24 Nights Europe River Cruise

The largest city in Switzerland is a major contemporary art and shopping destination. Important artworks are displayed in the Kunsthaus and the Rietberg Museum, while those who consider shopping an art can hone their skills along Bahnhofstrasse and Niederdorf. Chagall's stained glass windows in the Fraumunster amaze and Zurich's 500 clubs and bars, including several in swimming pools, pulse with life 'til the early hours. This city on Lake Zurich has excellent public transit and a free bike rental system

Located at the foot of Kaiserstuhl Mountain on the French-German border, Breisach is a charming little medieval town. Once surrounded by city walls, the gates to the city still stand today. Breisach is the gateway to Germany's Black Forest region, an area of unrivalled natural beauty with its forests of thick pine trees. The most well-known products from this region are Black Forest ham and Black Forest cherry cake. (FB,L,D)

Situated on the border of France and Germany, Strasbourg is influenced by the culture of both countries and is the capital of the Alsace region. It is the seat of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament. Noteworthy sights are the GOTHIC CATHEDRAL, the lovely LA PETITE FRANCE district, Place Kleber, and Place Gutenberg with its statue of the inventor of the printing press. Strasbourg is also home to the Kronenbourg Beer Brewery. An optional excursion into the Alsace wine region is available. (FB,L,D)

Baden-Wurttemberg's second-largest city after Stuttgart, Mannheim lies at the confluence of the Rhine and Neckar Rivers and is rare among German cities for its layout, a grid pattern (or "quadrates") similar to those found in North America. The grid was originally plotted in 1606 and emanated from Friedrichsburg fortress, which later became the site of Mannheim Palace. Today, it partly houses the University of Mannheim. The city's iconic water tower and its beautiful Luisenpark are must-sees.

The Rhine Gorge is a popular name for the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a 65 km section of the Rhine between Koblenz and Bingen in Germany. It was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in June 2002 for a unique combination of geological, historical, cultural and industrial reasons.

There may not be a lovelier scene in Germany than the town of Cochem, couched in the high, vine-clad slopes of the Moselle Valley. The town of half-timbered houses, scurrying streets and medieval gates is on a loop in the river, under the steady watch of the Romantic Reichsburg castle.

The Moselle Valley is a region in north-eastern France, south-western Germany, and eastern Luxembourg, centred on the river valley formed by the Moselle. The Moselle runs through, and along the borders of, the three countries, and drains a fourth, Belgium.

Bernkastel-Kues on the Moselle river in Germany has plenty to offer: excellent hiking trails and cycling pathes, an unforgettable landscape. Bernkastel, on the right bank, is a symphony in half-timber, stone and slate, and teems with wine taverns.

As the meeting point of the Rhine and Mosel rivers and with the UNESCO-listed Rhine Valley as its backdrop, Koblenz has no shortage of photo-worthy scenery. Add a hilltop medieval fortress and some impressive Romanesque buildings, and it's one of the prettiest towns along the Rhine.

The capital of North Rhine-Westphalia, Dusseldorf is a regional economic powerhouse straddling the banks of the Rhine River. Altstadt is not just Dusseldorf's lovely old town, but also where the city's nightlife is based and where Altbier, its native dark beer, is plentiful. Dusselforfians take their beer seriously. Königsallee (Ko to the locals), Dusseldorf's famous shopping street, has many high-end stores. And the Museum Kunst Palast has one of the Rhineland's best art collections

Touching Belgium on its west and just a few miles from Germany to the east, Maastricht is the capital of Holland's southernmost region, Limburg. A town rich in history and culture, Maastricht boasts two wonderful town squares: Vrijthof, with Sint-Servaas Church, Sint-Jans Cathedral and many bars, cafes and restaurants; and Markt, home to the town hall and, on Wednesday and Friday mornings, a fantastic vendor market. The city's Vestigingswerken, or old town fortifications, are another big draw.

