The gothic spires of Cologne Cathedral stretch high up into the night sky, shining like twin beacons of hope and welcome. Day or night they can be seen from far along the river Rhine.
The cathedral is Germany's most visited landmark and, at 157 metres, one of the tallest churches in the world. It screams Europe, and, until you see it from the river, perhaps from your private balcony or the open deck of a river ship on the world's most popular river cruise route – from Amsterdam to Budapest – you haven't really seen it at all.
Or how about the picture postcard perfect Vienna, with its charming horsedrawn black carriages, monumental Habsburg palaces and stunning State Opera building. Europe generally calls to Australians, not least because so many of us are descended from there.
And it's not just in our DNA. Europe is infused in popular culture, from Maria sweeping up those green slopes in Austria belting out "the hills are alive with the sound of music" to the high art of master painters such as Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Rubens and Bosch and renowned classical music composers, including Beethoven, Bach, Mozart and Strauss.
What a blast, then, to find yourself rolling down three of the most beautiful rivers in Europe – the Rhine, the Main and the Danube – from Amsterdam in the Netherlands across southern Germany, then on to Austria and along the border between Slovakia and Hungary before winding up in beautiful Budapest. Along the way, you'll cruise into spectacular towns like Miltenberg and Nuremberg in Germany, and Vienna and Linz in Austria.
While we generally think of the big-ticket destinations – the sparkling cities, the historic castles, the famous landmarks – river cruising, quite unexpectedly, gives you close access to places you would never see as a tourist if you flew in, or even as the most adventurous of holiday motorists.
Just as you can find bays on a kayak in any of our own harbours that would never be accessible on foot, it can be completely enchanting to see how life is lived on the banks of European rivers, off the beaten track. The houses, the courtyards, the social gatherings, children playing with pets, waving swimmers, lush green riverbanks and domestic architecture make for satisfying counterpoints to the show-stopping climaxes.
Perhaps the most comforting thing about river cruising is that you unpack once and literally move in to your cabin. Then your floating hotel, with its first-class service and gourmet meals is your home away from home – except you don't have to cook, clean or wash your clothes.
It works like this. After you clear immigration and customs in Amsterdam (or Budapest, if you choose to do the trip in reverse), you'll be met by a guide at the airport who will whisk you through the local traffic to the ship. Climb aboard, be greeted warmly by the crew and get shown to the cabin which will be your floating home for the next fortnight.
Unpack, grab a nap, freshen up, get to know the ship and prepare for a 15-day feast for all of your senses. Some travellers find the security and safety of cruising appealing, but with new options that include bike riding and hiking, golfing and other sporting pursuits, a wider group is beginning to understand that cruising is an active as well as a stress-free way to travel.
Australian travel company APT introduced a Freedom of Choice strategy to maximise personalisation on its cruises because in 2017, the idea of one-size-fits-all cruising where you spend shore visits trooping off in a herd with an identical itinerary no longer applies. It's not just about drifting into these places along the river, it's about getting out and about in them on your own, or heading off in small groups.
If you appreciate museums and classical music and your companion is a fiend for physical adventure, you can both be accommodated on the very same tour, catching up with each other back on the ship.
For example, at the very beginning of this tour in Amsterdam, before the cruising has even begun, guests may choose between riding in a small boat through Amsterdam's legendary canals or visiting the historic windmill-dotted village of Zaanse Schans before the gala welcoming dinner in the evening.
In Regensburg guests choose from a guided tour, Bavarian dance lessons, a culinary tour of a Michelin-starred restaurant or an onboard lecture. In Budapest, options include a guided city tour, a hike to a castle or a culinary tour of the great market hall. It all depends on your mood, your energy level and your personal definition of fun.
Watching the European countryside roll by can be an entirely enjoyable activity in its own right, or as a charming backdrop to something as prosaic as reading a book with a nice cup of tea.
Eating on board is one of the delights of ship travel and you can expect much of it to be fine dining, often incorporating delicious local ingredients that conjure up the taste of places along the way.
Or you can shop till you drop, walk until you flop, or take in some of the finest art galleries, museums and concert venues in the world.
In partnership with APT.