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15 Days Amsterdam to Budapest by Riverboat River Cruise - Southbound Tour Package
Duration: 15 Days / 14 Nights
Priced From: $4,990 pp Dbl. Occ.
Dates: Apr, may, Jul, Aug, Oct /08
Travel aboard the luxurious new Swiss Sapphire or Swiss Emerald on a two-week Danube, Main and Rhine River cruise, gliding past grand cathedrals, medieval monasteries, castles and vineyards. Pass through five countries, from the Netherlands to Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. Inclusive shore excursions visit many UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the historic districts of Budapest, Vienna, and Bamberg; the Wachau and Rhine Valleys; plus Schönbrunn Palace and Köln Cathedral. Take a canal boat cruise in Amsterdam, and attend a grand Imperial Evening in a Vienna palace.
Itinerary
• Indicates day of cruising
• Day 1: Embark on your cruise in Amsterdam
A transfer is included from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport directly to the riverboat. Tour starts at 4:00 p.m. in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Your two-week Danube, Main and Rhine cruise begins with dinner aboard the riverboat.
Meals: Dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
• Day 2: Art in Amsterdam
See acclaimed art by Dutch Masters, including Rembrandt's The Night Watch, at the Rijksmuseum. Then enjoy views of medieval architectural styles on a luncheon canal boat cruise along Amsterdam’s 17th-century canals.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
• Day 3: Köln, Namesake of Eau de Cologne
Next stop on your Rhine cruise is Köln (Cologne), Germany. Tour the lofty Kölner Dom, elaborately decorated with pinnacles and buttresses – it is the tallest Gothic structure in the world. Stroll the Hohe Strasse at your leisure in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
• Day 4: Koblenz or Marksburg Castle, and Cruise the Lorelei Valley
Dock in Koblenz, and choose either a walking tour of Old Town, or a trip to 13th-century Castle Marksburg, built high above the Rhine. Relax on an afternoon’s cruise through the scenic Lorelei Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit a winery for a wine tasting before dinner ashore.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
• Day 5: Rhine Cruise to the Main River
Visit Miltenberg, a walled medieval city with a hilltop castle and Roman roots. Then enjoy the views as your Rhine cruise continues into the Main River, through scenic valleys studded with castles, cathedrals, and fortified towns.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
• Day 6: Würzburg or Rothenburg
Choose either a visit to medieval Rothenburg to see its Gothic cathedrals and gabled houses, or a visit to Würzburg, where you'll view the 18th-century Residenz and the ornate Alte Mainbrücke, a bridge over the River Main.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
• Day 7: Bound for Bamberg
Continue your cruise along the Main, then journey to the hilltop town of Bamberg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A highlight of your walking tour is the town’s 13th-century cathedral with four imposing towers.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
• Day 8: Main-Danube Canal & gingerbread
Cruise the Main-Danube Canal, which ultimately links the North Sea with the Black Sea; the idea goes back as far as Charlemagne, but wasn't realized until the 1990s. Pass through 16 locks as the waterway traverses the mountains. In Nürnberg, visit the Hauptmarkt, famous for gingerbread and sausage. See the Schöner Brunnen fountain, and turn the gold ring for luck.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
• Day 9: Ancient Regensburg
Stop in the well-preserved medieval town of Regensburg, once a campsite for the Roman legions. On a walking tour, see the Steinerne Brücke, a medieval stone bridge over the Danube, and Altes Rathaus, the 15th-century town hall that was once the seat of the Imperial Diet.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
• Day 10: Explore Baroque Passau
Dock in the German port city of Passau, dating back to Roman times. Spend time exploring this lovely Bavarian town, known for its Baroque architecture and stained glass, on your own. Cruise the Danube in the afternoon, bound for Melk, Austria.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
• Day 11: Medieval Austrian abbeys and castles
Stop in the town of Melk, Austria, for a guided tour of its 900-year-old Benedictine Abbey, perched on a rocky outcrop above the river. Inside this Baroque masterpiece are fine frescoes, early manuscripts, and a high altar. Enjoy views of medieval castle ruins while cruising through the Wachau Valley. Visit picturesque Dürnstein; high above the town lie the ruins of a castle where King Richard the Lionhearted was held for ransom during the Crusades.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
• Day 12: Music and more in Imperial Vienna
Get an overview of Vienna, Austria, with a morning sightseeing tour of this historic city. Then take your choice of a tour of Schönbrunn Palace, built to rival Versailles, or a tour of the Imperial Silver Room inside the Hofburg, the Imperial Palace of the Habsburgs. Tonight, attend a private Imperial Viennese evening at a traditional palace, which features dinner and live Viennese music.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
• Day 13: Baroque in Bratislava
Dock in Bratislava, capital of Slovakia, where 17 centuries of history are chronicled on a walking tour. Highlights are the Baroque palaces from the Habsburg era, along with St. Martin's Cathedral, the Opera House, Slovak Philharmonic Hall, Old Town Hall and St. Michael's Gate. Attend the farewell reception and dinner aboard your riverboat this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
• Day 14: Discover Budapest on the Danube
Explore Budapest on both sides of the Danube River. Sites include Heroes’ Square, bounded by some of the finest architectural works in Hungary; the Parliament building, a Neo-Gothic masterpiece; and Fishermen’s Bastion.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
Day 15: Journey home
Tour ends in Budapest, Hungary. Disembark in Budapest; a transfer is included from the riverboat to Budapest's Ferihegy Airport. Allow 2 1/2 hours for departure flight check-in.
Meals: Breakfast
Save time, money and stress!
For reservations: Fill out the Uniworld River Cruise vacation planner to be contacted by a Europe River Cruise vacation specialist.
Contact : Travelwizard.com
Phone: 1-800-330-8820 or 1-415-446-5252
10/08
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