Explore beautiful rural villages and vibrant, buzzing cities, rolling landscapes and fascinating cultures. Our cruise holidays offer the perfect opportunity to discover all that Europe has to offer – from the picturesque countries and medieval architecture that lines the Moselle river, to the romantic, lively atmosphere of the towns that flank the Seine.
See Europe in a remarkable new light. Climb aboard one of our state-of-the-art river cruise ships and weave through the clear waters of the Main river, see the scenic villages of France – and explore everything Europe can offer. Many river cruise holidays offer optional extensions, meaning you can spend longer exploring the region. Or, for a completely unique experience, there’s also our themed river cruise holidays.
Why not take a look at our river cruises below?
Danube River Cruises | Rhine River Cruises | Rhône River Cruises | Main River Cruises
Moselle River Cruises | Seine River Cruises | Themed Cruises
Winding west to east, from Germany’s enchanting Black Forest to the beautiful Black Sea Coast, the historic River Danube is an ideal destination for river cruise holidays. Flowing through an ever-changing landscape of pristine valleys and gorgeous panoramas, its glorious banks form a patchwork of picturebook castles, medieval monasteries, luscious vineyards, spectacular cities and tranquil villages. The mighty Danube River, immortalised by Strauss in the Blue Danube Waltz, coils through10 European countries, including Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania so Danube river cruises offer many diverse wonders, from Austria’s picturesque Wachau Valley and the magnificent cities of Budapest and Bratislava, to imperial Vienna and Romania’s impressive Iron Gates Gorge.
Thought to be one of the world’s most romantic rivers, the legendary river Rhine courses from the snow-capped Swiss Alps, through the heart of Germany, to Holland and the North Sea. Offering an idyllic environment for relaxing river cruise holidays, the Rhine River meanders through richly vine-clad countryside and breathtakingly beautiful landscapes dotted with medieval castles, atmospheric half-timbered villages and charismatic cities such as Cologne, Heidelberg and Strasbourg. Your Avalon river cruise holiday on the Rhine also sails through the spectacular Rhine Gorge, a steep-sided valley renowned as one of the world’s most beautiful stretches of river and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before passing the mighty Lorelei Rock, where sirens were once said to have lured sailors to their doom.
Etching a route from the glacial Swiss Alps to Lake Geneva and through spectacular French countryside to Marseille and the Mediterranean Sea, the Rhône River is a major European waterway, ideal for scenic river cruises. Avalon river cruise ships sail the winding River Rhône through the heart of the Rhône Valley, framed by scented orchards, the lusciously rich vineyards of Burgundy and Beaujolais, and the fragrant lavender fields of Provence as well as stopping to admire captivating towns such as historic Arles and honey-hued Avignon. Avalon Rhône river cruises also traverse some of the world’s most famous wine growing regions and visit the French gastronomic capital, Lyon, making Rhône river cruise holidays perfect for lovers of wine, food and landscapes.
Flowing across the heart of central Germany, the Main River traverses a spectacular landscape of lush, rolling hillsides speckled with storybook castles and charming medieval villages such as Würzburg and Miltenberg, offering an ideal setting for scenic river cruise holidays. Formed by the convergence of the Red Main and White Main waterways, the Main River is one of the Rhine’s major tributaries and is connected to both the Rhine River at Mainz and the Danube River via the Main-Danube canal. The impressive Main-Danube canal stretches across 16 locks from beautiful Bamberg, via historic Nuremberg, to tranquil Regensburg and makes it possible for river cruise ships to sail all the way from the North Sea to the Black Sea.
Celebrated for its incredibly scenic shores, the graceful Moselle River is perfect for river cruise holidays and meanders through a spectacular landscape of lush, vineyard-cloaked valleys and steep, richly verdant slopes. The Moselle flows through the heart of Central Europe, from the Vosges Mountains in France, through Luxembourg and Germany, to join the Rhine River at Koblenz. Moselle river cruises sail through the postcard-perfect Moselle Valley, a beautiful route famed for the fairytale castles and quaint hamlets dotted along its vineyard-veiled banks. These glorious vineyards produce world-class wines such as Riesling, Müller-Thurgau and Elbling – so why not enjoy a glass or two on board your river cruise ship or join a wine-tasting excursion?
The most famous river in France, the Seine’s natural beauty has inspired poets, musicians and artists for centuries. Offering exquisite gardens, fragrant orchards, charming medieval fortresses and the spectacular city of Paris - Seine river cruises are sure to be an unforgettable experience. Meandering northwest from beautiful vine-clad Burgundy, through Paris to the gentle, green countryside of Normandy and the English Channel at Le Havre, the River Seine offers an idyllic environment for river cruise holidays. Board an Avalon river cruise ship to marvel at architectural masterpieces such as the Eiffel Tower, Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral, the glorious gardens of Giverny, the pretty village of Les Andelys and the emotive D-Day memorials and landing beaches of Normandy.
With our intriguing range of themed river cruises, you can enjoy a superb holiday cruise – and indulge your passions at the same time. From jazz to wine and flowers, seize the opportunity to discover more about your hobbies, and share your interests with like-minded passengers.
Whatever your past time, our river cruises will take you on a whistle-stop ‘tour on a theme’. Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of Vienne’s Jazz Festival on our jazz cruises, explore Mozart’s hometown of Salzburg on our music cruises, or savour the wines of Europe and hear talks from the experts with our wine-themed river cruises.
Discover these river cruises and many more with Avalon. You can find out more about out individual themed river cruises here.
