Lesley Bellew joins Great Railway Journeys’ Christmas Markets of the Rhine cruise on Amadeus Riva – and finds it’s just the ticket to get into the festive mood
On the eve of St Nicholas Day, tiny children squeal with excitement as they board a merry-go-round ‘to the North Pole’ next to Eigelstein Gate, home to one of ten Christmas markets across the German city of Cologne.
Eigelstein is one of three surviving gate castles built along the medieval city wall, and I enter through the huge stone arch to a square surrounded by cafés and restaurants with a market in the centre.
Here the Christmas magic has truly arrived with twinkling lights, festive music and gluhwein flowing. This charming quarter of the city is about 15 minutes’ walk from the bigger crowded markets near the mighty twin-spired Dom Cathedral, so a lovely start to Amadeus Riva’s four-night Rhine Christmas Markets cruise.
Our Cologne round-trip, with calls along the river to visit towns, each with their own distinctive traditional markets, is also about enjoying time on the ship, the scenery and the company of other passengers.
Amadeus Riva
I wake up on the first morning to find Amadeus Riva gliding past fairytale castles and vineyards on the hillsides of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Rhine Valley.
Cruise Director Rob Lippitt gives a commentary of the landmarks, and I join passengers on the sundeck to admire the views while others tuck into breakfast, watching through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
It’s a cold December day but I’m wrapped up warm to enjoy this ‘romantic’ part of the river and as we come to the Rock of Lorelei bend, Rob shares the legend of a beautiful woman who threw herself from the cliff after discovering her lover had been unfaithful. She was transformed into a siren who lured unsuspecting sailors to their death.
The river continues to twist and turn before Amadeus Riva moors in the wine-producing town of Rudesheim.
Rudesheim
It’s a 10-15-minute walk to the old town, depending on where your river ship moors along the riverbank. This pretty wine town is buzzing and the main cobbled street, Drosselgasse, is lined with decorated chalets, restaurants and taverns leading to a life-size Nativity scene complete with stable in the square next to St Jakobus Church.
Locals congregate here, drinking gluhwein and eggnog while tucking in to flame-cooked sausages, smoked fish and waffles. Meals are so good on Amadeus Riva I have little room for these treats, but I’m drawn to stalls selling handmade knitwear, nodding dachshunds and wooden crafts.
Courtyard garden bars off the maze of lanes are transformed into Christmas grottoes, so I stop for a Rudesheim coffee made with local Asbach Uralt brandy, topped with cream and chocolate flakes served in a traditional white and pink goblet. It’s a meal in itself.
It’s worth noting that Germans still like the feel of cash in their hand so small shops, bars and stallholders want Euros rather than cards.
Back on board
Back on Amadeus Riva, Christmas is all around us. Built in 2023, the ship is gleaming, adorned with twinkling white lights and gingerbread houses, red poinsettia plants and a Christmas tree.
We become a jolly ship of 120 Brits and 20 US passengers. There’s no fixed seating at mealtimes so sitting with different people creates a warm and friendly vibe.
With the average age of passengers being 67 (plus a few multi-generational families), talk over dinner where wine and beer are complimentary is light-hearted – about making the most of travel after retiring, taking a break from looking after elderly parents or grandchildren – and everyone is up for fun.
There are also plenty of stories to share from our days ashore. I reveal my regret at not buying a nodding dog for the back shelf of my car while two sisters from California laugh about sampling ‘free’ chocolate filled with brandy in Rudesheim. They bought some of the chocolate to take home for 18 euros and later, while looking in shop windows, noticed the same chocolate bars were half the price. “We got sucked in by the salesman’s patter,” they laughed, “but we loved the Christmas-card town.”
Koblenz
Our next stop is Koblenz, in the Upper Middle Rhine valley. I follow the old Roman road, Görresstrasse, which circles the town and where Christmas market stalls are dotted in groups along the route.
Here there’s an emphasis on regionally produced foods, and the mulled beer and apple pancakes are going down a storm.
I am more drawn to the boutique shopping. And just off the main street at Görresstrasse 2, I find Cahua, The Secret Chocolate Lab. It’s a bean-to-bar start-up business run by a young local couple who import their beans from Costa Rica. There’s a queue for mugs of rich hot chocolate and artisan gifts for Christmas presents. I join the queue!
Further along Görresstrasse I find Pfeffersack und Soehne, selling a treasure trove of spices packaged in funky china, metal and glass containers. Amadeus Riva’s savvy passengers pounce on such easy-to-carry presents – including Charles from West Sussex, who says he is ‘not really here for the markets’.
He said: ‘I actually just love the atmosphere on the ship. It’s a friendly, floating hotel and my wife and I meet new people every day. We also like to walk so we went up to the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress in Koblenz – we needed to work off the extra food we have been eating!”
Activities on board
Rob Lippitt, our ever-present, ever-smiling and ever-helpful cruise director brings added cheer to this spacious, contemporary ship. His Christmas tree patterned suit and glittery disco-look shirts match his lively humour as he entertains passengers with quizzes, Christmas singalongs and dancing. After more than 30 years in the travel industry there’s not much Rob doesn’t know about how to keep a happy ship.
Gingerbread-making is another popular social activity while Amadeus Riva is sailing. The ship’s chefs put on a demonstration and distribute recipes before letting passengers loose to ice the biscuits.
Bonn & Cologne
On a free tour of Bonn, passengers see the former home of the city’s most famous son Ludwig Beethoven and a statue of the great composer in the centre of the Christmas market. Here, in the former capital of Germany, the aroma of gluhwein proves too irresistible.
On return to Cologne, it’s time to hit the main markets. But it’s so busy I dodge the first stalls by the Dom Cathedral and head through the main shopping street for the old town to watch skaters on the ice rink while eating chestnuts I buy from a seller dressed in a top hat and tails.
I also find a market with handcrafted candles and decorations made with scented spices that will fit in my suitcase.
Nearby, Cologne’s small vintage market is the showstopper for me – retro baubles, bells, glass birds and Nutcracker soldiers from the 1950s-80s create the most dazzling displays and, yes, tug at the heartstrings.
Next steps
Lesley Bellew travelled with Great Rail Journeys to Cologne via Eurostar from St Pancras. The 2025 and 2026 Christmas Markets on the Rhine sailings are open for bookings.
To plan your next Christmas markets trip, call Silver Travel Advisor on 0800 412 5678.
