The Rhine

Experience

The best rivers for wine cruises

If you’re into wine, chances are there’s a Europe river cruise for you. It’s a good way to explore the continent’s wine culture: you meander from city to city, calling in at vineyards and wine tastings along the way, and of course – you don’t need to worry about who’s driving! Wine lovers might initially gravitate towards some of the French big hitters: the bold reds and famous names of the Rhône, the Garonne or the Dordogne. Or perhaps you’d think of the Douro in Portugal, as famous for its port as its hearty reds. So it might be a surprise to hear me recommend the Rhine and Moselle river valleys as an alternative to the more obvious wine regions. Partially this is just down to personal taste: the rieslings found here are varied, delicate and approachable. Even if you’re not a huge fan of white wine, I’m sure you’ll find something here to your taste. But I think what really swings it for me is that on these rivers, it’s about much more than simply the wine alone. Only here do you get an excellent wine experience plus the scenic beauty of the Rhine Gorge and the Moselle, the classic storybook towns and the ridiculous density of castles and medieval heritage, all in one package. So yes, if you’re a red wine person above all else – maybe look to France or the Douro. For everyone else, the below itinerary is my top wine cruise recommendation. On specifically wine-focused cruises you’ll be hosted by a wine professional and will get a range of excursions with food and wine pairings, curated wine tasting visits, and gentle hikes or cycling trips through the vineyards.

Place

The Rhine

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.