Day 1: Depart home gateway city to Vienna
Day 2: Vienna (embark)
Arrive at Vienna Internation Airport where you'll be transferred to the ship. (D)
Day 3: Vienna
There can be no exploration of the Danube withoutand 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. Leaving the motorcoach, you'll start awalking tour through the Hofburg grounds, culminating at magnificentSt. Stephen's Cathedral. Visit the Baroque State Hall of the AustrianNational Library, said to be the most beautiful library room in theworld. (BB, L, D) Note: On Mondays, the Mozart House will be visited insteadofand the library.
Featured Excursion: Vienna city tour
Day 4: Cruising the scenic Wachau Valley, Melk
Cruise the scenic, vineyard-rich Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape representing one of the most beautiful river valleys in Europe. Then tour Melk's 900-year-old Benedictine abbey, a masterpiece of Baroque art and architecture situated high atop the granite cliffs of the Danube.The views from the terrace are spectacular, but the splendid frescos, marble, and gilded plasterworkand of its interior will be the true highlight of your visit.and (BB, L, Captain's Welcome Dinner)
Featured Excursion: Melk Abbey
Day 5: Passau
Passau boasts a delightful layer of Italian-style on quintessential German foundations. Explore the well-preserved town on your guided walking tour.and Visit St. Stephan's Cathedral, home to Europe's largest pipe 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 6: Deggendorf (Theresienthal)
After taking a scenic drive through the Natureand Reserve of the Bavarian Forest, marvel at theand amazing glass collection exhibited in the Theresienthal Glass Museum. Experience the artand of glass-making firsthand during a visit to a nearby glass workshop, and follow the glass from the oven to the cooling station while learning about the extraordinary history of Theresienthal. Cap the dayand off with a traditional 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 7: Regensburg
Regensburg, one of the finest Medieval towns in Europe, captures 2,000 years of living historyand with outstanding manmade monuments like theand 12th-century Stone Bridge and the towering Gothic cathedral. Your walking tour takes you past the architectural treasures of Old Town as well as the Cathedral of St. Peter with its magnificent 14th-century stained glass windows. Genuine Bavarian hospitality adds to the vibrant mix of art and culture in this UNESCO World Heritage Site. (BB, L, D)
Featured Excursion: Regensburg walking tour
Day 8: Nuremberg
After cruising parts of the impressive Main-Danube Canal, visit Nuremberg, an archetypal German Medieval city encircled by mighty defensive walls and red-roofed buildings. Birthplace of Albrecht Dürer and famous for its pocket watches, the city also held the astounding War Crimes Trials after WWII. Discover the sights of Nuremberg during your panoramic tour before exploring its walled Old Town on foot. (BB, L, Captain's Farewell Dinner)
Featured Excursion: Half day Nuremberg city tour
Day 9: Nuremberg
Day 10: Bamberg
Awaken in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Bamberg, located on the Regnitz River near its confluence with the Main. Bamberg has one of Europe's largest intact Old Town centers, and like Rome, the city is built on seven hills-only here,and a church tops each hill. Your walking tour takesand you past the imperial cathedral, the four-wingedand New Residence, the Town Hall lapped by theand Regnitz River, and Little Venice, an area of colorful fishermen's houses from the 19th century. Duringand the afternoon, you'll cruise the peaceful, meandering Main River. (BB, L, Captain's Welcome Dinner)
Featured Excursion: Bamberg walking tour
Day 11: Würzburg
Visit Würzburg Residenz, an immaculate example of Baroque architecture and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. This grand palace was built 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 the world. Enjoy the magnificent garden, one of the most expansive and beautiful in Europe. Your tour will be capped off with a private winetasting of fabulous Franconian wines in the historic Residenz cellar. (BB, L, D)
Featured Excursion: Würzburg Residenz visit and winetasting
Day 12: Miltenberg
Relax onboard during the morning as your ship travels the tranquil waters of the meandering Main River through a series of locks and past quiet Franconian hamlets. Arrive in charming and romantic Miltenberg, the “Pearl of the Main River.” The town is protected by its old walls and two gates-one facing east, and another facing west. While on your walking tour, you'll discover why this Medieval town seems to leap from the pages of a German fairytale with its 14th- and 15th-century half-timbered, gabled houses; the Crooked House; and the Royal Inn, which has beenand a working hotel since the 17th century. (BB, L, D)
Featured Excursion: Miltenberg walking tour
Day 13: Rüdesheim
Rüdesheim is one of the most scenic wine towns along the Rhine and its history dates back to Roman times, as do most of the cities along the Rhine. The town is famous for, among other things, its long avenue of shops and wine bars-known as the Drosselgasse-as well as the Niederwald Monument commemorating the unification of Germany. As an added treat today, you'll board a mini-train for the short trip to the Niederwald Gondola. The adventure takes off the moment your gondola rises up the hillside. During the ride and once at the top, you will be mesmerized by the fairytale views that appear on all sides, including Rüdesheim, the vineyards of the Rheingau, and the Niederwald Monument. Perched at the top of the Niederwald heights, the monument can be seen by all who pass through this section of the beautiful Rhine Valley. (BB, L, D)
Featured Excursion: Gondola ride to the scenic Niederwald Heights
Day 14: Speyer (Heidelberg)
From the port of Speyer, you'll take a motorcoach to Heidelberg, a perfectly preserved Medieval city nestled in the Neckar River Valley along Germany's Castle Road. Heidelberg is home to Germany's oldest university and is forever immortalized by Sigmund Romberg's operetta, The Student Prince. Your tour takes you past the romantic ruins of Heidelberg Castle, where you'll be guided through the castle's courtyard. You willand also get to see the world's largest wine barrel. Continue your tour in downtown Heidelberg and through Old Town where you'll see the town's late-Gothic church. You'll have some free time to wander along one of Germany's longest pedestrian streets, enjoy bustling squares lined with cafès, or simply take in the serene atmosphere of this truly charming town. (BB, D)
Featured Excursion: Full-day tour of Heidelberg
Day 15: Strasbourg
You'll wake up in the beautiful port of the Alsatian town of Strasbourg. Situated halfway between Paris and Prague, Strasbourg is known as the “Crossroads of Europe.” It is home to a magnificent, single-spired Gothic cathedral, Notre Dame, and beautiful half-timbered houses; it is also the seat of the European Parliament. See Strasbourg in the way it has been seen through the centuries-on a canal cruise that passes Petite France, the picturesque old quarter with its timber-frame houses adorned with flower boxes. (BB, L, Captain's Farewell Dinner)
Featured Excursion: Strasbourg canal cruise
Day 16: Basel (disembark), transfer to the airport
Disembark the ship and transfer to Basal airport for your flight home.
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