Rhine and Moselle River Cruise - MS George Eliot

Itinerary

• Day 1
  Arrival in Cologne - Welcome to Cologne, one of Germany’s oldest cities!  Board your five-star ship and meet the friendly English-speaking crew who will be looking after you for the next week. They will welcome you and help you to your cabin. After settling into your spacious and well-equipped accommodation, it’s time to familiarise yourself with this floating boutique hotel that will be your home for the next seven nights.
• Day 2
  Cochem - The first morning on board a river cruise is always a thrill, awakening to the peaceful lapping of the water outside as the scenic valley sides slip past your cabin window – there’s no other holiday experience quite like it.  This morning, you'll have plenty of time to relax and enjoy the scenery. You’re cruising some of Europe’s most dramatic and romantic waterways – the mighty River Rhine and its tributary the Moselle - so there are endless beautiful views to enjoy, as picture-postcard villages with slanting timber-framed houses pass by. After a leisurely breakfast, get a cup of tea or coffee and take it to the Sun Deck, or head to the lounge and simply watch the scenery slip by. After a delicious lunch onboard, we glide into our moorings at Cochem, where we'll have an afternoon guided tour. This is the traditional centre of the Moselle wine trade, so dominating the scene is a multi-turreted castle crowning a vineyard covered hillside, but Cochem’s real charm is its jumble of narrow streets lined with pastel-coloured buildings and peppered with quirky shops and wine cellars. There’s ample time to explore here, immersing yourself in the relaxed ambience of this quintessential riverside town, before stepping back on board to enjoy a five-star dinner, served in the ship’s restaurant. Then delight in the upbeat sounds of Rhenish folk music with a live performance on traditional instruments.
• Day 3
  Trier - Leaving Cochem, we pass through an impressive series of four locks allowing passage further upstream, through meanders in the river against a backdrop of green valley sides. All around are steep, tree-crested slopes covered in a patchwork of vineyards, crisscrossed by narrow tracks and roads giving workers access to the vines – it’s a miracle that anything can be cultivated on such terrain. The Romans first planted vines in the Moselle during the second century AD and today white varieties such as Riesling thrive in the flinty soils. Before long we approach the town of Zell, where we'll moor temporarily. After lunch on board, we climb onboard the coaches for the drive to Trier, where we'll enjoy a guided tour. This is Germany’s oldest city, and ergo one of its most fascinating. Your local guide will take your on a tour around the city to explain it's intriguinging history.  Founded by the Romans, it was the capital of much of their empire, encompassing present-day Spain, France, Britain and parts of Germany. The city had a population of 80,000 people – an enormous number in ancient times – and the Emperor Constantine lived here. Many of its Roman monuments, including the amphitheatre, baths and bridge, have survived surprisingly intact, but most impressive is the Porta Nigra, a fortified gate made of huge stone blocks that towers above the surrounding medieval buildings. This is the largest and best-preserved Roman city gate north of the Alps and stands as testimony to their architectural genius. Such is the significance of Trier’s Roman heritage and its other buildings, including its Cathedral, the oldest bishop’s church in Germany, that together they form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After some free time in Trier, you'll take the coaches back to our ship, which is now moored in the charming town of Bernkastel, in time for another exquisite meal. As we're moored in Bernkastel overnight, you'll be able to go ashore if you'd like, to see the town at night.
• Day 4
  Bernkastel - After another delicious breakfast on board, it's time for a guided tour of Bernkastel with an expert local guide. Bernkastel is often a favourite destination amongst our guests, as its cobbled streets and half-timbered houses create a quaint, romantic atmosphere. Learn about the history of this interesting town as you visit the market square, the winding streets, and the Pointed House, a jewel of the rustic middle-class building tradition from the Middle Ages and a classic example of a Moselle vintner’s dwelling. You might spot the famous Graacher Tor too, built in 1300, the last remaining gate and now home to a museum of local history.  There should be some free time after your guided tour to explore Bernkastel at your leisure, before you head back to the ship for lunch. As we sit down to another delicious lunch on board, the ship will slip its moorings and cruise back downstream.  This afternoon, enjoy some free time onboard. Sit back on one of the comfortable deck chairs on the Sun Deck and soak up the atmosphere of this magical river, breathing in the clean air, listening to the rippling water and absorbing the scenery. Another gourmet experience awaits this evening in the ship’s restaurant, possibly followed by a nightcap in the company of newly made friends.
