The Glorious Rhine & Danube

Titan Travel’s VIP door-to-door travel service collects you from home for your flight to Düsseldorf.

On arrival, we’ll transfer to Cologne to embark our ship, where light refreshments are available.

MS Serenade 1 (4-star)

We arrive in Koblenz early this morning for a tour. This attractive city holds millennia of history, and our exploration includes Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, the last-standing of several buildings that once guarded the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine.

It has felt the force of many armies, including Napoleon’s, and once guarded the Holy Tunic, the robe said to have been worn by Jesus Christ.

We then sail to Boppard, and the afternoon is open for you to explore this historic, UNESCO-listed area. The town has a history of several royal families, electors and bishops, although its most famous residents were the Romans.

There still stands a fortress and 28 vast Roman defence towers.

After a gentle morning sailing on the Rhine’s most beautiful stretch, we arrive in the small town of Rüdesheim.

You’ll enjoy the quirks of Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Museum, and then spend the afternoon wandering the idyllic, Germanic streets of the old town.

Perhaps take the cable car into the hills behind the town for fantastic views of the vineyards and river below.

Amble along the riverbank towards the one-time gates to the old city and stop for a moment to admire the fairytale-like cathedral that dominates the main square.

The city was flattened during WWII, but has been rebuilt with a romantic charm and character. Perhaps take some time to admire the Romanesque, Gothic and baroque features of the 10th century cathedral.

Just outside, the lively Market will be taking place in the large square – perfect for mingling with the locals.

The Gutenberg museum is also worth a visit with a good few wonders to ‘wow’ at.

We dock in Miltenberg this morning, ready to explore. This medieval town is home to over 100 listed timber-framed houses, which makes for a beautiful and colourful stroll around the pedestrianised streets.

The area also has a long legacy of beer production, and you have the opportunity to taste some local creations on an optional excursion.

After a morning of exploration, we continue onto Wertheim, where you’ll have a glimpse of village life among its quaint streets.

Würzburg started as a glorious pilgrimage city, where prince-bishops lavished their wealth to create a beautiful palace, which we’ll explore as part of our tour this morning.

The huge Würzburg Residence Palace won its place on the UNESCO World Heritage List as one of the most brilliant courts in Europe in the 18th century.

Created by an international team of exceptional architects, painters, sculptors and stucco-workers, this really is a sight to behold.

We set sail during lunch today, leaving you with the rest of the day to enjoy the views.

This town became important in the 10th century, and shortly after the German king wanted to make this a ‘second Rome’.

The beautiful medieval and baroque architecture had a huge influence on central Europe, and still impresses visitors today. Explore independently or take an optional walking tour to discover the town’s story and visit the Rose Gardens, where around 4,500 roses fill the inner courtyard of the New Residenz.

Our morning tour of Nuremberg introduces us to the history of the city.

A leader in Germany’s industrial revolution, a stage for Nazi party rallies, and the site of the WWII war crimes tribunal, this city has a lot of history to tell.

Enjoy an afternoon of sailing as we head towards Regensburg.

Enjoy the gentle breeze on the sundeck before we arrive in Regensburg in the afternoon. There are many fine sights to see in the best preserved medieval city in Germany.

Head into the UNESCO-listed old town to find the majority of the 1,500 listed buildings, including the castle-like patrician town house ‘Heuport’ and the Old Town Hall which served as a seat of parliament for 200 years, and sits over a torture chamber from the Middle Ages.

We’ll also explore the Benedictine Weltenburg Abbey together, the oldest monastery in Bavaria. 1,400 years on, a legacy of monks still leave here.

You may like to take an optional excursion to find your way around Passau this morning.

Amongst the colourful and unregimented rows, squeezed between river banks, stands wonderfully preserved baroque architecture, plus traditional Bavarian beerhalls and a 13th-century hilltop fortress, which now holds a city museum and art gallery.

After breakfast, perhaps take a stroll around the quiet town of Melk, easily small enough to cross on foot. A glorious Benedictine abbey, created from the town’s 10th century residence of Babenberg rulers, dominates the skyline.

You have the opportunity to see this fortified, baroque landmark today on an optional excursion.

We sail this afternoon to dock overnight in Vienna.

With a whole day at foot to explore Austria’s capital city, the possibilities are almost endless.

This is a city of the arts, dotted with masterpieces and flowing to the sound of the opera. Baroque streetscapes set the scene for our tour this morning. We’ll explore Ringstrasse, the beautiful boulevard which holds many of Vienna’s best known sites including the Imperial Palace, the Vienna State Opera and Parliament.

There are also many monuments to Austria’s great warlords, rulers, composers and poets.

Wake up in Slovakia this morning. Explore Bratislava’s lovingly restored Old Town and imposing Bratislava Castle (Hrad), which dominates the cityscape.

With a total of 11 kings and 8 queens crowned within the white castle’s walls, the city has a long legacy to discover.

We arrive in Budapest early this morning, ready for a tour of a capital of fine culture, cuisine and thermal baths from the Ottoman era.

Its treasures also include the magnificent Parliament building, St Stephen’s Basilica, the renovated Jewish Quarter (which includes the world’s second-largest synagogue) and the Palace District, full of stunning aristocratic palaces.

After breakfast we transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK.

Upon arrival, your Titan vehicle will be waiting for the journey home.