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travelweekly.co.uk DESTINATIONS RIVERS IN AUTUMN | CRUISE


t may not be the peak time of year to book a holiday, but when could be better for a relaxing river cruise than autumn – when


the leaves turn amber, summer crowds have waned, but it’s still pleasant enough to sit on the sun deck and watch the world go by? With operators reporting healthy sales for autumn cruises, now’s the time to sell one for this year or next. “Our autumn cruises have sold very well this year and are proving particularly popular with our older clientele, who prefer to travel without the heat and the crowds,” says John Fair, CroisiEurope’s UK sales director. Uniworld Boutique River Cruises managing


director Chris Townson agrees. He says: “Autumn is a fabulous time to river cruise. The cities are less busy, temperatures pleasant, the trees full of colour and harvests are in full swing, so fresh fruit and veg are delicious and in abundance – a visit to the local


market with the chef is always full of treasures. My tip would be to book early to secure the sailing and cabin that your clients want. Many of our guests prefer to travel outside school holidays, so September and October can be very popular.” Plus, with lines offering ever-more interesting themed and special-interest trips alongside their classic itineraries, there’s a shoulder-season sailing for every customer. Here, we take a look at some of the most enticing autumn journeys with availability this year and into 2025.


BEST FOR . . . GARDENS The cruise: Gardens & Natural Beauty of the Rhône


with Charlie Dimmock, Riviera Travel The details: In Lyon, green-fingered guests will visit


the botanical garden at Parc de la Tête d’Or – home to, for starters, 30,000 rose bushes and more than 1,000 orchid species. They’ll also take in the ²


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