12 nights · Germany Baden-Wurttemberg · River cruise · Departs Kehl-Strasbourg (Germany) · Visiting Mainz, Frankfurt am Main, Miltenberg, Wertheim am Main, Karlstadt am Main, Wurzburg, Schweinfurt, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Muhlhausen, Kelheim, Regensburg, Passau, Melk, Durnstein, Vienna, Esztergom, Budapest · Aboard CroisiEurope on the ms Douce France
Image courtesy of CroisiEurope ©
This river cruise sails the Rhine, Main, Rhine-Main-Danube Canal and Danube, departing Kehl-Strasbourg.
| Cruise line | CroisiEurope |
|---|---|
| Ship | ms Douce France |
| Duration | 12 nights |
| Port calls | 19 |
| Departures | 1 sailings |
| Year built | 1997 |
| Guests | 116 |
| Cabins | 62 |
| Crew | 20 |
| Length | 111 m |
| Beam | 11 m |
| Cruising speed | 9.0 kn |
Strasbourg rewards visitors with a rare blend of French elegance and German character. Its historic center, the Grande Île, is a UNESCO World Heritage site, threaded with canals and half-timbered houses. At its heart, Strasbourg Cathedral rises above the old streets, its pink sandstone façade a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Take time for a table of Alsatian cooking, where French technique meets hearty regional tradition. Then follow the riverfront lanes and discover a city shaped by centuries on Europe’s border.
Mainz is best explored on foot, where Roman foundations meet the Rhine. Begin at the cathedral, whose red sandstone towers have watched over the old town for more than a millennium. Nearby, the Gutenberg Museum celebrates the Mainz-born inventor whose printing press transformed Europe. Browse market stalls, pause in a wine tavern, or follow lanes lined with timbered houses and shops. With history close at hand and Riesling on the menu, Mainz makes a rewarding day ashore.
Frankfurt am Main pairs a striking skyline with the River Main and a compact historic centre. Begin at Römerberg, where half-timbered façades frame the city’s medieval square. Then cross the river to the Städel Museum, one of Germany’s leading art museums. The city rewards a longer stay. Explore the Museumsufer and sample Apfelwein in Sachsenhausen. Here, Europe’s financial capital balances modern ambition with old-world character.
Miltenberg sits between the Main River and wooded hills, with a compact old town made for exploring on foot. Half-timbered houses line market lanes leading to Schnatterloch, the handsome square beneath Mildenburg Castle. Climb to the castle for views across the rooftops and river valley, then linger over Franconian food or wine. This small town offers a vivid pause between larger German cities.
Wertheim stands where the Tauber meets the Main, on Baden-Württemberg’s northern edge. The compact old town rewards a slow walk among timber-framed houses and narrow lanes. Its market square recalls centuries of trade. Above it, the ruins of Wertheim Castle command broad river views. The Glass Museum traces the craft that carried Wertheim’s name beyond the valley.
Karlstadt rewards a slower look. Its compact old town stands beside the Main, framed by Lower Franconian vineyards and wooded hills. Medieval walls enclose half-timbered houses, quiet lanes and the Gothic parish church of St Andrew. Together, they tell of a town shaped by trade and wine-making. Follow riverside paths or sample local Franconian wines. Karlstadt offers an appealing glimpse of Bavaria, best discovered on foot.
Step ashore in Würzburg, where Franconian wine, Baroque splendour and the Main River shape a memorable day. The Würzburg Residence, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, rewards a visit for its grand staircase and Tiepolo frescoes. Cross the Old Main Bridge for views of Marienberg Fortress and vineyards climbing the surrounding slopes. Then explore the compact old town, where cafés and wine taverns offer a pause between landmarks.
Schweinfurt sits on the Main in Franconia, a working city with an industrial story unlike Germany’s better-known historic towns. Its ball-bearing industry shaped the city and made it a major target during the Second World War. Today, the Georg Schäfer Museum draws visitors with its exceptional collection of nineteenth-century German paintings. In the compact centre, pause at the market square and St John’s Church before following the riverfront.
Bamberg rewards a few hours on foot, with one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval town centres. On the Regnitz River, its UNESCO-listed Old Town brings together a Romanesque cathedral, baroque façades and half-timbered lanes. See the Old Town Hall, poised on an island, and the riverside houses known as Little Venice. Finish with Rauchbier, Bamberg’s distinctive smoked beer, in a traditional brewery tavern. Seven hills surround the city, while its compact centre keeps the main sights within easy reach.
