Day 1
Embarkation
on the vessel in Passau, the city where three rivers
meet. The ship leaves port in the afternoon
and takes you
through a lovely stretch of the Danube known as the Schloegener
Schlinge. After these first scenic impressions of the
Danube, our cruise director will welcome you with a cocktail
before the official welcome dinner.
Day 2
At midday, the vessel puts into port at Vienna. The afternoon
is at your disposal to discover the metropolis on the
Danube.
The city of music and joie de vivre where Sachertorte
and Heuriger are just as famous as St. Stephen's Cathedral
and the
Imperial Palace. See all the important sights on our
Vienna sightseeing tour (€ 30) or explore this city
full of tradition on your
own.
After dinner you can join the excursion “Vienna
at night” (€ 35). You will drive through the
Wienerwald to the Kahlenberg, the
best view point in Vienna. From here, you can overlook
the vineyards and the city of Vienna. Continue to the
traditional wine
village of Grinzing, where you visit a typical Heurigen
pub. There is no better way to learn about the Viennese
laid back
atmosphere and coziness, then enjoying a glass of wine,
trying spreads with bread, and listening to „Heurigen” music.
At the
end of this tour enjoy some of the beauties of Vienna
at night, as we take you along the illuminated Ringstrasse
where you
can admire the gorgeous buildings.
The ship leaves Vienna at midnight, heading downstream
to Bratislava.
Day 3
In the morning the ship moors in the city of Bratislava,
which was founded over 2,000 years ago. Now capital
of Slovakia, it
was also capital of Hungary for a while during the late
Middle Ages, which is a good illustration of how the
chequered
histories of these central European countries are inter-related.
A sightseeing tour (€ 30) reveals the city’s
major sights. From
13th-century Bratislava Castle, you’ll enjoy breathtaking
views overlooking three countries-Slovakia, Austria and
Hungary. In
the afternoon you can book the optional excursion to
the Little Carpathians (€ 35) or to the Imperial
Festival Palace Castle
Hof (€ 35). During the excursion to the Little Carpathians
you can encounter the beautiful scenery with vineyards
and small
towns at their foot similar to a string of pearls. Also
you will visit the former royal castle Cerveny Kamen
(Red Stone). Later´ you
can enjoy a wine tasting and a visit of a small private
ceramic factory. Castle Hof is a magnificent complex
that was built
in the early 18th century. Unique in Europe, this world
of adventure has ever since become a top destination
for those who
seek culture, nature and delight and want to explore
the fascinating world of the Baroque in all its authenticity
and diversity in
an historical ambience.
Day 4
In the morning you reach Budapest, the capital of Hungary.
Budapest is a city made up of two parts: Buda and Pest,
built on
opposite banks of the Danube. Buda is the older and more
graceful part, with its cobbled streets and medieval
architecture,
while Pest is the administrative and commercial centre,
with wide avenues and impressive 19th-century public
buildings. East
meets West in this fascinating city, and this can be
seen in the variety of shops and restaurants. This morning
you may join a
city sightseeing tour (€ 30), or look around Budapest
at your leisure.
In the afternoon you have the possibility to join an
excursion to castle Gödöllö (€ 40).
Castle Gödöllö, which is about 30 km
from Budapest, was built in the 18th century. In the
era of the imperial monarchy it became a symbol of Empress
Elisabeth,
who was nick-named ‘Sissi’ and much loved
by the Hungarians. Nestling in an enormous park this
is the largest complex of
Baroque buildings in Hungary and attractive to everyone – not
just lovers of Baroque. You can go round rooms that have
been carefully restored in recent years, and also see
the former stables. Before you go back to the vessel
you visit a typical
Hungarian “Csarda” where you enjoy Hungarian
horse riding show.
After dinner on board a gypsy band and a Hungarian folklore
group will entertain you while cruising along Budapest’s
impressive illuminations.
Day 5
In the morning you can explore the city on your own.
After lunch the vessel leaves Budapest. Passengers
who booked the
excursion to Szentendre and Esztergom (€ 35) will
leave the vessel. In the meantime the ship cruises to
Eztergom where it
docks in the evening to pick up the participants of the
excursion. Departing form Budapest you drive along the
Danube to the
small artist’s village of Szentendre. After a walk
you continue to the imposing ruins of Visegrad, from
where you have a
marvellous view of the Danube „knee”. Next
stop is Esztergom, the highlight of this tour. The city
is dominated by the 1820
built and largest neo-classical basilica of the country,
one of the largest churches in Europe. Following the
visit of the
Basilica, we await you with a wine tasting before you
board the vessel in Esztergom.
Day 6
At midday the ship arrives in the Austrian capital Vienna.
In the afternoon you can participate in the optional
excursion to
Schoenbrunn castle (€ 35), one of Vienna’s
most beautiful buildings. The castle was built on the
template of Versailles, the
residence of the Sun King Louis XIV. At the long-time
summer residence of the Habsburgs visit the ceremonial
rooms and
then have the opportunity to make a walk in the beautifully
designed gardens of the palace. Alternatively you can
book the
visit to the Hofburg Imperial Palace (€ 35). For
more than seven centuries, the great empire of the Habsburgs
was ruled from
the Imperial Palace.
After dinner on board you have the possibility to participate
in the optional excursion “Sound of Vienna” (€ 46)
where the
Salonorchester „Alt Wien“, one of the famous
interpreters of classical music, sparks off a unique
firework of the most
beautiful on its highest level.
Day 7
You sail past the famous town of Duernstein this morning,
and dock in the wine growing town of Melk/Emmersdorf,
at the
western end of the Wachau. A coach excursion can show
you more of the beautiful Wachau area (€ 45), of
which the
highlights are a drive through the region and a guided
tour of the Benedictine Abbey at Melk. This excursion
also includes a
wine tasting. You leave Emmersdorf after lunch and continue
upstream this afternoon, past the large Austrian city
of Linz to
reach the border with Germany. On the last evening of
your journey on the Danube, the captain of the vessel
will be
delighted to welcome you to the Captain’s Gala
Dinner.
Day 8
The vessel arrives at Passau, the town where the rivers
meet. Disembarkation after breakfast. End of the program. |
