Rhine & Moselle Cruise (MS Sonata) 2011 

We depart St Pancras International by Eurostar in Standard Premier Class to Brussels. Here we change trains for our journey into Germany on the high-speed train to Düsseldorf. Our home for the next seven nights, MS Sonata is moored here. The pace of your holiday is set by you - you may wish to take part in optional excursions (payable locally), enjoy the facilities on board or simply take it easy. Enjoy our first dinner together on board as we begin our cruise on the majestic Rhine. (E,D)

Today we arrive in Andernach, with free time to explore the pretty Rhineland town, before we continue to Koblenz, where we join the majestic Moselle. (B,L,D)

We reach Bernkastel-Kues, a 700 year old twin town spanning both banks of the river. Marvel at the collection of half-timbered houses in the gorgeous squares and sample Bernkastel's proud Riesling. (B,L,D)

We reach Cochem, another famous wine destination, whose lovely Old Town is overlooked by the stunning hilltop Reichsburg Castle. In the afternoon we cruise back towards Koblenz, where we moor for the night. (B,L,D)

We spend the day in the Roman town of Koblenz at the confluence of Rhine and Moselle. You have the opportunity to explore at your leisure or on the optional guided walking tour. See Deutsches Eck, where the rivers meet under the equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I. Set amongst four ranges of hills with wonderful views the town was founded over 2,000 years ago. Ehrenbreitstein fortress set high above the baroque town, is a former seat of German Electors and one of the largest castles in Europe. This evening we cruise upstream along the Rhine Gorge, past castles peering from atop of every vine-covered hillside and pretty towns clinging to the water's edge. We moor tonight in Rüdesheim, the Rhine's most famous wine town. (B,L,D)

Today you are free to discover Rüdesheim, nestled beneath the vineyards. Stroll through the quaint streets and be sure to visit the famous Drosselgasse lined with half-timbered houses and small shops. Alternatively visit Siegfried's Mechanical Music Museum on our optional excursion. With a collection of over 300 automated musical instruments from the 18th to 20th Rüdesheim century, the museum is a delight to wander around. If you have a head for heights a cable car will take you up to Niederwald above the vineyards for panoramic views. In the afternoon we head back down the scenic Rhine Gorge. At St Goarshausen we pass the Lorelei Rock, where the legendary maiden lured ships onto the rocks below, before mooring in Boppard. (B,L,D)

We spend this morning in Boppard, another great wine producer and home of a lovely Rhine promenade. This afternoon we cruise to Bonn, once a sleepy university town until the post-war period when it was catapulted into the international limelight as the new capital city of West Germany. The optional guided walking tour discovers Bonn's hidden gems. Bonn's major claim to fame is that it was the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven. (B,L,D)

This morning we disembark in Düsseldorf and transfer to the station for the return journey by train to Cologne and Brussels. Here we connect with the Eurostar service to St Pancras International. (B,E)

E = Eurostar meal, B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
These meals, where shown, are included in the price of your holiday