How to Choose a Europe River Cruise


A river cruise, at first glance, seems like a wonderfully tranquil way to see some of the most historic towns and cities in Europe. Wait, did I say tranquil? Appearances are deceiving. Unlike coastal cruises, voyages along Europe's waterways rarely offer much time "at sea". And, in port, there are busy sightseeing schedules included at all stops, which range from major cities like Amsterdam and Vienna to delightful, small towns and villages like Austria's Durnstein and Germany's Breisach.

The biggest challenge about planning a European river cruise is identifying which itinerary most intrigues. We're here to help you narrow down your choice. But, before we get started, here are some things you should know, followed by a few tips:

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Most river cruises are a week long. (More exotic trips can occasionally stretch from 10 days to two weeks.)


In almost all cases, daily shore excursions are included in the fares you pay. They'll run along the lines of pretty basic introductory tours to the cities and towns you visit. Some companies, like Uniworld, also offer fee-extra tour options that are a bit more unusual.



View on Cologne on the Rhine River


In a Nutshell: Rhine River cruises combine history and culture. You'll sail through spectacular scenery, dotted with Sleeping Beauty-esque fairytale castles and discover some of the oldest and most historic cities in Germany.

Typical Itinerary: The Rhine flows from Switzerland to Amsterdam in Holland, passing towns and cities in France and Germany that harbour centuries of history and culture. The Moselle River flows into the Rhine from northeast France and Luxembourg. The Main River flows into the Rhine from eastern Germany; cruise along this, and you'll end up in the Main Danube Canal, which connects to the Danube.



This is the most spectacular section of the river, with miles of castles, spires, Romanesque churches and precipitous riverside vineyards. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and famous for the Lorelei Rock, where, according to legend, a beautiful maiden threw herself to her death over a faithless lover and now lures sailors to their deaths with her hypnotic singing.


Getting There: You'll fly into Amsterdam (or Basel if you are sailing northbound), from which it's a short transfer to embark your vessel. If you're coming from London or Southeast England, an easier option is to travel by train, taking Eurostar through the Channel Tunnel and changing onto Europe's rail network at Lille, Brussels or Paris. It's quite a long train journey from Basel to the U.K., but if time is not an issue, look upon it as a bonus chance to see more of Europe.


5 Tips for an Amsterdam River Cruise




The ultimate in European river cruising has to be a two-week cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest, or the opposite, using the Rhine, Main, Main Danube Canal and Danube, or a three-week voyage from Amsterdam to the Black Sea, flying home from Bucharest in Romania.




5 Reasons to Cruise the Danube


Most itineraries are one week and start and end in Passau in Germany, on the Austrian border. You'll most likely fly into Munich and transfer to the ship, in which case why not consider adding a couple of extra nights in the city? It's a lively place with palaces, churches and beer halls, but for a special treat, take an excursion to Neuschwanstein to see the fairytale castle built for King Ludwig II in the late 19th century; it inspired Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle. Munich is 1.5 hours from Passau; many cruise lines offer transfers.

One-week, roundtrip Passau cruises visit Vienna, famous for the Hofburg Palace, from which the Habsburgs ruled Austria for 700 years. You can also see the stunning white Lipizzaner horses at the Spanish Riding School and Budapest, which is actually two cities, Buda and Pest, divided by a river and packed with history, culture and loads of spas.

You'll also visit Linz, a small town at the centre of Austria's wine-growing region, from which it might be possible to take excursions to Durnstein and Esztergom in Hungary, as well as Salzburg, Melk, which is famous for its Benedictine Abbey.




You'll also sail through the stunning Iron Gate Gorge -- actually four gorges east of Belgrade, rolled into one name, that stretch for 90 miles and divide the Carpathian and Balkan Mountains, narrowing to just 150 metres at one point. Be sure to have cameras at the ready.

View of Lyon city from Fourviere, France



Typical Itinerary: The Rhone River rises in Switzerland and flows into France, emptying into the Mediterranean near Arles. The Saone rises in France. They converge at Lyon, where the Saone becomes the Rhone.

The main itinerary is a seven-night cruise from Lyon to Arles or nearby Avignon, or the reverse. (Some cruises also depart from Chalon-sur-Saone, just north of Lyon.)

If you're cruising from Lyon, you'll fly into Lyon airport, from which it's a short transfer to your river boat, and out of Marseilles, which is about one hour, 15 minutes by car from Arles. Some operators fly you in and out of Lyon, with a coach trip between Avignon and Lyon at the start or end of the cruise. (It depends whether your cruise is north or southbound).



Cruises typically call at Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy, Vienne, where you can visit the remains of a 14,000-seat amphitheatre and a temple built in 25BC in honour of the Roman Emperor Augustus and his wife Livia. There's also Avignon, home to the only bridge in France with a song named after it. We know it as Pont d'Avignon, but it is actually Pont St-Benezet.


Watch Out For: British travellers: Note that people drive on the right in France, the opposite to the U.K., so take extra care when crossing roads.

Service is usually included in restaurants in France. (It will say so on the menu if it is.) If you decide to leave a tip as well, small change or a couple of euros is quite acceptable.


Porto, Portugal cityscape on the Douro River




Riverboat lines all cruise the same itinerary, sailing from Porto to Vega de Terron, on the border with Spain, a distance of 210km (130 miles). You pass through five locks as you go. At Vega de Terron riverboats have to turn back because the river is no longer navigable.

You'll fly into and out of Porto, unless you add extra time in Lisbon, Portugal's capital city, which is 2.5 hours by train to the south.




Been There, Done That? :If you add a couple of nights in Lisbon at the start or end of the cruise, why not also take a couple of days to drive north, staying at one of Portugal's beautiful quintas -- small hotels that have opened in former manor houses -- along the way?

Prague Castle at sunset - Czech republic


In a Nutshell: An Elbe River cruise is for anyone who loves discovering the past. You'll have a bit of time in Berlin and Prague at the start and end of the cruise and discover the birthplace of the Reformation along the way.



The itinerary starts with a tour of Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam; then it's a one-hour transfer to the boat in Magdeburg -- a 65-mile journey -- for the cruise.

Stops include Wittenberg, the birthplace of the Reformation; Meissen, famous for its eponymous porcelain; and Dresden, which was levelled by Allied bombers towards the end of the Second World War. You'll also cruise through craggy Saxon Switzerland and call at Litomerice, a pretty little Czech town with a mix of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings.



Sunrise at the Eiffel tower, Paris



Typical Itinerary: The Seine River rises in France, flows north through Paris into Normandy and empties into the English Channel at Le Havre.

River cruises sail from Paris to Rouen or Caudebac and back. Most will fly into Paris. If you're travelling from Southeast England, it makes more sense to take the Eurostar train through the Channel Tunnel from St. Pancras in London to Paris Gare du Nord in the centre of Paris. Journey time is just two hours, 15 minutes.


Other calls include Les Andelys for excursions to Chateau-Gaillard -- built in 1196 by English king Richard the Lionheart in the days when England owned Normandy -- and Rouen, where Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake.

Rouen is also the jumping-off point for excursions to the Normandy beaches or to Honfleur, a pretty little fishing village. From Conflans, you can visit the Palace of Versailles.




French River Cruise Tips


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