Dotted with medieval castles and precipitous wineries, the Rhine River is exactly as picturesque as the brochures make it out to be. Steeped in history at the confluence of four countries \u2014 namely France, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands \u2014 the mighty river truly lies at the centre of Western European civilisation from its source in the Swiss Alps to its delta in the North Sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And from my private balcony on the AmaKristina<\/a>, a glass of wine in my left hand and a camera in my right, I thought to myself that surely the most elegant way to explore the arcs and bends of this region was a Rhine river cruise.<\/p>\n\n\n