Wine Rivers of Rhine and Moselle, 14 Nights

TRAVEL
VIP door-to-door travel service from anywhere on the UK mainland
Included travel insurance
Return coach travel via Eurotunnel or ferry

ACCOMMODATION
Complimentary Wi-Fi on board
All gratuities on board

EXPERIENCES
Cruise Host
Amsterdam city tour and canal cruise OR Amsterdam culinary walking tour
Rüdesheim wine tasting
Trier walking tour
Bonn, birthplace of Beethoven
Düsseldorf city tour

FOOD & DRINK
41 meals: 14 breakfasts, 13 lunches and 14 dinners
Free bar open 15 hours a day
Wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner
Drinks reception and Captain’s dinner

Travel to Amsterdam (a journey from Calais of approximately four and a half hours) and embark Spirit of the Rhine.

Enjoy a welcome drink reception and dinner on board as your ship remains moored here overnight.

The Dutch capital is rightly popular for its friendly welcome, picturesque canals, world-class museums and galleries, and laid-back cafes and bars.

This morning perhaps enjoy the local food and culture on an included culinary walking tour with a guide. You’ll take a tram to Central Station from where you’ll begin a walking tour of the Dutch capital while tasting local delicacies including herring, cheese and croquettes along the way. Alternatively, you could join an included tour of Amsterdam by coach and see the Royal Palace on Dam Square, the floating flower market, the Central Railway Station, which is built on thousands of wooden piles, and the grand 19th-century Rijksmuseum. Afterwards, enjoy a canal cruise to see the city centre with its historic bridges and gabled houses and view such treasures as the famous Skinny Bridge, the Montelbaanstoren tower and the Jewish Quarter.

Spirit of the Rhine sets sail at lunchtime to spend the rest of the day and night cruising towards Cologne.

Arrive at lunchtime in Cologne, Germany's cultural capital.

Enjoy an afternoon of exploring during an optional city tour or by using our state-of-the-art interactive map – don't miss the vast Gothic cathedral, started in 1248 to house the relics of the three Magi but not finally completed until 1880! You can see the shrine to Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar – now among the patron saints of Cologne – behind the high altar.

Depart later this evening and cruise overnight towards Koblenz.

Discover the riverside promenade and several historic churches, all set beneath the Festung Ehrenbreitstein citadel on top of the hill, which you may choose to visit on an optional excursion this morning. Early this afternoon your cruise continues through the UNESCO-listed Middle Rhine to the wine town of Rüdesheim, passing the fabled Lorelei Rock en route.

This evening, enjoy an included wine tasting at a family owned winery in Rüdesheim.

This morning an optional excursion visits Siegfried’s Museum of Mechanical Music where over 350 self-playing instruments are displayed. Set sail over lunch, arriving in Boppard this afternoon where you may like to join an optional wine tasting in one of Boppard’s historic towers.

Your ship remains moored here overnight.

Depart early this morning to arrive in Cochem this afternoon.

With the romantic backdrop of neo-Gothic Reichsburg Castle, which sits atop a hill cloaked entirely in vines, Cochem is understandably one of the most visited places on the Moselle River. This afternoon an optional excursion visits the castle, which has maintained the original 11th-century keep. The excursion will also visit a local vineyard for a wine tasting. Another optional tour explores the town by land train.

Your ship remains moored here overnight.

Arrive in Traben-Trarbach in the early hours of this morning.

These twin villages straddle the Moselle and are known as the 'capitals' of the wine region, they are home to many art nouveau buildings. An optional wine tasting at a vineyard is available this morning. Continue to Bernkastel-Kues this afternoon where you can join an optional trip on the panorama train.

Spirit of the Rhine sails overnight towards Trier.

Spend the day in Germany’s oldest city, Trier, founded in 16BC by Emperor Augustus.

Trier lies in the heart of Germany’s oldest wine region, the Moselle, which is home to many fine white wines and its location close to the steep banks of the Moselle River was the location the Romans first chose to plant their vines. Trier retains many relics of its illustrious past, such as the Porta Nigra, one of the best-preserved Roman city gates in the world which you will see during an included tour this morning. This afternoon there is an optional wine tasting excursion.

Enjoy the morning at leisure in the historic village of Piesport before spending the rest of the day cruising to Winningen, arriving late this evening.

Take an optional tour of a local vineyard this morning before cruising to Koblenz, at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle. Perhaps spend the afternoon exploring Ehrenbreitstein Fortress on an optional excursion which also includes a walking tour of the city.

Depart for Andernach this evening and moor here overnight.

Explore historic Andernach where the old town reveals part of its medieval fortifications during an optional morning walking tour.

Depart early this afternoon for Bonn, arriving later this afternoon and mooring overnight.

Look forward to an included morning walking tour of Bonn to see sights such as the Electoral Palace, the baroque City Hall, and Beethoven's former home, now a museum dedicated to his life and work.

This afternoon Spirit of the Rhine will cruise to Düssedorf, arriving early this evening.

Embark on an included morning tour of Düsseldorf’s famous Old Town – a square kilometre full of churches, art and more than 250 pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes in the heart of the city. Join a guide on a stroll through the backstreets and discover why the Gothic St. Lambertus church has a twisted tower. The Burgplatz (square) with the Schlossturm (palace tower) holds great char and from here, it's a stone's throw to the Rhine embankment promenade which offers a panoramic view of Düsseldorf's skyline and the Oberkassel Rhine banks.

Set sail for Utrecht this afternoon and arrive late this evening.

This morning you’ll have time to explore Utrecht at leisure, perhaps wander through the medieval heart of the city with its 112-metre high Domtoren tower or visit one of the city’s museums. The Botanical Gardens are also well renowned. This afternoon you may like to join an optional trip into the scenic Hoge Veluwe National Park which is home to the acclaimed Kroller-Muller Museum.

Before dinner return to your ship and set sail for the final time, cruising to arrive in Amsterdam your ship will moor overnight.

Disembark Spirit of the Rhine after breakfast for your return journey to the UK.