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Christmas Market in Prague

Christmas Markets on the Danube

Example 13 Day Cruise aboard MS Amabella
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Embark on a 13-day Christmas adventure like no other and fall in love with the European holiday season. Spend two days in Budapest before joining the MS Amabella and cruising through the charming region where many of today’s most beloved Christmas traditions originated. Experience several enchanting Christmas markets in Vienna, Melk, Passau, Linz, and Prague, each local flavor and tradition.
Panoramic view of Budapest cityscapeBudapest CityscapeVienna Opera House, AustriaColumn on Hauptplatz in LinzChristmas Market in Prague
Highlights
  • Tour Budapest's most famous buildings and markets
  • Admire Vienna's landmarks and tour the Schonbrunn Palace
  • Enjoy some of Europe's most beloved Christmas markets
  • Discover Prague's city center, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Budapest, Hungary

Arrive in Budapest and transfer to your hotel.

Day 2: Budapest

  • 1 Breakfast
Budapest is one of Europe’s most regal and storied cities—and many of its most iconic sights can be seen right off the banks of the Danube. Today’s tour takes you to another side of Budapest to the Jewish Quarter, where there are some natural treasures. The Great Synagogue, the largest synagogue in Europe and the second largest in the world, located on DohányStreet, represents the beating heart of this quarter. Other prominent attractions include the Holocaust Memorial, a weeping willow tree with Hungarian victims during the Holocaust; and the Shoes on the Danube, a memorial to the Budapest Jewish community. 

Day 3: Budapest | Embark

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch
Check out of your hotel to board your ship. During the evening, be treated to an Illuminations cruise around Budapest’s famed Parliament building. 

Day 4: Budapest

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Buda Castle quarter in Castle Hill and Heroes’ Square, Budapest offers an unmatched combination of culture and tradition. Your city tour begins with a visit to the vibrant Great Market Hall. The remainder of this tour takes you to both the Buda (hilly) and the Pest (flat) sides of the river. Afterward, you’ll visit Vorosmarty Square, the oldest, richest, and the most spectacular of all the Christmas markets in Budapest. As an alternative, you can hike to Castle Hill, walk along Fishermen’s Bastion, and take in all of Budapest's iconic sites with an active exploration. 

Day 5: Bratislava | Vienna

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Host the crowning ceremonies of 11 Hungarian kings and queens between 1536 and 1830, Bratislava certainly has earned the title “Coronation City of Kings” for you to discover during your walking tour. You also have an opportunity to visit Bratislava’s charming Christmas Market. Or join a unique “Tastes of Slovakia” time. For a more active adventure, hike up to Bratislava Castle, offering magnificent views of the city. Tonight, explore Vienna’ssplendid Rathaus (Town Hall) Christmas Market. 

Day 6: Vienna

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
The “City of Waltzes” offers a treasure trove of gems just waiting to be discovered. Join a tour showcasing its regal splendors, such as the majestic Opera House and the former Imperial Palace of the Habsburgs, before concluding in Vienna’s historic city center. If you prefer a more active adventure, then join a guided bike ride along the Danube. During the afternoon, visit the market at Schönbrunn Palace with a giant sparkling Christmas tree. Cap the day off with “Vienna by Night” Christmas Markets at the beautifully decorated MariaTheresaplatz Christmas Market, set amongst the world-renowned sights of Vienna’s majestic Ringstrasse, and at the illuminated Rathaus, Vienna’s largest Christmas Market. 

Day 7: Weissenkirchen | Wachau Valley | Melk

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
After reaching Weissenkirchen, you have a choice of excursions. Join a walking tour in Dürnstein and then visit a local boutique where you enjoy a tasting of special apricot treats. Prefer more active adventures? Join a guided bike tour from Weissenkirchen to Melk. For those not biking to Melk, you’ll sail through the UNESCO-designated Wachau Valley to Melk. Once in Melk, you’ll visit its magnificent Benedictine Abbey. 

Day 8: Linz

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Linz is known for being the city of Christmascrèches and its ever-popular Linzer torte. While here, you have a choice of three excursions. The first is a full-day visit to Salzburg, where you enjoy a walking tour of the UNESCO-designated Old Town, its magnificent cathedral, and its Christmas Markets, including the Hellbrunn Palace, where its inner courtyard is turned into a romantic backdrop for one of the most beautiful Christmas Markets in Austria. Alternatively, you can choose a morning walking tour through Linz’s old city center and by the Mozart House, where he composed the Linz Symphony in only three days, as well as visit Linz’s Christmas Markets. Or you can go on a guided bike tour through Linz and along the city’s famed“Culture Mile” and the Danube. During the afternoon, you can join a half-day excursion to Salzburg. 

