A river cruise moves at a gentle pace and docks close to the centre of town, so you spend your days exploring rather than travelling. The hard part is choosing the river.
The Danube links grand imperial capitals. The Rhine is all castles, vineyards and cathedral cities. The Seine joins Paris to Normandy, the Rhône runs south into Provence, and the Douro winds through the terraced port wine country of northern Portugal. Our guides cover the history, the highlights, the food and wine and the best months to go, and list the cruises we can book on each river.
The Danube
Europe's second-longest river links four capital cities, the vineyards of the Wachau and the wild gorge of the Iron Gates. Here is what to expect when you cruise it.
7 cruises · read the guide
The Rhine
From the Swiss border at Basel to the windmills of the Netherlands, the Rhine fits castles, cathedrals and vineyards into a single week on the water.
11 cruises · read the guide
The Main and Moselle
Two of the Rhine's prettiest tributaries, one winding through the Franconian heartland of Bavaria, the other looping between steep Riesling vineyards on its way from France.
9 cruises · read the guide
The Seine
Start in Paris, then follow the Seine through the orchards and chalk cliffs of Normandy, past Monet's garden and Rouen's great cathedral towards the sea.
3 cruises · read the guide
The Rhône and Saône
Sail south from Burgundy and Lyon into the sunshine of Provence, past Roman temples, papal palaces and some of the most famous vineyards in France.
3 cruises · read the guide
Bordeaux Rivers
Three waterways, one great wine region. Cruise the Garonne, Dordogne and Gironde estuary to the châteaux of the Médoc, Saint-Émilion and Sauternes.
1 cruise · read the guide
The Douro
Follow Portugal's river of gold inland from Porto, through a deep valley of terraced vineyards to the quintas where port wine is born.
2 cruises · read the guide
The Elbe
Sail through the heart of Saxony and into Bohemia, from Luther's Wittenberg and baroque Dresden to the sandstone towers of Saxon Switzerland and the spires of Prague.
1 cruise · read the guide
Holland and Belgium
Windmills, tulip fields, Golden Age harbours and Flemish art cities, all linked by the rivers, canals and estuaries of the Low Countries.
3 cruises · read the guide