European River Cruise Routes & Destinations

Europe’s rivers each tell a different story. Here are the great routes and what makes each one special.

The Danube

Four capitals — Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava and beyond — plus the scenic Wachau Valley and famous Christmas markets. The classic first river cruise.

The Rhine

The castle route: the UNESCO Rhine Gorge, Cologne’s cathedral, Strasbourg and, in spring, the Dutch tulip fields, from Amsterdam to Basel.

The Douro (Portugal)

Portugal’s terraced wine valley from Porto — port-wine quintas, dramatic locks and some of the prettiest scenery in Europe.

The Seine (France)

Paris to Normandy — Monet’s Giverny, Rouen and the D-Day beaches, with the Eiffel Tower as your start and finish.

The Rhône & Saône

Provence and Burgundy — Lyon’s gastronomy, Avignon, Arles and vineyards, with food and wine at the center.

Main, Moselle & Elbe

Bavaria’s medieval towns and Nuremberg (Main), storybook wine villages (Moselle) and Dresden and Prague (Elbe).

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