Day 1: UK to Amsterdam

Travel to Amsterdam and embark Spirit of the Rhine, which remains moored here overnight.

Enjoy a welcome reception and dinner on board.

Day 2: Amsterdam to Arnhem

The Dutch capital is rightly popular for its friendly welcome, picturesque canals, world-class museums and galleries and laid-back cafes and bars. This morning you can join one of our Unique Experiences which are designed to give you the chance to get under the skin of a destination by enjoying the local food and culture. After disembarking your ship and meeting your guide, take a tram to Central Station from where you will begin a walking tour of the Dutch capital. Along the way look forward to tasting local delicacies including herring, cheese and croquettes and rounding it off with a sweet treat from a bakery.

Alternatively you could join an included tour of Amsterdam by coach and see the Royal Palace on Dam Square, the floating flower market, the Central Railway Station, which is built on thousands of wooden piles, and the grand 19th-century Rijksmuseum. Afterwards, enjoy a canal cruise to see the city centre with its pretty bridges and attractive gabled houses up close and view such treasures as the famous Skinny Bridge, the Montelbaanstoren tower and the Jewish Quarter.

Spirit of the Rhine sets sail at lunchtime and you will spend the rest of the day and evening cruising towards Arnhem, where you will moor overnight.

Day 3: Arnhem

Enjoy a morning in Arnhem with plenty of time to join an included tour to learn more about the bloody battle that was fought here during World War II. Visit the site of the momentous events of Operation Market Garden, beginning at the famous ‘Bridge Too Far’. It was here that the 2nd Battalion, led by Lieutenant Colonel Frost, held out for four days in September 1944 against overwhelming odds. At the north end, you’ll see a monument which honours those who participated in the mission, many of whom lost their lives. Continue to the old church in Oosterbeek, where the Allies took refuge prior to withdrawing, passing some of the fields where the landings took place. At the Airborne Museum, you can see photographs and memorabilia, along with anti-tank guns and a Sherman tank which stand exactly where they were left in battle.

You return to Arnhem via the Airborne Cemetery, the final resting place of 1,748 Allied troops. This afternoon and tonight cruise on towards the German border.

Day 4: Bonn to Koblenz

Arrive in Bonn after breakfast. An optional walking tour reveals sights such as the Electoral Palace and the baroque City Hall, and includes entrance to Beethoven's former home, now a museum dedicated to his life and work.

Cruise to Koblenz this afternoon, arriving late afternoon for an overnight mooring. This evening look forward to live music performed on board by the Moselle Group.

Day 5: Koblenz to Rüdesheim

Koblenz is a town where the rivers Rhine and Moselle meet and continue their journey to the North Sea.

The confluence is marked by a monument to Emperor Wilhelm I, and across the river from here is the vast Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, which you can visit on an optional excursion this morning. This afternoon, relax on board during one of the highlights of your cruise as Spirit of the Rhine cruises through the UNESCO-listed Middle Rhine to Rüdesheim. Glide through a valley of steep banks cloaked in lush green forest and punctuated by the occasional fairytale castle. You’ll pass the fabled Lorelei Rock, where legend has it a beautiful siren used to coax sailors to their demise – keep an eye out for her bronze statue as you sail safely by.

Arriving this evening in the charming wine town of Rüdesheim where there’s time for you to join a wine tasting excursion. Your ship remains moored here overnight.

Day 6: Rüdesheim to Düsseldorf

Spend the morning at leisure in Rüdesheim. Why not take a complimentary interactive map and slip on your headphones to take a self-guided tour of the town.

Alternatively, spend the morning on an optional excursion to Siegfried's Museum of Mechanical Music. You will return to the Rhine at lunchtime, cruising through the afternoon and evening to reach Dusseldorf late tonight.

Day 7: Düsseldorf

Look forward to spending a full day in delightful Düsseldorf where you can enjoy an included tour of the famous Old Town – a square kilometre full of churches, art and more than 250 pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes in the heart of the city.

Join an expert guide on a stroll through the picturesque backstreets and discover why the Gothic St. Lambertus church has a twisted tower. The Burgplatz (square) with the Schlossturm (palace tower) holds great char and from here, it's a stone's throw to the Rhine embankment promenade which offers a stunning view of Düsseldorf's skyline and the Oberkassel Rhine banks.

Day 8: Düsseldorf to UK

Disembark Spirit of the Rhine after breakfast to begin your return journey to the UK.