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River Cruise Deal

Local Departures Points from: -

North West & Wales, West Midlands, East Midlands, South West, Yorkshire and the South East

Itinerary

Day One: UK to Belgium
Across to Calais then onwards to Belgium for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day Two: Embark in Cologne, cruise to Cochem
Arrival in Cologne where we embark the MS A-ROSA Aqua. Our cruise commences this evening sailing overnight to Cochem.

Day Three: Cochem to Mehring (near Trier)
We arrive this morning in Cochem, known as ‘The Pearl of the Moselle’. There will be time to explore and the town is home to the famous Reichsberg Castle, an iconic landmark standing guard above the banks of the Moselle. Departing Cochem mid afternoon our cruise continues overnight to Mehring, near Trier.

Day Four: Mehring (near Trier) to Bernkastel-Kues
Enjoy an included transfer to Trier. Founded by the Romans, Germany's oldest town boasts an impressive collection of Roman monuments. This was also the birthplace of Karl Marx, whose house is now a museum. We leave Mehring before midnight and cruise along the Moselle to Bernkastel-Kues. 

Day Five: Bernkastel-Kues  to Rudesheim
We spend today in Bernkastel-Kue with a wonderful medieval square containing 400 year-old half-timbered houses and a 17th century renaissance town hall. We sail overnight to Rudesheim.

Day Six: Rudesheim 
Our cruise reaches Rudesheim by mid afternoon. Take time to explore the famous Drosselgasse and a traditional Rudesheimer coffee is a must! We moor overnight in Rudesheim.

Day Seven: Rudesheim to Mainz
This morning we depart Rudesheim and sail to Mainz arriving early afternoon. You will have time to explore this quaint old town, boasts half-timbered houses, a medieval market square and a Romanesque cathedral built of deep red sandstone.

Day Eight: Mainz - Koblenz - Cologne
We cruise onwards from, Mainz to reach Koblenz, one of Germanys oldest towns, by late afternoon. Stroll around the charming streets between the St. Castor’s Basilica and Liebfrauenkirche and other attractions include the Monument of Emperor Wilhelm I at Deutsches Eck (German Corner) and the Schangel Fountain. Enjoy an included excursion to explore historic Koblenz and Ehrenbreitstein Fortress. We depart late evening and cruise along the Rhine overnight to Cologne.

Day Nine: Cologne to France/Belgium
Time to disembark the MS A-ROSA Aqua in Cologne. We then travel to France/Belgium for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day Ten: France/Belgium to UK
We depart our overnight hotel and return to the UK, via Calais.

MS A-ROSA Aqua

Launched in 2009, the A-Rosa Aqua provides a welcome escape from everyday life. She currently sails on the scenic waterways of the Rhine. On board, you’ll find it so easy to relax, whether you’re simply lounging on the spacious sun deck, taking a dip in the whirlpool, challenging your fellow cruisers to a game of shuffleboard, a game of giant chess, or a round on the putting green. And with the casual dress code, there’s no pressure to get dressed up to the nines, creating a truly relaxed atmosphere in which you’re sure to feel right at home!

Ship Gallery

Included Excursions

Historic Koblenz and Ehrenbreitstein Castle

Get to know one of the oldest towns of Germany on our guided walking tour around the historical Old Town. Koblenz has a long history that spans some 2,000 years, it owes its name to the Romans, who settled here and called it ‘castellum apud confluentes’ which roughly translates as ‘castle at the confluence of the rivers’. Join us as we explore the charming and romantic streets between the St. Castor’s Basilica and "Liebfrauenkirche" (Church of Our Beloved Lady). Of course, the sightseeing tour would not be complete without a visit to the Monument of Emperor Wilhelm I at "Deutsches Eck" (German Corner), in 1945 damage was caused to the statue of Emperor Wilhelm I, which had stood here since 1897. It wasn’t until 1993 that a new statue was inaugurated and today it is a popular viewing platform for tourists. We also see the town’s landmark, the "Schängel" Fountain in the courtyard of the present Town Hall.

We then ascend by cable car from Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer to the impressive Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, which rises 118 meters above the Rhine river, offering fantastic views over Koblenz and the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle at "Deutsches Eck" (German Corner). The Fortress is Europe’s second largest preserved fortress behind Gibraltar and was constructed by the Prussians between 1817 and 1828, however, its origin dates back to the first century AD. The fortress is home to the Rhineland-Palatinate State Museum, with its permanent exhibition on photography, the “Greif” cannon - once the largest in the world and an exciting collection of technical relics. The small climb to the top of the new observation platform is rewarded with breathtaking views of the distant Eifel Mountains on a clear day. We descend by cable car.

