Do you love trying local wines, beer, and cuisine when you are traveling? One of my favorite things about going on river cruises is the fact that they all serve local foods, wine, and beer whenever possible. And since the ports of call are so close to each other along the river, fresh foods and beverages are brought onto the boat every single day. That means no one needs to eat meat or produce that was previously frozen. There have been times when I have thought I was in the middle of a farm when eating, because everything tasted that fresh on my river cruise! The food is only one of the best reasons to take a river cruise. Today, I am going to share some of the culinary experiences you can have when you take a river cruise for your next vacation. I guarantee you won’t regret what you eat or drink while on one of these river cruises. Especially if you decide to choose one of the options, I am sharing with you today.  

Culinary Experiences on a River Cruise 

Wine Cruise on the Danube 

A week or two cruising the Danube while drinking wine… Who could possibly resist this??  

A wine cruise on the Danube is a culinary experience you will never forget. Your time on the Danube will be spent going through Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Austria, and Germany.  

In between sips of wine, you may find yourself taking a pastry making class or hiking to Bratislava Castle. Add in bike tours, walking tours, and other adventures and you may never want to go home.  

Of course, your excursions each day will also include the option to head to local wineries or bars to taste the local wines. Don’t worry if you miss those. You can sample those same wines on the boat.  

Burgundy and Provence Wine Cruise 

There are quite a few wine river cruises you can choose from in Europe. However, one of the best ones will take you through Burgundy and Provence.  

This wine river cruise will have you sailing along the Rhone and Saone Rivers. You will have the time to explore a few hidden gems in quaint villages and towns. Definitely off the beaten path and away from the crowds in Paris!  

Your time on the boat can be spent talking to the Master of Wine. They will offer presentations, tastings, and share the best wine pairings for your meals. This is an excellent time to choose your favorite French wines and have some shipped back home when you are in each port of call.  

Of course, this culinary experience can’t be all about wine. I am sure you will want to go out and explore in between wine tastings.  

Feel free to take a guided walk of Tournon, visit the Palace of the Popes, and see the Roman Amphitheater in Arles. Wine tastings, as well as chocolate tastings, are available in each port of call too. So, don’t feel like you need to skip past what this river cruise is all about in order to see the sights. Combine them all for the vacation of a lifetime!  

Beer River Cruise 

Do you prefer beer over wine? If you do, no worries! There are beer river cruises waiting for you!  

One of my favorite beer river cruises will take you along the Danube. You can begin this adventure by spending a couple nights in Budapest before boarding the boat. Then sail down the Danube to Austria, Germany, France, and Switzerland.  

A beer expert will be on board to host lectures, share food and beer pairings, and offer beer tastings. Remember, river cruises offer local beers. So, your beer tastings will change as you go from one destination to the next.  

In between beer sampling, take the time to venture out on walking tours, hike to a castle, or explore Black Forest.  

There are so many things to do during a beer river cruise. The hard part will be fitting it all in before you arrive in port to head back home.  

Culinary Experience River Cruise in France 

It is always going to be about the food and wine when you take a vacation in France. Add in a river cruise though, and you will really discover some culinary delights while sailing along the Rhone and Seine Rivers.  

Fresh food and wine will always be available on the boat when you are sailing between ports of call. You may spend your days sampling cheeses, wines, crepes, and so much more. Add in a pastry making class and you may never look at the food back home the same way again.  

Off the boat, you will have plenty of time to explore and eat. I recommend taking the culinary tours, because they allow you to taste foods from different markets, bakeries, and restaurants.  

You may also want to take the time to go on a guided walk in Les Andelys, visit Bizy Castle, and check out Old Town in Viviers. Don’t skip visiting the Normandy beaches either.  

These are some of the best culinary experiences you can have on a river cruise. Other options include going truffle hunting, participating in cooking classes, delicious cuisine while visiting Christmas markets in Germany, and visiting culinary markets for fresh foods. The options are endless for culinary adventures. Especially when you are considering a river cruise. All you need to do is let me know what type of culinary experience you are interested in, and I can personalize your river cruise vacation accordingly.  

So, are you ready to have one of these culinary experiences during a river cruise for your next vacation?  

If you said yes, I would like to invite you to click here to schedule a personalized vacation planning session with me. When you click the link, you will be taken directly to my digital calendar to schedule a time that is convenient for you.  

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