Cruise itinerary
20-Night Rhine Cruise from Basel
20 nights · Rhine · 18 ports of call
20-night Rhine cruise aboard Avalon View, departing Basel and calling at Breisach, Kehl, Mainz, Rüdesheim am Rhein, Cologne and Amsterdam and 11 more.
- Free advisor
- No booking fees
- 10,000+ sailings
At a glance
- Ship
- Avalon View
- Cruise line
- Avalon Waterways
- Duration
- 20 nights
- Region
- Rhine · Rhone · Europe
- Departs
- Basel
- Returns
- Arles
How NestCruise works:we're advisor-led, not a booking engine. No fares are listed and there are no booking fees — tell an advisor your dates and party and they price your exact Avalon View sailing, typically within 24 hours.
Where this voyage takes you
Day-by-day itinerary
- Day1
Basel
A Swiss city on the Rhine where Switzerland, France and Germany meet, and a common starting point for Rhine cruises. Its old town climbs from the river to a red sandstone cathedral and a medieval market square ringed by guild houses.
- Basel Münster
- Old town
- Rhine starting point
- Day2
Breisach
A small town on the Rhine at the edge of Germany's Kaiserstuhl wine country, just across the river from France's Alsace. It is crowned by the St. Stephan minster on its hilltop and serves as the river gateway to Freiburg and the southern Black Forest.
- St. Stephan minster
- Kaiserstuhl vineyards
- Black Forest gateway
- Day3
Kehl
A German town on the right bank of the Rhine, directly across the river from Strasbourg in France. A bridge and garden link the two banks, and the riverside park makes it a crossing point for cruises between Germany and Alsace.
- Two Banks Garden
- Rhine bridge
- Strasbourg nearby
- Day4
Mainz
A city on the Rhine in western Germany, where the river meets the Main. It is the birthplace of Gutenberg and movable-type printing, with a Romanesque red sandstone cathedral and a market square at the heart of the old town.
- Mainz Cathedral
- Gutenberg Museum
- Old town market
- Day5
Rüdesheim am Rhein
A wine town on the Rhine in Germany's Rheingau, set among steep Riesling vineyards. Its narrow Drosselgasse lane is lined with taverns, and a cable car rises to the Niederwald monument overlooking the river gorge.
- Drosselgasse lane
- Niederwald monument
- Rheingau vineyards
- Day6
Cologne
A Rhineland city dominated by its twin-spired Gothic cathedral, the tallest in Germany when built. River cruises call beside the old town, where the cathedral, riverside promenade and 12 Romanesque churches sit within easy walking distance.
- Cologne Cathedral
- Old town
- Rhine promenade
- Day7
Amsterdam
The Dutch capital, laced with concentric canals and gabled merchant houses from its 17th-century golden age. Most river sailings depart from here, leaving time for the Rijksmuseum, the Anne Frank House or a stroll through the Jordaan before lines cast off.
- Rijksmuseum
- Anne Frank House
- Jordaan canals
- Day8At sea
- Day9
Vernon
A town on the Seine in Normandy, France, best known as the home of the painter Claude Monet. His house and the famous water-lily gardens at nearby Giverny draw most visitors, set in the gentle river country between Paris and Rouen.
- Monet's Giverny garden
- Monet's house
- Seine valley
- Day10
Rives-en-Seine
- Day11At sea
- Day12
Rouen
A historic city on the Seine in Normandy, where river ships moor within walking distance of the centre. Its medieval old town keeps half-timbered houses and a soaring Gothic cathedral, and it is the place where Joan of Arc was put to death in 1431.
- Rouen Cathedral
- Old town
- Joan of Arc
- Day13
Conflans-Sainte-Honorine
A riverside town where the Oise joins the Seine northwest of Paris, in France's Île-de-France region. A historic bargemen's town and centre of French river navigation, it sits among the wooded loops of the Seine valley within reach of the capital.
- Seine-Oise confluence
- river navigation heritage
- Île-de-France
- Day14
Paris
The French capital on the Seine, the start or finish of many river cruises through northern France. Ships moor near the centre, putting the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre-Dame within easy reach across a city built for walking.
- Eiffel Tower
- The Louvre
- Notre-Dame
- Day15
Chalon-sur-Saône
A town on the Saône in the Burgundy region of eastern France, birthplace of the photographic pioneer Nicéphore Niépce. Its riverside quays and old town sit at the southern gateway to the Côte Chalonnaise vineyards and the wider Burgundy wine country.
- Niépce Museum
- Saône quays
- Burgundy vineyards
- Day16
Tournus
A medieval town on the Saône river in southern Burgundy, built around the great Romanesque abbey of St. Philibert. Its honey-stone streets and riverside setting sit at the edge of the Mâconnais vineyards, an easy reach from Cluny.
- St. Philibert Abbey
- Saône riverfront
- Mâconnais wines
- Day17
Lyon
A French city at the meeting of the Rhône and Saône rivers, long regarded as the country's gastronomic capital. Its Renaissance old town hides covered passages called traboules, while the Fourvière basilica crowns the hill above the two rivers.
- Vieux Lyon traboules
- Fourvière Basilica
- Bouchon dining
- Day18At sea
- Day19
Tournon-sur-Rhône
A small town on the Rhône in southern France, facing the steep Hermitage vineyards across the river at Tain. A medieval castle overlooks the water, and the surrounding northern Rhône slopes are known for their Syrah wines.
- Hermitage vineyards
- Hilltop château
- Rhône wines
- Day20
Avignon
A walled city on the Rhône in Provence, southern France, once the seat of medieval popes. The vast Palais des Papes dominates the centre, and the broken Pont d'Avignon reaches partway across the river below the ramparts.
- Palais des Papes
- Pont d'Avignon
- City ramparts
- Day21
Arles
A Provençal town on the Rhône River in southern France, ringed by Roman monuments. Its great amphitheatre still hosts events, and the surrounding light and streets inspired the painter Van Gogh during his year in the town.
- Roman amphitheatre
- Van Gogh sites
- Place du Forum
Upcoming departures
- 19 May 2026
- 16 Jun 2026
- 30 Jun 2026
- 14 Jul 2026
- 28 Jul 2026
- 11 Aug 2026
- 25 Aug 2026
- 22 Sep 2026
- 30 Mar 2027
- 13 Apr 2027
- 11 May 2027
- 22 Jun 2027
Upcoming sailings of this itinerary — a NestCruise advisor confirms current availability and your fare.
20-Night Rhine Cruise from Basel FAQ
Which ports does this cruise visit?
This 20-night Rhine cruise calls at Basel, Breisach, Kehl, Mainz, Rüdesheim am Rhein, Cologne, Amsterdam, Vernon, Rives-en-Seine, Rouen, Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, Paris, Chalon-sur-Saône, Tournus, Lyon, Tournon-sur-Rhône, Avignon and Arles.
How many days are spent at sea?
3 days are spent at sea; the rest are in port.
Where does this cruise depart from?
It departs from Basel and ends in Arles.
How long is this cruise?
20 nights aboard Avalon View.
When does this itinerary sail?
Upcoming departures include 19 May 2026, 16 Jun 2026, 30 Jun 2026 and 14 Jul 2026. A NestCruise advisor can confirm current availability.