Best History Trips Worldwide — Our Top 11

1.Douro Valley: Historical Sites, Wine Experience, Lunch & Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5,133 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $107Our pick

Leave Porto at 7:30 a.m. for Amarante, São Leonardo da Galafura, Régua, and Pinhão. Enjoy a traditional lunch, a 50-minute Rabelo boat cruise, and a guided vineyard visit with three wines. Guides may include Christian, Simmy, Cuber, Rita, or others, depending on the departure.

“Well organized tour with great views of the Douro valley. An excellent value with decent food and wine tasting/wine parings. Check the weather carefully since it would be much less nice on a rainy day.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Paddlewheeler Creole Queen Historic Mississippi River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,948 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $47

Spend about 2.5 hours aboard the Paddlewheeler Creole Queen, with narration on New Orleans, the Mississippi, Hurricane Katrina, and the Battle of New Orleans. You will go ashore at Chalmette Battlefield for a guided visit, with food and drinks available for purchase onboard.

“We had a wonderful day. Boat was fun and food was great. Everybody on the boat made us feel like family.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Morning World Heritage Cruise on the Gordon River from Strahan

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,193 reviews · from $111

Depart Strahan at 9am for a six-hour cruise through Macquarie Harbour, Hells Gates, Sarah Island, and the Gordon River. Expect live commentary, a guided Sarah Island walk, buffet lunch, and a rainforest boardwalk. Upper-deck seating includes lunch and morning tea, while main-deck seating includes lunch.

“Wonderful! The cruise sails throughout the Gordon river viewing the dense rainforest on the banks. The boat had comfortable seating indoors and on the deck. Trip to Sarah island was great and our tour guide shared some fun facts and stories about the convicts and local timber industry . Lunch is served fresh on the boat. This is a must do when in Strahan.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Strahan: World Heritage Cruise on Gordon River with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,143 reviews · 6 hours · from $109

Spend six hours cruising from Strahan through Hells Gates and Macquarie Harbor, with a guided Sarah Island visit, Gordon River rainforest walk, local Tasmanian lunch, and Huon pine sawmill stop. Guides such as Lyle, Maggie, and David bring the convict story to life.

“Friendly and helpfulstaff. Bonus was Rob was our skipper. Perfect weather and we loved the whole experience. Thoroughly recommended.”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Historical Day Tour to River Kwai

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 868 reviews · 10 hours · from $51

Travel from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi with an English or Thai-speaking guide such as Luke, William, Woody, or Jokey. Visit the war cemetery and Thailand-Burma Railway Centre, cross the River Kwai bridge, ride the original Death Railway track, and enjoy lunch before returning to Bangkok.

“Pros: Overall great trip, enjoyed seeing historic sights, train ride and countryside. Con: Would have liked a ittle bit more time at museum.”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Derwent River Historic Harbour Cruise From Hobart

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 570 reviews · from $25

Cruise from Murray Street Pier through Hobart Harbour and along the Derwent River. Choose a morning, afternoon, lunch, or dinner sailing. Expect views of the Botanical Gardens, Tasman Bridge, Battery Point, Sandy Bay, and eastern-shore bays, with live commentary from the captain.

“Lovely hourtrip up up to and under Derwent Bridge, turning around and returning to dock. Good commentary along the way.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Douro Valley History & Wine Tour with Cruise & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 433 reviews · 10 hours · from $104

Spend 10 hours traveling from Porto to Amarante and the Douro Valley by air-conditioned minibus. Visit São Leonardo da Galafura, eat a three-course regional lunch, taste three ports at a wine estate, and cruise from Pinhão on a traditional Rabelo boat.

“Guide on boat should have a microphone great trip but only a few people heard what she said”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Vistula River Cruise with Historical Views

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 357 reviews · 1 hour · from $22Best value

Cruise for one hour from Powiśle Street past Wawel Castle, Kościół na Skałce, the Norbertine Monastery, Kościuszko Mound, Kazimierz, and Podgórze. An English or Polish audio guide adds context, while the small boat keeps the ride calm and personal.

“The boat was old and you can't listen the guide because of the noisy engine,but after a long day you can relax and enjoy the ride in the river”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Sacramento: City Cruises River Cruise with History Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 280 reviews · 1 hour · from $31

Cruise the Sacramento River for one hour from Old Sacramento with live English narration, views of Tower Bridge and the I Street Bridge, and chances to buy snacks and drinks. Arrive early for upper-deck seats, since outdoor seating is limited and narration may be harder to hear upstairs.

“Really fun and beautiful river cruise! The Captain's narration was really interesting about the the history of the river. He explained about the seals coming into the river to catch fish. Grandkids loved the sparkle face painting lady with her beautiful costume! Wonderful experience!”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.From Punta Cana: History and Culture Tour with River Swim

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 275 reviews · 5 hours · from $31

Spend about five hours beyond Punta Cana’s resorts with guides such as Robinson, Francisco, Wester, or Franklin. Visit a countryside home, taste coffee and cocoa, see Higüey Basilica and its market, enjoy Dominican food, watch cigars being made, and finish at Macao Beach. Some options add horses and a river stop.

“Amazing experience! Very nice and friendly tour guide, fun activities, 100% recommended!”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Your Private boat Captain Guide Explore Historical Paris

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 23 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)

Join Captain Alexis for a 90-minute private Seine cruise for up to seven people. Bring your own picnic and drinks, then pass the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, Île de la Cité, Île Saint-Louis, and Paris’s grand bridges away from the crowds.

“An absolutely wonderful experience! Was definitely one of the highlights of our trip to Paris. Captain Alexis was amazing and made the cruise very memorable and fun….and he took several pictures of us onboard that were beautiful and will serve as special memories for many years! Would highly recommend this cruise for anyone looking for an experience of a lifetime - it was simply perfection!”

Check availability →Read our full review