The Majestic Rhine: Switzerland to Amsterdam

Our holiday begins as we meet at London St Pancras before boarding the Eurostar to Paris, this morning. From here, we continue by rail to Basel, Switzerland where our magnificent ship awaits us. As we settle into our home on the river, we're greeted with a welcome cocktail before dinner and set sail on an overnight cruise.

• Dinner

Sailing into the enchanting city of Strasbourg after breakfast, there's a choice of two wonderful excursions. The first is a magical trip into the Black Forest, to witness stunning fairytale panoramas. Experience the beauty of Germany's largest nature park filled with rolling hills, picturesque villages, dense forests, and meadows dotted with wildflowers. As you explore this fairytale setting, you'll learn about the enchanting history and folklore of the region.

Alternatively, you could enjoy a city tour of Strasbourg, where you'll discover its fascinating history, admire its grand architecture and experience its unique character. The city sits on the French-German border and blends the best of the two cultures, with colourful half-timbered houses and cobbled streets. On our tour, we visit the cathedral and the quaint La Petite France district.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

During breakfast we pause in the city of Mannheim and from here we journey by coach to charming Heidelberg for a guided tour. The picturesque university town is known for its lovely Old Town and stunning riverfront which is perfect for a relaxing stroll. Our tour includes a visit to the magnificent ruined, red sandstone castle that towers over the city, providing amazing views of the surrounding forests, river, and cityscape.

Alternatively, stay onboard as we take the short cruise to Speyer. Arriving later this afternoon, you can discover the city at your own pace. There's a beautiful Old Town and among the highlights is the city's cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Returning to our ship, we enjoy dinner and a restful overnight sailing upstream.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, we travel through Rüdesheim's steeped vineyards aboard a land train, arriving in the centre of the renowned wine town. Here there's a choice of excursions, each promising a delightful insight into the town. You could experience first-hand Rudesheim's most famous produce - wine, with a fantastic tasting, savouring the finest local varieties. Alternatively, you could visit Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet and discover Europe's largest collection of finely tuned mechanical instruments, from antique music boxes to miniature pianos.

Afterwards, there's some time to explore the town at leisure before we return to our ship. This afternoon we begin sailing and enjoy a highlight of our cruising experience - the romantic Rhine Gorge. This section of the Rhine is renowned for its spectacular views. The riverbanks plunge deeper here, and we wind around bends surrounded by endless miles of lush green vineyards, ancient castles, and picturesque riverside towns. It's also one of the narrowest points of the river with one of the strongest currents.

As we sail, we hear the fascinating story of the legendary Lorelei Rock which soars almost 500 feet out of the water. This monument has been the inspiration for countless myths and legends, and we hear of them as we sail by.

Our journey through the Rhine Gorge comes to an end and we arrive later this afternoon in the town of Koblenz, located at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. You have time to explore and we recommend strolling to Deutsches Eck where you'll be surrounded by inspiring vistas including the mighty Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. Later, we make our way back to the ship, where dinner is served onboard.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We set sail early, navigating the tranquil waters of the Moselle river. After a morning of relaxed cruising through delightful river scenery, our ship pulls into the port of Cochem where the stunning Moselle Valley surrounds us with rolling hills, half-timbered houses and the majestic castle (the Reichsburg) perched on top of a hill. The town itself is a maze of slender alleys adorned with pastel-coloured buildings, quaint boutiques and wine cellars.

After lunch onboard, we embark on our guided afternoon tour where we admire the Reichsburg dramatically located overlooking the Old Town. In the old quarter of Cochem, you'll find well-preserved sections of the ancient town walls and a fascinating arts centre in a former monastery.

Following our tour, there's time to explore the picturesque streets at leisure. The town's central square is a hub of activity, surrounded by cafes, restaurants, and shops. It's a great place to soak up the local atmosphere. Later this evening, we continue our cruise back downstream towards Koblenz, where we leave the Moselle behind and rejoin the Rhine.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning we dock in Königswinter and after breakfast, the Drachenfelsbahn railway awaits. This fabulous cog railway rises high into the forests, passing the fairytale Drachenfels castle - whose name translates as 'Dragon's Rock', inspiring many of the dragon-related legends still heard today. We experience wonderful views across the Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany as we climb higher.

Back onboard this afternoon, we continue our cruise through beautiful scenery toward Cologne. As we approach the striking city, admire the fantastic cityscape of magnificent bridges that span the river and the imposing Cathedral. On arrival, a guided tour of the city introduces us to the joyful atmosphere of its streets and lively squares filled with fantastic beer halls.

We admire the Romanesque townhouses before visiting the city's impressive Gothic cathedral which is the largest in Northern Europe. The intricate spires and magnificent stained glass windows of this UNESCO-listed landmark are captivating as we marvel at the grand architecture. We then head back to our ship and begin an overnight cruise towards The Netherlands.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Spending the early morning sailing through the Lower Rhine, we witness a change in scenery as we approach the Netherlands. Arriving in Amsterdam early this afternoon, you have the choice of two excursions.

The first is a tour of Amsterdam, featuring a canal boat cruise on which we soak up stunning views of the city's picturesque waterways and architecture. Crossed by more than a thousand bridges and lined by gabled mansions, the canals reveal the history and charm of Amsterdam - a city unlike anywhere else. After the tour, there is an optional excursion. You could choose to stay in Amsterdam and continue exploring at leisure or join a visit to Edam and Volendam to uncover their cheese heritage. As well as being famed for the well-known cheese, Edam is a stunning old town, with traditionally Dutch houses lining serene canals.

Back on board our ship this evening, we gather for a gala dinner accompanied by the songs of the Dutch Sea Shanty Choir - the perfect end to our Rhine cruise.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, it's time to disembark and say goodbye to our wonderful crew. We make our way to the railway station and head towards Brussels where we catch the Eurostar to London St Pancras. Here, we say goodbye to new friends and fellow travellers.

• Breakfast