class and working class, but always simply “cool”.

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Land Tour: Bellagio

The lake of Como, or better lake Lario, is of glacial origin and occupies the cavity cut out by the glacier of the Adda that, in the quaternarian époque extended over the two southern branches of the lake before coming out in the Brianza leaving there morenic hills and other small lakes. Its passage is marked by erratic boulders which are frequently found especially on the central promontory of the lake.It is the third largest subalpine lake but the deepest of all of them having a maximum depth of 410 metres. Its form of an overturned “Y” with two branches of Como and Lecco and with upper basin of Colico gives it its perimeter of 170 Km.

The peninsula of Bellagio extends with the town and its suburbs, on the banks, the false plain and on the hills which precede the northern extremity of the Larian promontory. For its position it has
stupendous views of a large part of the lake with its mountains. Due to its excellent walks and its 800 beds for tourists Bellagio is one of the most famous resorts on the lake of Como ( Lario). About 150,000 visitors per year come to Bellagio to lose themselves in the characteristic little steep streets which house many shops or in the romantic gardens of Villa Melzi or in those of Villa Serbelloni.

The particular fascination of Bellagio conquered poets and artists ever since the Renaissance and ever since the nineteenth century a great number of well known foreign visitors have visited it from Shelley to Longfellow and from Stendhal to Flaubert and Liszt.

In ancient times we have references to paleovenetian and gallo-insubric colonies after which followed the roman conquests in the second century b.C. On the rear of the promontory where the Villa Serbelloni now stands Pliny the Younger had his villa built which was one of the two that he had on Lake Como and was called “Tragoedia”. It was on this site they say that Stilicone, when he defeated the Visigoths at Bellagio, built a fortress given its dominating strategic position.

The vegetation is of Mediterranean, alpine and subalpine variety. On the banks we find cypresses and pines, on the sunbathed slopes vines and olive trees and on the mountainside chestnut trees, beeches, walnut trees and conifers. The calendar of flowering includes : narcissus and lily of the valley in March, the highly coloured azaleas, rhododendrons and camellias in April and May whereas roses. oleanders and hydrangeas decorate Bellagio from June to September. Notable also the wonderful range of autumn colours in the gardens and parks of Bellagio starting in September and October.

The climate. The temperate and moderate climate favours the vigorous and varied growth of vegetation. The mean winter temperature does not fall below 6-7° C. whereas in summer the level is between 25-30° C. The summer temperature is mitigated by the “breva,”, a light breeze characteristic of the Lake of Como.

Land Tour: Cernobbio

Cernobbio sits at the foot of Mount Bisbino. It’s a municipality in the Lake District in the province of Como, Italy. A picturesque town, Italian villas, trees and flowerbeds border the Lake District. The town was built mostly in the 19th century by the courts of European nobility. A large portion of the estates was purchased by UK’s Princess Caroline of Brunswick. Her unique taste for English-styled gardens remains the same.

The town’s rustic streets make Cernobbio a romantic getaway for visitors. Travelers can stroll through these parks and gardens, admire the Romanesque and Baroque style architectures or relax by the lake with the Italian countryside all around you!

Land Tour: Milan

4/23/2024

Milan is a city that arouses extreme feelings, just like the city lifestyle. A frenetic, restless rhythm is part of both work and leisure, so much so that it is difficult to stay unmoved and not get overwhelmed by all the cultural and social stimulus.
Maybe for this reason, Milan makes itself indispensable, because it is impossible to feel so alive and full of energy when you are away from the city. Milan is always one step ahead: a laboratory of artistic experiments and a building site for social behavior that is continuously changing. City full of contradictions, ancient and modern, trends and counter-trends, fashion and underground, middle class and working class, but always simply “cool”.

Land Tour: Milan

Milan is a city that arouses extreme feelings, just like the city lifestyle. A frenetic, restless rhythm is part of both work and leisure, so much so that it is difficult to stay unmoved and not get overwhelmed by all the cultural and social stimulus.
Maybe for this reason, Milan makes itself indispensable, because it is impossible to feel so alive and full of energy when you are away from the city. Milan is always one step ahead: a laboratory of artistic experiments and a building site for social behavior that is continuously changing. City full of contradictions, ancient and modern, trends and counter-trends, fashion and underground, middle class and working class, but always simply “cool”.

