Rhine Explorer

Rhine Explorer

This holiday reveals the fairytale castles and photogenic towns along the banks of the Rhine. Starting in the Dutch capital (where you’ll have time to cruise the famous canals), you’ll follow a course south into Germany, stopping off at cathedral cities and World Heritage Sites along the way. Highlights of our Rhine river cruise include the Black Forest, the delightful old quarter of Strasbourg and an afternoon spent sailing along the Upper Middle Rhine Valley - said to be the river’s most stunning stretch.

What's Inlcuded:

• 10 nights accomodation - On board MS Serenade 1
• 29 meals - 10 breakfasts, 9 lunches and 10 dinners
• Unlimited drinks during lunch and dinner
• Titan's VIP door-to-door travel service
• Titan cruise director
• Porterage
• Portable audio

Day 1: UK - Amsterdam

Titan’s VIP door-to-door travel service collects you from home, for your flight to Amsterdam. Upon arrival embark our ship, where light refreshments are available.

Day 2: Amsterdam

A morning tour of Amsterdam showcases the city’s crooked waterside houses and Golden Age architecture. See the sights by water as you float under pretty bridges and past gabled merchants’ houses. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy Amsterdam - perhaps view the world-class collections in the Rijksmuseum or step inside the Museum Our Lord in the Attic, a townhouse which hides a secret 17th-century church in its attic.

Excursions & visits: Amsterdam city canal cruise (morning)

Day 3: Arnhem

Arnhem is a delight to explore on your own. Or you can spend your time here on an optional city tour and visit to the Airborne Museum, dedicated to the WWII battle that is synonymous with Arnhem. Photos, films and documents tell the story of the Battle of Arnhem and Operation Market Garden.

Day 4: Cologne - Königswinter

A morning walking tour shows off one of Germany’s most attractive cities. It’s filled with Gothic, medieval and Roman architecture, including a spectacular spired cathedral, which we see in detail today. The cathedral, as magnificent in size as in decoration, was created over hundreds of years to house the mortal remains of the scriptural Three Kings. We sail onward to Königswinter.

Excursions & visits: Cologne walking tour (morning)

Day 5: Königswinter - Koblenz

This morning, we head to Schloss Drachenburg, a castle-like villa set on a hill overlooking the Rhine. Built back in the late 1800s for a baron who never actually moved in, the villa has been faithfully restored and renovated with tapestries, murals and rich wood panelling. Once we’ve admired its spires, battlements and landscaped gardens, we cast off for Koblenz, arriving in the early evening.

Excursions & visits: Visit Schloss Drachenburg (morning)

Day 6: Koblenz - Lorelei Passage - Rüdesheim

The 19th-century Ehrenbreitstein Fortress is the last incarnation of the fortifications that have watched over Koblenz from its clifftop perch through time. We’ll visit the fortress and enjoy a city tour this morning, then spend an afternoon cruising along one of the river’s most scenic stretches, the UNESCO-listed Upper Middle Rhine Valley. We’ll pass vineyards, castles and storybook towns, and cruise through the Lorelei Passage, one of the narrowest sections of the river. Early this evening we arrive in Rüdesheim, where we dock overnight.

Excursions & visits: Koblenz city tour and Ehrenbreitstein Fortress (morning)

Day 7: Rüdesheim

You’ve got the morning free to see Rüdesheim, a lovely riverside town with a long history of winemaking and an old quarter that’s full of half-timbered buildings. Take a stroll along cobbled streets to find shops selling local wine and intricate wooden gifts. Or visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Museum for something a little different. Early this afternoon we continue along the Rhine towards Speyer, gliding past Riesling vineyards and wooded hills.

Day 8: Speyer

Join us for an optional walking tour of Speyer this morning, or explore at your own pace. The city’s red-brick Romanesque cathedral is its crowning glory, dating back around 1,000 years. Other sights to tick off include the ruins of a 12th-century Jewish synagogue and the Old Mint, with its beautiful baroque façade. In the afternoon, we continue sailing south towards Strasbourg.

Day 9: Strasbourg

A guided city tour and canal cruise allows us to uncover the best of Strasbourg. We focus on the UNESCO-protected old quarter - a cluster of cobbled streets, covered bridges and colourful half-timbered houses. There’s another spectacular cathedral to see, too. Completed in 1439, it features a lofty spire, Gothic façade and stunning stained-glass windows. The rest of the day and evening is at leisure for you to enjoy Strasbourg.

Excursions & visits: Strasbourg city tour and canal cruise (morning)

Day 10: Breisach

We’ll arrive later this morning in the German town of Breisach, on the edge of the Black Forest. Discover the town’s pastel-shaded buildings and hilltop cathedral at your own pace, or join our optional cruise on Lake Titisee with free time.

Day 11: Basel - UK

We transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK. Upon arrival, your Titan vehicle will be waiting for the journey home.