A river cruise must be the most relaxing way to take a touring holiday. Unpack once, and the sights come to you. Here are some of the most exciting to choose from:
Good taste: A luxury Pandaw steamer on Burma's Irrawaddy river Bask in BurmaNow is the time to visit Burma, before the newly visitor-friendly country gets too touristy. There is no better way than on a ten-day voyage along the Irrawaddy river, from Mandalay to Prome. On a teak and brass luxury Pandaw boat you’ll see life along the riverbank: orange-robed monks, laden ox carts and temples. You can marvel at the world’s largest bell in Mingun, visit the old capitals of Ava and Amapura, tour some of the 3,000 temples of Bagan and watch dawn rise from Tan Kyi Taung mountain. The two-week tour, from £4,290pp, includes flights and hotel stay in Rangoon. Departures are on August 1 and 5, September 19, October 14 and November 8 with Wendy Wu Tours (0844 826 0216, www.wendywutours.co.uk).
Latin SpiritA new Treasures Of AndalucÃa holiday from Shearings (0844 209 7143, www.shearings.com) cruises along the scenic Guadiana and Guadalquivir rivers of Spain and Portugal. Highlights include a flamenco performance in Cadiz and a day in Gibraltar. You’ll spend a morning in the village of Alcoutim on the Algarve followed by an evening of music and dance on board. The seven-night cruise starts and finishes in Seville. Departures, weekly until October 18, cost from £1,269pp, and include flights.
Dome delight: Kizhi's Transfiguration Church No Russian aroundExperience St Petersburg during the midsummer White Nights festival with Archers Holidays (0800 668 1892, www.archersdirect.co.uk). Excursions in the city on cruises departing on June 4 and June 25 will be offered late into the evening so guests can enjoy ballet, opera and concerts. A ten-night cruise starting in Moscow visits Uglich on the Volga where Ivan the Terrible’s son was murdered in 1591; Yaroslavl with its onion domes and towering spires; and the island of Kizhi in Lake Onega with its 18th Century wooden Transfiguration Church. The cruise ends with three days in St Petersburg. Daytime sightseeing tours, on-board entertainments and flights are included in the price, from £1,699pp.
The Big FivePlan a Magnificent Europe two-week cruise for next year. It goes from Amsterdam to Budapest with APT (0845 304 5221, www.aptouring.co.uk/cruising). The all-inclusive trip has a range of sightseeing to choose from as you travel through five countries. Highlights include a banquet in the castle of Burg Namedy on the Rhine in Germany, a private concert at Albertina palace in Vienna and an opera recital at the Hungarian State Opera House in Budapest. Departures are from March to December 2014 and the early booking cost, from £2,995pp, includes return flights from 15 UK airports.
Who nose: Enjoying some Burgundy wine is the order of the day on an adventure by barge A touch of glassEnjoy the wonderful wines of Burgundy on a journey by barge through the Saone-et-Loire and La Cote d’Or in France. After arriving at Lyon airport on July 22 you’ll transfer to Saint-Leger-sur-Dheune to board the vintage barge MS Jeanine for six nights. In Nolay you can visit the Mountain of the Three Crosses, an ancient Celtic site overlooking the Santenay vineyards, followed by wine tasting at the Chateau de Rully. In Chalon-sur-Saone, you’ll taste Cote Chalonnaise wines. The cruise ends with a tour of Dijon. It costs from £1,495pp including flights, with Voyages Jules Verne (0845 1667035, www.vjv.com).
A work of artA seven-night Rhine cruise with Avalon (0800 668 1801, www.avaloncruises.co.uk) starts in Basel and includes guided sightseeing in Strasbourg, visits to ancient Heidelberg and to the mechanical musical instrument museum in Rudesheim. The trip ends with an overnight stay in Amsterdam with time to visit the Rijksmuseum. The cost, from £1,645pp for the October 20 departure, includes flights and many excursions.
More... Floating back to a golden age on a majestic cruise where the glamour never fades Tempted to climb on board? Top tips to help decide if cruising really is for you Find more inspiration for cruises in our archive Hit the high notes
Hear Mozart’s music in the most magical settings, sailing the Danube from Budapest to Passau with Noble Caledonia (020 7752 0000, www.noble-caledonia.co.uk). The London Festival Opera company will be on board the Johan Strauss riverboat for a one-week cruise sailing on October 27. As well as Budapest, Bratislava and Vienna, you’ll visit Durnstein in Austria’s Wachau Valley, and the cliff-top Baroque abbey in Melk. The last day is in Passau where you’ll be invited to an organ recital in the cathedral. The cost, from £1,595pp, includes flights.