Riverscapes - Rhine, Mosel and Elbe

From Bingen we take a cruise ship through the Middle Rhine Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its numerous castles and palaces and the famous Lorelei rock, as far as Koblenz, where the Rhine and Mosel flow together. There the popular Mosel Cycle Route begins along the curves of the Mosel. Steep vineyards and delightful wine-growing villages line the terraced banks of the lower reaches of the river.

In Trier, archaeological finds bear witness to the artistic sense and lives of the Roman conquerors, who first brought grape vines to the region. On the banks of the Elbe between Dresden and Pirna, the bizarre cliffs of the Saxon Switzerland region are the attraction. The world's oldest fleet of paddle steamers travels to the foothills of this unusual mountain range. In 1826 the sandstone Bastei Bridge was built to link several of the jagged rocks for tourists.