Europe's best river cruises

Posted by Sue Bryant Mar 19, 2007

What could be better than a relaxing river cruise through the heartland of Europe to romantic places like Prague, the Rhine Gorge, Carcassonne and St Petersburg? Here are my top tips for river cruises in Europe this summer:

Rhine

Most river cruises last a week or more but this year, Viking River Cruises is offering three night ‘Taste of the Rhine’ voyages from Basle to Cologne, stopping en route at Strasbourg, Speyer and Konigswinter and passing through the dramatic Rhine Gorge, where ruined castles perch on top of sheer-sided cliffs and mile after mile of vineyards cling to impossibly steep slopes. Visit www.vikingrivercruises.com

Elbe

Sail all the way from Berlin to gorgeous Prague on the MV Frederic Chopin, which makes its way slowly down the Oder-Havel Canal and the scenic Elbe, through landscapes ranging from acid-green river meadows to sheer, rocky cliffs. This cruise passes through the ancient kingdom of Saxony, taking in the legacy of the Reformation at Wittenberg, the famous Meissen porcelain, beautiful palaces and gardens and Dresden, with its rich collections of old masters and the treasures of the Saxon kings. Visit www.deilmann.co.uk or www.deilmann-cruises.com.

Russia

A cruise from Moscow to St Petersburg is like two comprehensive city breaks with none of the hassle and a whole lot more in between. The luxurious Viking Kirov spends two nights in Moscow before wending its way north and west through Russia’s complex Volga-Baltic Waterway, past rustic villages and ancient cities like Uglich and Yaroslavl, visiting monasteries, kremlins and elaborate orthodox churches. The boat crosses Lake Onega to the beautiful wooden village-museum of Kizhi and arrives in St Petersburg with three days to see the palaces and the fabulous Hermitage art collection. Visit www.vikingrivercruises.com.

Barging

Cruise the Canal du Midi in the south of France on the beautiful wooden hotel-barge, Athos. Gourmet meals are prepared on board by the resident chef, with food from local markets, and all drinks and excursions are included. Guests are picked up in Montpellier and the barge spends a week pottering along the canal at a wonderfully soporific pace, with visits to Carcassonne, Argeliers, the hilltop village of Minerve, Capestang, Narbonne market, Agde and the Etang de Thau, which contains Europe's largest mussel and oyster park. Various decadent side-trips include wine-tasting, olive-oil tasting and a visit to the Noillly Prat Vermouth distillery. Visit www.gobarging.com.