Cruises along the Rhine boast postcard-perfect views of terraced vineyards and cliff-clinging castles, lending credence to its reputation as one of the world’s most romantic and oft-traveled rivers.

From Amsterdam’s charming canals to the fairytale-esque Black Forest, the river delights lovers of history, wine, culture and cuisine. In the course of a week, river cruises in the region are able to showcase the dramatic Rhine Gorge, legendary Lorelei rock, Holland’s famed windmills and tulip fields, university towns and cosmopolitan cities, medieval castle ruins and esteemed museums.

Flowing for approximately 820 miles, the Rhine River originates at the Rheinwaldhorn Glacier in the Swiss Alps and culminates in Basel, Switzerland – just before which it tumbles over a 75-foot waterfall, the Rheinfall. The majority of the river’s waters pass through Germany, while river cruises along the Rhine will also introduce travellers to the sights and cultures of Liechtenstein, Austria, France and the Netherlands.

Most cruise itineraries focus on the particularly lovely stretch of the Middle Rhine from Bingen to Bonn as it passes through steep gorges (including the Rhine Gorge, at 430 feet deep), along the Rhineland Plateau and in view of the Rhenish Slate Mountains.