EUROPEAN RIVER CRUISES

A tranquillity seemingly lost to modern life is to be joyously rediscovered on our luxurious river cruises through some of the most picturesque locations. This is an experience of the slowing of time, a cavalcade of changing scenery, a spiritual reclaiming of personal space and the easy enjoyment of select company among a relatively small number of fellow voyagers in an atmosphere in which friendships are easily formed. A perfect way to discover hidden treasures and the natural and man-made beauties of hillside and valley, vineyard and fairytale castle, waterfront village and historic cities.

The

Rhine River

,

Moselle River

,

Danube River

and

Main River

Witness to the rise and fall of empires from ancient Roman times to the Second World War, the Rhine is Germany’s longest river. In Germany it is joined by important tributaries such as the Moselle and Main, as well as the 106-mile Rhine-Main-Danube Canal, linking the Rhine and Danube, allowing ships to sail all the way from the North Sea to the Black Sea. The Danube itself is the continent’s second longest river and, like the Rhine, has inspired artists, poets and musicians for centuries.

Belgian and Dutch Waterways

Described as the Low Countries, by virtue of their position below sea level, Belgium and the Netherlands occupy the land around the Rhine Delta and North Sea. Protective defences such as the Zuider Zee and Delta Works Project have eliminated the historical threat of flooding and the region prospered, thanks to a crisscrossing network of canals.

The

Douro River

Valley
Spectacular and unspoilt, carving its scenic way beyond hillside villages and vineyards, the Douro is one of Europe’s most memorable rivers, presenting its dramatic panoramas from the Portuguese coastal city of Porto, centre of the port industry, to Salamanca and beyond, the sun-drenched heart of the Iberian Peninsula.

The

Seine River

Flowing through the romantic centre of Paris, beside such iconic sights as Notre Dame, the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, the River Seine continues its meanderings through the splendid countryside of Normandy to Rouen, meeting the English Channel between Le Havre and picturesque Honfleur.

The

Rhone River

and

Saone River

Rising high in Switzerland and flowing southwards to France, where it meets its principal tributary, the Saône, and completes its journey at the Mediterranean Sea, the Rhône is another of Europe’s longest rivers. The banks of these two splendid waterways are fringed with inspiring landscapes of sunflower fields, bountiful vineyards and cypress-lined avenues.

The

Dnieper River

Linking the Ukrainian capital of Kiev to Yalta, on the coast of the Black Sea, the Dnieper transports travellers through the land of the Cossacks, dotted with age-old cities and evocative battlefields, ancient and modern.

The

Nile River

The Nile is one of the longest rivers in the world, stretching north from East Africa to the Mediterranean. The Nile itself runs through Egypt, creating a fertile green valley across the dessert, which flows from the mountains in the south to the Mediterranean in the north.