Trip Introduction
In 2017 we took a trip to celebrate a milestone wedding anniversary. We started with a few days on our own exploring Munich, Germany before flying to Basel, Switzerland to board a river cruise ship. We spent nine days traveling down the Rhine River visiting beautiful cities along the way. The cruise ended in Amsterdam where we spent a few more days on our own before flying home. This was our first river cruise, and we greatly enjoyed our time on the Uniworld River Cruises itinerary.
Saturday, 06/10/2017 – Departure Day
We spent the morning finishing our packing before heading to the airport early in the afternoon. We had a short flight to Chicago where we changed terminals and boarded our overnight flight to Munich.
Sunday, 06/11/2017 – Arriving in Munich
We arrived at Munich Airport and made our way through passport control, baggage claim, and customs. We found a Taxi and checked in at our hotel. It was still before noon, and our room wasn’t ready, so we reorganized our bags and headed out into the city. There was a subway station a couple blocks from our hotel where we bought tickets and travelled into the city center exiting at Marienplatz. We spent the afternoon finding a place for lunch and exploring the historic area. Nearby we climbed the bell tower of St. Peter’s church for a wonderful panoramic view of the old city. We returned to the hotel late in the afternoon and were able to go to our room to rest before a light supper and an early bedtime.
Marienplatz’s famous glockenspiel on Munich’s City Hall
Looking out over Munch at the City Hall and Cathedral
Munich’s City Hall with the royal Residence and English Gardens in the distance
A tree lined garden between streets creates a peaceful walk
An historic market building with painted reliefs on the façade
Monday, 06/12/2017 – Walking Munich
After breakfast in our hotel, we headed back to the historic city center. We strolled through a major shopping district. Nestled in the middle was St. Michael’s Church. We then headed east to the river. We walked down Maximillanstrasse looking in the windows of the high-end stores.
Looking down the pedestrian shopping district along Neuhauser Strasse
The stark white and red façade of St. Michael’s Church
The alter inside St. Michael’s
Looking east across the river at Maximillianeum, home of the Bavarian State Parliament
The Angel of Peace Monument above the trees along the River Isar
The Isartor is one of the gates from the medieval Munich city walls
Max-Joseph Platz outside the Residenz
It looked like rain so in the early afternoon we visited the Residenz which is the largest city palace in Germany. The palace was built in phases from 1385 through the mid 1800’s. The Wittelsbach monarchs ruled Bavaria until 1918. There was an extensive art collection as well as information about the restoration of the palace following WWII. After the rain stopped, we spent time wandering the English Gardens before returning to Marienplatz for dinner inside the Rathaus (City Hall). After supper, we caught the subway and returned to the hotel. According to our fitness trackers, we walked over 13 miles and were both feeling it when we returned to the hotel that evening.
Jewel covered sculpture of St. George slaying the dragon
The Bavarian Crown Jewels
The Antiquarium inside the Residenz was built around 1570
The ceiling of the Reiche Kapelle (Ornate Chapel) in the Residenz
Some areas of unrestored stucco showing the original paint patterns
Inside the Royal Theater at the Residenz
The Bavarian State Chancellery near the Residenz
A fountain inside the English Garden
One of the expansive open areas inside the English Garden in the heart of Munich
Siegestor (Victory Gate) in Munich
Tuesday, 06/13/2017 – Castles South of Munich
Prior to arriving in Germany, we booked an all-day tour outside of Munich. We arrived near the main train station early to catch the coach. As we headed southwest into the Bavarian Alps, we enjoyed scenic views of the countryside. Our first stop was Schloss Neuschwanstein (Neuschwanstein Castle). This iconic structure rises from a hillside overlooking a wide valley near the town of Füssen. We took a tram up the hill and walked to a footbridge above the castle to take some photos before heading down for our timed entry for the tour of the castle itself. The castle is a quintessential fairy tale castle, and a visit here clearly influenced Walt Disney as he imagined Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World. The interiors were never finished as Kind Ludwig died before the castle was completed. Unfortunately, no photos are allowed inside the castle as the spaces that were completed are incredibly ornate and beautiful. We walked down the steep hillside and ate a bit of lunch before getting back on the coach. The next stop was in Oberammergau, home of the famous passion play presented once every ten years. We were able to see the exterior of the theater and visit a few shops in this quaint town before heading to another of King Ludwig’s castles.
