European River Cruises are gaining attention as the chic and cool way to explore. A stylish alternative to land tours, a river cruise is one of the best ways to soak in the cultural of the Old World. Along they way, you'll enjoy comfortable accommodations and the chance to experience local culture in a memorable and meaningful way.

Many of Europe's great cities grew up along the banks of the rivers that wind through the continent. Amsterdam was built along the shores of the Amstel, while the history of London and the Thames can't be separated. Paris would not be so romantic with out the Left Bank of the Seine. The Blue Danube flows through four national capitals: Vienna, Austria; Bratislava, Slovakia, Budapest, Hungary; and finally, Belgrade, Serbia. European river cruises sail through these historical cities and so many more; and there are many options to explore Europe’s rivers either during short hour-long cruises or on extended itineraries.

European river cruises come in several varieties. Some are afternoon or sunset excursions that allow you the chance to experience a city from the water for a few minutes. Many of these excursions are alternatives to sightseeing tours that pack you onto a crowded bus or explore by foot. You'll have plenty of room to stretch out on tour boats, whether you want to dance with your sweetheart under the stars of listen intently to the captain's stories of life along the river.

Some travelers turn a cruise into a full-fledged vacation, even if their budget is best suited to cheap river cruises. Specially made and equipped river vessels offer overnight accommodations as well as space for meals, cultural events, and any other vacation essentials. Many tour companies lead these types of excursions, offering full vacation packages —a lot of times with flights included. Once you book your package, all you need to do is pack your bags and prepare for a European vacation with no rival.

Whether you're planning to book a package with value or mind or you're looking for luxury river cruises , you'll find a lot to like about a cruise package. Unlike the behemoth cruise ships that cruise the Caribbean or the Mediterranean, river cruise ships are much smaller. Most of this is due to the simple fact that rivers are much smaller and shallower than the ocean.

This all means that passengers enjoy more personalized attention than a ship with thousands of passengers. Most of the riverboats accommodate groups around 150 or 200 people. There will be plenty of space of captain's table for you at least one time during the trip.

Viking River Cruises, one of the leading cruise companies, specializes in small-group cruising. Passengers enjoy unparalleled attention on their trips-all of the rooms offering an outside view and all of the meals are included in the package price. Besides the actual river cruises, Viking's itineraries include shore excursions and cultural events held aboard the boat.

Whether you picked the four-day Danube River cruise or one of the extended tours of Europe's great rivers, you'll experience the continent like never before. Viking's schedule of events includes a host of European river cruises as well trips in Asia and North America. No matter the location, Viking specializes in attentive service and amazing experiences not found on shore. No matter the cruise operator chosen, you'll experience a taste of Europe's best cities.