Day 1: Depart home gateway city to Bucharest
Day 2: Bucharest
Transfer from Bucharest airport to hotel
Day 3: Bucharest
Enjoy a full day at leisure. (BB)
Day 4: Bucharest, transfer to Giurgiu (embark)
After disembarking the ship, enjoy a Bucharest city tour. (BB, L)
Featured Excursion: Bucharest city tour
Day 5: Rousse (Varna and a Black Sea cruise)
Visit Varna�s Archeological Museum, home tothe oldest gold treasure in the world. Savor Bulgarian cuisine, andenjoy an exclusive cruise on the Black Sea. (BB, L, D)
Featured Excursion: Full-day Varna and a Black Sea cruise
Day 6: Rousse
Enjoy leisure time exploring Rousse, Bulgaria�s fourth-largest city.Walk along the lively pedestrian zone, known for its 19th- and20th-centuryNeo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture. (BB, L, Captain�sFarewell Dinner)
Featured Excursion: Leisure time in Rousse, shuttle bus with local guide
Day 7: Vidin (Belogradchik)
Visit the legendary Medieval Baba Vida Fortress and Belogradchik, afairytale world of weathered red sandstone in fantastic formations andone of the natural wonders of Bulgaria. (BB, L, D)
Featured Excursion: Half-day Vidin andamp; Belogradchick Rock formations (AM)
Day 8: Cruising the scenic Iron Gates, Kostolac
Relax onboard as you cruise the spectacular Iron Gates, an 80-milesequence of gorges that the mighty Danube cut through the CarpathianMountains and one of the most dramatic natural displays of beauty inEurope. (BB, L, D)
Day 9: Kostolac (Viminacium), Belgrade
Resident archeologists bring the historic grandeur of the excavationsat Viminacium alive. The former Roman city boasted villas, thermalbaths, a mausoleum, and even an amphitheater. (BB, L, D)
Featured Excursion: Archeological site of Viminacium (AM)
Day 10: Belgrade
You�ll be taken on a panoramic drive through Belgrade, which featuresthe Belgrade Fortress in Kalemegdan Park, St. Sava Cathedral, and avisit to Tito�s Memorial. (BB, L, D)
Featured Excursion: Belgrade city tour
Day 11: Vukovar (Osijek)
Tour Osijek and experience Croatian life while meeting students duringa school visit and enjoying a home-hosted lunch.(BB, L, D) Note: School visit not available during school holidays.
Featured Excursion: Full day Vukovar and Osijek, home-lunch and school visit
Day 12: Cruising the Danube, Budapest
Full day cruising
Day 13: Budapest
Your panoramic tour of Budapest gives you a sweeping view of all its famous sights. (BB, L, D)
Featured Excursion: Budapest city tour
Day 14: Bratislava
Admire Bratislava�s eclectic architecture of Gothic, Baroque, and ArtDeco styles. (BB, L, Captain�s Welcome Dinner)
Featured Excursion: Bratislava city tour
Day 15: Vienna
There can be no exploration of the Danube without a visit to Vienna,which is a city both steeped in history and on the cusp of currenttrends. Your panoramic city tour takes you along the statelyRingstrasse showcasing imperial Habsburg grandeur, past the Rathaus(City Hall), Parliament, the Hofburg (Imperial Palace), and the StateOpera, among other sights. (BB, L, D) Note: On Mondays, the Mozart House will be visited instead of the library.
Featured Excursion: Vienna city tour
Day 16: Vienna
Leaving the motorcoach, you�ll start a walking tour through the Hofburggrounds, culminating at magnificent St. Stephen�s Cathedral. Visit theBaroque State Hall of the Austrian National Library, said to be themost beautiful library room in the world. (BB, L, D) Note: On Mondays, the Mozart House will be visited instead of the library.
Featured Excursion: Vienna city tour
Day 17: Vienna
Featured Excursion: Schoonbrunn Palace
Day 18: Cruising the scenic Wachau Valley, Melk
Cruise the scenic, vineyard-rich Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritagecultural landscape representing one of the most beautiful river valleysin Europe. Then tour Melk�s 900-year-old Benedictine abbey, amasterpiece of Baroque art and architecture situated high atop thegranite cliffs of the Danube. The views from the terrace arespectacular, but the splendid frescos, marble, and gilded plasterworkof its interior will be the true highlight of your visit. (BB, L,Captain�s Welcome Dinner)
Featured Excursion: Melk Abbey tour
Day 19: Passau
Passau boasts a delightful layer of Italian-style on quintessentialGerman foundations. Explore the well-preserved town on your guidedwalking tour. Visit St. Stephan�s Cathedral, home to Europe�s largestpipe organ, where you�ll hear a magnificent organ recital. (BB, L, D) Note: Concert not available before 5/2, after 10/31, or on Sundays.
