Discover the magnificent GoldenPass Express, staying in Interlaken set between two peaceful lakes and enjoy an enchanting cruise on the romantic Rhine

Your holiday begins this morning as we meet at London St Pancras. Aboard the Eurostar, we head to Amsterdam, where our magnificent ship awaits us. We're greeted onboard by our friendly crew and sip on a welcome cocktail while taking in the waterside views.

Take some time to familiarise yourself with our hotel on the river and settle into your comfortable cabin. Later this evening, we have our first dinner onboard accompanied by a traditional Dutch Sea Shanty choir performance - the perfect start to our cruise.

After breakfast this morning, you have the choice of two excursions. The first is a tour of Amsterdam, featuring a canal boat cruise with stunning views of the city's picturesque waterways and architecture. Crossed by more than a thousand bridges and lined by gabled mansions, the canals reveal the history and charm of Amsterdam - a city unlike anywhere else.

Alternatively, you could choose 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 onboard this afternoon, we begin our first sail toward Cologne.

As we approach the city of Cologne this morning, you can admire the cityscape of magnificent bridges that span the river and the imposing cathedral. After breakfast, a guided tour of the city introduces us to its streets and squares before we visit the impressive Gothic cathedral which is the largest in northern Europe. The intricate spires and magnificent stained-glass windows of this UNESCO-listed landmark are captivating as we marvel at the grand architecture.

Following lunch, we head to Königswinter to experience the Drachenfels railway. This cog railway rises high into the forests, passing the fairytale Drachenfels castle - whose name translates to 'Dragon's Rock', inspiring many of the dragon-related legends still heard today. Wonderful views across the Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany unfold as we climb higher. After dinner, we depart Königswinter toward the serene waters of the Moselle River.

During a morning of relaxed cruising, our luxurious ship navigates the tranquil waters of the Moselle River, passing the rolling hills of the Moselle Valley towards 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.

There is time at leisure this morning to explore Koblenz, once a Roman stronghold. We recommend strolling to Deutsches Eck at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers where you'll be surrounded by inspiring vistas including the mighty Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. We then begin sailing again and, after lunch, enjoy a highlight of our cruising experience - the Rhine Gorge.

This section of the Rhine is renowned for its spectacular views and the best place to witness them is from the top deck of our ship. We wind around bends surrounded by endless miles of green vineyards, ancient castles, and riverside towns. As we sail, we hear the story of the legendary Lorelei Rock which soars almost 500 feet out of the water.

Docking in Rüdesheim, a land train takes us through steeped vineyards to the centre of the renowned wine town. Here is a choice of excursions, each promising an insight into the Rüdesheim. You could experience why this town is famous for its wine with a tasting, savouring the finest local varieties. Alternatively, you could visit Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet and discover Europe's largest collection of finely tuned mechanical instruments.

After dinner this evening, there is time to explore the town's cobbled streets at your own pace.

During breakfast, we pause in the city of Mannheim. Stepping on land, we journey by coach to Heidelberg for a guided tour. This university town is known for its Old Town and 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 views of the surrounding forests, river, and cityscape.

Alternatively, you could stay onboard as we take the short cruise to Speyer. Arriving later this afternoon, 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, we enjoy dinner and a restful overnight sailing upstream.

Sailing into the city of Strasbourg after breakfast, there's a choice of two excursions. The first is a trip into the Black Forest to witness its fairytale panoramas. Experience the beauty of Germany's largest nature park filled with rolling hills, picturesque villages, dense forests, and meadows dotted with wildflowers. As you explore, you'll learn about the enchanting history and folklore of the region.

Alternatively, you could have a city tour of Strasbourg, discovering its history and grand architecture. The city sits on the French-German border and blends the best of the two cultures, with half-timbered houses and cobbled streets. On the tour, we visit its cathedral and La Petite France district.

Following your excursion this afternoon, we return to our ship for lunch and begin our final cruise towards Switzerland, enjoying the vistas enroute.

After our last breakfast onboard this morning, we disembark in Basel. From here, we journey the scenic rail route to Interlaken, a town set between Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, and the peaks of the Bernese Oberland. On arrival, we check into our hotel which has spectacular views of the surrounding scenery. The town's compact size means that most of its sights can be discovered on foot with an afternoon at leisure.

Today sees us boarding the stylish, royal blue and gold panoramic carriages of the GoldenPass Express for an incredible journey from lakeside palm trees to snow-capped mountains. This route is a feat of engineering that has been more than 100 years in the making. Innovative cutting-edge technology now means the train can adapt its gauge, negating the need to change trains at Zweisimmen.

Leaving Interlaken, we pass Lake Thun at Spiez and our panoramic carriages mean we get better views of the lake and fairytale castle than any other tours of the region. We then wind up the hills to the halfway point of this three-hour journey - Gstaad, the mountain resort favoured by Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor and Roger Moore.

The last stretch of our journey to Montreux takes us through untamed pine forests and rolling mountains of the Pays-d'Enhaut highlands which are dotted with small villages and alpine meadows. Arriving at our destination we check into our hotel for the night.

You are at leisure for the afternoon in Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva, framed by the majestic Alps. You could explore the Old Town with its cobblestone streets and historic buildings, indulge in a lakeside lunch at one of the cosy cafes, or visit the iconic Chillon Castle, steeped in medieval history.

After breakfast this morning, we make our way to the railway station for our train to Paris. As we board the Eurostar to London St Pancras, look back on the moments we shared. Along the Rhine, we experienced the fairytale scenes of the Rhine Gorge, timeless culture in Rüdesheim, and renowned architecture in Heidelberg, Speyer and Cochem. Your holiday ended with incredible sights of mountainous Switzerland, from Interlaken, the GoldenPass Express and Montreux. In London, we say goodbye and you can make your way home with these new memories.

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.

Train journeys on The GoldenPass Line are a wonderful introduction to Switzerland and give you the opportunity to see the country at its very best. Travelling on ultra-modern panoramic trains, you experience unparalleled views of some of Switzerland's finest scenery from weathered timbered chalets sat in peaceful sunlit valleys to dramatic peaks, glittering lakes and remote, untouched forest.

The GoldenPass Line's picturesque route stretches between Montreux on the Swiss Riviera and lakeside Lucerne in the historic heart of Switzerland, taking us through Zweisimmen and Interlaken along the way. Various sections of this route are featured in a number of our Swiss tours.

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.