This evening, meet your fellow passengers at an evening Welcome Aboard Wine Toast. The evening has a special treat in store: an Oktoberfest presented by the town of Vilshofen. Bavarian folk music, songs and dances set a lively scene as you gather at long tables to sample Vilshofen’s distinctive local beer. The Mayor and Beer Queen is on hand to greet you and wish you a successful journey along the Danube. 

This morning you are free to explore Vilshofen’s beautiful old town before cruising to Passau. This afternoon you have a walking tour of this 2,000-year-old city, noted for its Gothic and Italian Baroque architecture, cobblestone streets, and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Guests looking for a more active afternoon may join a guided hike up to the Veste Oberhaus fortress overlooking Passau. Prior to dinner, enjoy an onboard wine tasting. 

The ship arrives this morning in Linz. Enjoy a walking tour of the second largest city in Austria or choose a guided bike tour that shows you around the Old City Center, along the Danube River, and past the ultra-modern Ars Electronica Center. Later, you have a choice of three different excursions. The first option is an excursion to Salzburg, Mozart’s birthplace, where you can take a walking tour of the historic center made famous by "The Sound of Music.” The second option is an excursion to the Czech town of Cesky Krumlov, a wonderfully preserved medieval town nestled in the hills just over the Austrian-Czech border. The third option is a visit to the Austrian Lake District, the scenic Salzkammergut region. All three regions are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Tonight, savor a fabulous Chaîne Des Rôtisseurs Dinner complete with wine pairing. 

Cruise to Weissenkirchen, gateway to Dürnstein located in the heart of the Wachau Valley. Once here, you can choose to join a walking tour in Dürnstein along its cobblestone streets to the Baroque Stiftskirche, Dürnstein’s famed church tower, and savor a tasting of the region’s renowned wines. Or for the more active adventurer, hike up to the fortress where Richard the Lionheart was once held.

Journey to Melk to tour its magnificent Benedictine Abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Overlooking the Danube River, Melk Abbey is one of Europe’s largest and most revered monasteries with stunning Baroque architectural details and numerous frescoes and religious artifacts. Alternatively, take a bike tour along the Danube River, soaking in views of the serene Wachau Valley. Later in the evening, be treated to a special cellar tour and wine tasting of locally grown, world-renowned Riesling and Grüner Veltliner at the acclaimed Schloss Gobelsburg, which has a documented viticulture history dating back to the 12th century. 

This morning, you have a chance to savor the Baroque elegance of romantic Vienna through your choice of one of three different excursions. The first option is a panoramic tour of Vienna that guides you past the majestic Opera House, the former Imperial Palace of the Habsburg Emperors, Parliament, Town Hall and Vienna University. Afterwards, visit Vienna’s historic city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and see St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Graben and the world famous Spanish Riding School. The second option is a walking tour of Vienna’s hidden treasures that takes you to secret places and sights like Ankeruhr, a whimsical Art Nouveau clock. Your third option is a guided bike tour along the Danube and through the Donaupark. After dinner enjoy an excursion to a charming Viennese wine tavern to listen to folk music and sample newly pressed local wine. 

Your morning excursion includes sightseeing in the cities of Buda and Pest spread over both banks of the river. See famed Heroes’ Square and Castle Hill, home to Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church and spectacular views of the Danube. Alternatively, you may also opt to join a hike up to Castle Hill on which you can see Buda Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion and Parliament Square. After dinner, the ship sails a special Illuminations Cruise past the glittering riverfront of Budapest.

Your cruise comes to an end as you prepare for your homeward flight.