AmaWaterways released its Wine Cruises Through Europe 2014 brochure, officially launching its latest In Celebration of Wine theme cruises through Europe’s grape-growing regions.
AmaWaterways’ wine cruises include private wine tastings, discussions and shore excursions designed to showcase Europe’s wine legacy. Guests have opportunities to visit vineyards and private wine cellars, meet with local vintners, sample unique vintages and attend onboard lectures hosted by experts from U.S. wineries. These wine-themed activities are offered to all guests as a complimentary alternative to each itinerary’s regularly scheduled excursions.
AmaWaterways’ 2014 In Celebration of Wine itineraries and dates are as follows:
Provence & Spain – This 15-day itinerary begins with three nights in Barcelona. Guests board the AmaDagio in Arles for a seven-night cruise through France’s wine regions, with visits to Les Baux de Provence, Avignon, Viviers, Tournon, Vienne and Trevoux. Shore excursions along the way include tastings with local vintners, an olive farm tour, a chance to see Roman ruins and stops at Provencal shops and marketplaces. After disembarking in Lyon, guests take a high-speed TGV train ride to Paris for a three-night stay. This itinerary is available for a single departure embarking Nov. 20, 2014.
Paris & Normandy – This 11-day round-trip itinerary includes two nights in Paris and a seven-night cruise along the Seine aboard the AmaLegro. Guests enjoy wine lectures, samplings and food pairings, as well as visits to the cities of Vernon, Giverny, Rouen, Les Andelys and Conflans before returning to the “City of Lights.” Cruise highlights include strolling through Monet’s beloved gardens and seeing the D-Day beaches of WWII. This itinerary is available on three departures in March and November 2014.
The Enticing Douro – This 12-day itinerary begins with three nights in Portugal’s capital of Lisbon before embarking the AmaVida for a seven-night cruise through the Douro River Valley. Lined by cleft gorges, fishing villages and vineyards, this cruise begins and ends in Porto. Itinerary highlights include winery visits and tastings, an excursion to the Spanish city of Salamanca, a tour of the Palacio de Mateus, a chance to visit the Portuguese pilgrimage site Nossa Senhora dos Remédios (Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies) and the centuries-old Alpendurada Monastery. This itinerary is available on two departures embarking March 25 and April 1, 2014.
Port Wine & Flamenco – This 15-day itinerary begins with three nights in cosmopolitan Madrid. Guests board the AmaVida in Vega Terrón and enjoy a scenic seven-night cruise through the Douro River Valley. Highlights include a dinner and wine tasting at Quinta Avessada, excursions to the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Salamanca and Guimarães and a visit to the Portuguese pilgrimage site Nossa Senhora dos Remédios. After disembarking in Porto, the journey concludes with three nights in Lisbon, Portugal’s capital city. This itinerary is available on a single departure embarking Oct. 28, 2014.
The Romantic Danube – This 12-day itinerary, available on the AmaPrima, AmaCerto and AmaSonata, travels along the Danube River. Following a three-night stay in Prague, guests embark upon a seven-night cruise from Vilshofen to Budapest that offers views of hillsides, vineyards and castles. Itinerary highlights include a walking tour of a 2,000-year-old fairy tale city, a visit to one of Europe’s largest and most historically significant monasteries and an excursion to Salzburg, Mozart’s birthplace and the setting of the “Sound of Music.” This itinerary is available on three departures in March and November 2014.
Melodies of the Danube – This 12-day itinerary starts in Budapest aboard the AmaCerto and cruises through Austria’s Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site lined with hillsides, castles and architecture. Guests stop in Vienna, Dürnstein, Melk, Passau and Regensburg before disembarking in Vilshofen. The journey concludes with an optional three-night stay in Munich that includes a visit to Neuschwanstein Castle, the inspiration for Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty castle. This itinerary is available for a single departure embarking March 24, 2014.
The Enchanting Rhine – This 13-day itinerary begins in the city of Amsterdam, where guests embark the AmaCello. Traveling through the Black Forest area en route to Zurich, guests visit the Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland. Excursions include a tasting of Kolsch beer, a visit to Heidelberg’s red-walled castle, lakeside tours and visits to the region’s local wineries and markets. This itinerary concludes in Switzerland, with a two-night stay in the medieval city of Lucerne and two nights in Zurich. This itinerary is offered on five departures in March and November 2014.
For more information, visit www.amawaterways.com.