Day 1 – October 21 – Arrival in Basel

Arrive in Basel, where "borders blur and art shines." Basel, Switzerland is a sophisticated yet welcoming city that has long embraced creative souls and open-minded travelers. Check into the Radisson Blu Hotel, Basel and unwind. Basel’s old town glows at dusk, its narrow streets filled with galleries, jazz bars, and riverside cafés that speak to a long history of inclusivity and artistic freedom. In the evening, gather with your fellow Toto travelers for a casual meet-and-greet — a chance to connect before our shared journey begins.

Day 2 – October 22 – Basel to Strasbourg

This morning, we explore Basel on foot with a guided walking tour through cobblestone lanes, past Gothic cathedrals, modern museums, and bridges connecting Switzerland, France, and Germany.

Basel has hosted countless queer artists and thinkers — from 19th-century writers who found refuge here to modern-day Pride celebrations that fill its squares with color and joy.

​​

After lunch at a local bistro, we board our private motor coach and journey north into France, arriving in Strasbourg by late afternoon to embark on our barge. The crew welcomes us with cocktails and dinner on board, setting the tone for a week of exploration and easy companionship.

Day 3 – October 23 – Strasbourg to Waltenheim: The Story of Alsatian Country Life

We cruise through peaceful stretches of rural Alsace, watching swans glide by as bicycles trace the canal paths. In the afternoon, we visit the Kochersberg region — the cradle of Alsatian farming and beer brewing — with stops at the Maison du Kochersberg museum and Villa Meteor, France’s oldest brewery still in operation. In earlier centuries, breweries were among the few places where diverse groups — including queer locals — could socialize freely. Tonight, we toast to that heritage with a cold pint and plenty of laughter.

Day 4 – October 24 – Waltenheim to Saverne: Castles, Villages & Tarte Flambée

Our barge drifts through timeless countryside toward Saverne, a town steeped in romance and resilience. We visit the Château du Haut-Barr, the “Eye of Alsace,” whose sweeping views have inspired poets and travelers for centuries. The evening ends with a cozy dinner of tarte flambée, the region’s beloved flatbread, in a local restaurant filled with charm and clinking wine glasses.

Day 5 – October 25 – Saverne to Lutzelbourg: Secrets of the Vosges Mountains

Morning brings a guided tour of Saverne, known for its floral-lined streets and quiet elegance. This was once a hub for 18th- and 19th-century writers who defied social conventions — including queer artists drawn to its tolerant culture. We then cruise deeper into the Vosges Mountains, surrounded by forested slopes and stone bridges. By late afternoon, we reach Lutzelbourg, where an optional climb to the castle offers a romantic panorama over the valley.

Day 6 – October 26 – Lutzelbourg to Xouaxange: Crystal, Canals & Chagall

This morning we stop at the Lehrer Crystal Glassworks, where generations of glassblowers have turned molten fire into luminous art. Glassmaking here once employed traveling craftspeople from across Europe, a group among whom queer artisans often found more acceptance and autonomy than in mainstream society.

Then comes one of the highlights of the entire journey: the Saint-Louis–Arzviller Inclined Plane. Instead of navigating 17 traditional locks, our barge rides a massive mechanical platform that takes us UP the mountainside - an engineering wonder you’ll never forget.

As we pass through the canal tunnels, we'll enjoy a candlelight lunch, a moment of quiet beauty inside the mountains themselves.

Later, in Sarrebourg, we'll follow the Chagall Trail to see his breathtaking stained-glass masterpiece. Chagall’s art often celebrated themes of love, longing, and chosen family, threads that resonate deeply with LGBTQ travelers today.

Day 7 – October 27 – Xouaxange to Lagarde: A Slow Day on the Water

Today we savor a full day of cruising, drifting through meadows, woodlands, and tiny canal-side farms on our way to Lagarde. The scenery is peaceful and restorative - an open invitation to unwind, journal, read, or enjoy conversations with fellow Toto explorers.

Tonight is our festive gala evening on board: good food, local wine, laughter, and that easy sense of belonging that forms when a group travels together with openness and joy.

Day 8 – October 22 – Lagarde to Frankfurt: Until the Next Adventure

After a final breakfast on board, we'll bid farewell to our barge and crew, stepping back onto solid ground with hearts full and luggage a little heavier with wine and memories. Our private motor coach will carry us comfortably through the French countryside and across the Rhine to Frankfurt Airport (add a link here), where we’ll catch our flights home. Along the way, watch as the villages fade into vineyards and the vineyards into rolling German hills, a last, quiet reflection on a week of beauty, connection, and belonging. The adventure may pause here, but the Toto spirit travels with you wherever you go.