Day 9: Passau

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
During the Advent season, beautiful Passau dresses in her Bavarian holiday splendor, to be discovered on your walking tour through the city and its Christmas Market at St. Stephen’s Square—also home to its magnificent cathedral. Go in search of unique crafts, including Bavarian-style houses and glass ornaments. If you prefer a more active adventure, join a guided bike ride along the Danube. Later, sail for Vilshofen, where you’ll be treated to an exclusive Oktoberfest celebration. 

Day 10: Vilshofen | Disembarkation | Regensburg | Prague, Czech Republic

  • 1 Breakfast
Depart the ship and drive through the countryside to Regensburg, one of Germany’s best preserved medieval cities, which you’ll discover on a guided walking tour showcasing the city’s architectural highlights, including the Old Town Halland the Porta Praetoria. After touring Regensburg, enjoy a visit to Old Town’s Christmas Market. Later continue your journey on to Prague and check into your hotel. 

Day 11: Prague

  • 1 Breakfast
Discover Prague with a choice of a city tour or a castle hike. Both will 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 will find the famous Astronomical Clock. You then have free time to explore Prague’s renowned Christmas Markets in the Old Town Square. 

Day 12: Prague

  • 1 Breakfast
Beer has a long and illustrious history in the Czech Republic with the first brewery established in 993. Beer is a core part of the country’s national identity, so join a Czech beer tasting and discover for yourself what makes the Czech’s beer some of the very best in the world. 

Day 13: Depart Prague

  • 1 Breakfast
Bid farewell to Prague and prepare for your homeward flight. 

Ship/Hotel

MS Amabella

Bicycles outside the Amabella.
Stay in a luxurious suite while touring Eastern Europe aboard the AmaBella.

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

Per person starting at
$4,599

Please confirm embark/disembark locations before reserving flights, as this itinerary operates in reverse on alternating departures.
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Category E
Piano Deck, Fixed window, private facilities, 170 sq. ft.
Cabins Category D and E
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Category D
Piano Deck, Fixed window, private facilities, 170 sq. ft.
Cabin Category C
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Category C
Cello Deck, French Balcony, private facilities, 170 sq. ft.
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Category BB
Cello Deck, French Balcony & Outside Balcony, private facilities, 210 sq. ft.
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Category BA
Violin Deck, French Balcony & Outside Balcony, private facilities, 210 sq. ft.
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Category AB
Cello Deck, French Balcony & Outside Balcony, private facilities, 235 sq. ft.
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Category AA
Violin Deck, French Balcony & Outside Balcony, private facilities, 235 sq. ft.
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Suite
Violin Deck, French Balcony & Outside Balcony, private facilities, 350 sq. ft.
Included
  • 12 Breakfasts, 7 Lunches, 6 Dinners
  • 12 Nights Accommodations
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
  • Onboard Entertainment 
  • Bottled water replenished daily
  • Personalized service from a highly trained Cruise Manager during both cruise and land programs
  • Beverages: Unlimited fine wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner.
  • Beverages: Unlimited sparkling wine and fresh juice with breakfast
  • Personal headset for excursions. 
  • Captain’s Welcome Cocktail and Gala Dinner
  • Knowledgeable guides
  • Internet and Wi-Fi access
  • Sip & Sail Daily Cocktail Hour with complimentary wine, beer, spirits and soft drinks
  • La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs exclusive dining experience
  • 2 nights hotel in Budapest at the Marriott (or similar), including tour and daily breakfast
  • Transfer from ship in Vilshofen via Regensburg with walking tour and Christmas Market and then to Prague
  • 3 nights hotel in Prague at the Imperial (or similar), including city tour, Christmas Markets, Czech beer tasting and daily breakfast
  • Bike tours and hikes
Excluded
  • Gratuities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Flight costs (please request a quote)
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • Passport and Applicable Visa Expenses
  • Laundry 
  • Port Fees

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The trip might have been the absolute best of our lifetime (thus far). We particularly want to commend our guide Peter in the Guilin area-he was so incredibly attentive, energetic, enthusiastic-and absolutely dedicated to ensuring that our meals were 100% vegetarian.
Jack Charney
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