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August 2, 2024

Riverside Luxury Cruises has chosen Amsterdam as the flagship city for its Rhine river cruises. Originating in the Swiss Alps, the Rhine flows through six countries, creating some of the largest waterfalls in Europe and offering some of the most captivating scenery.

During the cruise, you’ll be able to admire vineyards and countless ruins of medieval castles, where legends of dragon hunters and water nymphs linger in the air.

The Riverside Debussy has been selected for Rhine itineraries, with Amsterdam, a vibrant city with its charming canals, serving as either the starting or ending point of the cruises through November. Depending on the dates, cruises range from 5 to 15 days.

Riverside Luxury Cruises is distinguished by its flexible itineraries, which can be extended and combined according to personal preference. You can book a variety of excursions based on your interests and passions: architecture and design, art and cuisine, history and nature. Additionally, Riverside allows you to organize your vacation days before or after the river cruise, just like in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam is one of Europe’s most exciting cities with its alleys, canals, and the traces of Van Gogh evident at every turn. The historic center is built on five million spruce tree trunks, and the experiences this city offers are endless, starting with the paintings of famous artists displayed in the newly designed Museum Square.

Riverside offers a range of excursions, starting with a canal cruise that showcases charming merchant houses, churches, and warehouses from the 16th and 17th centuries, culminating in a visit to the Rijksmuseum. Amsterdam has been celebrated for centuries as a center of art and now hosts some of the world’s most refined museums. This excursion includes a visit to one of the largest, the Rijksmuseum, the national museum of the Netherlands. Founded in 1798, it displays approximately 8,000 objects from its collection of millions and is dedicated to the arts, crafts, and history from 1200 B.C. to modern times, including paintings by Vermeer, Hals, Rembrandt, and other masters.

The three-hour excursion “Canal Cruise, Old Merchants Canal House & Cheese Tasting” includes a visit to an authentic canal house, the Willet-Holthuysen Museum, built for the mayor of Amsterdam in 1685. In this former Louis XIV-style house, you can admire period furniture and artwork, the kitchen and underground garden, the grand étage with a long corridor, the top-floor bedroom, and the French-inspired hortus (garden). Afterward, you can enjoy a tasting of five different Dutch cheeses.

Food enthusiasts will appreciate the “A Taste of Amsterdam Culinary Walk” excursion. This walking tour is dedicated to exploring restaurants, cozy pubs, and cafés in the trendy Jordaan district. A wide range of local delicacies, including Appeltaart (apple pie) and coffee, Dutch cheeses, Jenever (Dutch juniper gin), Bitterballen (meat croquettes), and much more await guests.

Another excursion takes you outside Amsterdam to the village/museum of Zaandam, where you can explore the peaceful Dutch countryside and discover the country’s beloved culture and traditions. Here, you are welcomed by majestic windmills that once played a crucial role in Dutch industry and are frequently featured in Monet’s masterpieces. The guided tour will take you back in time to the Zaanse Schans Open-Air Museum, where 18th and 19th-century daily life is represented through cheese and barrel-making, weaving, pewter casting, and wooden shoe crafting, in addition to the bakery museum and a functioning sawmill. Unique experiences rich in culture and landscapes to admire, suitable for all tastes.

Stay tuned to Cruising Journal for the latest news, updates, and insights from the world of cruising.

Lucia Angeli

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