Travelling by boat is another option, though more for relaxation than covering large distances. All along the major rivers, and in particular the Rhine and Mosel , there are innumerable local boats waiting to ferry you across or around the waters. For a longer trip, K-D Linie steamers sail on the Rhine between Cologne and Mainz, and on the Mosel between Koblenz and Cochem, every day from April to October inclusive. On these routes, possession of a EuroDomino or Eurail pass will get you free passage, while InterRail brings a 50 percent reduction.

 

The steamers call at many riverside villages and you can get on or off wherever you want. The fare, as you'd expect, depends on how far you travel; Cologne to Koblenz, for example, costs DM59.80/¬29.90 single, DM66.40/¬33.20 for a day return (DM90/¬45 and DM118/¬59 respectively by fast boat). Several smaller companies also operate short-haul services along both the Rhine and Mosel, and along most other main navigable rivers as well. In the former GDR, there are especially beautiful cruises to be had on the Elbe, particularly the stretch from Dresden south into the Czech Republic.

Germany's biggest lake, an enormous bulge in the Rhine called the Bodensee , is also a prime spot for water-borne travel, either for a direct journey or a lazy cruise to explore the nooks and crannies of its shoreline, which spans Austria and Switzerland as well as Germany. Cruise boats also ply many of Bavaria's Alpine and pre-Alpine lakes.