Rhine River

Cruising down the multinational waterway of the Rhine with Avalon, you can traverse five countries– Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, France and Austria – exploring picture-perfect towns of bucket-list destinations like Basel, Strasbourg, Cologne, Bonn, Düsseldorf, Amsterdam and Rotterdam along the way

The Rhine River is a ribbon that ties together fascinating countries, cultures and history. It also flows into other legendary waterways, presenting the opportunity to combine a Rhine itinerary with three other renowned rivers – the Moselle, the Main and the Danube – for a more robust river cruise.

Between Rudesheim and Koblenz, more castles take center stage than anywhere else on the planet. This fairytale fantasy known as the Upper Middle Rhine or Rhine Gorge has earned UNESCO World Heritage Site status and the well-earned moniker, “The Romantic Rhine.”

Surrounded by brilliant-colored tulips, the waterways of the Netherlands feed into the Rhine River, presenting unrivaled springtime scenery including the beginning, middle and end of the rainbow.

While many people think of Germany for its "brewtiful" beer scene, the vineyard-lined Rhine River Valley paints a sweeter story with "grape" days that invite you to sniff, swirl and sip your way through everything from Rieslings and delicate Silvaners to full-bodied Spätburgunders.

A delightfully dizzying number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be found along the Rhine River Valley, including the Rhine Gorge, the Cologne Cathedral, the Speyer Cathedral, the Town of Bamberg and the Old Town of Regensburg.

There’s no better way to unwrap the magic of the Old World than with a journey through the tradition-rich, German Christmas markets with their mulled wines, handmade sweets and hardy holiday décor on a festive wintery river cruise.