Mistake that led to a new wine: Cruising through the history of the Rhine

Back in the saddle, we rode past decorative home wineries, the Benedictine Abbey of St Hildegard, sleepy white-washed towns, and along the banks of the Rhine. I had joined the ship in Basel, Switzerland, for a seven-night meander along the Rhine, through the Alsace region of France, into Germany and ending up in Amsterdam in Holland. Life onboard was a merry-go-round of delicious locally-sourced food and wine, interspersed with the odd indulgent nap, relaxing dips in the ship’s heated pool and cocktails on deck. There were plenty of opportunities to climb into the saddle of a bicycle (the ship had 25) and explore the medieval sights of Strasbourg, Mannheim, Cologne, and Rudesheim with a guide – or the intrepid could go it alone. Hikers trekked in the footsteps of great thinkers on the Philosopher’s Path in the Heiligenbert Mountains above Heidelberg, and through the Rudesheim vineyards to Ehrenfels Castle. Gallery: What to pack for a hassle-free cruise vacation (StarInsider) Strolling past attractive gingerbread houses, our guide pointed out symbols of power or fertility displayed on their timber facades; witches on the doorways offered protection. We admired the Gothic Notre-Dame Cathedral and waited for the Renaissance astronomical clock (1842 mechanism) to spring into action at 12.30pm, with a parade of apostlesand a crowing, flapping cockerel. We dined al fresco in the cobbled old town on local tarte flambée – wafer-thin pastry topped with bacon, onion and rich fromage blanc. Notable former residents include the grand daughter of Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth Stuart, who was married to Frederick V. One evening, a tourist train took us into Rudesheim for a nightcap. At a lively cafe, we drank strong Rudesheimer coffee, laced with locally-distilled brandy, set alight and topped with whipped cream from a special decorative mug. Back on board, evening entertainment was relatively low-key – a pianist, singers and the talented string trio, La Strada, who played classics with a twist – rock on Rossini! Gustav Klimt female-inspired artwork adorned the walls of the cabins and public areas, the artist’s striking golds and mosaics reflected in headboards, lampshades, port-hole-inspired mirrors and furnishings. Cruise director Colin and the crew worked tirelessly to ensure that everything ran like clockwork and that passengers were happy, even allowing a switch of tours at the last minute.