Flowing from its source in the Swiss Alps, the Rhine is the venerable grandfather of Europe’s rivers, bearing witness to the ebb and flow of the Continent’s fortunes since ancient times.
The history of Europe rests upon the banks of this mighty waterway as it weaves through Germany, France and the Netherlands before discharging into the North Sea, the route cementing its importance as a major transportation artery that continues to this day.
Not only is the Rhine one of the most popular rivers for cruises, it remains a working waterway, with vast barges transporting freight and coal from Germany’s industrial heartland in the Ruhr Valley, a stretch of river that admittedly doesn’t win any points for scenic cruising.
Yet it also cuts a memorable path through some of Europe’s most unspoilt landscapes, notably the Unesco-protected Rhine Gorge with precipitous rocky peaks crowned by storybook castles and fortresses along with patchwork slopes of neatly terraced vineyards.
At its heart lies the Lorelei Rock, the most dangerous part of the river because of the churning currents, where according to legend a beautiful siren lures sailors to their deaths with her seductive singing.
The Rhine’s appeal is encapsulated in the variety along its banks that transforms cruises into floating city breaks with the gothic glories of Cologne, the ancient Roman roots of Trier, and the evocative medieval spirit of Strasbourg contrasting with the bucolic allure of Germany’s Black Forest.
Another key to this river’s popularity is its versatility and the ease of joining tributaries, the Main and Moselle, to explore identikit riverside towns of cobbled streets lined with timbered houses and the bountiful slopes of nearby winelands. In addition, the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal opens another door that enables river ships to sail from Amsterdam into Eastern Europe as far as Romania and Bulgaria.
Voyages along the Rhine are well established – after all, it was the watercourse that gave birth to Europe’s thriving river cruising industry. Sailings usually depart between March and December when Germany, in particular, comes under the magical spell of continental Christmas markets, but now more companies are extending their seasons, and turning the Rhine into a year-round cruising destination.
Here’s a taste of what should be on your radar for 2024…
Cruise any time
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