15 Astounding Significant Sights You Can See on an AmaWaterways River Cruise
By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert
I write all the time about Europe river cruising and its value. River cruising is really about the destinations you can visit and experience and, you get to take these trips in a luxury floating hotel with amazing food and wine, especially if you chose AmaWaterways.
So, I thought I might share with you 15 astounding significant sights we have seen on a River Cruise while we were sailing with AmaWaterways or as part of their offerings for pre and post cruises. With the exception of the Seine cruise, we have seen the 14 other sights while on various AmaWaterways cruises—those of you who know us well, will recognize we have led to anniversary trips to Normandy (the 70th in 2014 and the 75th in 2019), so while it wasn’t visited as part of an AmaWaterways excursion, we know what the tour will be like for you on this cruise.
So, let me defend my thoughts—what are the 15 Astounding Significant Sights we have seen with AmaWaterways (our favorite Europe River Cruise Line) and why are they significant?
Rhone River
I have selected 2 astounding significant sights in the Rhone River Valley. They are the Pont du Gard and the Walled City of Avignon.
The Pont du Gard is a marvel of engineering. This Roman aqueduct was built around 19 BC. It supplied about 9 million gallons of water to Nimes. The sheer size of this structure alone is amazing!
This structure really shows the Roman ability to build complex structures. The channel that carried the water dropped about 1 inch for every 350 feet. The total aqueduct carried the water for about 30 miles. It is one of the best and remarkable Roman ruins in the world.
Look at the size of this marvel of Roman construction—it was built around 19 BC
The walled city of Avignon has a unique place in history. In the early 1300s, due to some significant disputes of the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church, the town of Avignon became home for the Popes, instead of Rome. This lasted for about 70 years. Inside the walls of the city is the Palace of the Popes—the resident home of the Popes in France.
The Pope and his residence is always important to the Roman Catholic faith. To see this residence, is a walk back in time. Power, disputes and rulings about religion came from this palace. For 70 years it was the epicenter of the Christian faith.
Palace of the Popes
Rhine River
While there are many wonderful sights on the Rhine, for me, the one astounding significant sight, has to be the 40 castles among the small villages and vineyards on the Rhine River Gorge.
The Rhine River Gorge, has the greatest concentration of scenic banks and castles in all Europe. It never gets old! This 65 km stretch of the Rhine has always been an important transportation route. The 40 castles that dot the steep hillsides were erected over a period of around 1,000 years to protect land holdings and exact tolls. Most are now picturesque ruins, as they were either destroyed in wars or abandoned. Still, you can feel like you are part of a bygone time cruising this portion of the river. No wonder, it is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Danube River
On the Danube, I have selected 3 sights of astounding significance. They are Melk Abbey, the Wachau Valley and the Iron Gates.
The most dominate feature of Melk, Austria, is the massive Melk Abbey. Originally a fort, it became a monastery after Benedictines were given the site. In 1113, the bones of St. Koloman were moved there, ensuring its fame as a place of pilgrimage. Often damaged by fire, the present Abbey was built from 1702-1738. This 900 year old abbey is one of the largest in Europe.
What a stunning sight—Melk Abbey!
It is a stunning structure and a unique glimpse into the Benedictine Monks way of life and the power of this faction of religious belief and worship. The scholarly efforts and libraries that the monks kept, helped preserve knowledge that would have been otherwise lost in a time when many could not read or write.
The Wachau Valley is a 19 mile (30 km) stretch of the Danube River that is a picture perfect combination of country villages, a few dramatic castles (one on the shoreline and others clinging to cliffs) and terraced vineyards. The breathtaking scenery of this winemaking region has resulted in it being named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.
Schonbuhel Castle—the Watchman of the Wachau
The Iron Gates is an amazing sailing experience. Your cruise ship will traverse the narrow gorges of the Iron Gates on the lower Danube River, a stunning passage that divides the Balkan and Carpathian Mountains. The Danube narrows as it winds through these magnificent gorges and serves as the border between Serbia and Romania.
This is a carving of the ancient King Decebalus, the last king of Dacia in the Iron Gates.
5 Capital Cities and 1 Post Card Stunner
5 of the 6 cities, I have selected, have ruled empires, influenced art, cuisine, and are often the cradle of all culture in their respective countries. The 5 are Amsterdam, Budapest, Paris, Prague, and Vienna. The sixth is the Swiss gem of Lucerne.
