Spend three nights in the Swiss Alps and experience the breathtaking ‘Top of Europe’ on the Jungfrau Express before a seven-night cruise along the magical Rhine river

Your holiday begins this morning as we meet the Tour Manager at London St Pancras before boarding the Eurostar to Paris. From the French capital, we continue by rail to Basel.

This Swiss city close to the borders with France and Germany sits on the Rhine and is considered the country's cultural capital. Basel's Old Town is dominated by the twin-spired Gothic minster, with its notable red sandstone walls and colourful roof tiles.

After checking into our overnight hotel, we gather for our first dinner together this evening.

We're bound for the stunning setting of Interlaken today. We make our way by rail to this town set between two idyllic alpine lakes - Thun and Brienz.

Our hotel is well located, allowing for a stroll through the historic streets. When the skies are clear, the view of the valley is incredible, offering a panoramic vista of the Bernese Oberland including the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau mountains.

As we settle into our hotel for the next two nights, you can explore the town at leisure or simply relax and soak up our new surroundings before dinner this evening.

We enjoy a highlight of our holiday today, a journey to Jungfraujoch - Europe's highest station. Boarding the Jungfrau Express at Kleine Scheidegg, our route takes us through a tunnel dug into the rocks of the Eiger mountain before arriving at the top.

Here, you're free to admire the countless awe-inspiring mountain peaks from the Sphinx observatory, be wowed by the endless Aletsch Glacier or maybe head to Lindt Swiss Chocolate Heaven to see how Swiss chocolate is made. You could also visit the Alpine Sensation exhibition which uses projected images and music to pay tribute to the miners who built the railway more than 100 years ago.

We return to Interlaken via the scenic Swiss mountain village of Grindelwald where you have time to stroll around before dinner back at our hotel this evening.

This morning, we return to Basel by rail. On arrival, we board our luxury cruise ship and are welcomed by our wonderful crew. There is time to relax into our new home on the river and familiarise yourself with the ship's excellent facilities.

This evening, we enjoy a welcome cocktail before dinner in the panoramic restaurant and set sail on an overnight cruise on the Rhine.

Sailing into the historic Alsace city of Strasbourg after breakfast, there's a choice of two wonderful excursions. The first is a trip into the magical Black Forest to witness stunning views. Germany's largest nature park filled with rolling hills, fairytale villages, dense forests and wildflower meadows. On an exploration of this idyllic setting, you'll learn about the enchanting history and folklore of the region.

Alternatively, you could enjoy a city tour of Strasbourg. Alsace is now in France but was once part of Germany. The grand architecture of its main city reflects this blend of the two cultures. On the tour, we visit its striking cathedral and the quaint La Petite France district. Home to tanners, millers and fishermen in the Middle Ages, this pretty area is now a UNESCO World Heritage site of cobbled streets, flower-lined canals and beautiful half-timbered houses.

Back on our ship this evening, we enjoy drinks with dinner.

Waking to views of charming Speyer, you can choose to enjoy a guided tour of Heidelberg today. The picturesque university town is known for its lovely Old Town and stunning riverfront, which is perfect for a relaxing stroll. Our tour includes a visit to the magnificent ruined, red sandstone castle that towers over the city, providing amazing views of the surrounding forests, river, and cityscape.

If you'd prefer to stay in Speyer, you can discover the city at your own pace. There's a beautiful Old Town, and among the highlights is the city's cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Returning to our ship for lunch, we enjoy a scenic afternoon cruise. Sailing downstream, we pass the famous Roman city of Mainz and spa town of Wiesbaden before arriving in Rüdesheim early this evening.

After dinner, you could enjoy the sounds and sights of the captivating town, famous for its delicious white wine, especially the dry Riesling variety.

This morning, we travel through charming Rüdesheim aboard a land train, arriving in the centre of the renowned wine town. Here, there's a choice of excursions. You could savour Rüdesheim's most famous produce with a tasting of the finest local varieties of wine or discover Europe's largest collection of mechanical instruments at Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet. Afterwards, there's time at leisure.

We begin sailing this afternoon and enjoy a highlight of the holiday - gliding through the Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO-listed section renowned for its spectacular views. Winding around bends surrounded by miles of vineyards, hilltop castles and picturesque towns, we also hear the legend of the Lorelei Rock. Soaring almost 500 feet out of the water, this monument has been the inspiration for countless myths and legends, including the tale of a siren whose song has enchanted passing sailors.

Arriving in the city of Koblenz, you have time to explore. We recommend visiting Deutsches Eck at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle. Later, we make our way back to the ship, where dinner is served onboard.

Setting sail early this morning, our luxurious ship navigates the tranquil waters of the Moselle River. After a morning of relaxed cruising past the rolling hills of the Moselle Valley, we arrive in Cochem. This attractive town is a maze of slender alleys adorned with pastel-coloured buildings and half-timbered houses, dominated by the 11th-century Reichsburg Castle.

After lunch onboard, we embark on a guided tour where we admire the fairytale Reichsburg. In Cochem's Old Town, we find well-preserved sections of the ancient walls and a former monastery that now houses a cultural centre. Following the tour, there's time to explore the picturesque streets at leisure. The central square is surrounded by cafes, restaurants, and shops. It's a great place to soak up the local atmosphere.

We continue sailing after dinner on board as we journey back downstream towards Koblenz, where we leave the Moselle behind and rejoin the Rhine.

*Please note: On the departure 07/06/2026, the excursion to Cochem will be by coach due to maintenance on the locks

Docking in Königswinter this morning, we return to shore after breakfast for a fantastic trip on the Drachenfels Cog Railway. Rising high into the forests, we pass the fairytale Drachenfels Castle - whose name translates as 'Dragon's Rock' and has inspired many of the dragon-related legends still heard today. Travelling to the summit, we can admire wonderful views across the rolling hills of the Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany.

Back onboard this afternoon, we continue our cruise through beautiful scenery towards Cologne. During the approach, the city's bridges and imposing cathedral hone into view. On arrival, a guided tour introduces us to its lively squares and Romanesque townhouses before a visit the city's impressive twin-spired cathedral, the largest in northern Europe. Standing in awe of this Gothic masterpiece, we also view the stained-glass windows of this UNESCO-listed landmark.

Returning to our ship, we enjoy dinner and drinks before embarking on an overnight cruise towards the Netherlands.

We spend the early morning sailing through the Lower Rhine, with a change in scenery further downstream as we approach the Netherlands. Arriving in Amsterdam early this afternoon, we take a canal cruise sightseeing tour of Amsterdam, a cultural city that's as modern as it is historic, soaking up stunning views of the city's picturesque canals and architecture.

Alternatively, take the optional excursion - a visit to Volendam and Edam to uncover their cheese heritage. As well as being famed for Dutch cheese, Volendam is a stunning old town, with traditional houses lining serene canals and a small harbour.

Back on board our ship this evening, we gather for a gala dinner accompanied by the songs of the Dutch sea shanty choir - the perfect end to our Rhine cruise.

Sailing from the Swiss city of Basel to the Dutch capital, Amsterdam, has showcased the changing landscapes of the Rhine, from the Black Forest to the Netherlands' tulip fields. Gliding along stunning rivers on our cruise and through incredible Swiss Alps landscapes by rail allowed us to soak up breathtaking scenes from our front-row seats.

After breakfast, it's time to disembark and say goodbye to our crew. We make our way to the railway station and head towards Brussels where we catch the Eurostar to London St Pancras. Arriving in London this evening, your delightful Rhine cruise experience comes to an end.

The Drachenfels Cog Railway carries travellers from the bottom of Königswinger to the top of Drachenfels Mountain. On the way, it passes Schloss Drachenburg, a stunningly beautiful villa that said to have inspired the castle in Disney's 'Sleeping Beauty'. At the top of the mountain, passengers can see the ruins of Burg Drachenfels, a castle built in the 12th century and destroyed 500 years later. The Drachenfels line started running in 1883, using steam-powered trains, and changed to electric traction in 1953.

Step aboard the high-speed international rail service, linking London St Pancras to Paris and Lille in France, Brussels in Belgium and Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Eurostar's Standard Class coaches feature two seats on either side of the central aisle, most of which are arranged in an 'airline' seating configuration with drop-down tray tables. There are two tables for four per carriage. Passengers travelling in Eurostar Standard Class coaches can take advantage of the Bar-Buffet which sells a range of snacks, meals, and hot and cold drinks - including Champagne!

The highest class of Eurostar travel available for leisure customers is Plus class. In your dedicated Plus carriage you'll find a less dense seat configuration, meaning the seats are larger and you have ample space to relax and stretch out. As part of the service, you'll enjoy complimentary drinks and refreshments, served at your seat by friendly, helpful waiting staff.

For the class of travel used on your chosen tour, please refer to the 'What's Included' section of the tour page.

The route from Interlaken to Jungfraujoch, Europe's highest railway station, comprises three different railways. The first leg from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen is on the Bernese Oberland Railway, continuing to Kleine Scheidegg on the Wengernalp Railway. From Kleine Scheidegg, the Jungfrau Railway climbs to Eigergletscher, before entering the 4.43-mile tunnel that ends in the underground station at Jungfraujoch. During the journey through the tunnel, the train makes a short stop at the Eiger Wall for view through the picture window from the north face of the Eiger down to Grindelwald.

Introduced in 1981, France's TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) was the original European high-speed train. Linking Paris with Lyon, the new service revolutionised train travel and meant that travelling by air over medium and short distances was no longer seen as the best option, even for business travel.

The network has expanded rapidly and today these sleek, stylish trains offer links to over 60 destinations throughout France. Operated by SNCF, the French national rail operator, TGV trains travel over specially constructed high-speed lines. The trains can achieve speeds of up to 186mph (300km/h) on most long-distance routes and 200mph (320km/h) on the new TGV Est line, which links Paris with Strasbourg, Luxembourg and Basel. With the exception of shorter journeys, TGVs almost always have an on-board buffet car, serving a selection of drinks and light refreshments.

The MS Amadeus Star is a 'masterpiece of design' and offers impeccable cabin spaces with 70 deluxe cabins and 12 Amadeus suites. Made up of 4 decks, the ship features several facilities including the panorama bar, restaurant, river terrace, as well as a wellness centre where you can book a relaxing massage, or arrange one of many beauty treatments. The sun deck on board also provides a fitness suite, which is open all day. Each bedroom onboard comes with a spacious ensuite bathroom, a mini bar, a flatscreen television, walk-in wardrobe, and either a double or twin bed. Some rooms also offer panoramic windows or a balcony.

Spending a night in London before your tour can make such a difference to the first day of your holiday - you can arrive in the capital in good time, relaxed and ready to join your Tour Manager the next morning. You may even want to take in a show on the West End or dine in one of London's famous restaurants. Perhaps on your return to London, you would like to break your journey with an overnight stay before continuing home.

We can book a wide range of hotels in central London or, for our holidays beginning with a flight, at Heathrow, Gatwick, or Manchester Airport for the night before or after your holiday. If you require a quote for single occupancy at any of the hotels, please contact us on 01904 734 805.

Buying tickets for UK train services can be a tricky business - there are so many fares to choose from, each with different rules and restrictions. As you are connecting with an international departure, we strongly recommend that you book a fully flexible ticket to ensure that should the departure times for your holiday change, your rail ticket can allow for these changes.

We can book fully-flexible UK rail tickets from your local station to join your holiday whether this be a European holiday from St Pancras or a UK holiday. The prices are competitive and tickets are not restricted to a particular train or time of day, and in most cases offer you a free choice of routes.

For an up to date quote from your local station, please ask one of our Tour Advisors.