An insider’s list of top river cruises
The river cruise between Amsterdam and Budapest is “the classic” because, well, it’s a classic.
Itineraries will include stops in Budapest (Hungary) and Vienna (Austria). They will include the Wachau Valley, the dramatic Rhine Gorge and probably time in Melk.
When you are comparing companies and itineraries, look at the detail. A good itinerary, for example, will feature visits to Melk’s Benedictine abbey and the baroque Wurzburg Residenz, and they will include walks with local guides.
Then compare the other stops and look for places of difference; for example, Bratislava, in Slovakia, makes a good day stop — and is a place we probably wouldn’t otherwise visit. Its Old Town has winding streets, pedestrian zones, cafes and sculptures.
Look for Durnstein, with its memorable blue and white baroque church, and Passau, which has narrow cobblestone streets, an equally memorable cathedral and a town hall which actually straddles the River Regnitz.
Nuremberg, Volkach and Regensburg are all names to look for, I think. Regensburg is such a well-preserved medieval city.
If you like some independence, look for time in itineraries when you can just wander — for example, in the Rhine Valley town of Rudesheim, I’d be happy to stroll again through Drosselgasse, a historic, cobblestone alleyway, which is lined either side by shops, restaurants and taverns.
Having compared itineraries and started to understand the details, I’m pretty sure potential travellers will be struck by the value of river cruising in Europe. Take a river cruise of 16 days, which means 15 nights accommodation and more than 40 meals, not to mention travel and guides in five countries. There are starting prices from under $9000 — as low as $550 a day with a good cruising company.
After that classic between Amsterdam and Budapest, there are all sorts of options, which I rank like this:
+ South of France between Arles and Lyon on the Rhone, or perhaps sailing the full “Rhone and Saone” experience, over around 15 days. From south to north, Arles is famous for its sunflowers and the paintings Vincent van Gogh did there, Avignon for its epic ecclesiastical architecture and Christian story, and then we sail on, stopping in the pretty towns of Viviers and Tournon before arriving in Lyon — where the two rivers meet. Continuing north takes us through Tournus and as far as Chalon-sur-Saone, where there will likely be a chateau visit, as we are in the great winemaking country. River cruises mostly end here, with travellers taking a fast train to Paris.
+ River Seine. I have just sailed this, and an eight-day itinerary is a nice addition to a visit to Paris. The Seine, heading west, really suits river cruising, and most head to Normandy. While there are interesting villages and towns, like Rouen, there is also a chance to learn more about D-Day history and visit the Normandy beaches.
+ I then really like river cruising in Bordeaux. Look for itineraries on the rivers Garonne, Dordogne and Gironde. Look for time in Bordeaux, Fort Medoc, Cadillac, Blaye and Libourne. With its great produce and wine (of course), river cruising in Bordeaux is, to me, a quintessentially French experience.
+ But don’t discount the Rhine Delta, the Netherlands and Belgium. I have river cruised itineraries that included Antwerp, Rotterdam, Ghent and Brussels and been surprised by how interesting and varied the days are.
+ On the River Douro in Portugal, itineraries are generally around eight days. It is interesting enough, with pretty towns, villages and cities, starting and ending in Porto.
+ And after that, the world’s your oyster, with river cruising on the Mekong in Cambodia and Vietnam (look for Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi); the Nile in Egypt (packages are “Cairo return”); and the Ganges in India (New Delhi to Kolkata).
Camera IconVan Gogh painted Cafe Terrace At Night in mid-September 1888. It is of this cafe in Place du Forum, Arles. Credit: Stephen Scourfield/The West Australian
Camera IconPlace de la Bourse in the town of Bordeaux, France. Credit: Stephen Scourfield/The West Australian
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