From the “Paris of the East” in Bucharest, Romania, to the “Golden City” of Prague, in the Czech Republic, this Danube river cruise is an odyssey of new discoveries to treasure. Begin in Bucharest for a tour of the capital’s boulevards, Arc de Triomphe, Royal Palace Square, and historic sites from a dramatic history.

You’ll sail overnight to St. Gheorghe for an excursion to the Danube Delta at the entrance to the Black Sea. Join a small-boat guided tour of the delta’s rivers, canals, and marshes. Enjoy a special “Kilometer 0” celebration of the mighty Danube’s 2,845km journey from the Black Forest to the Black Sea. Begin in Budapest, where guided sightseeing includes Heroes’ Square, and make a visit to Gödöllö royal palace, beloved by Sissi. Set sail on the Danube, take pictures of the impressive Parliament Building as you leave Budapest, and head for Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia.

Vienna, Austria, once center of the Habsburg Empire, is home to the lavish Habsburg Imperial Palace and neo-renaissance Vienna Opera House. Enjoy the magnificent views of the Wachau Valley wine region, visit Melk’s magnificent Benedictine Abbey, and sample local wines. In Linz, walk around the Hauptplatz, Austria’s largest medieval square, which forms the center of the city or take an excursion to the Austrian lake region, visited by the Habsburg family. Take a guided walk of Passau, Germany, known for its maze of cobblestone streets and St. Stephen’s Cathedral—a masterpiece of baroque architecture.

Guided sightseeing in Regensburg, Germany, shows you the Old Town Hall, Porta Pretoria—gates to an ancient Roman fort built in 179 AD—and mansion towers. In beautiful Prague, capital of the Czech Republic you’ll be amazed at St. Vitus Cathedral and Old Town’s Astronomical Clock. End your vacation with two special nights in Berlin!

City Highlights

Day 1 Bucharest: welcome to BucharestDay 2 Bucharest—Fetesti (Embarkation): guided sightseeing in Bucharest; onboard welcome receptionDay 3 St. Gheorghe: excursion to Danube Delta: km 0 celebration Day 4 Cernavodă. Excursion to Constanta: guided sightseeing, visit the National History and Archaeological MuseumDay 5 Rousse. Excursion to Veliko Târnovo & Arbanassi: guided sightseeing, visit Tsarevet’s Fortress in Veliko Târnovo, and the Ethnographic Museum and the Church of the Nativityin Arbanassi; or guided sightseeing of RousseDay 6 Vidin—Belogradchik: guided sightseeing to Vidin’s fortress; excursion to Belogradchik, see the rock formations Day 7 Iron Gates—Donji Milanovac: cruise through the Iron Gates gorge; visit Lepenski Vir archaeological siteDay 8 Belgrade: guided sightseeing; lecture on boardDay 9 Mohács. Excursion to Pécs: guided tour and organ concert in PécsDay 10 Budapest: day at leisureDay 11 Budapest: guided tour, see Heroes’ Square; visit Gödöllö Royal PalaceDay 12 Bratislava: guided sightseeing, visit St. Martin’s Cathedral; lecture about royal dinasties in Europe, onboard Waltz lessonDay 13 Vienna: guided tour, see the Kuntskammer’s collection; choice of additional sightseeing, or a complimentary museum ticket; visit Schönbrunn PalaceDay 14 Dürnstein—Wachau Valley—Melk: choice of guided walk, or hike up to the castle ruins in Dürnstein; guided visit of the Benedictine Abbey in Melk or visit Arstetten Castle; wine tastingDay 15 Linz: guided walk or full day excursion Romantic AustriaDay 16 Passau: guided walkDay 17 Deggendorf (Disembarkation)—Regensburg—Prague: transfer to Regensburg, guided sightseeing; travel by motorcoach to PragueDay 18 Prague: guided sightseeing, see the Astronomical Clock and visit Hradčany Castle groundsDay 19 Prague—Dresden—Berlin: transfer to Dresden and city sightseeing; transfer to BerlinDay 20 Berlin: city sightseeingDay 21 Berlin: your vacation ends this morning

Notes

In the event of water level problems or any problems of a technical nature, it may be necessary to operate the itinerary by motorcoach or to alter the program.Included visits and special features are subject to change. If a change is necessary, a substitute will be offered.Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.

PRODUCT_LINE: AVALON-WODB-T1-2019