German Rivers
MOSEL RIVER
The Mosel Valley has a splendid countryside. The cool and delicious wines, the picturesque little towns with rich histories and the excellent conditions for cycling are a few of the high points of this area.
Your Mosel cruise takes you on a tour of this wonderful region where you come across several interesting places. Metz is designated a ‘town of art and history’ because of its rich historical and cultural background. This is a designation bestowed by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication to specific towns and cities with a purpose to preserve and promote France’s heritage. In Metz, you will discover much art and history! The city is home to some world-class venues such as the Arsenal Concert Hall, the Centre Pompidou-Metz Museum, and the National Opera of Lorraine (along with the Nancy Opera.) Metz has the pride of having 20 miles of landscaped walks along the rivers, canals and ramparts making it a lovely and lushly green city.
Remich is another interesting place. This is one of the quaintest towns in Germany. Remich is surrounded by vineyards that produce the majority of wines in Luxembourg. It is actually known as “la perle de la Moselle”, and is renowned not just for its wines but its riverside esplanade as well.
Trier is the oldest city of Germany founded before the 16th century. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site noted for its Roman monuments, particularly the Imperial Baths and the imposing fortified gate, the Porta Nigra. Trier lies in a valley between low vine-covered hills. This is an important Mosel wine-growing region.
Cochem will be your last stop. Situated deep in the most romantic part of the Mosel River Valley, Cochem is famous for its wine taverns, half-timbered houses, riverside promenades and the magnificent Reichsburg Castle above the town.
A wonderful experience is yours as you cruise through the Mosel Valley while you view and visit charming villages and ravishing towns. You will taste the region’s excellent wines in the welcoming taverns here. Light whites are a specialty, and Riesling is the best-known variety produced here.
RHINE VALLEY
The Rhine River Valley, also known as “the heartland of the Holy Roman Empire”, is an extremely beautiful region and has been a great attraction for wine lovers since long ago. For centuries the region, has inspired poets and great thinkers such as Lord Byron and Goethe who immortalized it in their works. The Rhine River Valley has also inspired several myths and legends. The origin of the beautiful Rhine lies in the Alps whereon it winds its way north through Switzerland, Germany, France, and the Netherlands. The Rhine River Valley is renowned for fairytale castles and has the distinction of having more castles than in any other river valley in the world.
Our Rhine River Valley Cruise is the perfect choice for you to explore the enchanting Rhine wine region while enjoying the comforts of a deluxe river cruise vessel! Your wine cruise starts in vivacious Amsterdam where you enjoy the city’s legendary canals. Cologne is your next destination where you will see one of Europe’s most spectacular cathedrals and sample the city’s famous Kölsch beer. Your cruise takes you further to Koblenz where you can take a walking tour of a 2,000 year-old wine town situated at the conflux of the Rhine and Mosel Rivers.
Your tryst with German wines continues as you further cruise through the Rhine River Valley to the captivating town of Rudesheim where you learn about Rhine wines at a Berg Rottland wine tasting. Then from Speyer, you can take an excursion to the historic university town of Heidelberg and continue to Alsace’s capital of Strasbourg, where you’ll learn about the region’s famous Alsatian wines. From Breisach, another excursion is offered along the Alsatian wine route which takes you to Colmar and the fascinating wine village of Riquewihr.
Basel is your final destination on the cruise, located on the borders of Switzerland, France and Germany. From Basel, you transfer to Lucerne and then to Zurich where you’ll fall in love with Switzerland’s beautiful and mesmerizing scenery and Alpine view.