Rhine River Cruise

A cruise on the Rhine River in Germany is one of Europe's most enjoyable experiences.

Picture a serene journey on tranquil waters. On either side, you see beautiful, colourful traditional villages, as if time has remained perfectly still. When you step off your boat, you can explore these charming areas, soaking in the atmosphere of historical market towns, quaint shops and restaurants, and lovely scenic views. Once you're done in one place, you simply return to the small port, board your ship, and continue to the next village.

It's a wonderful way to spend a day. We highly recommend it.

If you visit a travel agent, they will almost certainly suggest booking a very costly cruise.

But here's the big secret: you don't have to. There's another option. And we believe it's much better...

How to get there

There are four main entry points onto a Rhine River Cruise: Mainz (nearest airport: Frankfurt), Koblez (nearest airport: Frankfurt Hahn), Bonn and Cologne (nearest airport: Cologne).

From Cologne Airport, you would need to take the S-Bahn from the airport into Cologne or Bonn. From Hahn Airport, you would need to take the bus to Mainz or Koblenz. From Frankfurt Airport, you would either need to take the S-Bahn to Romisches Theater in Mainz and then walk 16 minutes to the port at Rheingoldhalle (it's a very pretty walk) or take the S-Bahn to Mainz-Bischofsheim and change for a bus to Mainz, Brückenplatz, which is two minutes walk from the port.

How we did it

Flights: Edinburgh to Frankfurt with EasyJet

Hotel: We stayed in Frankfurt, close to Hauptbahnhof, where there are plenty of reasonably priced hotels.

Transport: We used the S-Bahn, provided by RMV. The Rhine cruise was provided by KD. We did it in summer, when sailings from Mainz are more frequent.

Location: https://w3w.co/super.string.recital

Our top tips

• This cruise will be busy - start it relatively early and keep your eye on the timetable. Sailings are usually more frequent during the high summer season.

• Don't bother with guided tours of the villages - you won't need them. They are all quite small and it's hard to get lost.

• Be prepared for changeable weather. This is Europe after all!