Passing over a calm river
Looking out of the coach at pastures in the low hills leading to the Alps
A lake in a valley before the mountains
Neuschwanstein Castle sits on an outcropping of rock overlooking the valley beyond
Looking down into the valley at Hohenschwangau Castle below Neuschwanstein
Walking along the path running below the side of Neuschwanstein
Looking back up the hill to the castle from the town below
The retractable roof at the Passion Play Theater in Oberammergau
Paintings representing the Hansel and Gretl fairy tale adorn a building in Oberammergau
Clouds form around the high peaks of the Bavarian Alps
It was clear Ludwig envied the French kings as Linderhof Palace seemed to be a small-scale version of Versailles. The relatively small palace was surrounded by gardens and had fountains using mountain steams and lakes to develop the necessary water pressure. Again, no photos were allowed of the incredibly ornate rooms inside. We passed through more peaceful looking countryside on the return to Munich. Once back, we headed to the hotel spending our last night in Munich savoring the sites and memories.
A gold fountain in the garden at Linderhof Palace
Decorative gardens at Linderhof reminiscent of Versailles
Looking through the garden at the back of Linderhof Palace
A fountain shoots water high in the air in the forecourt at Linderhof Palace
More picturesque mountain scenes as we return to Munich
Wednesday, 06/14/2017 – Germany to Switzerland
Wednesday was a travel day as we flew from Munich to Basel Switzerland to board our river cruise. Everything went smoothly and we arrived at the dock mid-afternoon. Once we were settled in our room on Uniworld’s River Empress, we explored the ship and spent time relaxing on the upper deck watching river traffic pass by. After supper, we joined a walking tour of Basel as the sun set.
Our ship double parked at the dock where we boarded
The Basler Münster rises above the other buildings along the river
A small ferry shuttled people back and forth across the river
The Predigerkirche (Preacher’s Church) in Basel
Basel’s colorful Town Hall
The ornamentation on a balcony of the town hall
An entertaining detail at a downspout on the town hall
Thursday, 06/15/2017 – On the Rhine to Colmar
The ship left Basel late in the evening. We awoke the next morning to see the countryside gliding by. While we were still getting ready, we noticed the window darkening. We looked out the window and realized we were passing through one of several locks we would use that day. After a restful morning, the ship arrived at the docks near Colmar. We realized exactly how busy the river was when we saw the number of cruise ships docked two and three wide from the coach that took us into town. Colmar is a quaint French city in the often-disputed Alsace region. One of its famous residents was the sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi whose work includes the Statue of Liberty. Many people don’t know that, while New York City has the largest, there are other versions that exist in Paris and on the outskirts of Comar. The Église Saint Marin de Colmar is a church that has stork nests on the roof since the birds are considered good luck in the region. After returning to the ship, we continued down river as the sun set.
The bank seemed so close as we sailed down the river
A group of swans float in the water near the banks of the river
Our ship starts to drop in one of the locks on the river
The gate opens on the lower side of the lock for our ship to sail out
River cruise ships docked near Colmar
A smaller version of The Statue of Liberty stands in a traffic circle outside Colmar
Houses line one of the streets in Colmar’s historic city center
Numbered beams on a structure that was moved
Two storks look out over the city from their nest atop St. Martin’s Church
The historic façade of St. Martin’s Church in Colmar
A small boat navigates one of the canals in Colmar
The sun sets as we sail down the river Rhine
Friday, 06/16/2017 – Visting Strasbourg
On Friday we visited the city of Strasbourg. This spot has been important to the area for centuries and the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg illustrates that. The city has a protected historic center with several canals that once brought goods from the river. As part of the tour, we rode in a glass topped boat through some of the modern city passing the home of the European Parliament. The tour took us into the historic old town before letting us off to experience the picturesque village feel in that area. We visited the cathedral which, while in the old city, is surrounded by more modern shops. We had time to climb one of the towers and get pictures looking out over the city. We then walked back into the older sections of Strasbourg before returning to the ship. We liked the historic city and the images of the place remain in our minds long after the trip.
