Table Of Content
The adjoining hydroelectric power plant is the country’s largest and most productive. The Hungarian walking club meets us today for a guided walk from the ship featuring Budapest panoramas along both banks of the Danube and out to Margaret Island. We finish by the Budapest Market on Vaci Utca, Pest’s famous pedestrian zone. After lunch, we continue sailing upstream towards Budapest, Hungary’s magnificent capital. After dinner back aboard ship, a professional dance troupe from Belgrade provides a high energy performance of Serbian folk music and dance. Following the walk, and free time for lunch, we depart by coach through bucolic Romanian landscapes to Turnu Magurele.
Danube River Cruise Lines and Danube River Cruise Itineraries
A final payment is due 90 days before departure (June 5, 2024) and is non-refundable after the due date. Please see our General Tour Conditions for the full terms and conditions for participation in this Adventure. Many suppliers require non-refundable deposits as a condition of booking services. In cases where supplier’s non-refundable policies are imposed, WAI attempts to retrieve as much of these deposits as possible but cannot guarantee a 100% refund. In cases where full refunds cannot be obtained for a cancelled tour, we will do our best to transfer unrefunded money as traveler credits to be applied to a future tour to that destination.
Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks
There are glass mosaics and stained-glass windows by Miksa Roth and the showpiece 16-sided domed central hall to see. If you're on a river cruise, one of the best views of the building is from the water. Seek inspiration from our most popular itineraries to start planning your unforgettable voyage. Made up of a tapestry of verdant forests, terraced vineyards and Renaissance castles, Austria's wine country is unfathomably beautiful. Situated between Melk and Krems, this swathe of the Danube runs for around 18 miles and witnessing it is one of the best things to do on a river cruise. You could soak in the views as you sail the river, capturing landmarks on camera, including the 12th-century Aggstein Castle, perched on a hilltop, with the sprawling Hinterhaus ruins on the opposite side.
Drink in Austria's UNESCO-listed Wachau Valley
Vienna is a world-class city and we decided not to crowd our schedule in Vienna by including another walk. There are many factors that determine the cost of a Danube River cruise, such as the length of the cruise, the month you're traveling and the specific itinerary. Check out our handy guide on European river cruise prices for more planning tips. Many Danube River cruises start or end in Budapest or Vienna, but the port city on the other end of the cruise can vary, usually depending on the length of the cruise.
All cabins are equipped with hairdryer, mini safe, flat screen TV and individual AC. The tour price is based upon cabins on the Middle Deck and upgrades are available to the Upper Deck. Built in 2006 and refurbished in 2020, the M/S River Sapphire holds a maximum of 164 passengers serviced by a international crew of 40+. We are happy to book a transfer for you from the train station to the ship and back. This is available from us for 20 € per person, including luggage transport in the bus.
Things You Should Know Before Cruising the Danube River
A Danube cruise, however, is not only a journey through the history and architecture of Europe, but above all a foray through some of the most beautiful natural landscapes of our continent. The lovely, hilly landscape of the Wachau with its numerous vineyards, the wild and romantic mountain range of the Carpathians and the gentle estuary of the river at the Black Sea are only three of the scenic highlights on the long way of the river. From magnificent Old-World architecture to medieval town squares to historic UNESCO World Heritage Sites, discover some of the top destinations and experiences we offer on our Danube River journeys. More days means more to discover, with extension packages you can add before or after your Viking cruise or cruisetour.
It’s difficult to believe this bustling, upbeat city was the target of NATO bombing raids a little more than 20 years ago. The destinations we visit along the Danube River each offer their own unique history, traditions, local delicacies and enriching experiences. The Danube, celebrated in art and song, might be the world's most feted river. (After all, is there anyone who can't hum a few bars of the "Blue Danube Waltz"?) Meandering southeast from its origins in Germany's Black Forest, the Danube isn't Europe's longest river -- the Volga takes that honor. But, on its 1,775-mile course to the Black Sea, it flows through, or borders, 10 countries -- more than any other river in the world. Sail along the scenic Danube and see stunning landscapes unfurl as you pass quaint towns.
Danube River Cruise Photos
Following breakfast at our hotel, we leave Bucharest by coach for the Carpathian Mountain resort town of Sinaia, and a tour of Peles Castle, residence of the last Romanian monarch. The castle is accessed by a cobblestone road ascending through bucolic countryside offering lovely views of the castle between the trees on the hillside. After lunch back aboard ship, the afternoon is free to explore Budapest, arguably the most interesting and beautiful town along the Danube.
