Table Of Content
Take a pew at the sublime St. Stephan's Cathedral, adorned with frescoes by Swiss-Italian Baroque painter Carpoforo Tencalla and home to Europe's largest organ, with a staggering 17,974 pipes. Enjoy magnificent views of Passau from Veste Oberhaus, a 13th-century fortress on a hill above the city, and browse Hollgasse, a narrow-cobbled walkway that's also known as Artists Alley for its many art galleries. Lying on the Austrian border at the confluence of three rivers -- the Danube, Inn and Ilz -- Passau is nicknamed "Three River City". Wander the old town and you'll see soft-hued medieval buildings lining the waterways. This photogenic German city also has Roman ruins, fortified towers, a pilgrimage church and adjoining monastery. Today, the castle's remnants still dominate the skyline above the sleepy town of Durnstein, affording breathtaking views of the Wachau Valley's rolling hills.
Highlights of Danube River Cruises
Taking in an incredible seven countries -- Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania -- culture lovers will be spoilt for choice with each day bringing new highpoints. Embark on an unforgettable 15-day journey on the Grand European Tour through Europe that will take you from the windmills and tulips of Amsterdam all the way Budapest. Traveling through four countries -- the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Hungary -- the epic Grand European tour is a feast for all the senses.
Day 6 - Germany: Regensburg Walking Tour
Hungarian Court Sentences Master of Viking Sigyn River Cruise Ship For Negligence in Collision Which Killed 27 ... - Cruise Law News
Hungarian Court Sentences Master of Viking Sigyn River Cruise Ship For Negligence in Collision Which Killed 27 ....
Posted: Tue, 26 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
The one optional tour we signed up for was the thermal baths in Budapest, though we also should have booked the Mozart Concert in Vienna because it seemed to be a big hit with the other travelers. Also of vital importance on the Upper Deck is the 24-hour tea and coffee station, there to fulfil your cappuccino and cookie needs at any time of day or night. As a bonus, if you decide to sleep late – which is unlikely, as there are so many things to do on the Viking river cruise Danube itinerary – you can have a continental breakfast here until 11 a.m. Now I’ll be able to talk about all the things we did on our Viking river cruise, a wealth of conversation starters that can go on for years.
Day 7 - Germany: Nuremberg through History Tour
And from there you drive through the Hohenschwangau valley for lunch before returning to the airport for a return flight to Vilshofen. If this were available at the time of my cruise, I probably would have done this optional excursion since I’ve always wanted to see the Neuschwantein Castle. The Göttweig Abbey is a 900-year old abbey ran by the Benedictine monks. It’s an abbey at the top of the hill and oh so magnificent views of the Wachau Valley. I don’t know about you but when I see Karine Hagen (Viking’s SVP and the founder’s daughter) in the ads visiting locals and talking to monks, that’s sort of what I imagined for all the shore excursions.
Viking will bring winter sailings to the Danube - Travel Weekly
Viking will bring winter sailings to the Danube.
Posted: Fri, 15 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Celebrate the holiday season at the Christmas Market of Nations in Germany. Rüdesheimer Weihnachtsmarkt has more than 120 vendor stalls representing the yuletide foods and traditions of 20 different countries. Enjoy the merry atmosphere of Marktplatz, which spreads through the Old Town’s cobblestone streets while seasonal music and the scents of regional delicacies fill the air. Try a mug of Rüdesheim’s favourite coffee made with locally distilled Asbach Uralt brandy, or shop for a festive memento to take home. Viking’s eight-day Christmas On The Rhine river voyage operates between Basel and Amsterdam.
Excursions will take you to historic landmarks, such as the medieval castle of Vidin in Bulgaria and baroque treasures in Osijek, Croatia's largest river port. Another day brings, Constanta, one of Romania's oldest cities and once a seaside playground for the country's elite. Or embark on a thrilling boat safari through the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve teeming with wildlife, including Europe's largest population of white pelicans. A Viking river cruise is the perfect way to discover the charms of European Christmas markets steeped in tradition and history.
Viking Cruises Ship Design
We even had enough time to rest and freshen up before the early dinner, and then we were off to the concert. We joined the Panoramic Vienna tour, and that was a great way to get oriented with the city. I really prefer exploring cities on my own so I managed my expectations here for sure.
