River cruises take you to the heart of Europe via its grand waterways, providing you with boundless insight into the continent’s cultural and historic treasures. Immerse yourself in the storybook villages, vibrant cultural centers and picturesque landscapes of The Netherlands, Austria, Germany, France, Hungary and Switzerland, and unlock a whole new world of discovery.

Here is a sample of what you will see on European River Cruises: ( Find More River Cruise Destinations Here )

✔Visits to Germany’s charming wine-producing villages
✔ Culinary delights in Lyon, France
✔ Medieval Prague, “City of a Thousand Spires”
✔ The elegant boulevards and grand monuments of Paris
✔ Historic Wittenberg, home to Martin Luther
✔ Fairytale windmills of The Netherlands
✔ Wine tastings in the quintas of Portugal’s Douro Valley
✔ Budapest’s regal Parliament building and Chain Bridge
✔ Vienna’s inspirational legacy of classical music
✔ France’s famed wineries in Beaujolais, Bordeaux and beyond

Europe's Greatest Rivers
Immerse yourself in the Old World as you sail Europe’s most iconic rivers. Discover Danube gems like Vienna and Budapest. See storied Rhine castles. Trace French history along the Seine. From the Main to the Moselle, the Douro to the Dordogne, the  experience is unsurpassed.

Danube River Cruises
Winding through ten countries past old-world cultures, emerald-greenhills and vibrant cities, the Danube has witnessed epic histories that have shaped all of Europe. Coursing through Germany, Austria, Hungary and seven other countries all the way to the Black Sea, the Danube is the soul of Central Europe. Join us along these culture-rich banks, whose scenic vineyards, ancient monasteries and elegant cities have inspired travelers for centuries.

Highlights of the Danube River
A Danube River cruise unveils Europe’s rich and dramatic history. Glittering cultural capitals, lush vineyards, magnificent monasteries and endless scenic splendor line the river’s banks. Here are some sample highlights you will see:

✔Enchanting Passau, set where three rivers meet
✔Lush vineyards of the Wachau Valley
✔The baroque splendor of Melk Abbey
✔Vienna’s elegant architecture
✔The splendid Benedictine Abbey of Göttweig
✔Scenic beauty of the picturesque Danube Bend
✔Budapest’s stunning Chain Bridge and Parliament Building
✔Soaring cliffs of the scenic Iron Gate
✔Romania’s rural culture and rich folklore
✔Belgrade’s impressive Kalemegdan Fortress

Rhine River Cruises
Steeped in legend, the scenic Rhine flows through six countries. Fairy-tale castles and soaring fortresses along its banks evoke the spirit of medieval Europe. Raise a glass of Riesling to acclaimed Rhine River cruises through Switzerland, Germany and The Netherlands. See how the Rhine, Main and Moselle river systems unfold to create a spellbinding display of storybook villages, Dutch windmills, German vineyards and Gothic cities.

Highlights of the Rhine River
A Rhine River cruise takes you into the heart of Middle Europe, where stately castles, fairytale villages and cultural centers have long been witnesses to history. The river’s banks are brimming with historic treasures, natural beauty and vibrant capitals. Here are a few highlights for you:

✔Amsterdam’s charming canals and gabled houses
✔Windmills of Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
✔Cologne’s Gothic Dom
✔Rüdesheim’s wine-growing region
✔Marksburg Castle, perched above scenic Braubach
✔Multicultural Strasbourg
✔Breathtaking views of the legendary Black Forest
✔The distinct French-German culture of Alsace
✔Mythical Lorelei Rock at the Middle Rhine Gorge
✔Stunning Heidelberg, inspiration to writers and philosophers

Elbe River Cruises
From the Bohemian highlands, the historic Elbe passes the soaring landscapes of Saxony and the baroque splendor of German cultural centers. Sail the Elbe to reaches seldom seen in Germany and the Czech Republic. Insights greet you at every bend as you explore majestic Berlin and Prague, delve into Wittenberg’s religious history and contrast the delicacy of Meissen porcelain with the rocky brawn of Saxon Switzerland.

Highlights of the Elbe River
The once divisive Elbe River is today a symbol of unity. Along this scenic river, East Germany became free, and cities that once lay in rubble now stand tall. With much of this breathtaking river unaltered by mankind, it is a truly inspirational waterway. Here are some sample highlights you will see:

✔Berlin’s ultra-modern, forward-thinking architecture
✔Rococo splendor of Potsdam
✔The incredibly preserved medieval city of Prague
✔Dresden’s baroque wonders, risen from wartime ashes
✔The natural beauty of the Elbe Biosphere Reserve
✔Saxon’s Switzerland’s monoliths of natural rock formations
✔Wittenberg, birthplace of the Protestant Reformation
✔Meissen’s famed porcelain factory

Main River Cruises
Forested hills, vibrant meadows and richly historic towns line the Main, a Rhine tributary celebrated for the ornate palaces that dot its tranquil shores. Winding between Mainz and Bamberg, the Main passes through 34 locks-16 more connect it to the Danube via the Main-Danube Canal. While this engineering feat enables river travel across the entire length of Europe, it also unlocks a trove of unspoiled landscapes and historic towns.

