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Your cruise will also feature regional cuisine - think river-caught fish, local produce in season, fruit from the surrounding orchards, and German, Austrian, and Hungarian wines. When it comes to European river cruising, the Danube is unequivocally a popular choice, as it traverses through multiple countries, offering a variety of landscapes, cultures and a wealth of history. Due to its popularity amongst all cruisers, practically every river cruise line sails along the Danube, so there are fortunately lots of choices to choose from. After, enjoy lunch at one of Europe's oldest restaurants, Peter Stiftskulinarium, within the historic St. Peter's Abbey as part of a day-long tour of Salzburg with Viking.
Durnstein, Austria
Viking's itinerary starts in the grand Hungarian capital of Budapest, divided in half by the river. Or, you can do what we did and just explored Regensburg on our own after the shore excursion. I was able to buy a hat from the famous Hutkönig, which has been making hats since 1875 for European royalty, Johnny Depp in Alice in Wonderland, and Pope Benedict XVI. We were able to explore smaller streets and I even came across some Banksy graffiti - though I’ve never been able to verify if it’s truly his or some copycat. Some folks took a train on their own from Regensburg to Munich as they wanted to tour the BMW museum. Just make sure you look at the itinerary for the day to know what time you need to catch the train back.
Viking River Cruise Danube Ship Review
These mineral-rich waters are said to be Iceland’s health and beauty secret. Formed after an accidental overflow from an adjacent geothermal plant, the original lagoon has been expanded into a dozen steaming, milky-blue pools with a lava wall looming almost four metres above. Iceland’s Majestic Landscapes ocean voyage spends half of the 13-day itinerary exploring the country’s dramatic vistas, villages and cities, with the other half cruising around the fjords of far north Norway. A mesmerising view at the perfect time of day, a natural phenomenon that must be seen to be appreciated, or a heart-pumping activity in a place rarely visited.
7 Fantastic UNESCO Sites To Experience On A Danube River Cruise - TravelAwaits
7 Fantastic UNESCO Sites To Experience On A Danube River Cruise.
Posted: Mon, 11 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Are Drinks Included on a Viking Cruise?
You could soak in the views as you sail the river, capturing landmarks on camera, including the 12th-century Aggstein Castle, perched on a hilltop, with the sprawling Hinterhaus ruins on the opposite side. Danube River cruises include dramatic scenery and historic ports of call, including Regensburg, Germany; Vienna, Austria, and Budapest, Hungary, encompassing some of Europe's most iconic capital cities and magical towns. From wandering UNESCO World Heritage old towns to dancing the waltz in Vienna, here are some of the best things to see and do on a Danube River cruise with Viking. After 2018’s historic low water levels, I can’t pretend I wasn’t worried our river cruise would turn into a bus trip, especially as there were some rumblings about low water around Passau and Budapest. But I guess that downpour we had in Vienna helped because we made it through without a hitch.
Cruise to enchanting destinations
Take your seat and set off into the Advent Valley as your expert driver picks the best route. The epic 29-day Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Beyond voyage traverses the far northern seas to reach distant shores, where you will learn about Canadian Inuit traditions as you revel in the history of Viking exploration. One of Europe’s most scenic stretches of the Danube, known as the Iron Gate, carves through the Carpathian Mountains to the north and the Balkan Mountains to the south.
Viking Atla Cruise: Expert Review (2023) - Cruise Critic
Viking Atla Cruise: Expert Review ( .
Posted: Wed, 12 Jul 2023 16:51:51 GMT [source]
Pre & Post Cruise Extensions
Sip on glühwein, pick up handmade crafts and listen to Christmas carols as you soak up the festive atmosphere. One of the mightiest castles peering over the Danube is Durnstein Castle, around a 15-minute drive from Krems. This infamous medieval fortress is where Richard the Lionheart was incarcerated by Austria's Leopold V in the 12th century.
Explore the Caves of Grenada
Seeing this new side of my husband is just one of the eye-opening moments on our Viking Danube cruise that travels from Passau in Germany, to Budapest in Hungary. Finally, arriving in Passau might think you're in Italy instead of Germany. Nestling at the confluence of the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers, Passau's earned the nickname 'Venice on the Danube'. A big sight, in every sense is St Stephen's Cathedral, which has Europe's largest pipe organ. If it's your first time on the Danube take a look at Viking's eight day sailings. They cover many of the main highlights and provide the ideal excuse to come back for more.
For current fares, please call a Viking Expert: 1-800-207-7286 or Request a Quote today.
He already walks with a cane and the pain got a bit much for him. Seeing the challenge, instead of walking back to the bus after the tour, Viking actually called a car for us. I’m not sure if this would have been offered by other operators but that’s the type of attention to detail and dedication to customer service that I actually saw a lot from Viking Cruises.
Organizing Your River Cruise and Getting to Your Ship
The symmetrical building includes piercing spires and a central dome, with two parliament halls on either side. One can be explored during a guided tour, while the other is in use by the Hungarian National Assembly. Wander the courtyards, marvel some of the 242 sculptures and statues of Hungarian rulers and famous national figures and gaze at vivid frescoes. There are glass mosaics and stained-glass windows by Miksa Roth and the showpiece 16-sided domed central hall to see. If you're on a river cruise, one of the best views of the building is from the water. To learn more about each port of call and our included as well as optional excursions, click on the individual days below.
“I’ve always wanted to do a river cruise,” I remind Mark as I eye a plate of local cold cuts. One thing I do know is that a river cruise in Europe has been on my travel bucket list for years, and Viking Cruises has long been on my horizon. It’s a river overflowing (hopefully not literally) with history, hills, fortresses, medieval church steeples and vibrant destinations such as Vienna, voted the world’s most liveable city. Stay current with special offers, news and destination-focused content. Normally for us, that’s too many countries in a week but it’s a good taste of what the region around the Danube has to offer.
After touring the the castle grounds, our (very wonderful) local guide Karolina led us through the curved cobbled lanes of the Old Town. And thank you, Brilliant Sunshine, for accompanying us the whole way. Our next day’s tour took us from Linz to the storybook town of Český Krumlov.
Savour a glass of sparkling apricot wine -- on of the region's delicious delicacies -- before enjoying a private viewing of the abbey. Following in the footsteps of the world's greatest ever composers, visiting bucolic vineyards and exploring Renaissance castles are among the best things to do on a Danube River cruise. This extraordinary waterway is Europe's second-largest river, winding 1,775-miles southeast from Germany's Black Forest to the Black Sea, with a river cruise presenting the best way to explore it. We met several couples we liked, and immediately assumed they’d be our next best forever friends. I assumed this because so many other Viking river cruises reviews I’ve read talk about the wonderful soulmates people connected with and how they ate all their meals together and are already planning reunions.
These legendary waters flow through 10 countries, coursing through Germany, Austria and Hungary to the Black Sea. Our Danube River cruises deliver you to culture-rich banks, from scenic vineyards to spectacular monasteries and elegant cities that have inspired composers and writers for centuries. On a Viking European river cruise you will discover so much more than on a tiring land-based tour of the same length.
Exploring Europe by water requires no internal flights and train rides and eliminates schlepping around with your luggage in tow. The Danube either flows through or delineates part of the border of Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine. Many cruises traverse the stretch between the capital cities of Vienna, Austria and Budapest, Hungary, starting or ending at either location.
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