Land Tour: Lugano

Cruise Starts (Embarkation)

With its warm climate and Latin Character, Lugano is a carefree town nestled between the peaks of San Salvatore and Monte Bré. The swaying palms and cypress trees give it a distinct Italian feeling, and it is the largest town in the Italian-speaking Tessin canton. Due to its pleasant climate and breezy Mediterranean ambience, Lugano is one of the all time favorites and most visited resort areas during the warmer months. The old town has many buildings of historical interest. Palazzo Civico is filled with restaurants and boutiques and is the pulsating heart of the town. The irregularly shaped Lake of Lugano is spectacularly picturesque as is the bordering scenery. Indulging in some excellent shopping along Via Nassa. Lugano offers a wide variety of cultural, art and musical events each offering a unique way to explore the city's history and traditions. The famous Thyssen-Bornemisza art gallery, Villa Favorita, attracts countless visitors. Historic churches including Santa Maria degli Angioli and the cathedral San Lorenzo are well worth a visit.

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Basel

The third-largest city in Switzerland, Basel stands on the Rhine at the point where the French, German, and Swiss borders meet. At the entrance to the Swiss Rhineland, Basel is the capital of the half-canton of Basel-Stadt. On its borders are the French Vosges, the German Black Forest, and the Swiss Jura Mountains. Grossbasel, or Greater Basel, lies on the steep left bank, and Kleinbasel, or Lesser Basel, is on the right bank.

Basel

4/25/2024

The third-largest city in Switzerland, Basel stands on the Rhine at the point where the French, German, and Swiss borders meet. At the entrance to the Swiss Rhineland, Basel is the capital of the half-canton of Basel-Stadt. On its borders are the French Vosges, the German Black Forest, and the Swiss Jura Mountains. Grossbasel, or Greater Basel, lies on the steep left bank, and Kleinbasel, or Lesser Basel, is on the right bank.

Breisach

4/26/2024

The town of Breisach, located on the Rhine River in southwest Germany, is a major producer of wine, textiles, electrical goods and paper. This town has been long coveted because of its strategic location. Fortified by the Romans prior to the 13th century, it became an imperial town in 1275. Taken by Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar 1638, in 1648 it was secured by Louis XIV for France in the Peace of Westphalia and ceded back to the emperor in the Treaty of Ryswick in 1697. The French repeatedly captured Breisach during the 18th century but finally gave it to Baden in 1805.

Riquewihr

4/26/2024

The flower-filled Alsacian town called Riquewihr (pop. 1,230) is near Colmar and worth a stop if it's harvest time. The town has several nice 12th-century houses.

Strasbourg

4/26/2024

The rich architectural heritage of Strasbourg makes it an excellent tourist city. It has always been a town of passage, and has all architectural styles. The past is written in its walls, and its streets have a timeless quality. Few people can resist the charm of its half-timbered houses and picturesque alleys. Discover the pretty colored facades and impressive portals. Strasbourg is a popular destination where one can forget his usual surroundings. The old city lies around the cathedral on an island formed by two arms of the Ill river. La Petite France is the district which is most reminiscent of old Strasbourg. It is home to many craftsmen and antiques dealers. Its narrow streets offer a series of half-timbered houses dating from the 16th and 17th centuries with large inner courtyards and high sloping roofs. The exceptional warmth and hospitality of the people and the gastronomic reputation of Strasbourg makes tourists want to stay.

Germersheim

Germerseim, a quaint town in the German state Rhineland-Palatinate, contains Deutsches Strabenmuseum, Europe's only road museum.

Heidelberg

Heidelberg's fairy tale setting has captivated imaginations for centuries in works from writers to painters to composers. Its culture shows in its museums, private galleries, playhouses, concerts by Philharmonic and the Heidelberg Symphony Orchestra, and jazz and dance revues. Browse Main Street and Old Town's fascinating shops. Peruse stores and bars of Untere Strasse around the Church of the Holy Spirit and in “Plöck“ street. Scout treasures at the boroughs of Neuenheim and Handschuhsheim. Walk Philosopher‘s Path, one of Europe‘s most scenic overlooks with expansive views of Old Town and Heidelberg Castle. Saints‘ Mountain has a lookout tower, an amphitheater, and ruins of St. Michael‘s Basilica. Königstuhl Mountain is an excellent place to hike. Other unique attractions are: “Tiefburg“ (sunken castle), Neuburg Benedictine Monastery, the mountainside cemetery above Weststadt and Südstadt neighborhoods, and “Karlstorbahnhof“ culture center.

Mannheim

From its start as a quaint fishing village more than a thousand years ago, Mannheim has grown into one of the largest and most developed cities in Southern Germany. For a short time in the eighteenth century, the city served as a regional government center, and many of the grand old buildings remain. Boasting a large university and a nearby industrial center, Mannheim is a center of the arts and commerce. Considered by many to be one of the best-planned German cities, its easily navigable streets are arranged in a letter and number pattern. Numerous shops and design houses abound, and local events keep things interesting throughout the year. Noted attractions include the Wasserturm, which may well be the most beautiful water tower in the world, and the Residenzschloss, the largest baroque palace in the country. For its size and location, Mannheim is a great getaway with many interesting and enjoyable things to do and to see.

Wiesbaden-Biebrich