Bid now for an incredible 7 night, 8 Day Danube River Cruise with Viking River Cruises!
During this 8-day journey, encounter the grand cities and quaint villages along the celebrated Danube River. Explore both sides of Hungary’s capital, traditional “Buda” and more cosmopolitan “Pest”, and from Fishermen’s Bastion, see how the river divides this fascinating city. Experience Vienna’s imperial architecture and gracious culture, and tour riverside towns in Austria’s Wachau Valley. And in Germany, explore a baroque cathedral and stroll cobbled streets lined with half-timbered houses. Savor the tastes of authentic dishes, learn about local legends, and understand why Strauss immortalized the “Blue Danube” in his famous melody.
Day 1: Arrive in Budapest, Hungary’s vibrant capital divided by the Danube River. Transfer from the airport to your ship.* After boarding, you have free time to take a stroll beside the Danube or in the Váci Utca, a pedestrian thoroughfare featuring shops and cafés.
Day 2: Your morning begins with a panoramic tour of the Pest side of the city. Journey along Andrássy Avenue and see the 19th- and 20th-century mansions, National Opera House, Parliament Building and Chain Bridge. Stop in Heroes’ Square to learn more about Hungarian history, then cross the Danube to Buda’s Castle District. Walk up the hill to Fishermen’s Bastion and Matthias Church; enjoy brilliant views. Rejoin your ship in Visegrád for lunch as we begin cruising along the scenic Danube River. Enjoy a midafternoon Viennese coffee workshop, complete with apple strudel.
Day 3: Arrive in Vienna just after breakfast for your half-day city tour. See some of Vienna’s gracious architecture, then ride along the beautiful Ringstrasse with sights including the Opera House, Stadtpark and Hofburg Theater. You then see St. Stephan’s Cathedral. After lunch aboard, the afternoon is yours to further explore this city on your own. Shop along the Kärtnerstrasse or take an optional excursion to Schönbrunn Palace, home of Maria Theresa and summer residence of the Habsburgs. Dinner is served aboard and you may choose to complete your day in this “City of Waltzes” with an optional evening concert.
Day 4: After breakfast, sail through the stunningly scenic Wachau Valley to the Benedictine abbey at Melk, and join a guided tour through the ornate interior of this baroque architectural gem. See its elaborate frescoes and admire the library’s extensive collection of medieval manuscripts; enjoy the garden courtyard and the terrace’s Wachau Valley views. Rejoin your ship for dinner and leisurely cruising along the Danube—taste some local Austrian specialties as you spot charming riverside towns and castle ruins here and there.
Day 5: Enjoy a glorious morning arrival in Passau, at the confluence of the Inn, Ilz and Danube Rivers. Your guided walk along the town’s narrow streets takes you through the Old Town and past traditional patrician houses. You see the Oberhaus Fortress and visit the impressive baroque St. Stephan’s Cathedral with its ornate interior. Inside, you are treated to a special concert played on the 17,000-pipe organ, considered Europe’s largest church organ.† Eat lunch aboard, but return to the city for further exploration on your own before an early evening departure and cruise through the night.
Day 6: After breakfast, meet your guide dockside for a walking tour through the scenic town of Regensburg, considered one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval cities. See one of the largest groupings of 13th- and 14th-century church spires, towers and patrician houses north of the Alps. You also encounter the 12th-century Old Stone Bridge, St. Peter’s Cathedral and a number of idyllic courtyards. Take time to stroll the streets, shop or visit Germany’s oldest restaurant, the Alte Wurstküche. Lunch served aboard. This afternoon, enjoy scenic cruising along the Danube River—or take an optional Danube Narrows excursion. Travel by road to Kelheim and board a ferryboat to explore the 400-foot chalk cliffs and dramatic scenery of the Danube Narrows. Visit Weltenburg Abbey, renowned for the dark ale brewed here by monks since 1050, then rejoin your ship in Kelheim in time for dinner aboard.