A building in the historic Old Town covered in flowers and vines
A building on a bridge spans one of the canals near the old city center
The front façade of the Cathedral towers over visitors
The upper portion of the gothic Cathedral in Strasbourg
Looking out over the city from the shorter of the Cathedral’s front towers
The European Parliament as seen from the roof of the Cathedral
One of the many carved animals on the façade of the Cathedral
The tall nave of the cathedral with a small portion of the beautiful interior paintings and stained glass
An astrological clock sits near an entry to one side of the crossing inside the Cathedral
A tour boat passes along a canal with historic 3 and 4-story structures lining the sides
Blooms adorn a flower box on a bridge over a canal with calm water
Saturday, 06/17/2017 – A Big Church and a Bigger Castle
On Saturday we started with a walking tour in the city of Speyer. It is home to an incredible example of the Romanesque style that preceded the more familiar Gothic style for religious buildings. The town was the seat for some of the Holy Roman Emperors and the Cathedral has a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. There are still weekly services, and the grounds are beautifully maintained. One of the primary characteristics of the Romanesque style is the sense of mass as many of the buildings have thick walls with relatively small openings. The Speyer Cathedral faces a main street into the town which is lined by shops in preserved historic buildings. We visited a museum in the ruins of the medieval Jewish Quarter near the cathedral. There’s also an old gate/tower that allows visitors to look out over the city. After the walking tour in Speyer, we returned to the ship for lunch before our afternoon excursion.
Two towers on either side of the apse of the Speyer Cathedral
Two more towers stand near the entrance to the Speyer Cathedral
Paintings adorn the walls high in the nave of the Cathedral
The smaller windows and unadorned surface are typical in the Romanesque churches, even in the crossing dome
The historic Jewish Quarter of Speyer
The old watch tower stands above the shops
Looking at the Cathedral from the upper floors of the watch tower
Julie leans out the window of our stateroom as the ship is docked in Speyer
Saturday afternoon we boarded a coach which took us away from the river to visit Heidelberg. This relatively small city held a strategic position in the past and the castle that looked over the city was once powerful and beautiful. The partially restored ruins were some of the most recognized and attract visitors from all over the world. Construction on the oldest portions of the castle started in the early 1200s and the building expanded through the 1650s. However, lighting strikes, fires, and wars repeatedly damaged the structure and in 1880 Mark Twain referred to it as a ruin. Portions of building have been restored along with some of the gardens. In addition to the massive structures, we also saw the world’s largest wine cask which was actually a means of collecting taxes from the local landowners. After touring various portions of the castle, we passed through some beautiful country as we returned to the ship.
Looking at different sections of the Heidelberg Castle ruins as you walk to the entry point
Standing in the courtyard of the castle, you can see both restored and unrestored buildings
One of the restored sections illustrated the ornate detailing common on Renaissance building façades
People climb stairs to stand atop the tax vat
There are still areas of restoration work, but portions of the castle will remain as ruins
Looking over the Neckar River from the castle as it winds through Heidelberg
Portions of an old tower stand in ruins showing a section of how think the walls were built
Looking at one of the old walls where portions of the castle have fallen away over time
Looking over the roofs of Heidelberg at the remains of the castle on the hill
A vineyard above a small village between Heidelberg and Speyer
Sunday, 06/18/2017 – Rüdesheim and Castles Along the Rhine
We spent Sunday morning in and around the town of Rüdesheim. We did not participate in the excursions, but relaxed walking through town and then taking the chair lift to an overlook for the river at the Niederwald Monument. This monument was erected in the 1870s and early 1880s commemorating the Unification of Germany into a single country. The town has an annual Harley Davidson Rally that was wrapping up the day we were there. A bike on the lift advertised the event as it passed over nearby vineyards. It was a beautiful morning and the views from the lift and monument area were stunning.
Grape vines cover the hills near Rüdesheim with the lift and Niederwald monument visible beyond
A Harley Davidson Motorcycle on a special carrier rides the chair lift over wine grape vineyards
High on a hill, the Niederwald Monument looks over the river and nearby countryside
Looking from the monument area back down to Rüdesheim
Looking up at Niederwald as we head down river
There is a section of the Rhine that is identified as a UNESCO World Heritage site because of the numerous castles and ruins. We spent the afternoon sitting on the top deck listening as the cruise director narrated our journey through most of that area identifying the many castles and sharing some of their history. There were only a few clouds in the sky and James couldn’t help but take a lot of pictures.