Highlights of the Main River
The scenic Main River seems to take its time on its circuitous route to the Rhine, twisting and arcing its way at a leisurely pace through Germany’s scenic landscapes. Throughout its past, it has served as a geographic and cultural divide, separating languages, cuisines and religions. Today, this lazy waterway is a source of pride for all Germans, lined with picturesque preserved forestland, sprawling vineyards and some of the nation’s most beloved cultural and historic landmarks. Here is a sample of what you may experience during a Main river cruise:

✔The wide, undulating loops of the scenic Main River
✔Charming half-timbered houses in Miltenberg
✔The glassblowing tradition of Spessart
✔The enormous and ornate Bishops’ Residenz of Würzbrug
✔Picturesque Bamberg and its Town Hall built on a river’s bridge
✔Distinctive rauchbier, the local smoke-flavored beer
✔Toy-making heritage of Nuremberg
✔Nuremberg’s scenic Old Town and Market Square

Douro River Cruises
The Douro River travels along ancient wine estates, passing barcos rabelos laden with casks en route to Porto and Lisbon, defining a sublimely scenic corner of Europe. These Portugal cruises uncover one of Europe’s oldest and most renowned wine regions. Cruise the Douro River through ancient wine estates, passing barcos rabelos laden with casks en route to Porto and Lisbon. A sublimely scenic corner of Europe, with equally sublime food and wine.

Highlights of the Douro River
Portugal famously prospered during its Age of Discovery and you will find monuments to this vibrant era everywhere. Port wine, too, put the nation on the maps of travelers and oenophiles. A Douro cruise with brings it all into sharp focus for you, providing rich insight into fascinating highlights such as these:

✔Lisbon’s stunning Manueline architecture
✔Lisbon’s Moorish-flavored Alfama District
✔Ancient universities in Coimbra, Portugal and Salamanca, Spain
✔Port warehouses of Porto
✔Porto’s historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
✔Scenic vineyard-laden hills along the Douro River
✔Vila Real’s extraordinary Mateus Palace
✔The hilltop fortress town of Castelo Rodrigo
✔The tiny village of Favaios, nestled among picturesque hills
✔Port wine tastings at elegant estates

Seine River Cruises
The glorious Seine winds through elegant Paris into historic Normandy, passing bucolic villages and scenic landscapes and farm lands that inspired famed Impressionist artists. The Seine meanders on a serpentine path through the Norman countryside, an historic region of great pastoral beauty. Drift along dreamy apple orchards and medieval ruins. Explore elegant Paris. See Monet’s Giverny home. And honor World War II heroes on Normandy beaches.

Highlights of the Seine River
It is only 110 miles as the crow flies from Paris to the English Channel, but the Seine River snakes its way through 240 miles of magnificent Norman vistas. There is much to see as this waterway winds through France’s history: the riverside cultural monuments of Paris, scenic vistas that still today inspire great artists, farmlands that produce Calvados apple liqueur, and so much more. Here are some select highlights you will enjoy during a Seine river cruise:

✔The magnificent sights of Paris, from the Eiffel Tower to Notre Dame Cathedral
✔Claude Monet’s beautiful house and gardens at Giverny
✔Rouen’s spectacular Gothic cathedral
✔Normandy’s historic beaches, site of the 1944 D-Day landings
✔The remains of Château Gaillard, Richard the Lionheart’s castle
✔Napoleon’s final home, Château de Malmaison
✔Scenic farmlands dotted with Norman cows and half-timbered houses
✔Creamy samples of locally made Brie and Camembert cheeses

Moselle River Cruises
The tranquil Moselle twists through France and Luxembourg before traversing one of Germany’s most picturesque wine-growing regions, lined by steeply terraced vineyards. The romantic Moselle winds through an enchanting landscape of castles, picture-book villages and terraced slate hillsides that form one of the world’s richest wine regions. With a settled history that predates the Romans, it is yours to discover on one of our Moselle river cruises.

Highlights of the Moselle River
The Moselle River meets the Rhine at Koblenz, Germany. On the way, it weaves and twists from France, forms a natural boundary between Luxembourg and Germany and follows a sinewy path past breathtaking vistas of sloping vineyards. The Holy Roman Empire had one of its major capitals here, the magnificent city of Trier, and tidy villages emerged on its fertile shores to produce what would become some of the world’s most loved wines. Here are a few sample highlights of what awaits you on a Moselle cruise:

✔Trier’s fascinating ruins from its days as a Roman capital
✔The fairytale charms of Bernkastel-Kues
✔Luxembourg City’s elegant and stately architecture
✔Wine-making traditions that date back 2,000 years
✔The stunning medieval town of Cochem
✔Millennium-old Reichsburg Castle, perched on a hillside
✔The quaint Old Town of Koblenz, where the Moselle and Rhine meet
✔The refined, sweet flavors of the world’s best Rieslings

Rhône River Cruises
The fabled Rhône, lined with vestiges of a rich Roman past, courses through picturesque Provence, cultivating renowned vineyards and vibrant wild flower fields. Enjoy the diverse pleasures of life along the Rhône with Viking. Savor Lyon, France’s gastronomic heart; the Beaujolais wine region; quaint Provençal villages; and historic Avignon and Arles. For those who love fine food, beauty and riveting history, Rhône cruises are pure bliss.

Highlights of the Rhône River
The Rhône River winds its way into France from the Rhône Glacier in Valais, Switzerland, meeting the Saône at Lyon. Its waters flow past some of the country’s most significant historic landmarks, some dating back to Roman times. Blanketed with lavender and sunflower fields that display their full color in summer, the Rhône’s Provence region has long been an inspiration to artists. Above all, its vineyards and farms produce France’s famed wines and cuisine. Here are a few sample highlights of a Rhône river cruise:

✔Avignon, “City of Popes,” and its historic palace
✔The massive Roman arena of Arles
✔Espace van Gogh, the Arles hospital that treated the artist
✔Charming riverside village of Viviers
✔The spectacular gorges of the Ardèche plateau
✔Lyon, France’s grand culinary capital
✔Distinctive wineries and cellars of Beaujolais

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