Amsterdam, Seine Cruise & Paris

Arrive in Amsterdam, and depending on your flight arrival time, you may have time to begin exploring the enchanting surroundings before a delightful dinner at your leisure in one of the charming local restaurants.

Amsterdam, often referred to as the "Venice of the North," is the capital of the Netherlands and a city that beautifully combines history with modernity. Its relaxed atmosphere attracts a diverse range of travellers.

On your first full day in Amsterdam, there is much to explore. The city’s heart is made up of picturesque canals lined with 17th-century townhouses and charming bridges. A boat cruise is a fantastic way to see the city's sights and gain a unique perspective of its beauty, all while learning about its intriguing history.

If you prefer to stay on solid ground, consider exploring Amsterdam’s vibrant neighbourhoods. Two particularly notable areas are the Jordaan, which was once a working-class district and is now filled with boutique shops, cosy cafés, and art galleries, and the De Pijp district, a cultural melting pot that is home to the famous Albert Cuyp Market.

The food scene in Amsterdam is as diverse as its people. For an authentic taste of the city, be sure to try traditional Dutch treats like bitterballen (deep-fried meatballs), poffertjes (fluffy mini pancakes), stroopwafels and, of course, delicious Dutch cheese. 

Amsterdam's history is intricately linked with trade, art, and progressive ideals, making it one of Europe’s most captivating cities. Today, consider exploring one of the city's many museums.

You might visit the Rijksmuseum, the country’s most prestigious museum, to learn more about Dutch history, art, and culture. It houses an extraordinary collection of works from the Dutch Golden Age, including Rembrandt’s The Night Watch, Vermeer’s The Milkmaid, and vibrant portraits by Frans Hals. Alternatively, you could visit the Van Gogh Museum, which boasts the most extensive collection of Van Gogh's work in the world, featuring over 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and 700 letters. This collection offers an intimate and emotional journey through his artistic genius, struggles, and legacy.

One of the city's most visited landmarks is the Anne Frank House, serving as a powerful reminder of the darker aspects of its history. Here, the Frank family, along with others, hid in a secret annex for two years before being discovered. Anne Frank’s diary, written during this time, has become one of the most famous personal accounts of the Holocaust.

If museums aren’t your preference, you could rent a bike to explore the city like a local. You might also enjoy a leisurely stroll through public parks such as Vondelpark, where winding paths lead past picturesque ponds and beautiful flowerbeds. Another option is to visit Westerpark, home to the Westergasfabriek, a former gasworks transformed into a cultural complex with galleries, restaurants, and event spaces. This area hosts farmers' markets, film screenings, live music, and occasional food festivals.

Whatever you choose to do today, you'll surely fall in love with Amsterdam's undeniable charm. 

Bid goodbye to the Netherlands as we transfer to Paris to meet our five-star ship moored on the River Seine in the heart of the city. The friendly crew will welcome you on board, helping you settle into your spacious and exquisitely furnished accommodation – you’ll immediately feel at home.

This evening you enjoy your first sumptuous dinner, served in the ship’s restaurant. 

During the night our ship slips her mooring and, as you enjoy breakfast, the landscape passes by serenely and you quickly get used to this luxurious sightseeing experience. Rounding a sweeping bend so typical of the Seine, we reach the town of Mantes-la-Jolie with its imposing church – so large and architecturally impressive it could be a cathedral – while straight ahead is a medieval stone bridge. The central section of the bridge was destroyed during the Second World War and never repaired – it’s the first of many poignant reminders that this region of France has been a battleground for centuries.

Beyond Mantes we encounter another typical feature of the Seine as it flows seaward – picturesque chalk cliffs, almost resembling a giant’s teeth. Beautiful villages like La Roche Guyon slide by, surrounded by bocage countryside of lush pastures and high hedgerows, countless cider orchards, half-timbered barns and ancient wooden farmhouses. We’re truly in the heart of one of France’s historic and stunningly attractive dukedoms – Normandy. 

While you’re enjoying your first delicious lunch, the captain has skilfully berthed at Les Andelys, a small town dominated by one of the most spectacular sights along the entire valley – Château Gaillard. This afternoon we discover the story behind this remarkable castle. Château Gaillard guards the apex of the river bend and was built by Richard the Lionheart in the 12th-century to defend Rouen from the French.

