Best Rivers for European River Cruises
If you’re a first-time European river cruiser, the first decision that you will want to make is specifically what river destination most appeals to you.
And one of the ways to accomplish this task is to take a peek at some of the most popular European river cruise destinations and itineraries.
Without question, the two most popular European rivers for first-time river cruisers are the Rhine and the Danube.
The Rhine River
If you’re looking to see ancient riverside castles on your river cruise, then the river Rhine is quite likely your best choice. While the itineraries very greatly from one river cruise company to another, most popular is sailing from Amsterdam in the Netherlands, to Basel, Switzerland. This is generally an 8-day itinerary.
The Danube River
Perhaps the most famous European river in the mind of the average American is the river Danube. While the river castles aren’t as plentiful and majestic as the Rhine, the allure here is the stunningly beautiful city of Budapest, formerly locked behind the Iron Curtain and closed off to American tourists. Those sailing the Danube are also certain to love Vienna, Salzburg, the 900-year-old Benedictine abbey in Melk, sailing through the beautiful wine-producing Wachau Valley, and the delightful town of Passau in Germany. This is generally an 8-day itinerary.
Carol and I sailed the Danube with Viking River Cruises and you can see our report by clicking here.
For those of you have more time available for your river cruise, a very popular option is to combine the Rhine and the Danube into a journey that generally will take 12-15 days depending on the various stops along the way.
The Seine River
This river cruise will take you from the heart of Paris to the beaches of Normandy and back. While the distance traveled on this itinerary is much shorter than other river cruises, the great allure is the city of Paris, the Normandy Beaches, other stunningly beautiful destinations like Giverny (home of Monet), Vernon, Rouen, and more. This itinerary is generally one that lasts 8-days.
The Garonne, Gironde and Dordogne Rivers
Foodies and wine lovers will love cruising these rivers as you will be sailing in the heart of the Bordeaux wine country of France. The countryside is dotted with eye-popping chateaus, and you’re certain to enjoy the port city of Bordeaux, as well as wine producing cities like Cadillac, Libourne, Blaye, and Pauillac. This is generally an 8-day itinerary.
Carol and I have sailed these rivers with UniWorld and you can see our report by clicking here.
The Saône and Rhône Rivers
Another favorite of foodies and wine lovers, here you will be sampling the wine and cuisine of the world-famous Burgundy region of France. Here you’ll sample the world-famous cuisine of Lyon, witness the cobbled streets of Arles that inspired Vincent van Gogh, as well as the historic Papal Palace in Avignon, “City of Popes”. This is generally an 8-day itinerary.
Carol and I will be sailing this itinerary in May 2015, and we’d like to invite you to come along with us. For the details, click here.
While there are certainly many fabulous rivers not mentioned here, one of these five will certainly serve you well for your first exposure to river cruising in Europe. We’ve become big fans of river cruising, and we’re confident that once you experience your first, you’ll be hooked as well. 🙂
Book Your River Cruise With Us!
Through our travel agency, Roaming Boomers Travel Services, we are uniquely qualified to help you plan and book a fun-filled river cruise anywhere in the world.
First of all, as a member of the $12 billion Virtuoso Travel Network, we bring you buying power, clout, and exclusive offers that you won’t find on the Internet. We have back channels to every major river cruise line in the world, and our clients love the exclusive access we bring them.
Secondly, we’re experts. We book a lot of river cruises over the course of a year. We’ll not only save you a lot of time, but we’ll also handle all of the intricate details involved in getting you to your cruise and back. As we say, “we do all the work, you have all the fun!”
To book your river cruise, or for a no-obligation conversation, call us at (480) 550-1235, or use our convenient online information request by clicking here.
About Virtuoso:
Virtuoso® is the leading network of luxury travel advisors and entities. This by-invitation-only organization comprises 335 agencies with more than 7,200 elite travel specialists in 20 countries in North and South America, the Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand, as well as over 1,700 of the world’s best travel providers and premier destinations. The network’s member agencies generate over $12.5 billion annually in travel sales, making the group the most powerful in the luxury travel segment. Their relationships with the finest travel companies provide the network’s affluent clientele with exclusive amenities, rare experiences and privileged access. Roaming Boomers Travel Services is an independent affiliate of Cadence®, a Virtuoso Member.
If you enjoyed this article, sign up for our monthly newsletter to keep abreast of our best travel tips, on-location reviews, exclusive travel offers, group travel events, and much more.