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20 ideas for your next river cruise getaway

There’s a real freedom to river cruising, which is perhaps why it’s now so popular
Sue Bryant - 3 February 2020

More people than ever are booking river voyages — and there’s a reason for that.

 

Gliding gently along the world’s great waterways is an easy and stress-free way to see the world. You’ll moor up in ancient towns, overnight in buzzing capital cities, visit castles and vineyards, and, further afield, explore exotic markets and elaborate temples. When you’re not discovering new places ashore, there’s no greater pleasure than relaxing on deck and watching the scenery drift by. In port, join guided tours or take off along the river on a cycle ride or a hiking trail. There’s a real freedom to river cruising, which is perhaps why it’s now so popular.

 

1.The dazzling Danube

Dancing Lipizzaner horses, Baroque palaces and coffee piled with whipped cream in Vienna. Bridges strung with twinkling lights through the heart of Budapest. Fine wines from the Wachau valley, medieval castles and pepperpot church towers — it’s no wonder that Danube cruises are in such demand. You’ll take in all this and more on a week between Nuremberg and Budapest, while side trips might include the cobbled streets and fairytale turrets of Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic, or a musical whirl through Salzburg’s Sound of Music locations — all against an ever-changing backdrop of forests, vineyards and rolling hills.

 

2. Belgium and Dutch colours

A cruise along the waterways of the Netherlands and Belgium is the perfect way to take in the brilliant scarlets, oranges and yellows that stripe the Dutch countryside in springtime, culminating in the magnificent floral displays of Keukenhof Gardens. There’s plenty more; you’ll also explore medieval Bruges and elegant Antwerp. Ships depart from Amsterdam, with time to explore the canals, the Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum and the Anne Frank House. In between, there are cycle rides along the towpaths, cheese-tasting in Gouda and that iconic view of windmills around Kinderdijk.

 

3. A Rhine taster

Europe’s busiest river, the Rhine is the perfect introduction to river cruising, as you can see so much in the space of a week. A voyage between Amsterdam and Basel, for example, takes you to Strasbourg, famed for its tarte flambée and crisp Alsace wines, along the edge of the Black Forest and into the Rhine Gorge, where vineyards cling precariously to the steep hills, every bend overlooked by a brooding castle. Explore medieval villages, while away sunny afternoons in wine taverns and further north, marvel at the vastness of Cologne’s cathedral — leaving time, of course, for a foray into the city’s Chocolate Museum.

 

4. Picture perfect Moselle

The Moselle is one of Europe’s most beautiful rivers, looping past a patchwork of vineyards perched on sheer-sided hills, interspersed with dense forest and chocolatebox towns dotted along the banks. Each port is different. Koblenz was founded by the Romans, while pretty Cochem is overlooked by turreted Reichsburg Castle, straight out of a Disney movie. Bernkastel lies at the heart of the wine-growing area, while Trier, Germany’s oldest city, is crammed with impressive Roman antiquities. Some cruises also take you to Luxembourg, in the heart of the Ardennes, with its medieval old town high on a cliff.

 

5. The fairytale Main

The Main offers a fascinating insight into medieval Germany as it weaves its way through marshland and water meadows. Some of the country’s loveliest old towns lie along the riverbanks. Miltenberg is straight out of a Grimm fairy tale, while Bamberg’s wonky town hall perches on an island. In Würzburg, you’ll marvel at the opulent Residenz palace and gardens, while Frankfurt offers both gleaming skyscrapers and waterfront pubs for apple wine and, of course, frankfurters!

 

6. The historic Rhone

The Rhône flows lazily from the vineyards of Burgundy through southern France to the wild Camargue. There’s a rich Roman heritage, from the amphitheatre at Arles to the Pont du Gard. Most cruises overnight in Avignon, too, with its imposing Palais des Papes.

 

7. The Douro Valley

Portugal’s sunny Douro valley is one of the world’s oldest wine-growing regions, sinuous vineyards snaking along the contours of the hills. You’ll visit the old city of Porto and, across the border in Spain, the ancient town of Salamanca, as well as sampling the wares of the grand old port estates.

 

8. Mississippi or bust

Sail the mighty river by paddlewheeler, through a world of cotton fields and sugar cane, and gracious plantation houses. You’ll see Civil War memorials and enjoy jazz in New Orleans’ French Quarter.