Besieged many times during the turbulent history of northern France, Château Gaillard is now one of the most dramatic ruins in the region. 

We awake in Rouen, Normandy’s capital, one of Europe’s finest medieval cities and scene of many momentous events over the centuries. Pride of place on our guided tour of the city belongs to its stunning Gothic cathedral, which was immortalised by the great Impressionist Claude Monet in a series of 28 paintings showing the façade at varying times of day and in different weather conditions. Briefly becoming the world’s tallest building when the soaring spire was added in the 19th century, the cathedral is also notable for the recumbent statue reputedly containing the heart of Richard the Lionheart.

Rouen’s beautifully tangled alleyways are a revelation, lined with antique shops, tasteful boutiques and, of course, countless restaurants serving exceptional local cuisine emphasising the country’s outstanding gastronomic heritage. The Place du Vieux-Marché is one of the city’s most poignant spots; a large cross marks the point where the ‘Maid of Orléans’ Joan of Arc was burned at the stake for her beliefs. 

During another superb lunch we cast off to navigate through yet more twists and turns, chalk cliffs and a landscape of forest-covered hills that are designated as areas of outstanding natural beauty and sanctuaries for diverse wildlife, including deer and wild boar. Another highlight of the valley soon greets us – the ethereal ruins of Jumièges Abbey. Founded in the 7th century, it was consecrated in the presence of William the Conqueror and was an important political and religious centre until it was sacked in the 16th century.

Should you wish, why not arrange to visit the wheelhouse, the Captain is always delighted to explain to those interested how the highly sophisticated navigation and safety systems operate. In the late afternoon, we moor in the pretty town of Caudebec-en-Caux.  

After dinner, enjoy the laid-back.

After breakfast, you'll be ready for a full-day tour, with a choice to visit the landing beaches, or taste some of Normandy’s typical produce.

Bayeux  

Our first stop, Bayeux is a delightful town with a historic core that escaped the ravages of war, so you can still marvel at its many splendid buildings, including the grand Gothic cathedral, crowned by a stately copper-clad tower.

Pointe du Hoc  

Next, we'll drive to Pointe du Hoc, a promontory overlooking the English Channel which was a series of German bunkers and machine gun posts during WWII.  

We'll then continue on to Omaha Beach, the site of the bloodiest battle of the Allies' D-day invasion - when Allied forces surged into Normandy to begin the liberation of occupied Europe. Casting your eyes across the sand to the water's edge, it's sobering to consider that by the end of 6 June 1944, around 34,000 Allied troops had landed on this one beach, with around 770 US soldiers killed by the defenders.    

Continuing to the British Normandy Memorial, we'll have the best point of view of Gold Beach, one of the five main landing sites on D-Day, when Allied forces surged into Normandy to begin the liberation of occupied Europe. We will then drive back to the ship moored in Caudebec, crossing Pegasus Bridge which was captured by British airborne forces in a daring assault aiding the success of the Allied D-day landings in Normandy. 

As we make our way back to the ship, thoughts turn again to the culinary delights awaiting you in the refined comfort of the ship’s restaurant.  

Alternatively, today you could embark on a tasting tour of Normandy.  

Dairy farm

Our first stop is a local cheese dairy, passed down from father to son, which specialises in the production of Livarot, Pont-l’Eveque, Camembert de Normandie, and Neufchatel. These are all Protected Designations of Origin cheese, making this one of the only places in the world that can make them. After learning more about the cheese-making methods, we'll get to taste these delicious varieties for ourselves, savouring the authentic flavours of traditional cheese.

Lisieux

Next, we'll head to Lisieux, a venerable medieval town in the heart of the Calvados region, which gave its name to the popular local brandy distilled from apple cider. Popular with Catholic Pilgrams, here you'll have free time to explore the extravagant 20th-century hillside basilica or its medieval cathedral. Perhaps, you'll simply enjoy a leisurely lunch in one of the restaurants and cafés.  

