Day 8: Scenic Middle Rhine Cruising & Koblenz, Germany & Mom’s birthday!
The first part of this day was a gorgeous, narrated cruise through the middle Rhine, lined with so many castles. Not gonna lie – it was wonderful to sleep a little later because the early morning excursions were taking a toll. It was freezing and super windy on the sundeck, so be prepared with a warm hat and a thousand layers of clothing if you’re cold blooded like I am. Halfway through, Viking served everyone delicious hot chocolate, with or without “happiness” (brandy).
That afternoon we opted for the Medieval Marksburg Castle excursion, and it was so cool to set foot in a castle from the 1200s. Everything is set up as it would have been, and there’s also an armory museum showing the different styles of armor through the ages. Fun fact, the “salute” originated from knights raising the visor of their helmet to show that they were a friend and not a foe.
Afterwards, we still had a little time before dinner, so we strolled through Koblenz, with hauntingly beautiful music playing in the portico near where they were setting up for their Christmas Markets… Koblenz is another city I want to go back to. We had to miss the Koblenz walking tour because we chose the castle…as much as I wanted to be in two places at once!
Another lovely Viking dinner this night and a birthday cheesecake for Mom…followed by a local string quartet who played in the Lounge 
PS – The earrings I wore to dinner are from my store @lordandladyco … there’s still time to order Christmas gifts! 
PSS – Viking released their 2026 itineraries today, so if you want to book for the best selection and take advantage of their End of Year sale, now is the time. I would love to help you book one! 
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