This third blog in this series looking at which river cruise is best for you is all about what you most like to do in your spare time, when you’re not sampling the local dishes and tipples and soaking up the architecture or scenery.
For the art lover
The Louvre is one of the world’s most famous museums, mainly because it’s where you’ll find arguably its most famous painting, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. A Seine river cruise departing from Paris will give you ample time to explore, particularly if you’re enjoying a cruise and stay before you set sail. The Louvre is a huge place, so you’ll need plenty of time to get around. Understandably, things are always pretty busy when it comes to seeing the smiling lady herself but other famous works include Alexandros of Antioch’s iconic sculpture Venus De Milo and Théodore Géricault’s dramatic Raft of Medusa.
Vienna is a city synonymous with the arts and a mainstay of many a Danube river cruise. Its historic centre is A UNESCO World Heritage Site and an exhibition of architecture in itself, but there are some buildings in Vienna which will be of particular interest to art lovers. The Kunsthistorisches Museum is one of the city’s most popular attractions and regarded by many as one of Europe’s finest art museums. While on the historic Ringstrasse, an area where you’ll find the greatest collection of landmark architectural sites, you’ll find both the Academy of Fine Arts and the Museum of Applied Arts.
When it comes to really getting close to the world’s most celebrated artists, a Seine river cruise is the perfect choice, as it can take you to Giverny, where you’ll have the opportunity to visit the former home of Claude Monet. The house itself is much as it was in Monet’s time but now serves as a fascinating and informative museum, containing reproductions of his works. The main attraction for many visitors is the gardens however, as they’re home to the pond in which Monet’s legendary water lilies still grow.
A Dutch Waterways river cruise is also a great option for art lovers, as Amsterdam is where you’ll find the Van Gogh Museum. Not surprisingly, this is the place to be if you want to enjoy a showcase of the artist’s finest pieces but it also houses a number of works from such contemporaries as Toulouse-Lautrec, Paul Gauguin and Auguste Rodin. Another artist great is honoured in Amsterdam at the Rembrandt Museum, where the celebrated artist lived and worked for 15 years.
For the shopaholic
For some people, the chance to get under the consumer skin of a city is the best way to get to know it and of course, pick up a souvenir or three which will forever remind you of your travels. There are some cities you can visit on river cruises which are particularly rewarding.
Most Seine river cruises start in Paris, a city with a reputation which truly goes before it when it comes to high-end boutique shopping. One of Europe’s fashion hot spots, it offer a little of everything and if it’s everything you’re looking for and in one place, Galeries Lafayette is perfect and a multi-levelled shopper’s dream. However, if it’s that authentic Parisian boutique experience you’re longing for then happening Montmarte is where you should head – once home of the legendary Moulin Rouge.
A city which arguable eclipses even Paris when it comes to fashion is Milan, regarded by many as Europe’s fashion capital. It’s also a city which you’d be forgiven for thinking you wouldn’t be able to visit on a river cruise. Though the Po doesn’t run through Milan, it runs pretty close to it and Po River cruise itinerary extensions offering time in the city before or after you sail are not uncommon. Unsurprisingly, all the big fashion labels are here but look a little closer and you’ll find a number of bespoke boutiques too, catering in everything from stylish homeware to the finest Italian coffee.
China is responsible for a huge amount of the world’s consumer output, so it stands to reason that it’s a good place to shop and a Yangtze River cruise gives you the chance for a little retail therapy in both Beijing and Shanghai. The former is of course a sprawling metropolis and though there are towering modern malls like the Parkview Green Shopping Centre, it’s also a great place to find authentic souvenirs in one of the city’s many bustling street markets. Shanghai offers a similarly satisfying shopping experience with a big choice of markets and malls but if you’re looking for a tailor-made garment at a price you won’t get back home, be sure to visit the fabric market to get it made to measure.
