+1 (800) 653-0017 hello@canterburypilgrimages.com
+1 (800) 653-0017 hello@canterburypilgrimages.com
Photograph to come · A river ship on the Rhine at dawn, the hero shot

The Rhine River Cruise Pilgrimage

Amsterdam, Düsseldorf, Koblenz, Rüdesheim, Speyer, Strasbourg and Basel

Eleven days up the Rhine by river ship, from the hidden Catholic church in an Amsterdam attic to the imperial cathedral at Speyer, with the cathedrals of the Rhineland reached on foot from the quayside.

Departures

Current Tours to the Netherlands & Belgium

Upcoming departures to the Netherlands & Belgium. Each group has its own host, dates, and itinerary. The route below is our standard.

All current pilgrimages
The Route

Eight stops along the Rhine

Amsterdam, Düsseldorf, Koblenz, Rüdesheim, Speyer, Strasbourg, Breisach and Basel.

Itinerary · EU_NL-DE-FR-CH-CRUISE-11D-01

The Rhine River Cruise Itinerary

Our one river pilgrimage, and the only route on which you unpack once. Your group travels on its own dates, and the itinerary can be adjusted to fit the time you have and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

DAYS 1–3

Amsterdam and embarkation

Photograph to come · The canals of Amsterdam
The canals of Amsterdam
Day 1

Departure

Our pilgrimage begins with an overnight flight to Amsterdam. Dinner and breakfast are served during the crossing, and there is time to rest before the first morning in the Netherlands.
Day 2

Arrival in Amsterdam

Our escort meets us on arrival and transfers us to the hotel, with the rest of the afternoon free to recover from the journey. The evening is given to a welcome dinner.Welcome dinner and overnight in Amsterdam.
Day 3

Amsterdam and embarkation

We visit the Basilica of St. Nicholas, the principal Catholic church of the city, which holds a relic of the saint, and Our Lord in the Attic, a complete seventeenth-century church concealed in the upper floors of a canal house from the years when Catholic worship was forbidden. We board ship in the afternoon.Mass is celebrated at the Basilica of St. Nicholas. Lunch, dinner and overnight aboard.
DAYS 4–6

The Lower Rhine

Photograph to come · The Rhine gorge above Koblenz
The Rhine gorge above Koblenz
Day 4

Düsseldorf

We wake docked in the city and explore its churches on foot: St. Maximilian, a Franciscan monastery church with a long tradition of sacred music; the Basilica of St. Lambertus, oldest parish church in the city, known for its wind-twisted spire; and St. Andreas, built for the Jesuits in the seventeenth century.Mass is celebrated at the Basilica of St. Lambertus. All meals aboard.
Day 5

Koblenz and Rüdesheim

Founded two thousand years ago where the Mosel meets the Rhine, Koblenz keeps the Romanesque Basilica of St. Castor, consecrated in 836 and the oldest building in the city. In the afternoon we sail up to Rüdesheim, the heart of the Rheingau, and walk the Drosselgasse to the ninth-century Brömserburg.All meals aboard.
Day 6

Rüdesheim

A full day in the Rheingau, with time to wander the old lanes and, for those who wish, to visit the Siegfried mechanical music cabinet, a collection of self-playing instruments gathered over generations.All meals aboard.
DAYS 7–8

Speyer and Alsace

Photograph to come · Speyer Cathedral
Speyer Cathedral, the imperial church
Day 7

Speyer

Speyer Cathedral is a Romanesque imperial church and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it holds the tombs of eight Holy Roman Emperors. It was here, at the Diet of 1529, that a group of German princes formally protested the condemnation of the Reformation and gave the word Protestant to the language.Mass is celebrated at Speyer Cathedral. All meals aboard.
Day 8

Strasbourg

We dock in the cultural heart of Alsace, where French and German history meet in the architecture, the language and the cooking. The morning is given to the old town, its half-timbered houses and its canals.All meals aboard.
DAYS 9–11

The Upper Rhine

Photograph to come · Basel old town on the river
The old town of Basel on the river
Day 9

Breisach

Our ship ties up beneath Breisach, the gateway to the Black Forest, set on a basalt outcrop above the Rhine plain. We visit the Cathedral of St. Stephen, raised over the twelfth and thirteenth centuries and standing high above the roofs of the town.All meals aboard.
Day 10

Basel

We disembark in Basel, where Switzerland, Germany and France meet along the river. The day is spent on foot in the old town, along the riverbank and in the Marktplatz beneath its guild houses and red sandstone town hall.Farewell dinner and overnight in Basel.
Day 11

Return home

We transfer to the airport for the flight home, carrying the memory of a river that has carried pilgrims and their cathedrals for sixteen hundred years.

Why leaders choose Canterbury

“Canterbury treats you like family! They handle everything, from creating exciting itineraries to managing calls, registrations, and payments.”

Patrick MadridPatrick Madrid
Catholic Speaker, Author & Host of The Patrick Madrid Show on Relevant Radio®
The RhineUnpack once, and wake up somewhere sacred.
Photograph to come
Dates

Your group travels on its own dates.

