Travelers looking to truly know the soul of a destination oftentimes needn't look further than its lifeline – the flowing waters of its river, from which nourishment, trade, transport, recreation, and more nods to cultured civilization have all sprung forth. Riverboat cruises, long popular with Europeans, are today experiencing a surge of interest on storied waterways around the globe, thanks to the intimate and enriching destination approach they provide on routes simply impossible to replicate by any other means. Leave the over-the-top, Vegas-esque mega-ships out at sea, and parking and traffic headaches back on land, and instead opt to cruise the meandering rivers of a region’s heartland aboard small ships ranging from luxury riverboats to vintage paddle wheelers, with every river bend revealing a destination’s new face, courtesy of a constantly shuffled deck of quaint riverside towns, historic monuments, and pristine countryside. Read our Top 10 Riverboat Cruises picks here.

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