Deciding not to focus on Nazi history we found that Nuremberg has a lot to offer with its traditional half-timbered houses and Gothic churches. A walking tour saw us taking in the sights. Founded in 1050, Nuremberg is situated in the Bavarian region of Franconia, in southern Germany. With a population of around 510,000, it is Bavaria's second-largest city after Munich. Nuremberg, a city in northern Bavaria, is distinguished by medieval architecture such as the ...

After leaving the ship at Zeil am Main we headed into Bamberg for a walking tour. Endowed with one of Europe's largest intact old town centres, Bamberg has the magic of the past hanging in the air, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. Bamberg is an ancient centre (founded in 902) of imperial and Episcopal power which just like Rome was built on seven hills. More than 2400 listed buildings, winding lanes and an abundance of mediaeval churches ma...

Wurzburg is a city that has reinvented itself. On 16 March 1945, about 90% of the city was destroyed in 17 minutes by firebombing from 225 British Lancaster bombers during a World War II air raid. Würzburg became a target for its role as a traffic hub and to break the spirit of the population. The city became known as the "Grab am Main" ("the grave on the River Main") and the subsequent American occupation even put forward proposals to build a new city in an...

Started today at a leisurely pace as we continued sailing along the river. We were treated to a glassblowing demonstration by a traditional German glassblower this morning. The exquisite works of art were a hit with many of the passengers who literally fought to get hold of the items they wanted!! After another delightful lunch we were ready for our afternoon excursion. Miltenberg is an enchanting riverside town that looks like it stepped out of a fairy tale. D...

This morning we disembarked in Koblenz but to be honest we were not here to see Kolbenz but use it as a stopping port for the ship so we could visit Marksburg Castle at Braubach, 11 kilometres away. The middle Rhine River is renowned for castles (about 30) but Marksburg is a beautifully preserved medieval castle and is the only castle in the Rhine Valley to have never been destroyed. Koblenz is a 2,000-year-old city at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Ri...