Tell us the window you have in mind and we will build the itinerary around it: the time you have, and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

Your pilgrimage includes

Tour Package Includes

These inclusions can be easily tailored to the individual needs of your group

  • Daily Mass at the churches we visit
  • Round-trip group airfare
  • Airport transfers on arrival & departure
  • 4-Star hotel accommodations
  • Private motorcoach transportation
  • Breakfast & dinner served daily
  • Wine served with some dinners
  • Dedicated tour manager
  • Licensed guiding & admission fees
  • Porterage service at hotels
  • Whisper headsets when touring
  • Tips for hotel & restaurant staff
  • 9 – 5 PM (EST) reservation support
  • 24/7 travel emergency support
  • Canterbury Mobile App
For the group leader

What you get as the group leader

You travel free.

Every group earns complimentary places. The more pilgrims you bring, the more you earn. How complimentary places work

No financial risk.

If the group does not fill, deposits are returned. You owe nothing and neither do your pilgrims. What happens if a group does not fill

We produce the promotional materials.

Flyers, a registration page, and what you need to invite your people. Our guide to promoting a pilgrimage

We handle your pilgrims.

Registrations, rooming lists, payment plans and the phone calls. How leading a pilgrimage works

In your pocket

The Canterbury Mobile App

Every pilgrim in your group gets the app. Their itinerary, hotels and flights, the prayers of the day and a way to reach one another, all in one place and kept current as the pilgrimage unfolds.

  • Group chat

    Your whole group in one thread, so a change of plan reaches everyone at once.

  • Their itinerary

    The full day-by-day schedule, always current, in every pilgrim’s pocket.

  • Hotels

    Where the group is staying each night, with addresses and dates.

  • Flights

    Flight details kept alongside everything else, not in a separate email.

  • Daily prayers

    The prayers of the day, including the Liturgy of the Hours.

  • Shrine passport

    A keepsake record of the shrines your group visits along the way.

  • Live updates

    Times and meeting points pushed to everyone the moment they change.

Photographs
Photograph to come · The Basilica of St. Nicholas, Amsterdam
The Basilica of St. Nicholas, Amsterdam
Photograph to come · Our Lord in the Attic, Amsterdam
Our Lord in the Attic, a church hidden in a canal house
Photograph to come · The Basilica of St. Lambertus, Düsseldorf
The Basilica of St. Lambertus, Düsseldorf
Photograph to come · The Basilica of St. Castor, Koblenz
The Basilica of St. Castor, Koblenz
Photograph to come · Speyer Cathedral and the imperial tombs
Speyer Cathedral and the imperial tombs
Photograph to come · The Cathedral of St. Stephen, Breisach
The Cathedral of St. Stephen, Breisach

What group leaders say

“They’re big enough to handle any problem that arises, and small enough to craft truly unique experiences.”

Chris StefanickChris Stefanick
Founder & President of Real Life Catholic
Before you ask

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to take the Rhine cruise?

The river cruising season runs from spring to autumn. May, June and September bring the mildest weather and the longest days on deck, while July and August are the warmest and the busiest. Water levels are a matter for the ship rather than the pilgrimage, and the operator will always tell you well ahead if a stretch has to be covered by coach.

How physically demanding is this pilgrimage?

Moderate. Most days involve two to four hours on your feet, with walking on uneven ground, ancient stone, and steps at archaeological sites. Pilgrims who can manage a full day of sightseeing at their own pace do well. If anyone in your group has mobility limitations, tell us early and we will adapt the days around them. What activity level means.

What is generally not included?

Travel insurance, lunches, drinks beyond those served with included meals, personal expenses, and gratuities for your tour manager and driver. Any of these can be built into your package on request, so tell us what you would like covered and we will arrange it. Passports and visa fees are the one exception and remain the responsibility of each pilgrim.

How much walking does a river pilgrimage involve?

Less than a coach pilgrimage, and that is the point. The ship ties up in the middle of each town, so Düsseldorf, Koblenz, Speyer, Strasbourg, Breisach and Basel are all explored on foot from the quayside, with the ship a short walk away whenever anyone wants to rest. You unpack once, on Day 3, and stay in the same cabin until Basel.

Can our priest celebrate Mass at the churches?

Yes. Daily Mass is built into the itinerary, and we arrange times and locations in advance with each church. Your priest should travel with a celebret or letter of good standing from his bishop or superior. We handle the scheduling.

How many pilgrims do you need for a group?

Most of our groups are between 20 and 50 pilgrims, and we can arrange smaller tours as well. We have also organized pilgrimages for groups as large as 2,500, so whatever size your group turns out to be, we can build for it. Minimum group size for a group flight.

Enquire

Interested in Leading a Pilgrimage to the Netherlands & Belgium?

A pilgrimage consultant replies within one business day. No deposit or commitment.

    Your Information

    Your Group

    First time? You are in good company. Many of our group leaders start right here, and we guide you through every step.

    Where You Would Like to Go

    Destinations of interest (check all that apply)

    These are some of our most popular destinations, but we build CUSTOM ITINERARIES anywhere in the world. If you do not see your destination, tell us below.

    Italy, Rome and AssisiFrance, Lourdes and ParisPortugal and FátimaSpain and the Camino de SantiagoPortugal, Spain and France togetherGreece and TurkeyThe Holy LandEgypt and Mount SinaiPoland, Prague and Central EuropeMedjugorje and the BalkansIreland and the United KingdomMexico and Our Lady of GuadalupeArgentinaPeruJapan, Nagasaki and AkitaUnited States and Canada shrinesA pilgrimage cruiseSomewhere else, or not sure yet

    When

    Group Size and Budget

    Complimentary places are arranged based on the size of your group. Let us know how many you expect so we can request them from our suppliers from the start.

    A Few Last Details

    Would you like sample itineraries emailed to you?

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