The Rhine River powers it way through six countries and for years was the industrial back-bone for European development. Whilst still important today it also now provides travellers with a unique and un-paralleled way to experience the culture and luxury of northern Europe. Running for 766 miles, this waterway begins as a stream in the Swiss Alps before increasing in pace and volume on its way to the North Sea

Flowing through the following countries (Switzerland, Principality of Liechtenstein, Germany, France and the Netherlands) the Rhine River has served as a link between southern and northern Europe since Roman times. Originating from in the Swiss Alps, the Rhine travels north into Switzerland’s Lake Constance, over the surging Rhine Falls, and on to Basel, where it becomes a major waterway used to transport goods and raw materials. The Rhine then serves as a border between Germany and France, narrows through deep gorges and meanders through steep-sided valleys known for vineyards and castles. At the Netherlands border the Rhine splits up into tributaries that cross an extensive delta and empty into the North Sea

The river has three main tributaries, the Moselle which travels southwest from Koblenz to France, the Neckar which travels southeast from Mannheim to Heidelberg and the Main which travels southeast from Mainz to Frankfurt

It also has a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites close to its banks. These are the 17th-century Canal Ring in Amsterdam, the La Grande-Place & Major Town Houses of Victor Horta in Brussels, the Plantin-Moretus Museum in Antwerp, the Grande ole in Strasbourg, Speyer Cathedral, the Wurzburg Residence, Trier, the Town of Bamberg Cologne Cathedral and the City of Luxembourg Old Quarters & Fortifications

The river has become synonymous with architecture, literature, music, history, wine, cheese, local cuisine and history. You will encounter al of those on one of our carefully chosen Rhine river cruises