Editor’s Note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
River cruises in Europe are one of the fun and slow modes of travel. You’re staying in a small floating hotel, exploring the calm inland waters, gliding past castles and vineyards, and the scenery changing by the hour.
Daily escorted walking tours and other excursions, offered by the river, take you to important UNESCO World Heritage Sites as well as other city and village attractions that won’t be missed. you have come to see. Or you can choose to explore on your own, which is easy as your ship usually docks right in town.
Lazy afternoons on the train take the time to sit on the lounge chairs and watch the world go by — children swimming from the riverbank, farmers tending crops, birds flying in the river — when you surf to the next destination.
Which river in Europe should you explore? The choices are broader than you might expect.
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The main rivers in Europe are the Danube and the Rhine and their tributaries. These are the most popular itineraries, which can be done on one-week segments or longer itineraries that combine regions and sometimes rivers. Even if your cruise is only a week long, don’t underestimate the allure of relaxing for seven days on a river in France or on the dreamy Douro in Portugal.
Here are nine of the best river cruises in Europe.
Upper Danube
A river cruise that begins the perfect seven nights in Europe is the Upper Danube, which will take you through centuries of history as you explore Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary.
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Trains visit cultural centers like Vienna, with its art and opera museums as well as splendid royal palaces, and Budapest, Hungary with its magnificent architecture and modern vibe. If your train passes the Hungarian Parliament building at night, you will enjoy; brightly lit, it’s one of the river’s most photographed sights.
Along the route, between Melk and Krems in Austria, you cruise through the Wachau Valley, an important wine-growing region and grape wine, with sipping opportunities. It’s also a great place to cycle, which is why I love being on bike ships like AmaWaterways’.
You may also have the option of a side trip to Salzburg, Austria, Mozart’s birthplace — and also where some scenes for the movie “Sound of Music” were filmed. A surprise to many is the Old Town of Bratislava, Slovakia, which may not be on your must-do list, but is captivating with beer culture and castles.
Related: Book your first river cruise? Here’s what you need to know.
the lower Danube
For an in-depth look into Eastern Europe’s past and present, the fascinating Lower Danube route between Budapest and Bucharest, Romania, explores history from medieval and Victorian Dracula times to the rise of communism and the Bosnian War.
The seven-night river cruise takes you through Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania. The most beautiful stretch of the river is the 62-mile stretch through a gorge between the Balkan and Carpathian Mountains. It is also one of the deepest rivers in the world.
Other attractions accessed on shore excursions by bus include Bulgaria’s Belogradchik Rocks, naturally carved redstone spires that appear to be shaped like “Madonna with children” and Veliko Tarnovo, the beautiful medieval capital of Bulgaria.
ice River
When it comes to the top touristic rivers in Europe, the Rhine wins for natural beauty and fairytale scenery. A river cruise between Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and Basel, Switzerland — a typical week-long route — takes you past vineyards, steep forests and mountains, historic cities and villages Medieval half-timbered.
That’s even before you reach the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This 40-mile stretch of river, between Rudesheim and Koblenz, Germany, is full of castles (you can imagine Rapunzel with her hair down) and Lorelei Rock, the legendary cliff that is said to distract sailors with cards enchanting singing of a young girl.
The French city of Strasbourg with its famous Gothic cathedral and hearty Alsatian cuisine is often a favorite stop on the Rhine journey, with other highlights including Heidelberg, Germany, with its imposing castle.
Related: 5 cruise lines to try if you can’t stand being around the kids on holiday
Seine River
Sure, you can catch the Eiffel Tower while boarding a riverboat in Paris, but you can do it while staying in a hotel. The real appeal of a Seine cruise is boating on the river outside the city towards the English Channel and visiting the beaches of Normandy for a glimpse of the Second World War.
Your visit to the beaches and the Normandy American Memorial and Cemetery, as well as other memorials and monuments to those who have fallen, is a poignant experience (one that requires, however, one that is required). you take the bus two hours from your train). Avalon Waterways brought a World War II expert on board to add details on selected voyages.
Other treasures exist along the Seine, not least of which is Giverny, the home and garden of impressionist artist Claude Monet. If you’re a fan of his art, much of the grounds seem familiar.
In historic Rouen, where Joan of Arc was martyred in the Middle Ages, stop by Rouen Cathedral (another Monet theme), before getting lost in the cobblestone streets lined with excellent cafes.
bordeaux
River cruises in Bordeaux are different from other waterways because you explore two short waterways — the Dordogne and Garonne rivers — and the Gironde Estuary in southwestern France.
You’ll spend more time on shore than on the river on this cruise, with your ship docked for two nights in Bordeaux, a miniature Paris with grand 18th-century buildings. Who cares. When you are at the heart of French culture, in one of the most famous wine regions in the world?
Bordeaux offers the chance to sip Medoc, Margaux, Saint-Emilion, Pomerol and Sauternes wines as you expand your wine knowledge. You will visit beautiful vineyards and castles. Your cruise ship might even host a wine dinner at a winery one evening. If you plan your itinerary in September or October, you will get to admire the grape harvest.
Related: 5 best cruise lines for solo travelers
Rhone and Saone
Another must for wine lovers is exploring the interior of France, sipping Cotes du Rhone in famous wine-producing regions like the Hermitage and Chateauneuf-du-Pape in Provence and Beaune in Burgundy.
Rhone and Saone river cruises typically travel between Lyon and Arles or Avignon, and are top-loaded with non-wine attractions like the Pont du Gard Roman aqueduct and the Arles Roman Amphitheater. , and the massive Palais des Papes (Pope’s Palace) in Avignon – plus lavender fields, haystacks and other scenes that have inspired painters like Paul Cezanne and Vincent Van Gogh.
douro
For a wonderful, dreamy and lazy river cruise experience, there’s nothing better than exploring Portugal’s wine regions on the Douro River, one of the major rivers that flows through the Iberian Peninsula. The main base for these river cruises is Porto, Portugal, with its historic city center, spectacular bridges, and harbor house.
On a week-long cruise, you follow the 130-mile river through lush hillside vineyards in the Douro River Valley, a UNESCO-listed destination, before turning back at the Spanish border. River cruises often include a visit to the university town of Salamanca in northern Spain. Viticulture is a lesson along the way, as you learn about port production on the “Golden River”.
Elbe
Due to fluctuating water levels and narrow passages, the Elbe is a challenging river that runs 680 miles between the Czech Republic and Germany. Historically, it formed part of the border between East Germany and West Germany.
River cruises here are a rare experience. Viking River Cruises is one of the few visiting routes (another is the French CroisiEurope route), with a 10-day cruise that combines hotel stays in the cities of Berlin and Prague with a river stretch between Prague and Prague. Wittenburg, Germany.
Cruises on ships built specifically for the Elbe route and stops at places like the resurgent Dresden, heavily bombed during World War II but expertly rebuilt; German Saxon Switzerland with striking sandstone formations; and the spa town of Bad Schandau.
Po
The Po River in northern Italy has tides, making it another challenging waterway. However, it offers the opportunity to combine a visit to Venice with a river cruise. Uniworld Boutique River Cruises does Po in high style with the 126-passenger SS La Venizia, decorated to match the venue, from Fortuny fabric and Murano glass to gilded accents.
The one-week itinerary doesn’t take you far but includes the walled city of Padua, the charming fishing village of Chioggia, and the culinary mecca of Bologna.
For those looking for a longer experience, Uniworld cleverly combines a Po journey with a luxury rail journey to places like Istanbul, Switzerland and more.
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