(NC) Your retirement is the time to enjoy leisure, relaxation and new experiences after a lifetime of hard work. It’s a phase of life that calls for an easier pace and greater comfort, both at home and when you travel.

One kind of vacation with a lot to offer retirees is a river cruise. It can take travellers through unique adventures and local culture at an easy pace, all from the comfort of a private cabin.

You can enjoy the journey, not just the destination. Many tour packages have itineraries that can feel rushed, with a focus on getting the tour group from city to city as quickly as possible. But a river cruise takes a more deliberate pace because half the experience is the journey between stops.

Vacationers only have to unpack once, when they embark. The rest of the trip is spent relaxing and enjoying the picturesque views drifting by as the ship glides down an iconic river, like Europe’s Danube, Rhine, Rhône or Douro.

There’s just as much to do onshore. A river cruise has an unhurried pace, but that doesn’t mean it’s uneventful. Most tour companies offer daily curated excursions such as walking tours through medieval towns, wine tastings in famous regions like Bordeaux or the Douro Valley and guided museum visits in cultural hotspots like Vienna or Budapest.
On board, many tours have programs like cooking demonstrations, cultural performances or guest lectures that bring each region’s history and traditions to life.

Taking a river cruise also means enjoying a foodie tour. On top of onshore local dining opportunities, many river cruises also have onboard chefs. They prepare regionally inspired cuisine daily, often featuring local ingredients sourced from stops along the route.

Not all river cruises are all-inclusive, but some, like Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, cover everything from meals to excursions to gratuities, which can let you fully relax and focus on savouring the trip without worrying.

It’s a style of travel that can be convenient and comfortable while providing a new way to experience local culture, history and cuisine. It lets senior travellers explore iconic destinations and experience new adventures at their own pace. Learn more about exploring Europe’s rivers in retirement at scenic.ca/europerivercruises.