See the very best of Europe’s highlights and experience centuries of art, history and culture. From Budapest, a famous haven for musicians, writers and artists, cruise through the stunning cultural cities of Vienna, Bratislava, Passau and Regensburg. Along the way, visit magnificent cathedrals and baroque abbeys. Explore the charming Wachau Valley and traverse by cruise ship Europe’s Continental Divide - made possible through the engineering masterpiece of the Main-Danube Canal. Treat yourself to fine cuisine and the great wines of the region. Take an optional excursion to Salzburg and celebrate the heritage of Mozart, one of the world’s greatest composers.
Highlights
Visit Puszta and enjoy a Hungarian horse riding demonstration
Enjoy optional excursions, such as wine tastings and guided tours
Explore the major sites of Bratislava, capital of Slovakia
Tour Nuremberg's medieval highlights, including Nuremberg Castle
Sightsee in Prague's historic city center, a UNESCO World Heritage site
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Arrive in Budapest and transfer to your hotel. The remainder of the day is free to relax or to begin exploring this beautiful city.
Day 2: Budapest, Hungary
1 Breakfast
Savor the beauty of Buda and Pest on opposite sides of the Danube with a city tour that showcases many highlights, including the Great Market Hall, Heroes’ Square and Castle Hill.
Check out of your hotel to board your luxurious ship. During the evening, be treated to a special Illuminations cruise around Budapest’s famed Parliament building.
Bratislava certainly has earned the title “Coronation City of Kings” as you can discover during your walking tour that includes the Old Town Hall, Mirbach Palace and St. Martin’s Cathedral. Or for more adventure, go high above the city by hiking up to Bratislava Castle.
The “City of Waltzes” offers a treasure trove of gems and you have two ways to discover them. Join a city tour showcasing its regal splendors, including the majestic Opera House and the former Imperial Palace of the Habsburgs before concluding in Vienna’s historic city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and then visiting St. Stephen’s Cathedral. For a more active exploration of the area, take a guided bike ride along the Danube. During the afternoon, you can enjoy leisure time or pedal your way to Klosterneuburg Monastery on a guided cycling tour.
After reaching the Wachau Valley in the morning, you have a choice of three excursions in Dürnstein. Partake in a walking tour along cobblestone streets to the luminous blue facade of the Baroque Stiftskirche, its famed church tower, before enjoying a wine tasting in a local cellar. For a beautiful view of the Wachau Valley, hike up to the fortress where Richard the Lionheart was once held. Alternatively, visit a local boutique, where you are treated to the region’s finest apricot products. After your morning excursions, you have a choice to cruise through the Wachau Valley to Melk or join a bike tour along the Danube. Upon reaching Melk, take a tour of the UNESCO-designated Melk Abbey
Enjoy a scenic morning sailing to the medieval city of Passau. Join a walking tour through this 2,000-year-old city, noted for its Gothic and Italian Baroque architecture and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Guests looking for a more active morning can choose between a guided bike tour along the Danube, or a guided hike up to the Veste Oberhaus Fortress overlooking Passau.
Explore Regensburg, one of Germany’s best preserved medieval cities, on a guided walking tour showcasing the city’s architectural highlights, including the Old Town Hall and the Porta Praetoria, gates to an ancient Roman fort built in 179 A.D. As an alternate option, sample some of Bavaria’s specialties— beer, sausage and pretzels; or bike to Walhalla where you can see the neo-Classical white marble temple inspired by the Parthenon in Athens.
Enjoy a scenic morning cruise as the ship crosses the Continental Divide via the Main-Danube Canal to Nuremberg. Explore the medieval city center with a tour that showcases the Imperial Castle and the famous town wall, as well as Albrecht Dürer’s home and Market Square with its legendary fountain. Or you can take a guided tour of the city’s WWII history, including a visit to the infamous Zeppelin Field, a museum built on the site of former Nazi rallies and the site of the Nuremberg Trials when not in session. Alternatively, savor traditional Franconian specialties by sampling famously delicious Nuremburger Bratwurst, Rot bier (red beer) and Lebkuchen (gingerbread).
Depart the ship after breakfast and drive through the countryside to Pilzen, a city perhaps best known for producing Pilsner beer. Enjoy some free time to explore this lovely town and have lunch before continuing to Prague and checking into your hotel.
Day 11: Prague, Czech Republic
1 Breakfast
Discover Prague with a choice of a city tour or a castle hike. Both reveal why Prague is considered one of Europe’s most attractive cities, with a historic city center that’s recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See all the key highlights, including the National Museum, Wenceslas Square, the 1,000 year-old Prague Castle and Old Market Square, where you can find the famous Astronomical Clock.
Day 12: Prague, Czech Republic
1 Breakfast
Spend a day at your leisure, perhaps to stroll through a museum or gallery, wander along the banks of the Vltava River, relax at an outdoor café, or shop for local handicrafts.
Day 13: Depart Prague, Czech Republic
1 Breakfast
Bid farewell to Prague and prepare for your homeward flight.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
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E
Piano deck, fixed windows
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D
Piano deck, fixed windows
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C
Violin & Cello deck, French Balcony
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BB
Cello deck, French Balcony & Outside Balcony
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BA
Violin deck, French Balcony & Outside Balcony
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AB
Cello deck, French Balcony & Outside Balcony
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AA
Violin deck, French Balcony & Outside Balcony
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AA+
Violin deck, French Balcony & Outside Balcony
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Suite
Violin deck, French Balcony & Outside Balcony
Notes
Single supplement is 50%, except for Suites which are 100%.
Our guide and driver were very good with their knowledge and were very helpful with our questions. It was a very pleasant visit that would have been impossible to do on our own. Hotels and restaurants were fantastic. The special places we got to go to, like the kitchens, were great. Enjoyed the entire trip!
Meyer Smolen
TrustScore 4.8 | 176 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 176 reviews on
9 hours ago
Adventure Life is always an excellent choice when planning complicated, extreme, or exotic vacations or expeditions. They provide friendly professional services and advice and are enthusiastic and encouraging in helping us to prepare and thoroughly enjoy our trip. They handle all the details which greatly reduces the stress of planning a difficult trip. I'm very impressed with Adventure Life and definitely recommend them to friends and family.
Scott Trochim
2 days ago
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
4 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
5 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.