Since the days of Lord Byron the British have been visiting the Rhine, charmed by its riverside castles and vineyards. Our ship navigates the father of German rivers, visiting an array of Christmas Markets en route.
- TC Bellevue
- Koblenz
- Mainz and its Christmas Market
- Rüdesheim and its Christmas Market
- The Romantic Rhine Gorge
- Bonn
We depart from St Pancras International by Eurostar to Brussels in Standard Premier Class with a light meal and drinks served on board. We continue by high-speed train to Cologne, where we board TC Bellevue and set sail upstream towards Koblenz. (E,D)
This morning we wake up in Koblenz. Situated at the northern end of the scenic Rhine Gorge, Koblenz is also located at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. It has a lovely Old Town, which is transformed in the run-up to Christmas by 130 festively decorated stalls, each offering seasonal gifts and regional delicacies. (B,L,D)
We arrive this morning in Mainz, a Roman city famous for its marvellous Romanesque Cathedral of St Martin.This has been the backdrop to Mainz's Christmas Market for more than 200 years. Here 100 stalls present arts, crafts and culinary delights. Later we continue to Rüdesheim. You are free to explore the town and its' Christmas Market of Nations', where more than 120 stalls represent 12 nations, their specialities and traditions. Along the Drosselgasse and in the Old Town, shops and stalls offer a variety of produce, and the town's winemakers open their cellars to serve wine and other winter treats. (B,L,D)
This morning we cruise along the stunning Rhine Gorge. We travel past the legendary Lorelei Rock and pretty little villages, nestled beneath hilltop castles and sweeping vineyards. This afternoon we reach Bonn, an attractive university town that shot to the fore front of German history when it was chosen to be West Germany's capital - a position it held until reunificationin 1990. We also have time to discover Bonn's Christmas Market - the city's main squares are filled with 170 stalls, offering warming glühwein and other Rhineland specialities such as beeswax candles. (B,L,D)
Arriving in Cologne this morning we disembark, and then leave by high-speed train for Brussels. Here we join the Eurostar service to St Pancras International. (B,E)
E=Eurostar Meal, B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner
Where shown, meals are included in the price of your
holiday
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