This was published 7 years ago
Ten of the best: European river cruises shore excursions
The best part of river cruising is getting off the ship. Here are some of the best things you experience on shore excursions in Europe.
KEUKENHOF, NETHERLANDS
One of the world's most incredible flower displays is on view at a morning-long excursion to Keukenhof on Botanica World Discovery's ''Tulip Time'' itinerary in springtime. This famous garden is a showcase for Dutch national bulb growers and features a stunning seven million flowers – mostly tulips, but also narcissi, daffodils and hyacinths – in full springtime bloom. Rare and new tulip varieties are displayed in greenhouses. The surrounding fields are a palette of bright colour as farmers produce yet more tulips in a fantastical display of nature – with a significant helping hand from humans. See botanica.travel
A spring display of tulips at Keukenhof in the Netherlands.Credit: Brian Johnston
DEVIN CASTLE, SLOVAKIA
If you never knew river cruising could be suitable for families, Tauck's ''Blue Danube'' itinerary between Budapest and Vilshofen in Germany shows how kids are increasingly being catered to on European rivers. Among its many child-friendly shore excursions is a day in Bratislava that includes an interactive scavenger hunt through its old-town streets and a visit to nearby, partially ruined Devin Castle, commanding a bluff above the river and romantic with battlements and crumbling towers. Kids can explore the castle and participate in medieval games and dancing, a knightly tournament and a demonstration of fencing. See tauck.com.au
COGNAC, FRANCE
On its ''Châteaux, Rivers & Wine'' cruise in the Bordeaux region, Viking Cruises takes passengers on a shore excursion to the famous brandy-making town of Cognac, and gives them an option to blend their own Cognac at Camus, the largest and one of the last remaining family-owned producers in the region. It starts with a tasting of various Cognacs in the cellar, among gurgling barrels of the amber liquid, before guests mix their own blend, which is bottled, labelled and encased in a wooden box so you can relive the experience with a snifter or two back home. See vikingrivercruises.com.au
MILTENBERG, GERMANY
One of the stops on Evergreen Tours' ''Rhine-Main Discovery'' cruise between Amsterdam and Nuremberg in Bavaria is the riverside port of Miltenberg. It's a gorgeous Bavarian town of half-timbered houses picked out in jaunty colours such as yellow and pink, and festooned with flowerboxes full of geraniums and petunias, then all wrapped around by medieval town walls and guard towers. A castle crowns the hill and the Main River flows at its feet. Unlike many other pretty Bavarian towns such as Rothenburg, this is a little off the beaten track, making a visit particularly delightful. See evergreentours.com.au
VIENNA, AUSTRIA
You sometimes miss out on local food experiences by eating all your meals on board, but on Scenic's ''Shop with a Chef'' shore excursion guests join the ship's chef and a local culinary specialist on a guided tour to a street market in cities such as Bordeaux, Paris or Belgrade. In Vienna, the famous Naschmarkt is the destination. The market has been operating in the same place since the fifteenth century and is especially notable for olive oils, vinegars, pickles and cheeses. Even better, participants dine on board that evening on the produce the chef has purchased. See scenic.com.au
NORMANDY BEACHES, FRANCE
Many Australians are keen to see the Normandy destinations associated with both World Wars, and on APT's ''Romantic Seine'' cruise in northern France two day-long shore excursions offer you just that chance. The first traces the events of D-Day and visits the significant sites and beaches associated with the June 1944 landings, while the second heads off to the Somme, site of the infamous 1916 battle. Guests here spend time at the Australian National Memorial (which marks the names of 10,000 Australians who died in France but have no known grave) and the Franco-Australian Museum in Villers-Bretonneux. See aptouring.com.au
ARTSTETTEN CASTLE, AUSTRIA
The mystery and glitter of royalty fascinates travellers, and many shore excursions on river cruises are spent shuffling through castles. On some Uniworld 'European Jewels' itineraries on the Danube River, however, you get much more. Guests are hosted at Artstetten Castle in Austria by Princess Anita von Hohenberg, the great-granddaughter of Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne whose assassination in 1914 precipitated World War One. The real-life princess shows guests around her home and family crypt; afterwards there's a reception with glasses of sparkling wine in an antique-strewn hall. See www.uniworld.com
CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE, FRANCE
Avalon Waterways is noted for its many wine-themed cruises, such as its 'Burgundy & Provence' itinerary, which includes a shore excursion from Avignon to learn about the origins of iconic French wine Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the town in which it's made. Guests learn about the origins and climate and soil conditions needed to produce the legendary, heavy-bodied red wine. They then journey through the vineyards for a wine-tasting in one of its oldest domains: expect to savour spicy undertones and a hint of cherries. See www.avalonwaterways.com
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
Amadeus Cruises' 'Classical Music on the Danube' has numerous shore excursions aimed at music lovers, such as a visit to the Mozarthaus and concert in a Salzburg palace and another in Melk Abbey. But a day in Budapest might be the highlight, with a concert at Duna Palace and an optional visit to its opera house. The interior is straight from imperial times, featuring swatches of red carpet and chandeliers. During the entr'acte, you can have a glass of Tokay and a marzipan cake, surrounded by red silk and gilt-framed mirrors. See www.amadeuscruises.com
SZEGED, HUNGARY
If you're looking for something different, then few people have as yet cruised the up-and-coming River Tizsa. Do so on CroisiEurope's 'From the Danube to the Tisza' cruise and you're in for a particular treat with a day in Szeged, a mostly unlauded small town that's nevertheless one of the most attractive in Eastern Europe. It has a youthful, cosmopolitan population thanks to its prestigious university, a lovely riverside location and a sunny climate. It also has a stunning Art Nouveau town centre, making it a refreshing change from the baroque or medieval so often encountered on river cruises. See www.croisieurope.travel
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