Cider producer

We'll then travel to a family-run estate, located by the sea, to learn more about two of Normandy's most iconic drinks - cider and calvados (apple brandy). The farm’s 25 hectares of orchards are home to apple and pear trees enabling the production of vinegar, apple juice, cider, pommeau, calvados and pure apple brandies. After learning the secrets of production, we'll have the pleasure of sampling some of their produce for ourselves before returning to our ship in Caudebec. 

Honfleur is often regarded as the most picturesque spot on the northern French coast, and after breakfast we make the short journey to this delightful town and enjoy a guided tour. Its old harbour, sheltering both fishing boats and luxurious pleasure craft, is beautifully preserved and surrounded by a perfect waterfront of pastel-coloured 16th- to 18th-century houses, many converted to seafood restaurants.

Watch the talented artists capturing the captivating views along the waterfront, while the intricate maze of streets behind is also well worth discovering. The eaves of the tall half-timbered buildings almost touch, and on the streets below is an abundance of traditional shops selling antiques, books and fine foods. Honfleur’s most famous son is Eugene Boudin, one of the forerunners of Impressionism and a friend of Claude Monet, who also painted the harbour many times.

Choose to return to the ship for lunch, or maybe you wish to explore Honfleur a little longer and sample the seafood in this coastal town with lunch at leisure. 

This afternoon, we slip our mooring and begin our passage back upstream, retracing the river’s winding course, its huge variety of wildlife, enchanting scenery and forests, all reflected in differing colours in the sparkling waters. Villages slip by, birds glide on thermals rising from the surrounding cliffs, it’s an ideal opportunity to join new friends for a chat. Squeeze in a spot of reading on the Sun Deck or simply recline, letting the gentle breezes lull you into a relaxing doze.

By this stage of your cruise, you’ll be totally unwound, and modern life will seem very distant. 

One of the great delights of river cruising is the magical sensation of waking up in a different place from where you were the night before. This morning the ship has moored in delightful Vernon, and we take the short drive to Giverny to visit Monet’s Garden and house.

The artist himself called his garden his ‘most beautiful masterpiece’, and it’s certainly one of the world’s most photographed and painted, ideally viewed in the delicate morning light. In the Japanese-inspired water garden, shaded by great weeping willows and surrounded by bamboo, rhododendrons and azaleas, is the lily pond where he painted his extraordinary Les Nymphéas (Water Lilies) series. There’s ample time to wander here, absorbing the tranquil atmosphere while marvelling at the light bouncing off foliage of every hue and the magical reflections dancing off the water. 

After another leisurely lunch on board, you can explore Vernon’s quaint buildings before embarking on our cruise to Paris. As the sun sets on the shimmering Seine and the Norman countryside recedes into dusk, it’s a perfect time to reflect on your few days cruising among the creamy chalk cliffs and charming villages of this splendid river.

Tonight enjoy a truly memorable occasion – the ‘Chef’s Dinner’, when the chef prepares his superb ‘signature’ dishes for you to enjoy in the splendid surroundings of the ship’s restaurant. 

We arrive in Paris. This morning you have a choice of two tours: A panoramic coach tour or a more active walking tour.

For a sightseeing tour of the capital, one of the world's most iconic cities, choose our panoramic coach tour. We'll see many of the outstanding monuments Paris has to offer - including the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, the Trocadéro, the Musee D'Orsay and much more.

A great choice for the more active, our walking tour of Paris allows you to take a closer look at some of the city's sights. Our 4km walk takes us through Île de la Cité & Marais Quarter, from Place des Vosges - the oldest planned square in Paris - to Palais Royal, the former French royal palace. En route, we'll see Paris' city hall - Hôtel de Ville, the UNESCO-protected Notre-Dame, the world-famous Louvre, and more.

Whichever tour you choose, you'll have the option to return to the ship for lunch, or you are also welcome to stay in the city and relax in one of the city's many cosy cafés.

After lunch, your afternoon will be free to enjoy Paris and the many attractions of this world-renowned city. We'll be moored close to a well-connected RER station, which allows easy access for you to tick a few items off your bucket list. You could see the grand Place de la Concorde, the largest square in the city, which shows off 18th-century French architecture at its best, visit Galleries Lafayette - the historic high-end department store - or the Musée d'Orsay, home of the world's finest Impressionist art collection.

