How to choose the right river for your cruise

It would take a lifetime to experience every port, river and ship in Europe. So instead of purging your life savings and wasting annual leave trying to tick off everywhere, opt for the itineraries that offer you the richest holiday experiences.

Here we outline eight unmissable European river cruises that should sit firmly atop your travel wish list in the year ahead...

VINEYARDS OF THE RHINE & MOSELLE
Northern Europe is blanketed in hillside vineyards, each of which produce a different wine, thanks to its unique blend of grapes. The best way to experience these vino hotspots is on a gentle sailing along the Rhine, coupled with shoreside tours and walking excursions. With AmaWaterways, you’ll have the chance to sip reds, whites and rosé in Cologne and Rudesheim.

DOURO EXPERIENCE
Allow the salty aroma of Portugal’s favourite fish dish, bacalhau, to tickle your senses as you cruise past the port town of Regua with A-Rosa along the Douro. You’ll also have the chance to visit Salamanca, which is steeped in history; with its architectural monuments and the galleries and arcades around a main square, its old town is listed as a Unesco world heritage site.

ENCHANTING RHINE AND YULETIDE MARKETS RIVER CRUISE
There isn’t a better way to immerse yourself in the magic of Christmas than a river cruise on the Rhine through the heart of Germany. With Riviera Travel, you’ll visit markets in Rudesheim, Koblenz, Bonn and Cologne, where the zesty aroma of mulled wine mingles with the scent of freshly baked cookies to create a festive scene fit for the big screen.

VENICE CARNIVAL
Cruise into the heart of the action during Venice Carnival, where romance and mystery meet vibrant colours and decadent fashion. With CroisiEurope, you’ll have the chance to discover Murano glassworks on an exclusive tour and visit La Fenice Opera House to learn about its eventful history. The building’s façade is the only part that survived two fires which almost destroyed the opera house in 1836 and 1996.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DANUBE
The best way to visit what is known as the ‘Three Rivers City’ is, unsurprisingly, on a river cruise. The German port of Passau is overlooked by Veste Oberhaus, a 13th-century fortress housing a museum and observation tower.

The old town below is known for its Baroque architecture such as St Stephen’s Cathedral, which features onion-domed turquoise towers and an organ with 17,974 pipes, capable of creating sounds which echo through the chambers.

HIGHLIGHTS OF EASTERN EUROPE
It’s no surprise that Unesco named Budapest as one of the world’s most creative cities in 2015; as well as being home to the Hungarian State Opera and Budapest Puppet Theatre, it’s also the place to experience bohemian café-bars such as Kisuzem, which hosts musical performances and art installations.

On a Uniworld sailing you’ll spend two days in the Hungarian capital, giving you a chance to enjoy the city’s ancient Gothic and Romanesque architecture. When you need a break, tuck into a hearty bowl of goulash paired with a foaming pint of local lager Soproni.

STUNNING SOUTH OF FRANCE
Feel like a true celebrity as you sail serenely through the south of France. Over 10 nights with Scenic on the Saone and Rhone Rivers, you’ll get a taste for the high life as you immerse yourself in the Burgundy wine region and France’s foodie capital, Lyon – best known for quenelles, mousse-soft dumplings drowned in a creamy crayfish sauce. Visit Arles to see the sights that inspired van Gogh in 1888.

STUNNING SOUTH OF FRANCE
Feel like a true celebrity as you sail serenely through the south of France. Over 10 nights with Scenic on the Saone and Rhone Rivers, you’ll get a taste for the high life as you immerse yourself in the Burgundy wine region and France’s foodie capital, Lyon – best known for quenelles, mousse-soft dumplings drowned in a creamy crayfish sauce. Visit Arles to see the sights that inspired van Gogh in 1888.

ICONS OF EUROPE
If you fancy yourself as an amateur historian, a river cruise that ticks off Europe’s most culturally rich destinations is a must. For example, visit Germany’s Regensburg and marvel at the twin-spired St Peter’s Cathedral and the 12th-century stone bridge that, until the 1930s, was the city’s only way in and out across the Danube River.