The staff handed out a rough map listing many of the castles we would see along the river
The ruins of Ehrenfels Castle overlooks the modern highway and river
At some points along the river, multiple castle structures were visible at the same time
Rheinstein Castle built in the 14th century now functions as a museum and events venue
Sooneck Castle was originally built in the 11th century and restored in the 19th
There was a lot of traffic on the river
Castles meant money which also means churches were prevalent along the banks
Pfalzgrafenstein Castle was built in the river to collect taxes on ships going both directions
Schönburg Castle overlooks the town of Oberwesel with its large church
Rheinfels Castle was once the largest in the middle Rhine and is now partially a luxury hotel
In some places the rocky cliffs made the castles even more imposing
Ships carry all kinds of cargo up and down the Rhine River, even green tractors
Leibenstein and Sterrenberg Castles were built by feuding brothers, according to local legend
The day ended in Boppard. We enjoyed a short walking excursion with other passengers before breaking away to take another chair lift to see the sharp turn in the river. We enjoyed watching the paragliders ride the air currents running off the river and up the hillside and the panoramic view of the river traffic.
The docks and waterfront of Boppard are extremely welcoming
A paraglider seems to hang in the bright blue sky
The sharp turn in the river near Boppard
Our ship is visible at the dock as we descend on the chair lift
Monday, 06/19/2017 – More Castles and Koblenz
We started Monday morning with a short sail from Boppard to Koblenz. This included a few more castles and some shots of some follow passengers who were biking between the two cities. In the late morning, we toured Koblenz itself, which is strategically located where the Moselle flows into the Rhine. We walked to a park at the confluence where a statue of Wilhelm I on a horse looks over Duestches Eck (the German Corner) park. We then boarded a cable car which crosses the Rhine and took us to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress which overlooks the rivers and the city. On our way back to the ship, we stopped by the Basilica of Saint Castor.
Marksburg Castle rises into the blue sky above the river
A large TV tower looks out of place above Stolzenfels Castle
Looking up at Ehrenbreitstein Fortress as we approach the Moselle-Rhine confluence
The statue of Wilhelm in Duestches Eck Park (German Corner Park)
Looking back at the German Corner after crossing the river on a cable car
A protected roadway with Ehrenbreitstein where people and supplies could safely move about
Looking out over Koblenz and the confluence; you can clearly see the color difference between the two rivers
Flower beds in the forecourt of the Basilica of Saint Castor in Koblenz
In the afternoon we backtracked up the river on a coach to visit Marksburg Castle, which we had seen that morning. The structure sits high on a hill overlooking the river and offers a glimpse into what it was like to live in these buildings as well as some breathtaking views of the river valley below. The ship departed Koblenz in the late afternoon, and we enjoyed a beautiful sunset on the river as we approached the city of Bonn.
It was a steep walk from where the coach had to drop us off up to Marksburg Castle
Paintings still adorn some of the walls inside the castle
The sitting areas at the windows helped visitors understand how thick the walls were
Looking downriver from Marksburg Castle
The setting sun turns the sky and clouds orange and yellow over the river
Tuesday, 06/20/2017 – Cologne
The ship arrived in Cologne early Tuesday morning. This northern German city was severely damaged during WWII so much of the area has a relatively modern feel. A significant exception is the gothic cathedral. After a walking tour we spent a little time enjoying a shopping district near the river before heading to the cathedral. The cathedral has many of the original stained-glass windows because residents realized early in the war that its location amongst the industrialized area along the river paired with the major rail station immediately north of the cathedral made the cathedral a prime target for bombing. With this in mind, they moved the stained-glass to the residential outskirts of town and hid the windows for safe keeping. There were displays in the nave containing photos of what allied soldiers found as they entered the city. The cathedral, blackened from fires, stood tall amongst the rubble of the surrounding neighborhoods. The cathedral is old enough and with the heat of the fires, the stone is in constant repair by artisans sculpting pieces to match the existing ornamentation. We returned to the ship in the late afternoon as it was departing for the long overnight haul to Amsterdam. When we returned to our room after the evening meal, the crew had decorated our bed and provided a bottle of Champagne in honor of our anniversary.