Featured Excursion: Passau walking tour and St. Stephan�s organ concert
Day 20: Passau, Deggendorf (Theresienthal)
After taking a scenic drive through the Nature Reserve of the BavarianForest, marvel at the amazing glass collection exhibited in theTheresienthal Glass Museum. Experience the art of glass-makingfirsthand during a visit to a nearby glass workshop, and follow theglass from the oven to the cooling station while learning about theextraordinary history of Theresienthal. Cap the day off with atraditional horse-drawn carriage ride through the Bavarian Forest. (BB,L, D)
Featured Excursion: Bavarian forest horse-drawn carriage ride, and visit to a glass museum and workshop in Theresienthal
Day 21: Regensburg
Regensburg, one of the finest Medieval towns in Europe, captures 2,000years of living history with outstanding manmade monuments like the12th-century Stone Bridge and the towering Gothic cathedral. Yourwalking tour takes you past the architectural treasures of Old Town aswell as the Cathedral of St. Peter with its magnificent 14th-centurystained glass windows. Genuine Bavarian hospitality adds to the vibrantmix of art and culture in this UNESCO World Heritage Site. (BB, L, D)
Featured Excursion: Regensburg walking tour
Day 22: Nuremberg
After cruising parts of the impressive Main-Danube Canal, visitNuremberg, an archetypal German Medieval city encircled by mightydefensive walls and red-roofed buildings. Birthplace of Albrecht Du�rerand famous for its pocket watches, the city also held the astoundingWar Crimes Trials after WWII. Discover the sights of Nuremberg duringyour panoramic tour before exploring its walled Old Town on foot. (BB,L, Captain�s Farewell Dinner)
Featured Excursion: Nuremberg city tour
Day 23: Nuremberg
Day 24: Bamberg
Awaken in the UNESCO World Heritage city ofBamberg, located on the Regnitz River near its confluence with theMain. Bamberg has one of Europe�s largest intact Old Town centers, andlike Rome, the city is built on seven hills�only here, a church topseach hill. Your walking tour takes you past the imperial cathedral, thefour-winged New Residence, the Town Hall lapped by the Regnitz River,and Little Venice, an area of colorful fishermen�s houses from the 19thcentury. During the afternoon, you�ll cruise the peaceful, meanderingMain River. (BB, L, Captain�s Welcome Dinner)
Featured Excursion: Bamberg walking tour
Day 25: W�rzburg
Visit W�rzburg Residenz, an immaculate example of Baroque architectureand a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. This grand palace wasbuilt and decorated in the 18th century by an international team of architects, sculptors, stucco-workers, and painters.Particularly noteworthy is Tiepolo�s ceiling fresco�the largest in theworld. Enjoy the magnificent garden, one of the most expansive andbeautiful in Europe. Your tour will be capped off with a privatewinetasting of fabulous Franconian wines in the historic Residenzcellar. (BB, L, D)
Featured Excursion: W�rzburg Residenz visit and winetasting
Day 26: Miltenberg
Relax onboard during the morning as your ship travels the tranquilwaters of the meandering Main River through a series of locks and pastquiet Franconian hamlets. Arrive in charming and romantic Miltenberg,the �Pearl of the Main River.� The town is protected by its old wallsand two gates�one facing east, and another facing west. While on yourwalking tour, you�ll discover why this Medieval town seems to leap fromthe pages of a German fairytale with its 14th- and 15th-centuryhalf-timbered, gabled houses; the Crooked House; and the Royal Inn,which has been a working hotel since the 17th century. (BB, L, D)
Featured Excursion: Miltenberg walking tour
Day 27: R�desheim
R�desheim is one of the most scenic wine towns along the Rhine and itshistory dates back to Roman times, as do most of the cities along theRhine. The town is famous for, among other things, its long avenue ofshops and wine bars�known as the Drosselgasse�as well as the NiederwaldMonument commemorating the unification of Germany. As an added treattoday, you�ll board a mini-train for the short trip to the NiederwaldGondola. The adventure takes off the moment your gondola rises up thehillside. During the ride and once at the top, you will be mesmerizedby the fairytale views that appear on all sides, including R�desheim,the vineyards of the Rheingau, and the Niederwald Monument. Perched atthe top of the Niederwald heights, the monument can be seen by all whopass through this section of the beautiful Rhine Valley. (BB, L, D)
Featured Excursion: Gondola ride to the scenic Niederwald Heights
Day 28: Speyer (Heidelberg)
From the port of Speyer, you�ll take a motorcoach to Heidelberg, aperfectly preserved Medieval city nestledin the Neckar River Valley along Germany�s Castle Road. Heidelberg ishome to Germany�s oldest university and is forever immortalized bySigmund Romberg�s operetta, The Student Prince. Your tour takes youpast the romantic ruins of Heidelberg Castle, where you�ll be guidedthrough the castle�s courtyard. You will also get to see the world�slargest wine barrel. Continue your tour in downtown Heidelberg andthrough Old Town where you�ll see the town�s late-Gothic church. You�llhave some free time to wander along one of Germany�s longest pedestrianstreets, enjoy bustling squares lined with caf�s, or simply take in theserene atmosphere of this truly charming town. (BB, D)
Featured Excursion: Full-day tour of Heidelberg
Day 29: Strasbourg
You�ll wake up in the beautiful port of the Alsatian town ofStrasbourg. Situated halfway between Paris and Prague, Strasbourg isknown as the �Crossroads of Europe.� It is home to a magnificent,single-spired Gothic cathedral, Notre Dame, and beautiful half-timberedhouses; it is also the seat of the European Parliament. See Strasbourgin the way it has been seen through the centuries�on a canal cruisethat passes Petite France, the picturesque old quarter with itstimberframe houses adorned with flower boxes. (BB, L, Captain�sFarewell Dinner)
Featured Excursion: Strasbourg canal cruise
Day 30: Basel (disembark), transfer to the airport
Transfer from ship to Basel airport
|
|