Here, the spiky 13th-century Regensburg Cathedral, with its twin spires poking above terracotta rooftops, is home to the oldest boys' choir in the world, the Regensburger Domspatzen. River cruisers can visit the vast Documentation Centre Nazi Party Rally Grounds, designed to once accommodate 50,000 people attending National Socialists rallies between 1933 and 1938. Looming over the city, the fairytale-like Nuremburg Castle is the location of the city's Art Bunker.
They include mainstream brands such as AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Emerald Cruises, Scenic, Tauck, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises and Viking River Cruises. Cruises on the Upper Danube will sail through Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. While different river cruise lines will have different start and end points, popular embarkation and debarkation ports are Budapest, Vienna, Nuremberg and Passau.
And while guided tours of major cities like Budapest and Vienna are a highlight, there's plenty more in store along the Danube. You're also likely to find wine tastings, visits to art museums and trips to picture-worthy castles like Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria, on your Danube River cruise itinerary. The symmetrical building includes piercing spires and a central dome, with two parliament halls on either side. One can be explored during a guided tour, while the other is in use by the Hungarian National Assembly. Wander the courtyards, marvel some of the 242 sculptures and statues of Hungarian rulers and famous national figures and gaze at vivid frescoes.
Following breakfast, we enjoy a morning stroll along the waterfront promenade and through the center of Vukovar, Croatia’s largest port along the Danube and a town known for its baroque architecture. We visit the Franciscan Monastery and Museum with an opportunity to sample a few local wines. Cruise itineraries on the Danube often take passengers along one part of the river, on the Upper Danube (the section here on the map with key stops in Vienna and Budapest) or the Lower Danube (Budapest to the Black Sea on the map). Regardless of which cruise you take, you'll have a ringside seat for gorgeous scenery, historic towns, wine regions and often the opportunity to bike along the river.
Along its vast length, the Danube passes through or borders no less than ten countries, and drains into nine more. It also flows through four national capital cities - Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, and Belgrade - more than any other river in the world. Celebrate Vienna and Salzburg’s musical legacy, and savor the culinary delights of Budapest and Bratislava’s brewing heritage. Enjoy scenic sailing through the Wachau Valley and admire sleepy villages along the Danube.
Planning a River Cruise: 7 Mistakes You Think You're Too Smart to Make - Wendy Perrin
Planning a River Cruise: 7 Mistakes You Think You're Too Smart to Make.
Posted: Fri, 01 Jan 2016 14:39:55 GMT [source]
You will receive further information about the parking facilities and the voucher with your travel documents. The best time to cruise the Danube River depends on what you want to get out of your trip.The river can be sailed year-round, though the busiest season is June through October, when weather conditions are at their prime. Cruises also fill up early for November and December itineraries, when festive Christmas Markets are happening along the Danube. Springtime and November, while rainier and cooler, mean less tourists and crowds.
Popular with first-time cruisers, the 1,775-mile-long Danube River flows through 10 countries, from Germany to the Ukraine, and passes along several major capital cities, including Vienna and Budapest. Often called the "Blue Danube," thanks to Austrian composer Johann Strauss II's famous waltz, the Danube is Europe's second-largest river. As such, it has been an important transportation route for more than 2,000 years. With VIVA Cruises' Danube river cruises, you are spoiled for choice when it comes to routes and duration. Whether you want to take a short 4-day vacation, a Rhine-Main-Danube river cruise or a river trip to the estuary, you will find the right trip for you at VIVA Cruises.
Follow the pedestrian path to walk across the bridge or take one of the city's yellow taxis, with landmarks such as Buda Castle, home to the Hungarian National Gallery on one side, and Szechenyi Square on the other. Made popular in the late 18th century, the waltz swept across Europe from Vienna, reaching palatial ballrooms from Linz to London. Call us, or call your travel advisor, to book your preferred departure date today – and explore our beautiful brochures to find your inspiration for your next journey. Tauck's European river cruise guide will help you find the right Danube, Rhone, Rhine, Seine or Douro river cruise for you. Tim leads a range of walking adventures for WAI, both in Europe and the USA. He recently retired from a long and happy career as a high school choir teacher in Molalla, Oregon, which explains why he is sometime known to burst into song on the trail.
