Day 1: UK to Arnhem

Travel to Arnhem and embark Spirit of the Rhine and enjoy a welcome reception and dinner on board.

Cruise overnight towards Bonn.

Day 2: Bonn

Arrive in Bonn after lunch and discover the highlights of the city on an optional walking tour with a local guide which includes a visit to the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven, now a museum dedicated to his life and work.

Alternatively, explore independently using one of our complimentary interactive maps. After dinner you will sail overnight towards Cochem.

Day 3: Cochem

Arrive in romantic Cochem on the Moselle after breakfast.

You might like to explore the town and the surrounding area aboard a land train on an optional excursion this morning while an optional afternoon excursion visits the castle, followed by a wine tasting at a vineyard. Depart this evening for Bernkastel.

Day 4: Bernkastel

Sail to Bernkastel-Kues where Renaissance houses line the market square.

Moor here overnight.

Day 5: Bernkastel to Trier

Set sail before breakfast and spend the afternoon in Germany’s oldest city, Trier, founded in 16BC by Emperor Augustus. Discover more on an included tour to see the Roman city gateway, Porta Nigra, and the cathedral.

Moor here until the early hours.

Day 6: Trier to Traben-Trarbach

Set off in the early hours and cruise through the morning to the twin villages of Traben-Trarbach which straddle the Moselle. Known as the 'capitals' of the wine region, they are home to many art nouveau buildings.

Enjoy an included wine-tasting at a vineyard this afternoon before your cruise resumes over dinner as you sail overnight to Koblenz.

Day 7: Koblenz

Meaning 'merging of the rivers', Koblenz' rich history is reflected in a wealth of monuments and historic buildings. Arrive here after breakfast. An optional walking tour this afternoon encompasses Ehrenbreitstein Fortress.

Set sail before dinner and cruise overnight towards Frankfurt.

Day 8: Frankfurt

Today you have the whole day to discover this lively, cultural centre, the most international city in Germany thanks to its origins as a trading centre. Despite the dramatic skyline it's a small city – you can walk from one side to the other in 20 minutes! There are plenty of places of interest, from the cathedral to the restored timber-framed buildings of the city centre – Römerburg – as you'll discover on an included tour. You'll also visit the Goethe House and Museum, on the site of the birthplace of the greatest German literary figure of the modern era.

This afternoon you might wish to join one of our optional 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. Set sail at dinner time and cruise through the night.

Day 9: Miltenberg to Aschaffenburg

Arrive at breakfast and spend the morning strolling in the the medieval Bavarian town of Miltenberg.

Set sail at lunch and cruise on to Aschaffenburg, arriving late afternoon and mooring here overnight.

Day 10: Aschaffenburg

Spend the morning in the city known as 'Bavarian Nice' thanks to its sunny climate and lively cultural scene. Admire Johannisburg Castle, perhaps joining an optional excursion inside, or perhaps seek out the old quarter.

Depart late morning and spend the afternoon and evening cruising towards Strasbourg.

Day 11: Strasbourg

Arrive in Strasbourg after lunch and this afternoon explore the beautiful capital of Alsace whose cobbled streets, half-timbered houses and Gothic cathedral can be seen on an included tour and canal cruise.

Depart this evening and cruise back into Germany overnight.

Day 12: Rüdesheim to Boppard

Arrive in the charming wine town of Rüdesheim for a morning exploring. Perhaps join a fascinating optional excursion to Siegfried’s Museum of Mechanical Music or alternatively an optional wine tasting.

Set sail to Boppard, a classic Rhineland wine town, where the waterfront is overlooked by wooded gorges and vineyards, arriving mid-afternoon. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has extensive Roman remains, medieval fortifications and half-timbered buildings.

You remain moored here overnight.

Day 13: Boppard to Andernach

Leave Boppard early morning and cruise through breakfast to spend the rest of the morning in Andernach, home to the world's tallest cold water geyser which you can see on an optional excursion.

During lunch you set off and spend the rest of the day and night cruising towards Amsterdam.

Day 14: Amsterdam

Arrive in Amsterdam late morning, and after lunch 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.

Moor here overnight.

Day 15: Amsterdam to UK

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