Three cities I would visit if I want to enjoy a nice river cruise in a big European city...

There are many fantastic cities in Europe, and one of the most beautiful and idyllic experience one might have is to be on a boat enjoying a beautiful panorama of buildings and nature. There are many European cities with rivers flowing through them, but where should you go if you want to have a totally fantastic and unforgettable experience?

Think about two of the most important European cities; London and Paris. If you go to London, you can see and experience the river Thames, while Paris has the Seine. Then you can go to Lisbon and see the river Tejo, or to Prague to experience the Vltava river. Another famous river is the Danube, and this is a river that you can see and experience in cities such as Regensburg, Vienna, and Budapest.

But, where should you go if you want that beautiful panoramic river cruise that will be stuck on your retina forever?

Three beautiful cities for a river cruise you want forget!

Amsterdam

I didn't really mention it in the introduction, but Amsterdam is a city with the river Amstel. The city actually got its name after one of the first dams built on the river, and thus it became Amstelerdam, which is not Amsterdam. The river might not be extremely impressive in itself, but the experience of a river cruise in Amsterdam is amazing as you can see the different canals with famous buildings such as the Anne Frank House and others during the trip. The most famous canals are Singel, Herengracht, Prinsensgracht, and Keizersgracht.

Once again, the panorama might not be the most impressive here, but the experience is really authentic!

Paris or Prague

I have a hard time deciding here. Do you know why? Because both cities are fantastic, but I also feel that a river cruise on the Seine in Paris or a river cruise on Vltava in Prague come with compromises. Paris is a magnificent city, and the view of the Eiffel Tower is stunning on a river cruise. The only problem is that the remaining buildings and panorama remain a little bit disappointing as so much cannot be seen properly from the river. The second highlight is as you travel by Notre Dame, but the view from the Seine cannot be compared to what it is like actually standing in front of the church and looking at it.

Prague has a more stunning panorama, but the fact that you travel through dikes makes it slow down, and there is a limitation to how much you will actually see during a river cruise that you wouldn't see by walking across the Charles Bridge (and not paying for an expensive river cruise ticket).

Still, a river cruise is a recommended experience in both Prague and Paris.

The Danube... Budapest is the winner.

The river Danube flows through many European cities, but only Budapest gives you the perfect river cruise experience. In Vienna, the Danube feels like a tiny river and you do not feel like you are on a river cruise at a majestic river at all. The second thing is that the view from the boat trips on the Danube in Vienna is very limited.

A river cruise in Budapest, however, is a fantastic experience. You will see quite a lot more by doing a river cruise compared to just walking across the bridges, and the river itself is majestic as it flows through the Hungarian capital. With all the illuminated bridges and buildings, the night-time experience feels even more incredible. In other words, a river cruise in Budapest is probably one of the most beautiful river cruise experiences you will in all of Europe.

Have you been on river cruises in different European cities? How did you enjoy the experience? Copenhagen also has boat rides waiting, Oslo has harbor cruises, and there are many cities with similar options. Which is your favorite? What city are you dreaming about visiting?