Day 7: Very early this morning, you sail through a number of locks that comprise the Main-Danube Canal, an engineering marvel stretching 106 miles from Bamberg on the Main River to Kelheim on the Danube. Begun as Charlemagne’s dream in 793, it was completed in 1992 with 16 locks that raise the water level 1,332 feet. Today it enables river travel from the North Sea to the Black Sea. Arrive during breakfast in Nuremberg, Bavaria’s second largest city. Your tour features the former Nazi parade grounds and the Palace of Justice, historic home of the Nuremberg Trials; or, join an optional World War II history tour visiting the Documentation Center Museum. You have a brief stop at the Court House before returning to the Old Town area enclosed by ancient city walls. Your tour ends with a walk from the imperial castle grounds past the Albrecht Dürer House on your way to the Main Market Square with its elaborate Gothic fountain. Lunch is served aboard, but you have the rest of the day to explore. Your ship remains docked overnight.
Day 8: After breakfast, disembark and proceed to the airport for your return flight.* Or, extend your journey—spend 2 additional nights in Nuremberg or experience another country with 3 nights in Prague, Czech Republic, including a tour of Old Town and Prague Castle.
About Hurley Travel Experts: For the discerning traveler, Hurley Travel Experts’ personal Travel Concierge handcrafts each individual journey – creating exceptional memories for a lifetime. Our award-winning team has traveled the globe and will combine their first-hand knowledge with innovative travel technology, creating your own customized travel plan that’s as unique as you are.
With on-site staff in over 90 countries around the world, trust our well-connected advisors to give you privileged access and authentic local experiences. We are advocates for our clients, providing insight, guidance and time savings with every travel itinerary we create. From trip inception through your return home, your personal Hurley travel advisor is your “Constant Concierge.” So relax, and enjoy your trip knowing… We’ve Got You Covered!
About the Conservancy of Southwest Florida: The work of saving our environment started in 1964 when plans were revealed to build a road through Rookery Bay, crossing Gordon Pass and into the Ten Thousand Islands. A small group of citizens became concerned, involved, and politically active mobilizing grassroots efforts to prevent the project. As a result, the road was never built. Rookery Bay and its inhabitants were saved and the Conservancy of Southwest Florida was founded.
Since then, we have expanded our scope across the five counties in southwest Florida: Collier, Charlotte, Lee, Hendry and Glades. We maximize the combined forces of environmental policy, advocacy, research, education and wildlife rehabilitation to protect southwest Florida’s natural treasures --- our water, our land and our wildlife. –
Our goals have become more ambitious as even greater pressures are placed on our natural heritage. We have concerns about our water. Will it be clean? Will we have enough? Over one million acres of rural lands are proposed for development. Will it be done in a way that protects lands vital to our survival --- and to the 60 listed, endangered and threatened species in Florida? We are constantly working to find a sensible balance between the demands of a growing population and the preservation of our natural
The work of saving our environment started in 1964 when plans were revealed to build a road through Rookery Bay, crossing Gordon Pass and into the Ten Thousand Islands. A small group of citizens became concerned, involved, and politically active mobilizing grassroots efforts to prevent the project. As a result, the road was never built. Rookery Bay and its inhabitants were saved and the Conservancy of Southwest Florida was founded.
Since then, we have expanded our scope across the five counties in southwest Florida: Collier, Charlotte, Lee, Hendry and Glades. We maximize the combined forces of environmental policy, advocacy, research, education and wildlife rehabilitation to protect southwest Florida’s natural treasures --- our water, our land and our wildlife. –
Our goals have become more ambitious as even greater pressures are placed on our natural heritage. We have concerns about our water. Will it be clean? Will we have enough? Over one million acres of rural lands are proposed for development. Will it be done in a way that protects lands vital to our survival --- and to the 60 listed, endangered and threatened species in Florida? We are constantly working to find a sensible balance between the demands of a growing population and the preservation of our natural resources.
