Dating back thousands of years, Europe was built on the banks of the rivers, and the Rhine River takes you through the heart of it all, as you travel through central Europe, including Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Once you’ve chosen the Rhine River as your river cruise destination, the next big question is: Which Rhine River cruise should I take?

From the comfort of modern and elegant river vessels, travelers no longer have to worry about packing and unpacking their suitcases at every hotel, long haul train and bus rides between destinations, or uncertainty about where they’ll have their next meal - Adventure Life’s hand-picked European River cruises offer all-inclusive experiences along the most interesting waterways of Europe.

European river cruises can be an amazing experience for families with members of all ages, and if you’re traveling with minors (under the age of 18), a cruise can be a fantastic way to engage them in history and culture as they see their textbooks come to life in the form of castles, museums, battlegrounds of ancient and modern wars, ruins, and so much more.

The bustling town of Passau, Germany straddles the Danube River where it meets the Inn and Ilz Rivers on the border of Austria, and is home to around 50,000 residents. Known for its baroque old town, Passau features a number of monuments, museums, and historical sites that make this charming city a staple part of any Danube River cruise. Passau also serves as the port of embarkation or departure for many European river cruises.

This article will go into some depth about the consequences of trip length, the various destinations that it's possible to visit, and will help you choose the ideal boat and experince that fits your needs.

As any veteran river cruiser will tell you, which riverboat you choose makes all the difference. With the recent surge in the popularity of European river cruises, competition between the main cruise operators has really improved the quality of the itineraries and river ships across the board, so there aren’t any bad options - it just depends on what you’re looking for on your Europe river cruise.

The upper and lower Danube Rivers have extremely different cuisines, cultures, sights, and people. Learn about the differences in this article!

Explore the enchanting Christmas Markets throughout Germany, Austria and Hungary on your Europe river cruise. Drink hot mulled wine as you meander through these traditional street markets. This is sure to be a charming, festive way to spend the holiday.