Nuremberg is a city of striking contrasts, where medieval streets meet the history of twentieth-century Germany. Within its old walls, the Imperial Castle rises above timbered houses, churches and the Hauptmarkt. Visit St. Sebaldus Church, then explore the Documentation Center and former Nazi Party Rally Grounds for essential context. Allow time for local gingerbread and a walk across the Pegnitz, which divides the historic centre.
Mühlhausen rewards a visit with a remarkably intact medieval centre. Follow cobbled lanes to Gothic churches, then walk sections of the old town walls and gates. Johann Sebastian Bach served as organist at Divi Blasii in 1707–08, giving the town a vivid musical connection. Mühlhausen also played a role in the German Peasants’ War; preacher Thomas Müntzer remains central to its history. Quiet squares and museums bring these stories into focus at an unhurried pace.
Kelheim sits where the Danube meets the Altmühl, beneath the grand dome of the Befreiungshalle. From the river landing, explore medieval lanes, then climb to this 19th-century monument for broad views across Bavaria. Boat trips pass through the Danube Gorge to Weltenburg Abbey, famed for its Baroque church and historic brewery. Enjoy a beer in the abbey garden before returning to Kelheim.
Regensburg rewards a day on foot, with a remarkably intact medieval centre set beside the Danube. Cross the 12th-century Stone Bridge, then follow narrow lanes to the Gothic cathedral and the Old Town Hall. Roman foundations, merchant houses and riverside cafés reveal a city shaped by two millennia of trade. The UNESCO-listed centre feels lived in, not staged, and its compact scale leaves time for a Bavarian lunch.
Passau sits where the Danube, Inn and Ilz meet, their contrasting waters framing one of Bavaria’s most handsome old towns. Walk its baroque lanes to St Stephen’s Cathedral, famed for its historic organ. From the fortress of Veste Oberhaus, rooftops and rivers unfold in a memorable view. Passau rewards a leisurely call: explore on foot, pause beside the water, and watch three waterways shape the city’s character.
Melk stands at the western end of Austria’s Wachau, a UNESCO-listed Danube valley. Its vineyards, apricot orchards and medieval towns make the river journey especially rewarding. High above the water, Melk Abbey commands attention with its baroque church, imperial rooms and celebrated library. Founded as a Benedictine monastery in 1089, it remains active and ranks among Austria’s most memorable cultural landmarks.
Dürnstein is a small Wachau village with an outsized place in Austrian history. Its blue-and-white abbey tower rises above the Danube, while lanes of pastel houses lead to riverside cafés and apricot shops. Climb to the castle ruins where Richard the Lionheart was held from 1192 to 1194 for broad valley views. Beyond the village, vineyards and orchards define this UNESCO-listed stretch of the Wachau.
Arrive in Vienna by river and give the city more than a passing glance. Its imperial centre rewards a slow walk, from St Stephen’s Cathedral to the grand Ringstrasse boulevards. Set aside time for Schönbrunn Palace, once the Habsburgs’ summer residence, or choose the Kunsthistorisches Museum for its remarkable collections. Then take a seat in a traditional coffeehouse; in Vienna, coffee and cake are part of the city’s daily ritual.
Esztergom stands where the Danube bends toward Slovakia, its skyline ruled by the vast dome of Hungary’s largest church. The Basilica crowns the castle hill, a landmark of Hungarian Christianity and the seat of the country’s Roman Catholic primate. Below, the old town offers baroque streets, riverside views and traces of royal Hungary. Cross the Mária Valéria Bridge for a striking change of country, with Slovakia just across the water.
Budapest makes a memorable arrival, with the Danube dividing hilly Buda from lively, level Pest. From the river, the Hungarian Parliament’s Gothic Revival façade commands attention, especially after dark. Cross the Chain Bridge to explore Castle Hill, or stay in Pest for cafés, markets, and celebrated thermal baths. Allow time to linger: Budapest’s pleasures are best discovered on foot, over a long lunch, and beside the water.
Published August 12, 2026
Last updated October 15, 2026
Author: J. Richard
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