With storybook castles, iconic vineyards and medieval villages untouched by time, the Rhine River brings classic fairy tales to life – and there’s no better way to experience it all than on a 7-night Rhine river cruise!
#1 – 4 Countries
See four countries – Switzerland, Germany, France and the Netherlands!
When you take a river cruise, you get local guides who know all about the medieval villages untouched by time, noteworthy vineyards and storybook castles which means that taking a Rhine River cruise provides you nothing short of a spectacular experience
#2 Enriching Excursions
Quality river cruise lines, such as AMA Waterways, have great connections to all the location destinations and their vendors to ensure you get a top notch experience! Whether you want to visit Freiburg’s Gothic cathedral, which apparently has “the most beautiful spire on earth”, a lovely gondola ride over Rüdesheim’s vineyard filled hills with a lovely wine tasting at the end, or visiting a place like Riquewihr (pictured above) —which by the way was the inspiration for Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, or even check out a mechanical music museum, the unique experiences are many! PS: all of these can be experienced with AmaWaterways.
#3 – 40 Castles
Some amazing castles await you on your Rhine River Cruise, such as these highly acclaimed ones:
Rheinfels Castle – This castle was built in 1245 – views of Rhine, Burg Katz and Burg Maus are spectacular.
Cat Castle – this 14th-century castle was a military base and later was in family hands until they all passed away in 1479. Today, it is private property and hotel. Unfortunately, it’s not open to visitors but is still a magnificent sight to see!
Mouse Castle – The Electors of Trier built this castle in the 14th century, was originally called Thurnberg, but is remained in history as “Burg Maus”
Nearby Maus and Katz can look like they spy on each other which is why they are called Cat and Mouse.
Marksburg Castle – You can take a guided tour of this one – built in the 12th centruy and is currently housing teh headquarters of the German Castles Association!
Stolzenfels Castle – Looking more like a palace, this is the most romantic of all castles on the Rhine – visit only with a guided tour.
Lahneck Castle – This one has a really romantic yet medieval look to it – built in the 13th century, and this one is connected to the Knights Templar story – the last 12 of them took refuge here in 1312 when they were ordered to be executed. They lost the battle but met a hero’s death here. See it only with a guided tour.
#4 – Wines – Great wines & Amazing Food!
Germany’s Rheingau through the Alsace region in Strasbourg, France offers amazing history you can taste! Amazing meals are locally created by expert chefs using fresh local ingredients! Some River Cruise lines offer wine from local vineyards onboard with lunch and dinner too! For example, you might enjoy a rich asparagus risotto paired with Riesling while sailing through Strasbourg or an authentic German Rheinischer sauerbraten—braised beef with raisin sauce—paired with Alsatian pinot noir as they do with AMA Waterways!
For bonus points, quality river cruise line crew in the dining areas would remember your previous night’s selection of wine, and make suggestions they think you will love! You can also expect to see excellent dessert recommendations to go with everything else!
#5 – So much to do Onboard: Wellness On the Rhine
Nowadays, folks many times love to stay active – even while traveling! Many cruise lines offer wellness activities onboard, such as yoga, a cardio class, or a core class! For those that like to exercise outside of a class setting, many lines also offer a fitness center onboard as well as a pool and walking track!
Do you see yourself staying active, eating and enjoying fine wines and seeing these amazing castles & historical locations up and down the Rhine River? If you haven’t done a river cruise yet, they are incredible and you’ll be well served to begin with a Rhine cruise! Reach out if you’d like to look into some options!