Rhine, Main & Moselle

Inspired by its proximity to France and Luxembourg, the Moselle region is mainly known for its internationally popular wine varieties and unique local cuisine. The picturesque city of Koblenz is situated directly on the Deutsches Eck, the place where the Moselle flows into the Rhine. The city is one of the oldest in Germany and in 1992 celebrated its 2,000th anniversary. The oldest still intact building, the Basilica of St. Castor dating from 836, is well worth a visit, as are the really beautiful Liebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) and the city’s landmark, the Schängelbrunnen (fountain) by the town hall.

If you continue to follow the course of the Moselle westwards, you’ll come to the enchanting small town of Cochem with its winding narrow streets and the lovingly restored half-timbered houses. The town’s landmark, the neo-Gothic Reichsburg, sits majestically on a hill and provides an impressive view of the beautiful green Moselle valley with its gently rolling hills and the enchanting mixed forests.

The section of the Rhine from Rüdesheim to Bonn forms one of the most fascinating stages of this cruise.  Part of the stretch, known as the ‘Kulturlandschaft Oberes Mittelrheintal’ (Cultural Landscape of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley), was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2002 by virtue of its cultural diversity.

The landscape features a remarkably high density of monuments and, because of its countless enchanting castles, buildings and river bank settlements, is considered the very essence of Rhine romanticism. Year on year the Middle Rhine valley attracts numerous visitors from all over the world, Heinrich Heine being one of the most famous, inspired by the magical sight of the vine covered slopes and towering cliffs to compose his Song of the Loreley, still so well-known today.

Undertake a voyage of discovery through the enchanting French Alsace with its picturesque wine villages along the famous wine road. The world-famous ‘Route des Vins d’Alsace’ was established in 1953 and extends over 170km (105 miles) along the foothills of the Voges Mountains. Visitors can enjoy not only a magnificent view of vineyards and the surrounding slopes covered in vines, but also the opportunity to taste fine regional wines in the course of a visit to an Alsatian vineyard.

Strasbourg too, the capital of Alsace and at the same time the seat of the most important European institutions, is always worth a visit. This is where the European Court of Justice, the European Council and the European Parliament, amongst others, are situated, which has given the city the sobriquet of ‘capital of Europe’. Have a walk or drive round this wonderful place and discover not only the ‘modern’ Strasbourg, but also the historic Old Town with its enchanting buildings and Strasbourg Cathedral, the city’s landmark.