• Day 5
  Koblenz & Boppard - Early this morning, we reach Koblenz, which sits at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers.  This 2,000-year-old city is a joy to wander through, pausing to window shop while trying to resist the aromas of fresh coffee and cakes drifting from the numerous traditional cafés. Explore with a knowledgeable local guide, who will show you its principal monuments and intriguing centre, taking in historic squares, highlighting painstakingly restored house frontages and revealing hidden aspects of the city that only locals know. We'll return to our ship for lunch, during which we'll sail to Boppard, also known as the ‘Pearl of the Rhine’. Here, you'll have a guided tour of this famously picturesque town located on a long, looping bend of the river. The black and white spires of the Church of Saint Severus can be seen from a distance, but as we draw closer its bustling quayside comes into view. Captivating, cobbled streets, lined by half-timbered houses, tucked-away shops selling traditional goods and characterful restaurants, lead into the town and its main square. Like many riverside settlements in the area, the Romans founded Boppard, and their legacy remains in the superbly preserved town walls, the finest in Germany. There’s time to explore or promenade along the river, gazing at views of the vineyard-covered hillsides. Or you can simply pass time on board in anticipation of more fine dining in the ship’s restaurant this evening. We're moored in Boppard overnight, so you're welcome to go ashore in the evening if you wish.
• Day 6
  Rhine Gorge & Rüdesheim - We'll wave goodbye to Boppard as the sun crests the surrounding hilltops. This morning is a free morning spent sailing, but rather than relaxing in your cabin after breakfast, we recommend heading to the Sun Deck or Lounge as we'll be sailing through one of the most scenic destinations in Europe - the Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Find a comfy spot, sit back, and enjoy the natural beauty all around for the next couple of hours. At every dramatic turn of the river you'll see towering valley slopes, crowned by the precarious ruins of castles, and by this point you'll have lost count of the number of vineyards you pass. The Rhine Gorge is home to medieval legends, tales of mysterious happenings and dark deeds, most famously the Lorelei – or ‘murmuring rock’ – said to have lured passing boats onto the rocks with its irresistible song. The villages drifting by – Saint Goar, Bacharach and Kaub – are synonymous with wine production. One of the many thoughtful details of this cruise is the carefully compiled wine list - we have chosen a selection of Rhine and Moselle wines to enjoy with your meals, to accompany foods sourced from the region. After a truly beautiful morning, it's time for lunch. During lunch, we'll arrive in Rüdesheim for a guided tour with our local expert.  This is perhaps the best known of all the wine towns, and it's a favourite with our guests. Imagine picturesque, crooked houses sloping down from wooded hillsides and terraced vineyards. Meander through the Market Place, Brömserburg Castle and the charming Klunkhardshof, a monumental half-timbered building dating back to the first half of the 16th-century. You’ll also see the Brömserhof, now the home of Siegfried‘s excellent mechanical music museum - a collection of around 350 intricate antique musical instruments and musical boxes from all over the world, many in working order, still playing the delicate sounds of yesteryear. This evening there’s a truly memorable occasion – the ‘Chef’s Dinner’. It's time to get your gladrags on and make your way to the restaurant for this special dinner - the chef has prepared their superb ‘signature’ dishes for you to enjoy in the splendid surroundings of the ship’s restaurant. Personalise your holiday - Visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet Embark on a fantastical adventure into the world of automatic musical instruments. See the impressive collection of fascinating musical instruments that function like computers, ranging from tiny, delicate music boxes to an enormous orchestrion.  From €7.40pp (payable locally) Book this experience on board with you Cruise Team.  
• Day 7
  Cologne - We slip our mooring early this morning and our ship resumes its voyage downstream as you enjoy another fine breakfast with views of pretty riverside towns, backed by the rolling volcanic hills for which the area is renowned.  Passing the last vineyards and half-timbered houses around the pretty town of Linz, it’s not long before we reach the railway bridge at Remagen - it was captured intact towards the end of the Second World War, which some say shortened the war in Germany. Today we arrive back into historic Cologne, spotting the magnificent dual-spired Gothic cathedral for which the city is so famous. It’s a truly monumental building, taking over 600 years to build and featuring myriad religious and art treasures and perhaps the most intricate stained-glass windows in Europe. After lunch onboard, we join a local guide for an informative tour of the city, with time to explore its tree-lined squares and perhaps visit one of its traditional bars, many of which still brew their own beer. After our final dinner tonight, it's time to indulge in some chocolate! We'll have a presentation and Q&A session from Cologne's Lindt Chocolate Museum, topped off with the chance to sample its world-famous produce.
• Day 8
  Return home