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Home>River Cruises>Salzburg and Historic Gems along the Rhine (Passau - Cologne)

Salzburg and Historic Gems along the Rhine (Passau - Cologne)

20 or 21 October 2023 - 10 and 11 nights available

11 days from £1,249pp

This relaxing cruise weaves through historic sites and charming towns and cities along the Rhine. Throughout your journey, witness the incredible Rhine Gorge and Rhine valley, discover the history and architecture of cities like Salzburg and Miltenberg and explore the streets of Bavarian towns brimming with Baroque art and medieval influences.

Visit Salzburg, Mozart’s famed birthplace
Enjoy panoramic views across the Rhine valley on a cable car ride
Explore gothic churches, aristocratic houses, and the Kaiser Castle in Nuremberg
Discover one of the best-preserved medieval centres, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site in Regensburg
Visit Melk, in the beautiful Wachau valley and perhaps visit its Benedictine Abbey
Free time to explore the Baroque city of Wurzburg

This relaxing cruise weaves its way through historic sites and charming towns and cities along the Rhine. Throughout your journey, witness incredible natural displays such as the Rhine Gorge and Rhine valley, or explore the streets of Bavarian towns brimming with Baroque art, medieval influences, captivating history, and incredible architecture. From magnificent, fairy-tale-inspired castles and romantic fountains, to dramatic, gothic churches and Austrian Benedictine abbeys, this river cruise takes you on an incredible adventure.

Day 1: Cologne (Coach & Rail)
We travel by coach or rail to our overnight hotel in Cologne.
Day 2: Cologne – Passau (Coach & Rail) and UK – Munich – Passau (Air)
After breakfast we travel by coach or rail and board our ship in Passau, known as the ‘Three Rivers City’ due to its unique location where the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers meet. Those travelling by air join today. You can then enjoy a relaxing evening onboard as we set sail and cruise towards Melk.
Day 3: Melk – Linz
This morning we arrive in the small town of Melk, which lies in the beautiful Wachau valley. Here you can join our optional excursion visiting the Benedictine Abbey. This is one of the most famous monastic houses in Austria and has been occupied by monks for over 900 years. You can relax onboard for the remainder of the day as we cruise to Linz overnight.
Day 4: Salzburg – Passau – Regensburg
This morning, we arrive in Linz where we board our coach for our included excursion to Salzburg. Salzburg, Mozart’s famed birthplace and the Sound of Music city has an abundance of beautiful architecture, as well as its centre being a UNESCO World Heritage site. Our guided tour takes in some of the highlights of this historic city, with its Baroque architecture and fantastic squares, where you can relax with a typical Austrian coffee and cake. We re-join our ship in Passau and set sail for Regensburg in the evening.
Day 5: Regensburg – Nuremberg
At lunchtime, we arrive in Regensburg, which is located at the northernmost point of the Danube and at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers. You’ll have the opportunity to join our optional city tour this afternoon, taking in one of the best-preserved medieval centres which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. This evening, relax onboard as we sail overnight to Nuremberg.
Day 6: Nuremberg – Bamberg
This afternoon, we arrive in Nuremberg, Bavaria’s second largest city after Munich, where there’s the opportunity to join our sight-seeing tour. Most of the city walls still stand and inside you can explore the fascinating juxtaposition of medieval and modern life. The area is filled with gothic churches, aristocratic houses, fountains, memorials and romantic corners, all dominated by the Kaiser Castle. Our optional excursion is a great way to make the most of our visit. This evening we cruise towards Bamberg.
Day 7: Bamberg – Wurzburg
This morning we arrive at the beautiful Bavarian town of Bamberg which is located at the start of the Main-Danube canal. Surrounded by seven hills, it boasts the most intact centre in Germany with the old town listed as a World Heritage site because of its authentic medieval appearance. Join our optional tour of the city to enjoy the main sights including the cathedral, Altenburg Castle, the Old Town Hall and the former Benedictine Monastery. We return to the ship for lunch on board and set sail for Wurzburg.
Day 8: Würzburg – Miltenberg
This morning we arrive in the city of Würzburg, which served as the home of powerful prince-bishops for centuries. Join our optional excursion to visit Würzburg Palace, one of the finest pieces of baroque art in the world, its 8^th century church, and the Fortress Marienberg. We return to the ship for lunch on board and a free afternoon in Wurzburg to explore before we set sail for Miltenberg.
Day 9: Miltenberg – Mainz
We arrive at historic Miltenberg at around lunchtime today. Here, there’s free time to explore. Discover the half-timbered houses which fill the Old Market Place, or the oldest part of the town which sits between the Main River and the mountain Greinberg. Enjoy your evening meal on board the ship before we set sail for Mainz.
Day 10: Mainz
We arrive in the fascinating city of Mainz which is heralded as the wine capital of Germany. Here you have the afternoon to explore or join our optional coach excursion visiting the majestic city of Heidelberg, home of Germany’s oldest university. This evening we dock overnight in Mainz.
Day 11: Rüdesheim – Cologne
This morning, we pass the legendary Lorelei and continue our cruise along the Rhine through the spectacular Rhine Gorge. We stop at the quaint wine town of Rüdesheim where you can enjoy many highlights on our optional excursion this morning, including a cable car ride for panoramic views across the Rhine valley. We enjoy lunch on board the ship before setting sail towards Cologne.
Day 12: Cologne (Coach & Rail) / UK (Air)
This morning we disembark in Cologne and travel back to the UK.

