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The Romantic Rhine and Meandering Moselle
Wurzburg, Germany
The classic stretch of the Rhine, upstream from Cologne, with its twin-towered cathedral, includes Koblenz, where the mighty Rhine meets the meandering Moselle in the shadow of its imposing fortress, and takes in both the fabled UNESCOlisted Rhine Gorge and the mythical Lorelei. Both rivers pass countless colourful wine towns and villages, with the great sweeping bends of the Moselle leading into the Upper Rhine, which is dotted with historic cities, including majestic Mainz.
Further upstream on the Rhine, Black Forest gateway Breisach and Switzerland’s elegant Basel provide chances to take in yet more scenic wonders. The lesser-visited River Main offers the traveller an insight into medieval Germany, with historic UNESCO listed sites at Wurzburg and Bamberg one of many highlights.
The fairy-tale Rhine of myth and legend, of historic cities fringed by ripening vineyards and dramatic gorges, together with the pictureperfect vineyard clad Moselle and ancient towns and cities on the River Main
Mainz Germany
Wurzburg, Germany Strasbourg, France
Selected Ports of Call
The Rhine Gorge – UNESCO World Heritage site
In the heart of the classic, picturebook ‘Romantic’ Rhine, the dramatic 65-miles of the Gorge, topped by the fabled Lorelei – the steep cliff from which sirens were said to have lured sailors to their fate – is dotted with pristine towns and villages. Strasbourg, France The Romantic Rhine, Meandering Moselle & Majestic Main
Flower-strewn Alsace capital and European parliament seat, Strasbourg boasts the ancient Petite France quarter, a maze of narrow streets and medieval buildings, criss-crossed by canals and watched over by the Gothic masterpiece of Notre Dame Cathedral.
Basel, Switzerland
Koblenz, Germany
Beautifully set at the confluence of the Rhine and meandering Moselle, opposite the imposing ramparts of the Ehrenbreitstein fortress, Koblenz boasts a delightful riverside promenade dotted with bars and cafés, and a colourful, historic Altstadt, or old town.
Mainz, Germany
This once-powerful city, the largest in the Rhineland-Palatinate, was home town of Johannes Gutenburg, the father of the printing press. Don’t miss the vast cathedral, the Gutenberg Museum, honouring the city’s most famous son, and the delightful half-timbered Altstadt.
Trier, Germany
The UNESCO-protected city of Trier, on the Moselle, is famous for its collection of well-preserved Roman sites, which include an amphitheatre, Emperor Constantine’s throne room, and Germany’s oldest bridge. Switzerland’s ‘gateway to the world’ boasts a bustling Altstadt of cafés and pubs. The magnificent Münster, which overlooks the Rhine, has some wonderful cloisters that open out onto a terrace offering stupendous views of the river and the Black Forest beyond.
Bernkastel-Kues, Germany
Perched on opposing banks of the Moselle, the idyllic twin towns of Bernkastel–Kues are characterised by medieval half-timbered buildings and winding, narrow alleyways lined with cafés and restaurants. Both towns are surrounded by a patchwork of picturesque vineyards.
Bamberg, Germany
This old Franconian seat of bishops and emperors’ dazzles visitors with its cathedral, half-timbered houses, churches, alleyways and squares. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Floriade EXPO 2022, the Netherlands
Occurring only once a decade, Floriade 2022 will focus on ‘Growing Green Cities’ with four main themes of Green, Food, Energy and Health. The EXPO is located close to Amsterdam.
