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92 For complete itinerary details and videos, visit vikingrivercruises.com.au O P T I O N A L S H O R E E X C U R S I O N S O N Y O U R J O U R N E Y THE PAL ACE OF VERSAILLES Enjoy a day at the former home of French kings: the awe -inspiring Château de Versailles. The palace and its sprawling gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, began as a small hunting lodge. Over the years, it was enlarged by each of its three resident kings—most famously Louis XIV, the "Sun King." See the Hercules Drawing Room with its magnificent painted ceiling and the famed Hall of Mirrors—the glit tering corridor of chandeliers and glass in which the Treat y of Versailles was signed, thus ending World War I. HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ALPS Immerse yourself for a day among the splendid vistas and rich culture of alpine Switzerland. Board a cogwheel train to Kleine Scheidegg, a breathtaking mountain pass with stunning mountain views. You will have lunch in this magnificent set ting and have time to explore before descending back to Grindelwald. Continue to Interlaken, beautifully set bet ween Lake Thun and Lake Brienz and surrounded by soaring peak s. BERNK ASTEL-KUES WINE TASTING Begin your excursion on the Bernkastel side, exploring cobblestone streets lined with timber-framed houses. Browse the medieval marketplace and its 1608 Renaissance Rathaus, or Town Hall, and admire the narrow, tiny Spitzhäuschen, the "Pointed House," built in 1416. At a local winer y, sample Moselle wines such as sweet Riesling, or the lesser-known Rivaner, Kerner and Dornfelder varieties. GARDENS OF SCHLOSS SCHWETZINGEN Visit the stunning gardens of Schloss Schwetzingen and admire the baroque architec ture amid beautiful flora. Stroll through the exquisitely ornate gardens as you hear about the palace's architec ture and long-standing histor y; the palace was the summer residence of Elec tors Palatine Charles III Philip and Charles IV Theodore of the House of Wit telsbach. See the baroque -st yle theater, the Temple of Apollo and the 18th- centur y bathhouse. FAIRY TALE ELTZ C ASTLE Visit Eltz Castle, a medieval castle in the hear t of the Eifel region and considered Europe's most beautiful. The Eltz Castle has remained within the same family for nine centuries. Step inside to explore the decorated halls and rooms that showcase the castle's remarkable histor y; 15th centur y murals adorn the walls and The Knight's Hall features displays of armour and weapons that date back to the 12th centur y. FL AVOURS OF ALSACE Sample Alsatian and French flavours and pleasures as you meet food merchants, a French sommelier and a local chef. Tr y regional specialties such as fine chocolates, pralines, kougelhopf cake, croissants, freshly made baguet tes and pretzels, cheeses, and special regional meats or sausages. Later, tour the romantic, pic turesque Petite France, Strasbourg's canal-laced Old Town lined with half-timbered houses. CO C H E M , G E R M A N Y V E R S A I L L ES PA L AC E