You don’t need to book a two-week stay aboard a big ocean liner to see the world – a river cruise could make the perfect alternative if you’re looking for a different kind of sightseeing holiday. Part of the huge and growing appeal of river cruises is that they can take you to places that a big ocean cruise ship can’t – even right to the heart of a country.
There are river voyages available all over Europe, and even as far afield as China. On a river cruise you could see all the beauty of Vienna on a journey down the Danube; taste white wines on a voyage along the Rhine; or even see China’s ancient treasures on a cruise down the Yangtze.
Sightseeing in Vienna
The Austrian capital has more culture than you could shake a conducting baton at. Every piece of classical architecture (and there’s a lot) seems to be artfully lit by night; this is an imperial city of statues, monuments, towers and domes, with a past stretching back to the Roman Empire. The sightseeing is almost enough to inspire you to sing out loud in the streets in an operatic style. If you’d prefer to leave the classical theatrics to the professionals, a visit to the city’s magnificent Opera House is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
If the big singing isn’t for you, you’ll find plenty of other attractions too. There’s a huge amount of shopping here, and the coffee-house culture here makes the perfect accompaniment when you’re ready to drop. Many itineraries give you the chance to spend a couple of days in Vienna; ample time to see both the new and the old sides to the city. On the historic front you’ll find the gothic St Stephen’s Cathedral, with its spectacular tiled roof; and the enormous Schonbrunn and Hofburg Palaces, which are both hugely popular sights for shore excursions. If you’d prefer to see the city’s modern side, Vienna’s centre is brimming with coffee shops and high street stores – but the cutting-edge architecture really hogs the attention here. Look out in particular for the Vienna Technical Museum, which brings together the city’s rich history in one unique location – a building which is both classical outside, and thoroughly modern inside.
Sightseeing in Strasbourg
River cruises create a way into the heart of Europe. With so many places to see, it could be difficult to decide where to travel to on your next voyage – so why not pick a route that takes in a border city, and get a little bit of two cultures in the same trip? Strasbourg is a unique location that blurs the lines between French and German culture. Lying right in the heart of western Europe, you won’t see the fairytale capital of the Alsace region on an ocean cruise.
The picturesque waterways here are surrounded by timber-frame houses straight out of a fantasy story, in the area known as ‘Petite France’ – and the countless lights of the Christmas market have their own spellbinding effect. At the centre of Strasbourg is the Grande Île, the first entire city centre to earn UNESCO World Heritage Site status. The centre is ideally suited for walking, and even a few minutes’ wandering can reveal a wealth of sights. See the statues and wooden carvings that decorate the gothic Notre Dame Cathedral, or be on the lookout for the European Parliament building and the grandiose Palais Rohan, a solid slab of Baroque which houses the city’s museums of fine art, decorative art and archaeology. Be on the lookout for locally-produced beer and wine too – this is the region that produces Kronenbourg, riesling and pinot gris.
Sightseeing along the Yangtze River
An ocean cruise will take you to see the metropolis of Shanghai and even the historic wonders of Beijing. But a river cruise can show you these parts of China and more – including the awe-inspiring Three Gorges, far up the winding Yangtze River where few large vessels can sail. China’s longest river stretches for almost four thousand miles through eleven separate provinces – the perfect way to go sightseeing on a cross-section of this enormous country, all while relaxing on board your river cruise ship.
The vast majority of itineraries along the Yangtze River cover China’s most famous historical monuments. There’s no need to book an ocean cruise to see the Great Wall – many river cruises sail through Beijing or begin with a flight to the city, and offer shore excursions into the surrounding area. You may get the chance to see Tiananmen Square, the spectacular colours of the hilltop Summer Palace by the water’s edge, and even spend a night dining in style or seeing some traditional Chinese theatre – you’d never have known so many colours existed if you get the chance to see the Peking Opera. The Forbidden City is essential viewing on a trip to China, and a river cruise gives you just as much opportunity to wander its vast squares as an ocean cruise would.
A river cruise down the Yangtze gives you the chance to take a huge number of excursions off the beaten track too, so you could add a tour of the Snow Jade Cave and the porcelain capital Jingdezhen to your adventure. See the canals and pavilions of old Suzhou, spectacular artefacts of gold and stone in the Hubei Provincial Museum, and even take a flight to Xian to see the underground necropolis of Emperor Qin Shi Zheng – home to the Terracotta Army of 8,000 life-size figures.
Perhaps most remarkable of all are the Three Gorges, though – hidden far along the Yangtze River, where the forests and rocky landscape have given birth to a score of ancient legends. You’ll find yourself deep in the heart of the Chinese countryside as you sail here on a sightseeing tour. Look out for caves and waterfalls among the mountains; the river covers a wide range of environments that are home to elusive snow leopards and giant pandas, storks, cranes, koels and striking minivets.
Ocean cruises can show you some of the most exciting destinations and experiences in the world – but not all of them. If you’re looking to get to heart of a country like China, or even France or Austria closer to home, sightseeing river cruises really are the best way to travel. Click here for our latest deals on river cruises for 2014 and 2015.
Article images courtesy of J. Wang, N. Francois, T. Tom and K. Poh, Wikipedia /Flickr/WikiCommons.
