A choice of excursions awaits you today upon your arrival in Switzerland, commonly referred to as "the Playground of Europe". On one, you'll head out for the heights of Mt. Pilatus aboard a gondola, climbing from Kriens to the very top (Oberhaupt) - nearly 7,000 feet high; return via Alpnachstad, at the edge of Lake Lucerne, aboard the world's steepest cogwheel train and enjoy an orientation tour of Lucerne, Switzerland's "City of Lights". Alternatively, you may prefer the pleasures of lunch and a wine tasting along the Alsatian wine route. If so, you'll head to Chateau du Haut-Koenigsbourg, originally built in the 1200s. Burned, abandoned, and restored to its former glory in 1899, the castle presents a picture of a mountain fortress of the Middle Ages; after your visit, head to the French Alsatian town of Riquewihr for lunch and a wine tasting. Regardless of your choice, your day ends in Basel - a major crossroads of travel and thought since the 15th century. An orientation tour reveals parks, museums, galleries, and restaurants; the Rhine Promenade; 14th-century Munster Cathedral; and modern buildings by architects like Frank Gehry and Yoshio Taniguchi. This evening, join the captain's farewell reception followed by dinner aboard ship. ...
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