 

9. Bordeaux waterways

The waterways of south-west France take you through some of the world’s greatest wine-growing areas. You’ll visit golden-hued châteaux around St-Emilion and Pauillac, taste cheese in local markets and moor up in stylish Bordeaux, curved along the banks of the Garonne.

 

10. The unknown Danube

The lower Danube, between Budapest and the marshy delta on the Black Sea, is an insight into a world that was for many years closed to the West. You’ll see Belgrade and Bucharest and the Roman-built Belogradchik fortress

 

11. Spirit of the Ganges

India’s holiest river awakens the senses. Feel the cool of early morning mist on the water, listen to the chatter of women washing saris on the banks and inhale the incense wafting from temples. You’ll see forts and palaces, the spiritual city of Varanasi and the ever-changing tableau of river life.

 

12. The romantic Mekong

The vast Mekong, snaking its way through Cambodia and Vietnam, embodies the dreamy romance of Indochina, all emerald paddy fields, floating markets, stilted villages and golden temples. Your voyage will be bookended by two very different cities: laidback Siem Reap, gateway to the awe-inspiring temple complexes of Angkor, and frenetic Ho Chi Minh City, with its street food stalls, incense-scented temples, skyscrapers and shopping malls. In between, you’ll spend a day in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, browsing the markets, or learning about the region’s poignant history.

 

13. Ancient Egypt on the Nile

A voyage down the Nile from Aswan to Luxor takes you back 4,000 years to the days of the pharaohs. You’ll visit dazzling sights, from Luxor’s Temple of Karnak to intricately decorated tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Start in Cairo to take in the Pyramids and the superb Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, and add a dawn flight to Abu Simbel to watch the sun rise over the incredible temples. Simply observing life along the river is a joy, too, as children run along the banks, waving at the boat, kingfishers flit across the deck and the colours of the desert shift as the sun moves across the sky.

 

14. The light of the Seine

From Paris, where your voyage begins, the River Seine loops its way north-west through Normandy’s apple orchards. The cruise has a peaceful, timeless quality as you drift past medieval towns where weeping willows drape languorously over the water. There’s plenty to see, too, from the Normandy beaches, scene of the D-Day landings, to Mont Saint-Michel, the city of Rouen, with its magnificent Gothic cathedral and the legacy of Joan of Arc, and Monet’s flower-filled garden at Giverny. Honfleur, too, is a jewel of a port, its pastel colours captured by the Impressionists who were drawn there by the extraordinary light.

 

15 The Elbe culture

Sail from the Czech capital, Prague, on a cultural voyage along the Elbe and Vltava from Berlin. Along the way, see the Sanssouci Palace, Magdeburg, Lutherstadt, Wittenberg, Meissen and Dresden — a highlight for its reconstructed Baroque architecture and buzzing beer gardens.

 

16. Russian gems

Delve into Russian history on a voyage along the network of rivers, lakes and canals linking Moscow and St Petersburg. Enjoy the highlights of both cities — the Kremlin, Red Square and the Hermitage — and, in between, elaborate churches with gold domes and monasteries rich with icons.

 

17. Peruvian Amazon

Explore the Amazon rainforest on a luxurious riverboat through the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. Watch out for macaws and join a night safari, where the frog chorus brings the darkened rainforest alive.

 

18. Wonders of the Yangtze

A cruise through the Three Gorges is a highlight of any tour of the Yangtze. Here the Yangtze river forces its way through vertiginous canyons and jagged, forested mountains, where precarious walkways snake along the cliff faces. By contrast, the Three Gorges Dam is an engineering marvel.

 

19. Slow boat to Burma

Discover a different face of Asia along Kipling’s “Road to Mandalay”, where the riverbanks are dotted with temples and villages perch on stilts. Not to be missed is the U Bein Bridge, the world’s longest teak bridge.

 

20. Chobe safari

On a safari cruise along Botswana’s Chobe, a tributary of the Zambezi, elephants splash in the shallows and hippos, crocs and even leopards can be seen on the banks. Add fishing, bird-watching, game drives in Chobe National Park and gourmet food and wine for a really unusual adventure.

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