A Taste of the Rhine

Travel to Mainz and embark Spirit of the Moselle. Your all-inclusive cruise begins with dinner tonight.

Depart Mainz, 1000.
Arrive Rüdesheim, 1200.

The popular wine town of Rüdesheim has a traditional old town of half-timbered houses and is backed by terraced vineyards. Among its main attractions is a long narrow street, the Drosselgasse, which is lined on both sides with traditional wine taverns and overlooked by the glockenspiel tower with its hourly chimes.

Included excursion

Enjoy a guided tour of Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Museum, home to the world’s largest collection of self-playing instruments.

Depart Rüdesheim, 0900.
Scenic Cruise, Middle Rhine Gorge.
Arrive Koblenz, 1300. Depart 1900.

This morning, cruise through the UNESCO-listed scenery of the Middle Rhine Gorge, passing the fabled Lorelei Rock en route to Koblenz, meaning ‘merging of the rivers’. The town is situated on the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. At the exact point where the two rivers meet, the Deutsches Eck, there is a monument with a huge equestrian statue of Emperor Wilhelm I. Above the town sits the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, a citadel built by the Prussians between 1816 and 1832.

Included excursion

Join a local guide for an included walking tour of Koblenz, discovering highlights such as the Deutsches Eck, or German Corner, the Old Town and the Schängel fountain, which stands in the courtyard of the Town Hall. This excursion covers approximately one-and-a-half miles, however a shorter included walking tour is also available.

Arrive Cologne, 0100. Depart 1900.

Cologne has long been an important trading centre and was once home to the composers Schumann and Mendelssohn. The city’s main attraction is the twin-spired Gothic cathedral which dominates the skyline. There are also baroque palaces, medieval churches and a 16th-century City Hall. The cobbled streets of the medieval Old Town are home to characteristic churches and guilds. Continue sailing overnight towards Mainz.

Included excursion

Choose between an included walking tour into Cologne’s medieval Old Town, with its churches, guilds and merchants houses, or opt for an included tour of UNESCO-listed Cologne Cathedral to view the interior of this magnificent building.

Arrive Mainz, 1400.

Spend a relaxing morning cruising towards Mainz, which is known for its medieval market squares, half-timbered houses, Romanesque sandstone cathedral and St Stephen’s church, which features stained glass windows by renowned artist Marc Chagall. Behind the cathedral in Gutenberg square is a statue of the father of modern printing Johannes Gutenberg, who was born in Mainz in the 14th century. Spirit of the Moselle remains moored here overnight.

Included excursion

Join a walking tour into the Old Town of Mainz, which is home to one of the city’s most famous landmarks Mainz Cathedral. Continue past medieval houses to view the exterior of the Gutenberg Museum, a building dedicated to the work of Johannes Gutenberg. This excursion covers approximately one-and-a-half miles to two miles over two hours, however a shorter included walking tour is also available.

Disembark Spirit of the Moselle after breakfast and begin your return journey.