Amsterdam is a land of bikes, canals and a free-wheeling culture. We have visited Amsterdam several times and escorted folks there. This is a city of 165 ringed canals, a population of 750,000 (it has as many bikes as people) and always full of tourists. It is the capital of the Netherlands, and has two world class art museums. It is a major port, once the wealthiest city in the world and residents and visitors live with a tolerant atmosphere.
An Amsterdam Canal
Perhaps the most stunning city on any river cruise, Budapest is actually 2 cities rolled into one. By far the most impressive city on the Danube, Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is a town we love to visit. It is really two towns—the high town of Buda that overlooks the banks of the Danube and Pest on the flat land. They are united by several bridges but the Chain Bridge is the most important and is a symbol of the city. Both sides have some awesome structures—among them Buda Castle and Fisherman’s Bastion (Buda side) and the Parliament building (Pest side). Once you visit, you will want to come back.
Budapest Parliament at night
Paris The city of lights never is dull but can be a challenge due to its size. There is so much to see and do, you just cannot do it all even with 4 or more days—we have visited more than 10 times and still have not seen it all. Paris is among the 3 great cities of Europe—the other 2 are Rome and London.
An Old Paris Post Card
Prague is not on any rivers AmaWaterways sails, but is an important pre or post cruise stop. The city of 100 spires (there are now over 500 now) is fascinating and really interesting—unique, good sights and bohemian culture, make it one of our favorites in Europe. Prague is organized into 4 quarters and most folks spend their time in the Castle Quarter and Old Town Square area. Both are quite walkable depending upon the location of your hotel.
Castle Quarter in Prague
Vienna, the current capital of Austria, is steeped in history, has amazing museums and art galleries and fascinating palaces. Vienna is a true treasure—the importance of this city on history cannot be overstated—it once was the capital city of the Hapsburg Empire of Austria-Hungary. Add great shopping and good food make this an easy choice for exploration.
Schonbrunn Palace
Lucerne is also not on a cruise route but is also a pre or post cruise stop. Situated on a lake, surrounded by the Alps, this is a charming town has a fascinating history and represents the culture of the Alps with quite a flair. The chapel bridge and old town invite you to wander this wonderful city. You will see parts of the old city walls, paintings on buildings that are so typical of Alpine cities and be tempted by Swiss cuisine. Most consider it the most beautiful city in all of Switzerland.
Chapel Bridge Lucerne
2 Man Made Wonders in Northern Europe
In the Netherlands, there are 2 astoundingly significant sights. They are Keukenhof Gardens and the Kinderdijk Windmills.
Keukenhof Gardens is open only two months of the year in the spring. This is explosion of color with flowers that will dazzle you—there are over 7 million tulips, hyacinths and daffodils on this 80 acre park garden. The displays are unlike any flower exhibit I have ever seen.
Kinderdijk Windmills are a collection of iconic 18th-century windmills. It is a water-management network that features 19 windmills and 3 pumping stations. These devices, plus dikes and reservoirs were designed to control flooding in the polder (low-lying land). The size of the devices, with a constant humming noise, and the sparse living conditions of the families that operated them are a testament to the ingenuity of mankind. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
A War Memorial that will never be forgotten
On a Seine cruise, you will be able to visit the site of the World’s largest amphibious assault at the Normandy Beaches.
There are usually 2 tours from the Seine cruise for the Normandy Beaches. The first concentrates on the American sector. The second concentrates on the British Sector.
The American sector tour includes the American Cemetery, Omaha Beach, the gun battery at Longues-sur-Mer, and the remains of the floating harbor of Arromanches.
History was changed by this invasion—it was the start of the end of WW II in Europe and these sights will help you understand the cost of human sacrifice that was necessary to achieve the defeat of the Axis Powers in Europe.
The American Cemetery in Normandy
My Final Thoughts
Can you even imagine you could see all these? It is almost a Europe Bucket List—seeing all these sights and experiencing all that you can do while on a river cruise in Europe on AmaWaterways is an experience you will never forget.
Please enrich your life and go on one of these voyages (or better yet several like we have so you can see all the places mentioned here)—you will be glad you did and we would love to help you get there.
Just to show you how much is available to see and do on an AmaWaterways cruise, I am currently working on port guides for about 65 different stops—I’m about 75% complete and many are available to you from our website, www.dreamdestinations in the river cruise section. Give it a try—you won’t be disappointed!
We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise experts, and Europe destination experts. We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe. We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you. We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.
When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip. You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience. And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process. We think we have all these qualities.
Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!
HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 48 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:
AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent
