Rhine and Moselle 7 night Rail Cruise - from £2149

Arrive for your flight to Düsseldorf or Cologne, or take the Eurostar from London St Pancras International to Brussels. On arrival, transfer by coach to your five-star cruise ship moored in the heart of Cologne, one of Germany’s oldest cities. The friendly English-speaking crew will welcome you and help you to your cabin. After settling into your spacious and well-equipped accommodation, it’s time to familiarise yourself with the many first-class aspects of this floating boutique hotel.

The first morning on board a river cruise is always a thrill, awakening to the peaceful lapping of the water outside as the scenic valley sides slip past your cabin window – there’s no other holiday experience quite like it. Breakfast is a leisurely affair; life on board is unhurried, so you can linger over that extra cup of tea or coffee. You’re cruising some of Europe’s most dramatic and romantic waterways – the mighty River Rhine and its tributary the Moselle. The Sun Deck is perfect for an invigorating mid-morning stroll, watching picture-postcard villages with slanting timber-framed houses pass by.

Leaving Cochem, we pass through an impressive series of four locks allowing passage further upstream, through meanders in the river against a backdrop of green valley sides. All around are steep, tree-crested slopes covered in a patchwork of vineyards, crisscrossed by narrow tracks and roads giving workers access to the vines – it’s a miracle that anything can be cultivated on such terrain. The Romans first planted vines in the Moselle during the second century AD and today white varieties such as Riesling thrive in the flinty soils. Before long we approach the delightful town of Zell.

After a delicious breakfast on board, join the expert guided tour of Bernkastel town, a romantic wonder from another age. Wander its cobbled streets to the market square, where you’ll be surrounded by ornate half-timbered houses, many dating from the 15th-century. Most famous is the Pointed House, a jewel of the rustic middle-class building tradition from the Middle Ages and a classic example of a Moselle vintner’s dwelling. You might spot the famous Graacher Tor too, built in 1300, the last remaining gate and now home to a museum of local history. We have lunch on board as the ship slips its moorings and cruises back downstream. This afternoon, sit back on one of the comfortable deck chairs on the Sun Deck and soak up the atmosphere of this magical river, breathing in the clean air, listening to the rippling water and absorbing the scenery. Another gourmet experience awaits this evening in the ship’s restaurant, possibly followed by a nightcap in the company of newly made friends.

Early this morning, we reach Koblenz. Strategically situated at the confluence of these two great rivers, this 2,000-year-old city, with its mighty fortress towering above, is full of appeal. A knowledgeable local guide accompanies us around its principal monuments and intriguing centre, taking in historic squares, highlighting painstakingly restored house frontages and revealing hidden aspects of the city that only locals know. Koblenz is a joy to wander through, pausing to window shop while trying to resist the aromas of fresh coffee and cakes drifting from the numerous traditional cafés. Returning to our ship for lunch, we proceed to Boppard, also known as the ‘Pearl of the Rhine’ for a guided tour, a famously picturesque town located on a long, looping bend of the river. The black and white spires of the Church of Saint Severus can be seen from a distance, but as we draw closer its bustling quayside comes into view. Captivating cobbled streets, lined by half-timbered houses, tucked-away shops selling traditional goods and characterful restaurants, lead into the town and its main square. Like many riverside settlements in the area, the Romans founded Boppard and their legacy remains in the superbly preserved town walls, the finest in Germany. There’s time to explore or promenade along the river, gazing at views of the vineyard-covered hillsides. Or you can simply pass time on board in anticipation of more fine dining in the ship’s restaurant this evening.

Leaving Boppard, as the sun crests the surrounding hilltops, expectation rises at what lies in store as we journey through the outstanding natural beauty of the Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, at every dramatic turn of the river, towering valley slopes are crowned by the precarious ruins of castles built by princes to display their power and extort tolls from passing river traffic. The Gorge is home to medieval legends, tales of mysterious happenings and dark deeds, most famously the Lorelei – or ‘murmuring rock’ – said to have lured passing boats onto the rocks with its irresistible song. The villages drifting by – Saint Goar, Bacharach and Kaub – are synonymous with wine production and one of the many thoughtful details of this cruise is the carefully compiled wine list, from which you can choose fine Rhine and Moselle wines to enjoy with the foods sourced from the region. During lunch, we arrive in Rüdesheim, for a guided tour with our local expert. Perhaps the best known of all the wine towns, the picturesque crooked houses slope down from wooded hillsides and terraced vineyards. Meander through the Market Place, Brömserburg Castle and the charming Klunkhardshof, a monumental half-timbered building dating back to the first half of the 16th-century. You’ll also see the Brömserhof, now the home of Siegfried‘s excellent mechanical music museum - a collection of around 350 intricate antique musical instruments and musical boxes from all over the world, many in working order, still playing the delicate sounds of yesteryear.

We slip our mooring early this morning and our ship resumes its voyage downstream as you enjoy another fine breakfast with views of pretty riverside towns, backed by the rolling volcanic hills for which the area is renowned. Passing the last vineyards and half-timbered houses around the pretty town of Linz, it’s not long before we reach the railway bridge at Remagen, captured intact towards the end of the Second World War, thereby arguably shortening the war in Germany.

Bid farewell to your friendly crew before transferring to the airport for your return flight or to Brussels to connect with the Eurostar service to London St Pancras International.