AAA Carolinas Cruise Vacations - 45

RIVER CRUISING
An entirely new way to see the old world.
Sailing along historic waterways, river cruising allows you to see some of the most enchanting places in the world up close. Your proximity to the shore means that colorful hillside villages, picturesque castles, and ancient ruins are within view from your intimate ship. Essential to daily life, important to trade, and notable as routes taken by invading conquerors, the great rivers and waterways of Europe and Russia have shaped the continent’s history, culture, and economy for thousands of years. From the enchanting Danube and the legendary Rhine to the vineyard-lined rivers of Portugal and Southern France, the very best of Europe and Russia is on display on a river cruise. River cruising offers an unparalleled level of convenience, as you often dock right in the heart of a town steps away from charming squares, magnificent cathedrals, and bustling marketplaces. You’ll never wait in long lines to get on or off the ship; you’ll never tender into port; you’ll never spend long hours wave watching on a vast ocean and you’ll never experience rough water - only smooth and peaceful sailing. Cruise through one country, delving deeply into its culture and history, or journey instead to ten countries on one grand odyssey. Sail through Provence and Burgundy in the summer to see the landscapes that inspired Van Gogh’s and Cézanne’s paintings. Cruise through Northern France discovering the countryside that inspired Monet’s paintings. Marvel at golden-hued vineyards while cruising Portugal and Spain’s UNESCO World Heritagedesignated Douro River Valley during the fall, or walk through the classic Christmas markets of Germany while cruising from Nuremberg to Frankfurt during the holidays.
The Rhine. Artists, musicians, writers, and poets

from all over Europe have immortalized the Rhine’s unadulterated natural beauty in their songs, art, stories, and poetry. Byron, Dumas, Hugo, and Heine celebrated it in their writing. Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms, Schubert, and Wagner idolized it in their music, and Turner captured it in his paintings. And even today, the Rhine continues to inspire those who visit—especially Germany’s Upper Middle Rhine Valley, spanning approximately 40 miles between Rüdesheim and Koblenz. This area has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site with more than 40 castles gracing its shores, along with vineyard terraced landscapes and breathtaking countryside. the Danube “a refreshing, melodious river, sometimes foaming with high spirits, at other times dreaming serenely.” For many centuries, this river has been a reflection of Europe’s history—an economic lifeline, a highway to conquest, and a source of inspiration for poets and musicians.

The Danube. German poet Friedrich Hölderlin called

The Douro. The Douro River, rising in Spain and

reaching the Atlantic Ocean in Porto, has created the spectacular Douro River Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rambling vineyards and charming native farms called quintas cling to the steep sides of the Douro River Valley, creating an incomparable backdrop to one of Europe’s most unspoiled regions and to Port country—the oldest demarcated wine region in the world.

AAA Carolinas Cruise Vacations

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