Cruising the Rhine - The archaeology of Germania

We arrive in Mainz, which was founded in the 1st century BC. Mogontiacum, as it was called, was the capital of Germania superior and was a military fortress on the most northerly frontier of the Roman Empire. After a day spent in this historic city, we set off for Kehl in the late afternoon.
Exclusive Andante Excursion: After breakfast, we explore ancient Mogontiacum, starting with the Museum of Ancient Shipping, which houses the remains of six Roman ships that were built to protect the Rhine from incursions. We proceed to discover the Roman ruins in the city, including the Roman theatre, the Drusus Stone and remains of the Roman aqueduct.

We enjoy cruising in the morning as the ship makes it way down the Rhine to Kehl, a medieval city opposite Strasbourg, where we dock for the day. Strasbourg, ancient Argentoratum, was the garrison for the Legio VIII Augusta. Today it is known for its historic city centre with its medieval half-timbered houses and stunning cathedral.
Exclusive Andante Excursion: After lunch, we visit Strasbourg Cathedral, one of the most important Gothic cathedrals in France. We proceed to the Oeuvre Notre-Dame Museum de Strasbourg, famed for its stained glass windows and for its fine collection of Rhenish paintings. Finally, we visit to the Eglise de Saint Pierre Le Jeune, one of the most important churches in Strasbourg, which preserves a 7th century Columban church in the crypt and has a fine medieval cloister.

We are still docked in Kehl, a short distance from Baden-Baden.
Exclusive Andante Excursion: This morning, we make our way to Baden-Baden, an important spa town in the Roman period, frequented by soldiers stationed in Strasbourg as well as by the Emperor Caracalla who visited the springs in order to get relief for his arthritis. We start with a scenic walk down the Lichtenthal Allee to the Cistercian Abbey with its Gothic church and its 13th century Princely Chapel. We continue to the well-preserved Roman baths.

The ship docks in Basel, which in antiquity was inhabited by the Gaulish Raurici and later colonised by Rome. We spend all day in this city with a medieval core. Exclusive Andante Excursion: We start the day with a visit to nearby Augusta Raurica, the oldest colony on the Rhine that became prosperous in the Roman period through the trade in pork. The archaeological site, the largest of its kind in Switzerland, has a fine theatre and forum as well as a museum. We return to Basel to explore the Muenster, where the Roman oppidum was sited, and to see the nearby Gallic Walls, which testify to the city’s ancient past. Finally, we have free time in the scenic Altstadt.

In the morning, the ship arrives in Breisach, originally a Gaulish settlement colonised by Romans. The afternoon is spent enjoying the cruise and admiring the idyllic landscape.
Exclusive Andante Excursion: We diverge from antiquity to travel a short distance to Neuf-Brisach, a UNESCO fortified town built to Vauban’s plans in the reign of Louis XIV as an ideal city with orthogonal streets and a central square. The system of fortification is an important example of 18th century French military architecture. The military nature of the city is reminiscent of the fortifications erected over millennia along the Rhine.

We spend most of the day cruising in the spectacular Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO-listed site thanks to its historic towns, castles and outstanding beauty. A highlight of this day is Lorelei, the monumental slate rock that inspired Heine to poeticize siren-luring sailors to their deaths. 

Exclusive Andante Excursion: In the late afternoon, we will take a cable car to the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress with its spectacular views. There has been a castle on this site since the 10th century BC and the latest incarnation is a Prussian castle that was one of the largest fortresses in Europe in the 19th century.

Our journey ends in Cologne where, after lunch, we transfer to the airport for our flights back to London.
Exclusive Andante Excursion: We explore the remarkable and prolific remains of Roman Cologne. The city, founded as Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium in AD 50, was the capital of Germania inferior. This morning we explore some of the most important remains of Roman Colonia, starting with the remains of the ancient sewage, which pays witness to Roman engineering skills. We continue to the excellent Romano-Germanic Museum, which houses a Roman villa with an extraordinary fresco as well as the tomb of a legionary called Poblicius.