By
Rebecca Gibson |
Viking River Cruises is to offer a new eight-day cruise along the rivers of the Aquitaine valley in Southern France, making it one of the only cruise lines in the UK to offer this kind of itinerary.
The latest addition, named ‘Heart of Bordeaux’, is the line’s first route along the Dordogne, Garonne and Gironde Rivers.
Guests onboard Viking Foresti will be able to to see the city architecture and visit the historical towns of Blaye, Cadillac, Libourne and Pauillac. The 95-stateroom vessel will also call at three UNESCO sites including Saint-Emilion and Blaye’s 17th century citadel.
Other highlights include a tour of the Bordeaux's famed wine country and the chance to enjoy gastronomic specialities of the region including oysters, truffles and cognac.
Local experts will also provide onboard activities to immerse the passengers in the culture of the Aquitaine region during their journey including wine tasting sessions with a master sommelier, learning how to make local desserts and having lessons in conversational French.
“We are very excited to launch such a fantastic new itinerary, especially as it is a route that isn’t covered by many other companies,” said Wendy Atkin-Smith, managing director of Viking River Cruises UK. “The new addition goes a long way in showing our commitment to continually expanding our portfolio by adding new and exciting destinations for our customers to explore.”
The first cruise is scheduled to depart in March 2014 and the price of the eight-day cruise includes onboard meals, wine with lunch and dinner and excursion packages.