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Christmastime from Nuremberg to Basel

Aboard Avalon Illumination with Avalon Waterways

Departure Date

14 December 2024

Duration

9 Nights

Cruise Only From

£4,737pp

Cruise Reference

ART-2CHAV18

Cruise Overview

Celebrate this magical time of year with a delightful Christmastime river cruise through the beautiful views of the heart of Germany, on the Main Danube Canal, and the Main and Rhine Rivers.

Board your ship in Nuremberg, Germany, host to one of the oldest Christmas markets in the country.

Get into the holiday spirit as you stroll through the brightly illuminated and decorated Old Town.

200 stalls sell traditional German Christmas wares and seasonal delicacies.

In delightful Bamberg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you’ll find nativity scenes built by local citizens through-out the town.

Learn about holiday traditions as you cruise to Würzburg, and here walk through the halls of the ornate Bishop’s Residence—home to the largest ceiling fresco ever painted.

Then stroll through the Christmas markets while you sip Glühwein (hot mulled wine).

Learn how to bake a traditional cookie before arriving at one of the charming small towns with half-timbered houses that are dotted along the Main River.

In the charming wine town of Rüdesheim, visit the unique Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum.

Continue your cruise to Speyer and visit Heidelberg Castle, which towers magnificently over the city, and watch the skaters on the ice rink below.

At this time of year, the historic charm of Strasbourg, France, is mixed with festive aromas, sights, and sounds—creating a truly magical atmosphere!

Visit the gothic cathedral with its ancient murals and fascinating astronomical clock.

Continue your Christmastime river cruise to Breisach, Germany—gateway to the famous Black Forest.

An area of unrivaled natural beauty, and the home of Black Forest ham, cherry cake, and cuckoo clocks.

There is no better setting at this time of year, when smoke curls from the chimneys of the traditional Black Forest houses.

Your delightful holiday cruise ends in Basel, Switzerland.

Cruise Itinerary

Aboard Avalon Illumination

Launch Year: 2014 Length: 135 Width: 12 Currency: EUR Capacity: 166 Crew Count: 47 Deck Count: 4 Cabin Count: 83

Shining bright in Avalon's award-winning fleet of Suite Ships, the gorgeous Avalon features two full decks of Panorama Suites with wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows that transform your living space into river cruising's only Open-Air Balcony. With 200 square feet, Panorama Suites are more than 30% larger than the industry standard, affording you the incomparable opportunity to wake each morning to splendid passing scenery from your window-facing bed. Stretch out on your Comfort Collection bed and cruise with the world at your feet. Onboard amenities include an alternative light dining option in the Panorama Bistro, a Fitness Center, complimentary Wi-Fi access, and a spacious Sky Deck with premium lounge chairs, whirlpool, and light al fresco lunches at the Sky Bistro on the Sky Deck. The Avalon Illumination truly shines on Europe's rivers.

Avalon Illumination Facilities

Avalon Illumination Includes

Cabin Details

Avalon Waterways are pioneering the look of river cruising. Not only are the staterooms and views 30 percent larger than any other small ship in Europe, providing cruisers a renewed feeling of freedom and space, every component of the experience, from bed and bathroom positioning and colour palette∘ to storage space and sound-proof insulation, was wistfully designed for cruisers to ensure they enjoy all that river cruising has to offer.

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