Join us for an Alsatian Highlights excursion through the famous wine region of Alsace, where the culture is a delightful blend of French and German influences. Travel through the fertile Elsass region to the wooded foothills of the Vosges Mountains and drive parts of the Route du Vin, the Alsatian Wine Road, past rolling vineyards and flower-decked villages. Upon arrival in the quaint town of Riquewihr, your Program Director will take you on an info stroll to introduce you with the main points of interest. You'll then visit the Stork Park, where this lovely white bird is being re-populated into the local area. At one time, the bird was so plentiful in this region that it was considered the symbol of Alsace and was often mentioned in children's stories. In 1900, thousands of storks could be spotted in Alsace during the warmer spring and summer months, but by the 1980s their local population had been reduced to fewer than ten. Their numbers are again increasing, and the Stork Park offers a safe refuge for this long-legged bird. On your route, you might even spot some of their nests, high atop a local home or a church roof.

Join us on an optional excursion to one of the most beautiful castles standing on the hills that line the Rhine River, Marksburg Castle. The only 13th-century castle unchanged by war or reconstruction, it offers an unprecedented glimpse into the daily life of the time. Walking through the three towers and the connecting rooms, you will fully feel what it was like to live in a castle. You'll climb a stone staircase leading to the romantic bed chamber (the only room heated with a stove), see the great hall with its enormous fireplace (large enough to grill a steer whole), and take in a commanding vista from the east bank of the Rhine as you stand atop the towers. Then make a discovery of a different nature as you sample local beer before returning to Boppard.

Join our full-day optional tour to Luxembourg, the tiny nation whose territory comprises less than 1,000 square miles. The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a constitutional monarchy located between Belgium, France, and Germany. Here, the everyday language is Letzebuergesch, which symbolizes the national identity of the people. In addition to a city tour and visit to the Battle of the Bulge Cemetery, you'll also enjoy lunch and free time to explore on your own. German forces occupied Luxembourg in May 1940, and its liberation (primarily by American troops) began in September 1944. The Battle of the Bulge began with Hitler's desperate attack through the Ardennes to attempt to drive out the Allied forces. The resulting battle, called “the greatest American battle of the Second World War" by Winston Churchill, raged here from the 16th of December 1944 through the 28th of January 1945. Though 200 men from the tenth British Corps were killed in this action, the U.S. (8,447 killed, 46,170 wounded, 20,905 missing or imprisoned) and Germans (10,749 killed, 34,439 wounded, 32,487 missing or imprisoned) suffered tremendous losses. In the city of Luxembourg itself, you'll see the market square, the Palais of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and the cathedral.

Join an optional excursion to Augustusburg Palace. Located in Bruhl, a small town on the edge of the Naturpark Kottenforst-Ville Nature Reserve, you'll enjoy a guided tour of Schloss Augustusburg, a horseshoe-shaped palace widely considered to be a masterpiece of Rococo architecture. Built in the 18th century for Clemens August of Wittelsbach, the powerful Archbishop of Cologne, this UNESCO World Heritage Site was used by the German government until 1994 to receive special guests of state.

Head from Nijmegen, the Netherlands, to Groesbeek this morning for a visit to the Liberation Museum 1944-45 (Bevijdingsmuseum). Here history comes alive through captivating interactive and multi-sensory exhibits. Covering the period preceding World War II, the Netherlands' occupation, and its rebuilding following liberation, this museum provides visitors with a vivid, educational, and uplifting experience.

If you choose the optional Delta Works tour, you'll ride by motorcoach to see a restoration project known worldwide for its hydro-engineering, begun after flooding had devastated Holland. Originally, the province was a collection of islands - easy prey to the sea. Now the islands are connected and protected by a series of dams, dikes, and bridges. The destructive tides that flooded the islands in 1953 and claimed the lives of 1,800 people are still remembered by the inhabitants of Zeeland. Since then, the gigantic Delta Works have prevented a recurrence. This tour shows you several of the ingenious technical achievements designed over the past 35 years, and gives you an impressive idea of how the Dutch have claimed, reclaimed, and protected their homeland from the threat of the sea. You'll rejoin the ship in Willemstad.