TORONTO — Avalon is expanding its popular ‘Active Discovery on the Danube’ line of cruises next year to include two new departures on the Rhine River.

On these vacations, travellers combine sightseeing and adventure activities like biking and hiking. Each of the activities is optional, and can be combined with Avalon’s complimentary tours at each port of call.

The new nine-day cruises titled ‘Active Discovery on the Rhine’ travel between Amsterdam and Frankfurt and offer a wide range of shore excursions, from biking along the Rhine River to a running tour of Amsterdam.

According to Stéphanie Bishop of Avalon Waterways’ Canadian office, other novel excursions include a culinary tour or painting class, touring an extinct volcano, visiting a coal mine and “participation in a re-enactment of the Roman games, complete with costumes!”

Avalon Waterways is bringing back its ‘Active Discovery on the Danube’ cruises for 2018, which include nine-day itineraries between Budapest, Hungary and Linz, Austria. In addition to biking, hiking and canoeing, passengers have the opportunity to enjoy such one-of-a-kind experiences as exploring an ice cave, taking an archery lesson, descending into an underground salt mine, conducting an orchestra, composing a waltz and helping a farmer in his apricot orchard.

“We’ve taken a whole new approach on these tours and have injected some great fun into the European river cruise experience,” says Bishop. “They’re a wonderful way to visit Europe in a different, experiential way – and are a great way to get to know your fellow passengers and make new friends.”

Active Discovery 2018 cruises are priced from $3,225 per person excluding airfare. Clients can save up to $2,400 per couple on select 2018 Avalon Active Discovery on the Rhine or the Danube cruises or receive $299 per person air from select cities on select Avalon Waterways Europe cruises if booked by June 6, 2017.