This chain suspension bridge is most spectacular at night, when lit up against a dark sky. Opened in 1849, the bridge became the first to be built across the Danube in Hungary. Follow the pedestrian path to walk across the bridge or take one of the city's yellow taxis, with landmarks such as Buda Castle, home to the Hungarian National Gallery on one side, and Szechenyi Square on the other.
The Upper Danube Is a Popular Itinerary for First-timers
I talked to passengers on other cruise ships coming from Budapest to Passau who’d had to bus it from Budapest to a small town about an hour and a half away, which they said wasn’t a big deal. If you fly in the same day that the cruise starts, Viking will pick you up at the airport and deliver you to the ship. Here’s a rundown on what tours you can expect on your Danube Waltz cruise. There is always at least one free included choice, sometimes two. Half the fun of planning your Viking river cruise is choosing your excursions – at least it was for me – and here Viking excels.
This underground shelter was built to protect the city's art treasures during the war's air raids. Visitors can learn about the city's efforts to protect art from the air raids and how Nuremburg was turned to ruin -- and rebuilt -- through photography, film and sound records inside the bedrock bunker. Salzburg is one of Europe's truly magical cities and is easily reached from Passau on a Danube River cruise. Home of "The Sound of Music," the hills are also alive with the classical sounds of Mozart, one of history's greatest composers, who was born in Salzburg. Dedicate time to exploring Salzburg's UNESCO-listed Italianate Old Town, before visiting Hagenauer House at Getreidegasse 9, where the composter was born on January 27, 1756.
There was room to store my fat suitcase under the bed, and enough drawer space for the mountain of shoes, jackets, cashmere sweaters and toiletries I deemed necessary for an autumn Danube Viking river cruise in Europe. Suddenly I realized the difficult task of balancing the joy of relaxing on a European river cruise with seeing ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING. The Danube, Europe’s second longest river, is one of the most popular river cruise routes. The Danube Waltz itinerary also includes stops in Linz (with a bus excursion to Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic), Vienna and Bratislava with some spectacular sights along the way. It is so attentive it frees you up to do the important things on your to-do list like eat crispy roasted pork, fresh-baked pretzels and listen to yodel music. For anyone that likes city breaks, the new 17-day Capitals of Eastern Europe itinerary is sure to please.
Admire the patrician houses in the old town and see Passau’s ornately decorated cathedral. Sail the picturesque Wachau Valley, a UNESCO Site, and admire views of hillside vineyards. Discover the delights of Vienna as you browse the museums or enjoy a Viennese pastry. Sail along the scenic Danube and see stunning landscapes unfurl as you pass quaint towns.
From the end of November to mid-December, Danube ships operate Christmas Markets cruises. Other ports include Linz and Passau, where day trips are often offered to Salzburg and the medieval city of Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. And the quaint villages in the fruit- and schnapps-producing Wachau Valley are also a highlight. While most cruise lines offer seven-day sailings, a few do operate shorter, three to five-day sailings. The second-largest city in Bavaria, after Munich, Nuremburg is perfectly situated near the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, which means it's actually a great stop on multiple Viking river cruise itineraries.
I couldn’t tell if they have extras in case you forget them during the tours as everyone was ready for it. The style is very Scandinavian, of course - modern, minimal, functional. And that’s all without mentioning the entertainment and facilities onboard your ship. Other hotspots along the Danube include the verdant Wachau Valley in Austria, which tumbles down to the riverbanks; and medieval Esztergom, Hungary’s former capital, which is home to the country’s largest church, Esztergom Basilica. If you love dazzling landscapes, magnificent architecture and fabulous food, a Danube river cruise is hard to beat.
Not likely, I think after dinner as we relax in our Veranda Balcony State Room, looking out at the lights of the ancient town of Krems and reading our ‘daily’, the program of events for the next day. Along the way it shadows centuries-old storybook villages that appear unchanged by time and cuts through sophisticated world capitals, like Vienna and Budapest. The Danube, celebrated in art and song, might be the world's most feted river. (After all, is there anyone who can't hum a few bars of the "Blue Danube Waltz"?) Meandering southeast from its origins in Germany's Black Forest, the Danube isn't Europe's longest river -- the Volga takes that honor. But, on its 1,775-mile course to the Black Sea, it flows through, or borders, 10 countries -- more than any other river in the world. Here’s the plan for the day, and I will now add the excursion experiences.
No comments:
Post a Comment