Your visit to Arnhem offers the perfect opportunity to go to one of the many top attractions. Burgers' Zoo, a journey through the most diverse natural landscapes in the world. Museum voor Moderne Kunst Arnhem (Arnhem Museum of Modern Art) is ?forms of realism'. The Nederlands openluchtmueum (Holland open Air Museum) cherishes traditions and keeps them alive. 

Veere is a municipality with a population of 22,000 and a town with a population of 1,500 in the southwestern Netherlands, in the region of Walcheren in the province of Zeeland

Antwerp retains an intriguing medieval heart with plenty of café-filled cobbled lanes, a riverside fortress and a truly impressive cathedral. Today, however, Antwerp's top drawcards are its vibrant fashion and entertainment scene, along with its startling architectural and cultural contrasts.

Paris is an iconic city ? a melange of everything artistic and sublime, with a worldwide reputation for excellence in cuisine, fashion, architecture and the fine arts. After you take the drive in from the port (just over two hours), hit the streets to see the citys monumental landmarks: Pass through the Arc de Triomphe, and stand in the presence of the Eiffel Tower. The beauty here is only matched by the history and culture. Cruise to Paris to feel the cool morning air outside Gothic Notre Dame cathedral, and see works from prehistoric to postmodern at the Louvre. At evening, walk the lamplit avenues as restaurants wooden tables and rattan chairs spill onto the sidewalks and terraces. Pull up a seat, order a glass of vin rougeand a plate of pate on toast, and dive in.

Les Andelys is a commune in the Eure department in Normandy in northern France

The past is present in Rouen, where Gothic church spires tower over half-timbered lanes and history museums. Normandy's riverside capital also dishes up some of the best cuisine in the region, from farm-fresh cheese to oysters hauled in from the nearby coast

Honfleur, a harbor in Normandy, was popular with Impressionist painters like Monet and Boudin. They found its changing light and picturesque quays inspiring?and even today, if you return to the same spot every day to take a photo, you'll find no two are the same. On Saturday, visit the town's lively market and stock up on local cheese.

Caudebec-en-Caux is a popular halting point for cruise ships, which appreciate its fine view of the Brotonne bridge and also Notre Dame church, one of the finest of Upper Normandy and which continues to stand watch over its districts, most of which are post-War. The concrete aspect of this small riverside town is reminiscent of that of Le Havre, as it is on the doorstep of Brotonne forest.

Although perhaps less flashy than its southern okanagan neighbors Kelowna and Penticton, Vernon is a year round getaway offering an abundance of fun attractions from sunny beaches and golf courses in the summer to powdery ski slopes in the winter. The areas back country trails provide great exploration points, whether by bike, horseback riding, hiking, snowshoeing or snowmobiling. The pristine scenery of the Rockies surrounds the valleys plentiful vineyards.

Paris is an iconic city ? a melange of everything artistic and sublime, with a worldwide reputation for excellence in cuisine, fashion, architecture and the fine arts. After you take the drive in from the port (just over two hours), hit the streets to see the citys monumental landmarks: Pass through the Arc de Triomphe, and stand in the presence of the Eiffel Tower. The beauty here is only matched by the history and culture. Cruise to Paris to feel the cool morning air outside Gothic Notre Dame cathedral, and see works from prehistoric to postmodern at the Louvre. At evening, walk the lamplit avenues as restaurants wooden tables and rattan chairs spill onto the sidewalks and terraces. Pull up a seat, order a glass of vin rougeand a plate of pate on toast, and dive in.

Paris is an iconic city ? a melange of everything artistic and sublime, with a worldwide reputation for excellence in cuisine, fashion, architecture and the fine arts. After you take the drive in from the port (just over two hours), hit the streets to see the citys monumental landmarks: Pass through the Arc de Triomphe, and stand in the presence of the Eiffel Tower. The beauty here is only matched by the history and culture. Cruise to Paris to feel the cool morning air outside Gothic Notre Dame cathedral, and see works from prehistoric to postmodern at the Louvre. At evening, walk the lamplit avenues as restaurants wooden tables and rattan chairs spill onto the sidewalks and terraces. Pull up a seat, order a glass of vin rougeand a plate of pate on toast, and dive in.