If you’ve ever found yourself torn between a river cruise and a city break, land-based tour or rail journey, wondering which to pick, a river cruise with an extension is an elegant solution. In many ways, it’s the ultimate upgrade, combining two distinct experiences into one seamless holiday.
The advantage is clear. You reach more destinations, adding a welcome sense of variety to your trip. Days on boutique river ships, sipping wine on sun-dappled decks as you sail through idyllic countryside, are counterbalanced by those on guided tours of bustling imperial capitals or train journeys among plunging gorges and ancient glaciers.
Riviera Travel is particularly well positioned to offer cruises with extensions because it specialises in both river cruising and land-based escorted tours. Since the 1980s when it was established, it’s taken 1.75 million guests to 66 destinations across the globe. That level of experience has allowed its team to master the art of curating itineraries, and more importantly, given them the know-how to deliver on what they promise.
A testament to that is their thousands of five-star reviews, and the proportion of guests who return time and again. A major part of the appeal is Riviera Travel’s focus on value, with an impressive number of perks bundled into the sticker price. Depending on the river cruise and extension you select, you may find it covers well over a dozen excursions, a drinks package, four-star hotels and return flights, among other inclusions.
Best of all, you can rest assured they will take the logistical hassle out of your holiday. Your money is fully protected by ABTA and ATOL, giving you peace of mind, and a seasoned tour manager accompanies you to make sure everything goes without a hitch. That’s on top of 24/7 access to a UK-based team, available from the moment you book to the day you return home, on hand to help you navigate any unexpected turn of events.
Without further ado, here are five of the best river cruise extensions to consider.
Highlights of the Douro Valley & Salamanca with Lisbon Extension
Your Iberian adventure begins aboard MS Riviera Rose, which debuted in 2025 and hosts just 114 guests. On board the intimate vessel, you’ll take a week-long cruise of the Douro, enjoying a medley of vine-clad terraces and medieval towns.
As you sail, you’ll uncover 2,000 years of viticultural history, visiting both the celebrated cellars of Porto and centuries-old quintas (wine estates) where, during harvest season, grapes are still crushed by foot.
When you’re not sipping port and moscatel wines, you’ll tour pilgrimage-worthy sites like the baroque palace of Casa de Mateus, framed by boxwood hedges, and Salamanca, the UNESCO-listed city home to Spain’s oldest university.
Once you disembark, the tour reveals an entirely different side to Portugal. Lisbon, birthplace of the pastel de nata, is, of course, the pièce de résistance. Between its tile-adorned streets, soulful fado music and Manueline architecture, expect a feast for the senses.
Beyond the capital, the extension also takes in towns like Óbidos, where traditional cherry liqueur served in an edible chocolate cup is a delicacy, and Sintra, famed for its fairytale palaces, gothic estates and mysterious gardens.
Rhine Cruise to Switzerland with Glacier Express Extension
This itinerary takes in some of the most spectacular landscapes of Central Europe, from the fairytale woodlands of Germany to the glacial Alps of Switzerland.
You begin by boarding a Riviera ship in Cologne, setting sail up the Rhine. Along the way you’ll pass forested mountains that inspired the stories of the Brothers Grimm, oxbow lakes alive with the chatter of birds and half-timbered villages nestled among vineyards.
Standout stops include Koblenz, at the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine, the historic city of Speyer, home to the largest Romanesque church in the world, and Rüdesheim, where wine has been produced since Roman times. The Alsace Wine Route is another firm favourite with passengers, thanks to the charming towns of Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr.
Once you leave your river ship behind, you’ll encounter wholly different vistas. The first stop is Chur, Switzerland’s oldest city, which has been inhabited for over 5,000 years. Here, you board the Glacier Express, taking one of the world’s most scenic rail journeys.
Through floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows you’re treated to scenes of plummeting gorges, snow-capped mountains and deep forests of pine. Depending on the time of year, you might glimpse snow-dusted chalets, or perhaps ibex grazing in meadows of wildflowers. The journey culminates in the car-free town of Zermatt, at the foot of the Matterhorn, where you can soak up the magical alpine ambience before heading home.
The Blue Danube River Cruise with Budapest Extension
The Danube is one of Europe’s most popular rivers for cruising, and with good reason. From the bucolic scenes of the Wachau Valley to the towering fortress of Bratislava, every bend in the river reveals fresh spectacles.
Over a seven-night cruise, you’ll visit towns like Esztergom, which was a royal capital during the medieval period, and Melk, renowned for its honey-coloured Benedictine abbey.
In Austria, Salzburg is a must for music lovers keen to see Mozart’s birthplace and where The Sound of Music was filmed. Vienna, meanwhile, offers guests the works of Gustav Klimt hung in imperial palaces, along with high-ceilinged coffeehouses perfect for lingering over glossy slices of Sachertorte.
Once your cruise comes to an end, three nights in a four-star hotel afford you plenty of time to explore both Buda and Pest. The Pearl of the Danube, as the Hungarian capital is called, has much to recommend it, from thermal baths bubbling with muscle-melting minerals to its historic castle district. You also have the chance to take a complimentary excursion to the Great Hungarian Plain to visit an equestrian farm and see a horse show.
River Rhône Cruise with Lake Geneva and Golden Pass Extension
This itinerary whisks you from the sun-dappled cobbles of the South of France to the snow-covered peaks of Switzerland. It starts with a week aboard a five-star ship as it glides along the Rhône and Saône.
En route, expect a mix of history, natural beauty and culinary heritage. In Arles, you can walk in the footsteps of Van Gogh, before heading to the 2,000-year-old Pont du Gard aqueduct, one of the great feats of Roman engineering.
The Ardèche Gorges, meanwhile, treat you to views of colossal rock formations, while Lyon promises the finest bouchons in France. Burgundy follows, with plenty of rare vintages waiting to be uncovered in the wine cellars of Beaune.
Then, instead of going home, you’re on to a three-night extension. Marquee moments include strolling by Lake Geneva, which has long summoned artists and writers in search of inspiration, a cable car ride to Glacier 3000 and, of course, the Golden Pass train. On this mesmerising rail journey, you’ll see sheer mountains cloaked in pine give way to cascading valleys and painterly villages.
Ganges River Cruise & India’s Golden Triangle
This is a voyage of variety, designed to slowly reveal India’s cultural and spiritual essence as you travel by land and water. It begins with a tour of the world-famous Golden Triangle that connects Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Along the way, you’ll encounter an intriguing blend of Mughal monuments, aromatic food bazaars and intricate palaces.
Highlights include the Taj Mahal, which more than earns its place as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and the blush-coloured Palace of the Winds, where royal ladies once gazed down on the heaving tableau below.
Then in Kolkata, after exploring its astonishing memorials, Bengali cuisine and flower markets, it’s time to board MV Bengal Ganga, decked out in eclectic 1970s décor. As you spend a week winding along the Ganges, frequently called the most sacred river in the world, you’ll wander terracotta temples, meet local artisans and see a side of India most tourists miss.
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