Transfer to Trier

Transfer to/from Trier with time at leisure to explore. The oldest city in Germany and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986, Trier is home to an outstanding assortment of Roman monuments and architectural gems.

Optional Excursions

Cochem and Imperial Reichsburg

Join us on our guided walking tour as we explore the pretty little Moselle town of Cochem. The old quarter is dominated by the late-Gothic imperial castle and is dotted with medieval squares and lovingly restored timber-framed houses – architectural gems typical of the Moselle region.

We see the market square, the baroque town hall, the Martinsbrunnen (a feature of the town's historical water supply), St. Martin's Church, the former Capuchin monastery (now an arts centre) and sections of the old town walls, including the town gates.

We then continue to the mighty Reichsburg Castle. The castle perches on a rock 100 metres above the town of Cochem. Originally dating from the year 1,000, from 1868 to 1877 it was completely reconstructed and, since then, it has become the most-visited monument in the valley of the River Moselle.

There are many impressive things to see inside the Castle, including the Knights' Hall, the Weapon Room, the Hunting Room and the medieval ladies' rooms. The castle is well-equipped with Renaissance and Baroque furniture, weapons, armours, crockery and all kinds of beautiful decorations, including mural paintings.

Discover Luxembourg

Explore the amazing city of Luxembourg with us, as we take a guided walking tour to discover its very best sights. Take in attractions such as the magnificent Notre Dam Cathedral, as well as admiring the city’s famous architecture and bustling atmosphere. 

Explore Mainz

Explore one of Germany's oldest towns on our guided walking tour. Capital of the Rhineland-Palatinate, Mainz is located on the River Rhine at its confluence with the Main opposite Wiesbaden. Founded in the late First Century BC, Mainz was a very important Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire. During our guided tour we learn about Mainz's most famous son - Johannes Gutenberg. His invention of the mechanical movable type printing started the Printing Revolution and is widely regarded as one of the most important inventions of modern times. We see where he used to work and live, and also visit the Gutenberg museum, home to his world-famous 42-column Bibles. We head to the Altstadt (Old Town) to see the impressive Dom - St. Martin's Cathedral., Built in 975, the cathedral is the principal image of Mainz and rises high above the market place, being seen for miles around. We also see the Liebenfrauenplatz (Square of Our Lady), the Rathausplatz, Staatstheater Mainz (Mainz State Theatre), and the bustling Marktplatz.

Medieval Bernkastel-Kues

Explore the small town of Bernkastel today, taking in this charming town's beautiful sights. Offering up some of the best scenery along the Moselle River, Bernkastel boasts beautiful buildings, and is watched over by the ruins of Landshut Castle. Enjoy time at leisure here to take in its medieval architecture and quaint setting.

Romantic Rudesheim

Rudesheim is a famous winemaking town in the Rhine Gorge and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of Germany’s most visited towns. Join us on our guided walking tour of this wonderful town as we see Eagle Tower which dates back to the 15th century, the Market Square with St. Jakobus Catholic Parish, the impressive Klunkardshof building, the famous Drosselgasse – with its many restaurants, shops and wine bars We also see Bromserburg Castle, Bosenburg Castle and the Bromserhof.

We then make our way to the cable car station as we glide over the hillside vineyards before reaching the Niederwald summit, The monument was erected in the years 1877-1883 and symbolises the re-establishment of the German Empire after the Franco-German War 1870-1871, here we enjoy the magnificent panoramic views over the old town of Rudesheim and the Rhine Valley with its many green isles dotted along the silvery Rhine. After free time we descend by cable-car ride.

Trier Guided Waking Tour

Founded by the Romans as Augusta Treverorum in 15 BC, Trier became the capital of the Western Roman Empire by the 3rd century AD. Our guided walking tour takes us to Porta Nigra (symbol of the city of Trier and the biggest gate of the ancient world), the house of the Three Magi, the Hauptmarkt (Main Market) with the imposing tower of St Gangolf’s Church, the stunning St Peter’s Cathedral and the Liebfrauenkirch (Church of our Lady), which is one of the most important early Gothic cathedrals in Germany.

We will also take in the Basilica and the impressive Imperial Baths, with their extensive subterranean passages for a true step back in history to the Roman times!

Wine Tasting And Siegfried's

The region around Rudesheim is famous for its wine production and attracts three million tourists a year who are looking to enjoy the rich wine tradition of the area. One of the main grapes here is Riesling and you’ll have an opportunity to try this wine as well as many others on our tour of a local vineyard. We’ll then visit Siegfried’s, which is famous for its collection of music boxes some of which date back to the 16th century.