Portugal: the Douro
This is a cruise route for lovers of port – the drink – as the river Douro passes through Portugal’s key production areas with plenty of opportunities for tastings along the way. Many cruises start and end in Porto, the country’s second city, which clings to the hills around the mouth of the river, and go as far as Barca d’Alva on the Spanish border. Steep terraced fields of vineyards line the riverbanks, pretty villages give an insight into rural Portuguese life, and there’s the option of an exciting day in medieval Salamanca. The Spanish city is dominated by its ancient cathedral and university – one of the oldest in Europe – and you can chart important points in Spanish history as you walk through Baroque plazas and impressive monasteries. Back onboard, luxury boat Douro Queen has a pool and Jacuzzi and plenty of space on deck to watch the world go by.

Elegant River Cruises offers 10-night ‘Lisbon and the beautiful Douro River’ cruises all summer, departing Lisbon and calling at Coimbra, Porto, Bitetos, Regua, Pinhao, Vega de Terron (for Salamanca) and Barca d’Alva, before returning to Porto.

Central Europe: the Rhine, Main and Danube
Showcasing five countries and cruising three mighty rivers, the route between Amsterdam and Budapest along the Rhine, Main and Danube is one of the most beautiful in Europe. Starting in Holland with its pretty windmills and fields of tulips, you’ll sail on through Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. Along the way the boat will stop at fascinating cities such as Cologne with its Roman ruins and UNESCO World Heritage-listed cathedral, Nuremberg where you can learn about World War II history, Vienna with its world-class opera house and the beautiful Slovakian capital Bratislava. At the end of this holiday you’ll overnight in Budapest with plenty of time to explore before enjoying a Hungarian dinner onboard your elegant Viking Cruises’ riverboat.

Viking River Cruises offers 15-day ‘Grand European Tour’ cruises all summer, departing Amsterdam and calling at Cologne, Koblenz, Miltenburg, Warzburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Regensburg, Passau, Durnstein, Vienna and Bratislava before ending in Budapest.

Russia: lakes and waterways
Linking the two major cities of Moscow and St Petersburg, the Russian waterways are a magical network of rivers and lakes that are becoming a popular cruise route and an excellent way to cover great distances in comfort. This tour starts in Russian capital Moscow where you can visit the famous Kremlin and Red Square, before sailing on through enchanting countryside of farms, villages and hamlets as the boat heads north. Towns such as Uglich and Yaroslavl, which stretches for an incredible 18 miles on both sides of the Volga, are interesting ports of call with important churches and monasteries. You’ll also cruise the White Lake, once known as the Tsar’s fishing ground, and Lake Onega with its museum of architecture on Kizhi Island. Noble Caledonia’s ship Volga Dream was refitted in 2007 and is one of the most upmarket ships sailing these waters.

Noble Caledonia offers 10-night ‘From Moscow to the Baltic Shores’ cruises all summer, departing Moscow and calling at Uglich, Yaroslavl, Goritsy, Kizhi and Mandrogi before ending in St Petersburg.

France: the Rhone
The Rhone and Saone converge at Lyon and together make a river-cruise route that is ideal for wine-lovers, passing through the regions of Beaujolais, Burgundy and Cote du Rhone with plenty of stops for vineyard tours and tastings along the way. As well as vines, the river also cuts through fields of sun-warmed lavender around Viviers and the landscape continues to change as the cruise heads south towards the Roman town of Arle and eventually the Mediterranean Sea. Other popular stops include Lyon – known as France’s capital of gastronomy where this boat stays overnight, Avignon with its former papal palace and the Benedictine Abbey at Cluny, once the largest in Christendom. Swan Hellenic’s boat Stella has 86 cabins, many with small balconies, and a spacious deck with pool.

Swan Hellenic offers seven-night Rhone cruises next summer, departing Lyon and calling at Chalon-sur-Saone, Macon, Viviers, Arles and Avignon before returning to Lyon.

France: the Seine
This fabulous cruise kicks off on a glamorous note – you’ll spend the first night of your holiday docked in the heart of Paris, watching the city lights as you dine on board the new luxury boat Avalon Creativity. The Seine winds north from the capital towards Rouen, and as you cruise along one of France’s loveliest regions, home to Camembert cheese and Calvados, you can visit Vincent Van Gogh’s hometown at Auvers-sur-Oise, Monet’s famous garden at Giverny and admire a military monument built by Richard the Lionheart. On this cruise, the sombre highlight for many is a day at the Normandy landing beaches where thousands of Allied soldiers lost their lives on D-Day. You’ll visit Omaha Beach, the Pointe du Hoc monument and the American Cemetery on an all-inclusive daytrip from the port at Rouen before returning to your boat for the rest of the cruise.

SAGA offers seven-night ‘Paris to the Normandy beaches’ cruises all summer, departing Paris and calling at Conflans, Vernon, Rouen and Les Andelys before returning to Paris.