Bamberg City Tour

Bamberg’s brewing industry goes back almost 900 years to the days when monasteries were the first breweries. This guided tour takes you around the old town so you can see the highlights, including the town hall, Bamberg cathedral and stunning architecture dating from the 11th to the 19th centuries.

2022:

Price: £39 per person

2023:

Price £40 per person

Heidelberg Highlights

Heidelberg is one of the most popular destinations in Germany. Here you have free time to explore the main attractions including its castle, the Church of the Holy Ghost, and its university - the oldest in Germany. A 15-minute climb or funicular ride (not included) leads you to view the restored areas of the castle.

2022:

Price: £22 per person

2023:

Price : £27 per person

Highlights of Rüdesheim

On this tour you’ll get to admire fascinating examples of early 1900 mechanical music making systems at Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Museum, followed by a visit a traditional local wine cellar to sample some of the region’s best wines.

Price: £36 per person

Melk Abbey

Discover one of the world’s most famous monastic sites. Today, Melk Abbey is a prestigious school with more than 800 students, yet black-robed Benedictine monks still stroll among the marble structures and frescoed walls. Our guided tour shows you the magnificent Marble Hall, Emperor’s Gallery, Abbey Church and the terrace where you can enjoy fine views of the Danube river and the town. There is also free time to explore the grounds and the gardens.

2022:

Price: £45 per person

2023:

Price: £46 per person

Nuremburg City Tour

Our coach takes you through this medieval city, which was beautifully restored with original stone after being destroyed in the Second World War. The old town is almost completely surrounded by the 15th- and 16th-century city walls, and is filled with half-timbered houses, cobblestone squares and the mighty Kaiserberg Castle.

Price: £46 per person

Regensburg City Tour

This excursion shows you the highlights of Regensburg, a fascinating city with over 1,500 listed buildings. Many of these make up the old town which became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2006.

2022:

Price: £29 per person

2023:

Price: £30 per person

Würzburg Palace

The residence of the former prince bishops is one of the most important baroque castles in Europe and an absolute must-see for visitors to Würzburg. Our guided tour starts in the opulent Garden Hall and takes you to the grand staircase, through the White Hall to the Imperial Hall – one of the most magnificent in the history of palace architecture.

2022:

Price: £45 per person

2023:

Price: £46 per person

South East - coach via Dover

Picture of - South East - coach via Dover

For those who live in the South East, you can join our coach from one of over 30 complimentary pick up points. You can also make your own way to Dover, where parking is available.

Alternatively, travel the day before your departure and enjoy an overnight stay, with complimentary parking for the duration of your cruise, before being collected after breakfast the following morning. We also offer complimentary transfers from central London, to our overnight hotels, for those who wish to make their own arrangements by train or coach.

Travel by Eurostar

Step aboard Eurostar at London St Pancras for a fast and comfortable journey to mainland Europe. You can even upgrade your reserved seat to Standard Premier – speak to our Holiday Advisors for more information. On arrival in Paris, Lille or Brussels, you will then join connecting services for your onward journey.

For those travelling from further afield, you can also book overnight accommodation in London, before and after your holiday. Speak to our Holiday Advisors for more information.

Fly from London Heathrow

Return flights from London Heathrow with transfers to and from the ship are included in our package on our specific arrival and departure dates. We also include one item of checked in luggage per person.

Fly from other airports

If our included flights are not suitable, alternative flights may also be available from other airports on our arrival and departure dates. These may have an additional supplement and are subject to availability at the time of booking.

Where possible, transfers will also be included, although if you choose to arrive or depart on a different day, there may be an additional supplement charged to cover your transfer costs.

Please call one of our friendly Holiday Advisors to check flight options and availability for this holiday.

Meet us at the ship

For complete flexibility, make your own transport arrangements to and from the ship. We will provide you with times and locations as well as some useful information for you to make your own arrangements to join your cruise.

If you require any further information to assist with your travel plans, please contact our Holiday Advisors who will be happy to help.

Central London FREE Shuttle Service

Picture of - Central London FREE Shuttle Service

Travel independently to Central London the day before your cruise and take advantage of our complimentary shuttle to Ashford for an overnight stay. Our coach will then collect you after breakfast the following morning.

Pick ups are available from London Euston, Kings Cross, Liverpool Street, Paddington Station, Waterloo, St Pancras and Victoria Coach Station.

Call our friendly Holiday Advisors for me information.

Overnight hotel in Dover or Ashford

Picture of - Overnight hotel in Dover or Ashford

For an even more relaxed start to your European holiday, why not stay overnight in Dover or nearby Ashford the night before your cruise from only £65pp? All our quoted prices include car parking for one vehicle for the duration of your cruise and cooked breakfast the following morning. Our coach will collect you and return you to the hotel on its way to/from the port of Dover. And if you don’t want that holiday feeling to end, why not do the same on your return journey?

Overview

Our new 4-star ship has all the ingredients of an unforgettable river cruise; comfort, style and the crew’s unfaltering attention to detail is everything.

MS Arena is completely deserving of its place in our premier cruise collection! Whether you’re cruising the Dutch Waterways, the rivers Rhine, Moselle or Danube, all the way to the Black Sea, this elegant, 4-star ship promises everything you’d wish for – and more – making for an unforgettable river cruising experience.

See more Ship info