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Watch the Rhine burst into spectacular colour during the annual Rhine in Flames event on this luxury river cruise. Sail along the Rhine on a 5-Star cruise ship, soaking in the scenery while drifting from the cultured streets of Strasbourg to the picturesque Middle Rhine.
From the historic streets of Trier to the fairytale allure of Luxembourg, each destination offers a glimpse into rich culture and heritage.
Sail through the legendary Rhine Gorge and drift along the gentle current of the Moselle river, where the peaceful pace of life perfectly complements the serene scenery.
What’s included
Your cruise holiday begins this morning as you arrive at London St Pancras and meet the Tour Manager, ready to board the Eurostar to Paris. Reaching the French capital, we switch trains and continue our journey to Strasbourg.
As our train arrives, a coach transfer takes us to the waterfront, where we board our luxurious ship and settle into our new home on the river. Our friendly crew greets us with a welcome cocktail as we get ready to immerse ourselves in the wonders of the Rhine.
Take time to get acquainted with the ship before we gather for our first five-course dinner onboard, savouring the beginning of our cruise.
After breakfast onboard, you have a choice of two excursions. You can take a trip to Colmar, a picturesque Alsatian town with fairytale charm. Stroll through cobblestone streets lined with half-timbered houses and pretty flowers. Explore the historic Old Town's maze of narrow alleys, discover quaint cafes and local markets, and gaze at architectural landmarks like the Maison Pfister.
Alternatively, you might like to stay in Strasbourg for a guided tour, taking in the blend of French and German culture amongst the cobblestone streets and canals. Wandering the city's medieval alleys, marvel at the architecture of the iconic Notre Dame cathedral and explore the charming district of La Petite France.
After your excursion, we enjoy lunch on the ship, and the afternoon is free to explore Strasbourg at your own pace. In the evening, we set sail on our first cruise towards the town of Rüdesheim.
Today brings one of the tour's highlights: the incredible Rhine in Flames. This breathtaking display of colours, lights and sounds is a highly anticipated annual event, and we bear witness this evening. In the meantime, we enjoy breakfast on our ship before boarding the Winzerexpress, a charming land train that takes us through steeped vineyards to the centre of Rüdesheim.
In this picturesque German wine town, you have a choice of excursions. You could learn about the town's origins with a winery tour and a fantastic wine-tasting experience, or you could visit Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet to see Europe's largest collection of finely tuned mechanical instruments. We return to the ship for lunch and enjoy a free afternoon to explore Rüdesheim.
In the evening, we gather for dinner onboard as we cruise towards Oberwesel, where we drop anchor for this evening's Rhine in Flames event. Locals and visitors alike celebrate summer with illuminated boats, fireworks and music along the Rhine. We have a great vantage point from our ship, and we celebrate as the sky lights up and the river shimmers with colours. As the Rhine in Flames comes to an end, we continue to Koblenz, where we dock for the night.
We spend the morning cruising through river scenery. You could enjoy a drink as you step out onto the deck to witness the passing views as our ship continues its journey along the river. Sailing into the port of Cochem, we enjoy lunch before heading into the city on a guided tour.
The Moselle Valley surrounds us with rolling hills, wooden houses and the majestic Reichsburg castle perched on top of a hill. The town itself is a maze of slender alleys adorned with pastel-coloured buildings, quaint boutiques and wine cellars. In the Old Town, you'll find well-preserved sections of the ancient town walls and an arts centre in a former monastery.
After the tour, we return to our ship for dinner and drinks.
Enjoy the scenery of the Moselle Valley this morning as we continue our cruise. The town of Bernkastel-Kues unfolds as we moor here after lunch. The vineyards of the valley climb up the hillsides, while half-timbered houses with blooming flowers add to the enchanting atmosphere.
Setting out with our knowledgeable guide, we visit the Old Town, where the cobblestone streets are lined with traditional German buildings with half-timbered facades. We also experience the Market Square, a focal point of the town surrounded by colourful buildings. A highlight here is St Michael's Fountain, a Renaissance-style fountain adorned with intricate carvings and sculptures. We also enjoy an included wine tasting to sample the local Bernkasteler Doctor speciality.
After our day of exploration, we return to the ship for dinner.
Waking to views of historic Trier, you have a choice between two excursions this morning. The first option is to explore Germany's oldest city with a local guide. The ancient streets are known for their Roman ruins, medieval buildings and Baroque churches, and we delve into this impressive history on our tour. Visit the immense Porta Nigra which guards the entrance to the north of the city, St Peter's Cathedral with its intricate stone carvings and stained glass windows, and the Church of Our Lady, all of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Alternatively, you could board the coach to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. One of the smallest countries in the world, Luxembourg is easy to explore, and you can immerse yourself in the local history and attractions.
We spend our evening onboard enjoying a spectacular gala dinner, before we set sail downstream along the meandering Moselle towards Koblenz.
After a morning of relaxed cruising, we arrive in Königswinter on the Rhine, and the Drachenfelsbahn awaits. This cog railway rises high into the forests, passing the fairytale Drachenfels castle - whose name translates as 'Dragon's Rock', inspiring many of the dragon-related legends still told today. We experience wonderful views across the Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany as we climb higher.
Back onboard later this afternoon, we continue our cruise towards Cologne. As we approach the striking city, admire the bridges that span the river and the imposing Cathedral. You could visit the Old Town after dinner to sample the local hospitality and the famous Kolsch beer.
After our day of exploration, we return to the ship for dinner.
Having sailed to some of the Rhine's most impressive destinations and witnessed the spectacular Rhine in Flames event, our cruise draws to a close this morning with an early breakfast on the ship. Afterwards, we say goodbye to our wonderful crew and disembark for the final time in Cologne.
A coach transfer takes us to Cologne's railway station, where we catch our train to Brussels. Here, we switch trains, continuing to London, where our memorable Rhine holiday concludes.
| 9 September 2027 | From £3,499 |
| 9 September 2027 | From £3,299 |
All prices are per person and assume full occupancy of the room.
Please always refer to the website for up-to-date prices and availability.
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.
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 Amadeus Cara joined the Amadeus fleet in 2021. Offering impeccable cabin spaces with 73 deluxe cabins and 12 Amadeus suites, each room has a spacious en suite bathroom, a minibar, a flatscreen television and a walk-in wardrobe. Some rooms also offer panoramic windows, balconies, or a comfortable corner sofa. With four decks, the ship features amenities like the river terrace, restaurant, hair salon and fitness centre, where you can exercise or book a relaxing massage.
We offer a selection of upgrades and 'add-ons' designed to help you make the most of your holiday - and make it even easier!
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.