River cruises have advanced wonderfully over the years, trading old and tired décor for intriguing destinations and luxurious staterooms. Modern ships now include on-board amenities such as spas, in-suite butlers and Wi-Fi, meaning you can indulge while sailing to several destinations, enjoying a new port almost every day. Here are ten reasons to book a...
Portugal is a foodie paradise of fresh, hearty dishes influenced by a range of Mediterranean cuisines. From seafood to sweets, here are some of the dishes we think you absolutely must try on a Douro river cruise. Salt cod Salt cod, or ‘bacalhau’, has been a staple part of the Portuguese diet since the arrival...
The wine-growing town of Koblenz is located at the entrance to the famous Rhine Gorge, at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers and the meeting point of four mountain ranges. Koblenz has Roman origins, like many of the towns in this part of Germany, and the name today comes from the original ‘Confluentes’....
If anywhere embodies the archetypal German scene, it is the Rhine gorge, all chocolate-box riverside villages, half-timbered houses, vine-shaded pub gardens and window boxes cascading with brilliantly clashing geraniums. Not to mention the castles; fairy-tale structures of turrets and towers, some ruined, some still inhabited, each one gazing out over gravity-defying vineyards. The gorge isn’t...
Cobbled alleyways, white-domed cathedrals and cuisine that calls from afar; Lisbon is a dream docking port on Douro river cruises. With more than twenty centuries of history, Lisbon is a long-standing city steeped in sunshine and doused with sumptuous scents. Feast in the streets Some consider Portugal to be the home of food and drink,...
From ancient burial grounds to blood-red banks, there is no shortage of unsettling places to visit when following the natural waterways and rivers of the world. On the eve of Halloween, take a look at this selection of some of the world’s spookiest rivers, and the hair-raising hot-spots you can visit for a perfectly petrifying...
Europe’s second longest river (after the Volga in Russia), the Danube has for centuries served as an essential lifeline for transport and trade. The waterway has halted armies, divided countries and inspired poems and waltzes, not least the famous Blue Danube. Composer Johann Strauss may have been something of a fantasist, as the river is...
It is impossible to resist the seductive spell that Paris casts so beguilingly over visitors. This is a city that stands apart in fulsome Gallic style, confident of its reputation as one of the world’s most romantic and beautiful metropolises – and it does not disappoint. Oscar Wilde's resting place - Pere Lachaise For travellers taking...
Sleek, stylish and perfectly proportioned for the narrow locks and low bridges of the Rhône and Saône rivers, Emerald Liberté has brought its own distinctive style to this corner of southern France. As one of the newest vessels in the fleet of Emerald Waterways (having launched in April 2017), the 138-passenger Emerald Liberté perfectly reflects...
When sailing the Danube, the possibilities are endless when it comes to food. Visiting ten countries in total, the river offers a wide variety of dishes for guests to sample when cruising through the region. Crossing through Austria, Germany and Romania (to name a few), your dream Danube journey is bound to feature at least...
This informative and in-depth guide offers not only a fascinating overview of the world’s most incredible regions,
but also some of their most exciting ports and cities as well as all the amazing things you can do there.
To help you get the very best out of these destinations, we've assembled a selection of exclusive
tailor-made offers in each region, which include voyages on the world's best cruise ships as well
as stays in a selection of hand-picked hotels.