In Germany’s Mosel Region, well known for its sweet white wines, romantic villages with slate roofs, half-timbered buildings and majestic towers are nestled between the river and hills covered with vineyards and dotted with castles. In 2,000-year-old Trier, visit the Roman Porta Nigra city gate, and in Koblenz, gateway to the Middle Rhine UNESCO World Heritage site, visit Ehrenbreitstein Fortress – one of the biggest in Europe, and Stolzenfels Castle – one of the most romantic castles on the Rhine. The Cochem region on the Moselle between Trier and Koblenz has beautiful river landscapes, the majestic Reichsburg Castle up on a hill and old Roman graves.
Further north, Germany’s Mecklenburg Lakes region has been described as a "blue-green carpet” of some 4,000 lakes, countless rivers, streams and canals, making this one of the most remarkable inland waterway systems in Europe. Palaces, churches and monasteries dot the region, and local culinary delicacies include fish, game, fresh vegetables and fruit. Visit the brewery town of Lübz; Lake Plau, one of the "jewels” in the "Mecklenburg lakes crown;” and Lake Müritz, one of Germany's largest inland waters and an important wildlife habitat. On its eastern shore, an important breeding ground for larger birds that are either endangered or extinct in other areas, observe cranes, white-tailed eagle, fish hawk, ospreys and sea eagles.
To the south, a cruise on the Danube is a journey through European history. Like almost no other, Europe's second-longest river has moved peoples and cultures. Stone-age hunters and Roman legionnaires, emperors and kings as well as rich citizens and medieval traders have all left their mark along the river. Over the course of time, beautiful cities grew up along the Danube's banks, where architectural styles, from the Gothic and Renaissance to the Baroque, are represented by significant historical monuments. These cultural treasures are embedded in an extremely varied landscape that has retained a great deal of its original beauty.
Canal and river cruising is one of the most relaxing and intimate ways to experience the beauty of Europe, without crowds and in great comfort. For those who appreciate fine food and wines, peaceful vistas and an exciting new destination each day without ever leaving “home,” this has become a favorite way to celebrate a special birthday, anniversary or time together as a family.
Germany’s Mecklenburg Lakes region has been described as a "blue-green carpet” of some 4,000 lakes, countless rivers, streams and canals, making this one of the most remarkable inland waterway systems in Europe — and an ideal route for a luxury barge cruise. Palaces, churches and monasteries dot the region, and local culinary delicacies include fish, game, fresh vegetables and fruit. Visit the brewery town of Lübz; Lake Plau, one of the "jewels” in the Mecklenburg lakes crown; and Lake Müritz, one of Germany's largest inland waters and an important wildlife habitat. On its eastern shore — an important breeding ground for larger birds that are either endangered or extinct in other areas — observe cranes, white-tailed eagle, fish hawk, ospreys and sea eagles from the deck of the barge.
Fairy tale images are conjured up when describing Germany’s Moselle Region. Idyllic towns and romantic villages rest astride steep slopes filled with vines. Half-timbered buildings have roofs of slate, a natural resource that prominently affects the production of the area’s sweet white wines. Someone said that the secret to Moselle wines lies in the Riesling grape and the slate that clings to the slopes. The sun shines on it by day, and the residual heat warms the vines at night. It’s the slate-lined slopes in the river bends that are said to produce the best Moselle wines. During your barging vacation on the ‘Charlemagne’ you are served wine with both lunch and dinner, allowing you to sample some of the local appellations. An expert crew member presents each wine, describes its characteristics, suggests how it is best accompanied and relates a brief history of its origins.
On a barge vacation, your vessel — your “hotel” barge — is small enough to cruise through winding waterways at a slow pace, giving you a unique vantage point for visiting Europe’s landmarks. In 2,000-year-old Trier, Germany’s oldest town and home to six Roman emperors, visit the Porta Nigra city gate (the Black Gate), a four-story structure that was once part of the city’s walls. In Koblenz, gateway to the Middle Rhine UNESCO World Heritage Site, visit Ehrenbreitstein Fortress — one of the biggest in Europe, sitting high on a cliff above the Rhine. The Cochem region on the Moselle between Trier and Koblenz, as you see on the luxury barge ‘Charlemagne,’ offers beautiful river landscapes, the majestic Reichsburg Castle up on a hill and old Roman graves.
A luxury barge cruise on the Danube is a journey through European history. Like almost no other, Europe's second-longest river has moved peoples and cultures. Stone-age hunters and Roman legionnaires, emperors and kings as well as rich citizens and medieval traders have all left their mark along the river. Visit the beautiful cities that grew up along the Danube's banks — among them Vienna and Budapest — where Gothic, Renaissance and baroque styles are represented in their monuments and architecture. As you sip rich coffee and sample delicious pastries in Vienna it’s easy to envision the elite of yesteryear gracefully waltzing to the music of Strauss. Budapest also has a history of opera and classical music, but the many health and thermal spas are well worth a visit in their own right.
When you’re on board your luxury barge, you’ll leave the potential annoyances and uncertainties of land travel behind. Excellent cuisine that uses fresh local ingredients, an attentive staff, comfortable accommodations and no packing and unpacking make barge cruising in Europe a complete holiday experience.