A modern building along the river Rhine houses a chocolate museum
The stone buttresses of the gothic cathedral create interesting shadow patterns
The tall, ornate main entry façade of the Cologne Cathedral
The different color stone highlights where pieces have been replaced
The detail and workmanship of the stained-glass was beautiful
One portion of the ornate floor tile inside the cathedral shows the designer with a plan
This gold cask holds relics of The Three Kings
A carved piece of stone waiting to be installed
Photos taken by allied soldiers as they entered Cologne on display
Our stateroom decorated by the crew in honor of our anniversary
Enjoying a drink on the upper deck as the sun sets on our last night on the ship
Wednesday, 06/21/2017 – Arriving in Amsterdam
We woke up Wednesday morning in port in Amsterdam. We disembarked from the ship and a transfer took us to our hotel for the extra few days we were spending in Amsterdam. After leaving our bags with the bellhop, we decided to head into the city to get our bearings. Our hotel was close to the city center, so we quickly found the central train station with its parking garage for bicycles. We found a short boat tour of the central port and historic canals. It was interesting seeing the mix of modern and historic architecture between the port area and the older parts of the city. We visited the “New Church” built in the 15th Century. We saw the Royal Palace of Amsterdam and passed the Amsterdam Museum where old gable stones are installed in the exterior façade. In the afternoon we visited the Botanical Gardens; as the home port for the Dutch East India Trading Company there were samples of plants from all over the world. It had been a long day with a lot of steps, so we returned to the hotel to check-in to our room, rested, and found a small restaurant nearby for supper.
Looking over the piers of Amsterdam before disembarking from the River Empress
Amsterdam’s central train station
Bicycle parking near the train station
A modern building overlooks an entrance to the historic canals
The canals are still a very common way for people to get around
Looking down one of the canals with tall buildings on either side
The ceiling of De Nieuwe Kirk (New Church) looks much like a ship’s hull
The Royal Palace of Amsterdam has a large plaza known as De Dam
Gable stones on the exterior of the Amsterdam Museum
A Gazania, or African Daisy, blooms in the Botanical Gardens
Thursday, 06/22/2017 – More Steps and A Rainy Afternoon
On Thursday we decided to participate in a free walking tour. There are companies who have guides who will walk you around many larger cities with your only cost being the time and whatever you decide to pay the guide at the end of the tour. We enjoyed the walk and learned much about the history of the city, its dependency on the water, social etiquette in the red-light district, and how the modern city grew from the many influences of trade and visitors from around the world. After the tour, we walked around the city looking at a few more sites before returning to the hotel as the clouds built for some afternoon showers. In honor of our anniversary, we went on a dinner cruise on the canals.
De Waag (the Weigh House) was part of the city’s defensive walls in the late 1400s
A bronze plaque in the cobblestones highlights the importance of the sex trade in Amsterdam’s history
The I Am Amsterdam installation stood outside an art museum
Looking out our hotel window as rain falls on the city
The boat where we had dinner while cruising the canals
Friday, 06/23/2017 – Animals and Art in Amsterdam
Friday was our last full day abroad. We decided to catch the tram and visit the zoo. Like the Botanical Gardens, the zoo has a wide variety of animals that were brought back from various voyages and trading missions. There were, what we considered, the normal cast, lions, elephants, and giraffes. But what we hadn’t thought about was what from North America they would have on display like coyotes, wolves, raccoons, and skunks. About mid-afternoon, we headed back into town to visit the “Old Church” in the middle of the red-light district, which is now a museum. While the current installation of golden leaf blankets spread across the floor in a regular grid failed to pique our interest, the building’s ornamentation was unique. Stained-glass windows had pops of color as the images were all set in white glass instead of being full color. This included the typical Biblical stories as well as one window dedicated to the nobility of the country. There were also models of ships in various materials and from different periods of history suspended in space. The wood ceiling was also partially painted with characters from the Bible. We spent a little more time walking about before returning to the hotel and preparing for our departure the next morning.
A lion paces in its enclosure
A young giraffe studies its surroundings
The Red-ruffed Lemurs roamed somewhat freely, even resting on the fence along the walk
A young elephant with its mother
This Victoria Crowned Pigeon seemed to be posing
The Fennec Fox is the smallest species of fox in the world
Gold sheets in the nave of De Oude Kerk (the Old Church)
The painted wood ceiling of the Old Church
Because water was so important to the city, seafaring twists were incorporated into some of the Biblical stories
A brass model of a ship hangs inside the Old Church
A stained-glass window shows the noble houses of the Netherlands
Saturday, 06/24/2017 – Homeward
Saturday was a travel day. It started out a little stressful as we learned, after our pre-paid shuttle didn’t show up, we had missed the fine print to confirm our ride. The staff at the hotel were very helpful and we made it to the airport in time for our flight. We also found the security process unusual in that we basically had to check-in twice with our airline before going through security and arriving at our gate. After a hectic start, the rest of the day went smoothly, and we arrived home in Des Moines in the late evening.
We enjoyed our time in Germany, on the River Empress, and in Amsterdam. It was a wonderful way to celebrate our 20th anniversary.