AmaWaterways wine cruises add a unique epicurean dimension to a variety of itineraries at no additional cost. Join one of these wine cruises with a special wine host and be treated to a menu of exclusive wine and culinary experiences designed to delve deeper into the wonderful flavors and tastes of Europe.
European cities transform into majestic winter wonderlands for the holiday season – and we invite you to experience all their splendor with us. In addition to our variety of daily excursions, you will also have the opportunity to visit festive Christmas Markets in select destinations and participate in nostalgic traditions.
Maximize your Christmas experience by embarking at the height of the holiday market season with daily or near-daily visits to Christmas Markets.
Get "just a taste" of the holidays in mid-November or late December with visits to one or two Christmas Markets during your river cruise.
We are pleased to offer guests the opportunity to experience Floriade in 2022 while sailing along the Rhine River and Dutch and Belgian Waterways between April 14 and October 9. Right outside Amsterdam, this rare experience calls for its visitors to “explore, touch and change” as part of their journey into Floriade – which is set to feature stunning gardens, innovative sustainable gardening exhibits, live entertainment, talk shows, souvenirs and food stalls.
We invite you to join our incredible cruise on the Rhône with a Latin Touch, featuring bilingual cruise managers, daily tours with Spanish-speaking guides, Latin-inspired music nights and other distinctive elements.
Based on the overwhelmingly positive response received from the announcement of our first-ever “Soulful Experience” on the Rhône River in 2023, we are delighted to announce four new opportunities for guests to celebrate their heritage and discover Black history and culture along the rivers with us in 2024.
Join award-winning television host and travel expert, Samantha Brown, Godmother of AmaMagna, as we cruise through four countries along the Danube River. Special events and Travel Talks are included on this exclusive sailing.
Join Chef Joanne Weir, award-winning cookbook author, restaurant owner and host of PBS television series “Plates & Places” as she hosts a special 7-night Flavors of Burgundy river cruise.
We invite you to join our incredible cruise on the Danube with a Latin Touch, featuring bilingual cruise managers, daily tours with Spanish-speaking guides, Latin-inspired music nights and other distinctive elements.
Explore the rich history of classical music along the Danube River where famous composers lived, worked and performed. Plus, be treated to a variety of live performances on this melodious journey.
Based on the overwhelmingly positive response received from the announcement of our first-ever “Soulful Experience” on the Rhône River in 2023, we are delighted to announce four new opportunities for guests to celebrate their heritage and discover Black history and culture along the rivers with us in 2025
Join award-winning television host and travel expert, Samantha Brown, Godmother of AmaMagna, as we cruise through five countries along the Danube River. Special events and Travel Talks are included on this exclusive sailing.
We invite you to join our incredible cruise on the Douro with a Latin Touch, featuring bilingual cruise managers, daily tours with Spanish-speaking guides, Latin-inspired music nights and other distinctive elements.
We invite our loyal past guests to join us once again on these special Loyalty Cruises, offering unique experiences in multiple ports, commemorative gifts, and many more surprises and delights.
Imagine if there was a way to combine luxury river cruising on the iconic Danube with the opportunity to indulge your passion and play golf. We have created the perfect package to enable you to do just that with our Exclusive Concierge Golf Program. Discover Europe, complete with award winning cuisine, incredible service and a choice of excursions in every port, as well as up to 5 rounds of golf at some of the leading championship courses on the continent.
AmaWaterways’ Exclusive Concierge Golf Program is available on select Magna on the Danube cruises sailing aboard the AmaMagna.
Hello! "I'm Kristin Karst, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of AmaWaterways and I'm passionate about river cruising. Each month, I love to share with you my thoughts, personal stories, travel tips and latest news on the people and places that help turn every mile of our guests' river cruise experience into one of their most cherished memories!"
A visit to the Old Bavarian town of Rothenburg is a delightful, real-world romp into your favorite fairytale classics. Discover charming Rothenburg as you sail along the Rhine River on our Europe's Rivers & Castles itinerary.
Home of Fairytales
The town has inspired not only the village in the Disney classic Pinocchio but also centuries of other artists and filmmakers. The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Parts I and II) showcase the picturesque town as well.
Of course, its association with fairytales and fantasy isn’t entirely random. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm grew up in a town not too far away and helped to popularize such classics as Snow White, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin and Hansel and Gretel. Lederhosen, turrets, clock towers and thatched roofs just feel organic to the story. Our appreciation of folklore is steeped in German culture.
Step Back in Time
Nowhere is this appreciation more apparent than in the lovely, charming towns in Old Bavaria. And in particular, Rothenburg ob der Tauber (as it is officially known), which translates as “Red Fortress above the Tauber” since it overlooks the Tauber River. While you may not technically be able to travel back in time, it sure will feel like it when you arrive. Opt for the Nightwatchman’s Tour to take your group through the ramparts and back alleys as the comical guide fills you in on what life was like in the Middle Ages. You can also walk the wall around the city which, incredibly, still stands. Once a defensive strategy to keep out intruders, now a major tourist destination to draw the crowds in. And they come in droves. Drawing in over 2.5 million tourists annually, tourism is the main business here. A perfect place to find gifts for the little ones as well as stroll through Christmas shops (and a Christmas Museum) that remain open throughout the year. An old craftsman’s house dating back to 1270 is also available to tour.
A Historic Old German Town
Back in its Middle Ages glory days, the town looked basically the same as it does today. And that’s part of the allure. Once the epitome of ‘Old German’ architectural chic… at least as far as medieval towns go... it has often been hailed as a perfect example of the old German culture. Accordingly, laws were enacted starting in the 1800s to preserve the historical beauty of the town. They did such a good job that the American Assistant Secretary of War John J. McCloy, familiar with Rothenburg’s storied history, spared the town from destruction in WWII.
A Glimpse of the Dark Ages
Of course, life wasn’t all fairytales in this medieval village. A museum dedicated to Medieval Crimes and Justice gives a much more chilling picture of life in the Dark Ages. And a replica of the Jewish cemetery that was decimated can be visited in honor of the community that once lived within these city walls.
As they say in Pinocchio, ‘always let your conscience be your guide’ as you choose excursions – and a trip to Rothenburg with our Europe's Rivers & Castles itinerary is surely one not to be missed.