Alternatively, you may wish to simply stroll along the Champs Elysees, enjoy a walk in the Tuileries Gardens or perhaps wander through the café lined streets of the city.

Paris is everything you imagine it to be – romantic, inspiring, vibrant – even outrageous – but best of all, Paris is unique, a fitting finale to a wonderful cruise.

After dinner tonight, there's the chance to enjoy more famous French melodies and songs performed by a professional accordionist. 

Today, you disembark our five-star ship and transfer to a nearby hotel.

Paris, synonymous with romance, art, and history, is home to some of the world's most famous landmarks and monuments. While you'll have seen most of them on yesterday's guided tour, today is an opportunity to take a closer look. Perhaps you'll make your way up the Eiffel Tower to take in views of the city or spend time in the famous Notre Dame, which has reopened its doors following a devastating fire in 2019.

Instead, you could explore one of Paris's world-renowned museums. Of course, the first that springs to mind is the Louvre, home to the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory of Samothrace and so much more. If your artistic interests lean towards Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art, don't miss the Musée d'Orsay. It features an extensive collection of paintings and sculptures from the mid-19th to early 20th centuries, including masterpieces by Monet, Manet, Renoir, Degas, and Van Gogh. Additionally, the Musée de l'Orangerie showcases Claude Monet's famous Water Lilies murals and other 20th-century masterpieces.

With around 130 museums in the French capital, there truly is something for everyone. Some unique options include the Fairground Museum, the Wine Museum, and the Paris Sewer Museum, as well as museums dedicated to the history of cinema, music, photography, and migration.

The French capital is considered the home of cabaret so seeing a show in Paris is a must. This evening, soak in the rich history of iconic venues like the Moulin Rouge and Crazy Horse, where spectacular performances await you. With dazzling costumes, can-can dancing, and live music, these shows present a unique blend of Parisian culture, luxury, and entertainment. Often accompanied by fine dining and champagne, it's a chance to indulge in a truly glamorous night out. 

Today, you could take advantage of Paris' excellent transport links and make your way to the historic Palace of Versailles. Once a modest hunting lodge, this opulent palace transformed into the quintessential symbol of the French monarchy under the reign of Louis XIV, setting the stage for the dramatic events that would eventually lead to the French Revolution.

As you wander through its grand halls, you'll experience the extravagant lifestyle that defined French royalty, marvelling at the artistic and cultural zenith of the 17th and 18th centuries. Admire the intricate details of the Royal Apartments, with their sweeping ceilings adorned with exquisite frescoes, and stand in awe of the iconic Hall of Mirrors, where light dances across the gilded surfaces and reflects the opulence of the era.

Don't miss the chance to view some of the 60,000 remarkable works of art that adorn the palace, each telling a story of its own. And when you've had your fill of indoor splendour, step into the immaculate gardens, where meticulously manicured lawns, vibrant flower beds, and enchanting fountains invite you to linger. You could easily spend an entire day here, revelling in the beauty and history that Versailles has to offer.

Alternatively, you might find inspiration in the enchanting arrondissements of Paris. Meander through the historic passageways and charming streets of the deuxième - the second district - as you browse the diverse shops under the 19th-century glass-roofed covered passages, including the storied Passage des Panoramas. Delve into the vibrant atmosphere of The Latin Quarter in the 5th Arrondissement, where the echoes of old Parisian intellectual life invite you to peruse the captivating bookshops or savour a moment at a pavement café while watching the world go by. If you missed the opportunity to explore Montmartre on Day 7, seize the opportunity today; climb up to Sacré-Cœur Basilica and let the artistic spirit of Picasso and Van Gogh guide you through its beautifully creative streets.

Experience the magic of your final night by wandering the enchanting streets of Paris, discovering why it’s called the City of Lights. Or take in the city’s beauty from a new perspective on a captivating nighttime cruise along the Seine, where the shimmering lights dance across the water in a magical display. 

For guests who have booked flights and transfers with us, your journey concludes with a smooth, private transfer to your chosen airport—ensuring a relaxed and stress-free departure.