A Scenic Rhine Christmas on MS A-Rosa Silva

The A-ROSA Silva offers you all the creature comforts and facilities you’d expect from a modern hotel, but on the water, and with the added benefit of ever-changing scenic views. Sip on a cooling drink as you soak up the sun or relax in the shade on the spacious sun deck. And be sure to take a dip in the inviting waters of the outdoor heated pool during your cruise! Then, why not relax and let the professionally-trained spa and beauty team look after you with a wide range of high-quality treatments? Or if you like to keep active, you won’t want to miss the superb gym with modern cardio equipment. Then dine in style in the outdoor restaurant, and let your hair down on the dance floor?

Get to know one of the oldest towns of Germany with free time to spend at your leisure. Koblenz has a long history that spans some 2,000 years, it owes its name to the Romans, who settled here and called it ‘castellum apud confluentes’ which roughly translates as ‘castle at the confluence of the rivers’. Choose to explore the charming and romantic streets between the St. Castor’s Basilica and "Liebfrauenkirche" (Church of Our Beloved Lady). Of course, the sightseeing tour would not be complete without a visit to the Monument of Emperor Wilhelm I at "Deutsches Eck" (German Corner), in 1945 damage was caused to the statue of Emperor Wilhelm I, which had stood here since 1897. It wasn’t until 1993 that a new statue was inaugurated and today it is a popular viewing platform for tourists. Also take a chance to see the town’s landmark, the "Schängel" Fountain in the courtyard of the present Town Hall.

Enjoy time at leisure to stroll around the city which will still be operating its charming Christmas Market centred on the six-towered Romanesque cathedral. A wonderful aroma of roast almonds, chestnuts, gingerbread and local white gluhwein wafts through the alleys of the charming old town. One of the main festive attractions is a unique life-size nativity scene with life-sized figures hand-sculpted from limewood.

We'll discover the historic town of Koblenz, which lies at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. Our tour will take in the old town which makes up much of the centre of the city and is where the majority of the sights in town are located. The Liebfrauenkirche dominates the skyline of the area and the Romanesque church dates back to the 5th century. We'll see the Electoral Palace which stands on the banks of the Rhine and has beautiful landscaped gardens and impressive sculptures which make this a pretty place to walk around. Nearby, is Deutsches Eck, or German Corner, the headland where the Rhine and Mosel Rivers meet, here you get a fantastic view across both rivers and towards Koblenz fort. Included in our tour is a visit to Romanticum, this museum is an interactive experience which brings to life the Middle Rhine Valley, its history and some of its myths and legends.

We'll take a guided walking tour of this incredibly historic city. The symbol of Mainz is the Mainzer Dom, an imposing Romanesque cathedral, more than 1000 years old that dominates the skyline of the city. Just behind the cathedral is the old town which has a beautiful Baroque church and a number of well-preserved medieval houses.