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18 Days Jewels of Central Europe Tour Package
Duration: 18 Days / 17 Nights
Priced From: $4,049 pp Dbl. Occ.
Dates: Jul, Sep, Oct /08
Spend two nights in Paris, then embark on a grand 14-night cruise from Trier to Budapest. Sail along the Moselle, Rhine, Main, and Danube Rivers and through the dramatic Rhine Gorge and Main Danube Canal. Enjoy guided city sightseeing in Paris, Vienna, and Budapest, plus tours in Bernkastel and Bamberg. Visit Reichsburg Castle high above Cochem, Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum in Rüdesheim, and the Benedictine Abbey in Melk. You’ll marvel at the gabled, half-timbered houses in Miltenberg and the Residential Palace in Würzburg. An excursion along the Romantic Road to Rothenburg is included, as well as a guided tour of Nuremberg. From Regensburg, cruise to Passau, Linz, and on to Vienna, the “City of Music.” Explore each of these towns before reaching Budapest and the end of this magnificent journey.
Itinerary
Day 1
Board your overnight transatlantic flight.
Day 2 Paris, France
Welcome to Paris! France’s capital on the River Seine, the “City of Light,” where romance fills the air.
Day 3 Paris
Paris’ famous sights are living history: magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, the unique Louvre Museum with its glass pyramid contrasting its ancient architecture, the commemorative Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, Champs Elysées, and the Eiffel Tower, a structural miracle of its age. The city is well known for its colorful nightlife, including some of the world’s most famous cabaret shows. (BB)
Day 4 Paris–Trier, Germany
After breakfast, drive to Trier in Germany, where the crew of your vessel waits to welcome you aboard. The Moselle River is some 312 miles long, rising in the Vosges Mountains of northeastern France and entering Germany at Trier. The entire Moselle Valley is famous for its beautiful and tranquil scenery. (BB,D)
Day 5 Bernkastel
In the middle of the Moselle region is the charming wine village of Bernkastel, with its well preserved half-timbered houses surrounding the beautiful MARKET PLACE. Wine growers in this area look after Germany’s largest expanse of vineyards, the most celebrated of the vintages being the Bernkasteler Doktor. (FB,L,D)
Day 6 Cochem–Coblenz
REICHSBURG CASTLE, towering above the river at Cochem, can be seen from afar and sits atop a conical hill covered in vines. Views of the little town of Cochem nestled below and of the river valley are splendid. Cruising the wide, peaceful curves of the river, it quickly becomes obvious that the Moselle is an important wine-growing region. Most notably, Riesling grapes are cultivated, producing a dry to sweet, floral white wine. Situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, 2,000-year-old Coblenz is the cultural and business center of the Middle Rhine region. The Deutsches Eck, located on a tongue of land where the two rivers converge, holds an impressive equestrian statue of Wilhelm I. (FB,L,D)
Day 7 Rhine Gorge–Rüdesheim
The dramatic Rhine Gorge is the most beautiful stretch of river. Pass the legendary Rock of the Lorelei, where sweet songs lured enchanted sailors to their doom. Rüdesheim is the perfect example of a Rhine Valley wine town and SIEGFRIED’S MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM is a real surprise! Explore the Drosselgasse and be sure to try one of the vintages in any of the wine taverns. (FB,L,D)
Day 8 Miltenberg
Located on the Main River, Miltenberg is a picturesque Bavarian village that thrived on income from river traffic. Its cultural wealth and affluence are reflected in the beautiful medieval and Renaissance houses and the Gothic splendor of the Merchant Hall. (FB,L,D)
Day 9 Würzburg
Known as the “Pearl of the Romantic Road,” Würzburg is surrounded by sloping hills covered with vineyards. The magnificent BISHOP’S RESIDENZ is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (FB,L,D)
Day 10 Bamberg
Another UNESCO World Heritage Site is medieval Bamberg, with its breathtaking cathedral, Old Town Hall straddling the river, and serpentine streets with charming houses and 18th-century mansions. (FB,L,D)
Day 11 Nuremberg. Excursion to Rothenburg
Medieval Rothenburg is a classical walled city. Its half-timbered houses, wooden church altar carved by Tilman Riemenschneider, and town square with its Glockenspiel, a tribute to the city’s one-time heroic mayor, all make this a favorite town along the Romantic Road. (FB,L,D)
Day 12 Nuremberg
Although Nuremberg suffered extensive damage during WWII, much of it was restored to its original style. Marvel at this historic city with its fabulous Gothic churches and elegant patrician houses. Nuremberg’s traditions include its famous Lebkuchen, toy making, and metal working. (FB,L,D)
Day 13 Regensburg
Regensburg is one of Germany’s best preserved medieval cities. Architectural highlights include the Old Town Hall; the beautiful white and gold OLD CHAPEL; and the Porta Pretoria, gates to an ancient Roman fort built in 179 A.D. The city is the capital of Upper Palatinate, a bustling university town, and one of Bavaria’s cultural centers. (FB,L,D)
Day 14 Passau–Linz, Austria
Passau, ideally located at the confluence of the Rivers Inn, Ilz, and Danube, is a city of graceful arcades and cobblestone streets. St. Stephen’s Cathedral houses the world’s largest church organ with more than 17,000 pipes. An optional full-day excursion to Salzburg takes in the popular Sound of Music sights. Linz, Austria’s third-largest town, lies on both banks of the Danube, and is an important industrial town and busy river port. (FB,L,D)
Day 15 Melk–Vienna
Melk’s magnificent BENEDICTINE ABBEY dominates the town from its commanding hill site and is one of Europe’s largest monasteries. The view from the terrace over the Danube and surrounding countryside is breathtaking! Vienna, known as the “City of Music,” inspired the creative genius of Mozart, Beethoven, and Strauss. An optional concert is available tonight. (FB,L,D)
Day 1 6Vienna
Once the center of the mighty Habsburg Empire, Austria’s capital has much to offer: the lavish Hofburg Palace, the impressive Vienna Opera House, the majestic Ringstrasse, and awe-inspiring St. Stephen’s Cathedral, to name just a few of the sights. You do not rush through Vienna, you waltz, taking your time to savor each classic sight and sound. Shop in the Kärntnerstrasse and enjoy Sachertorte or Apfelstrudel in a neighborhood café. (FB,L,D)
Day 17 Budapest, Hungary
Budapest, spanning the banks of the Danube, is the liveliest and most cosmopolitan metropolis of Eastern Europe. Seven bridges, including the famous Chain and Elizabeth Bridges, connect ancient Buda on the right bank with Pest on the left. The massive hill top castle complex with FISHERMEN’S BASTION and the Matthias Church are sights not to be missed. Shop for renowned peasant embroidery, Herend porcelain, and paprika. (FB,L,D)
Day 18 Budapest
(Disembarkation) Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (FB)
Highlights
PARIS
Guided sightseeing
TRIER
Welcome reception
BERNKASTEL
Guided sightseeing
COCHEM
Visit Reichsburg Castle
RÜDESHEIM
“Winzerexpress” mini train; visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum
MILTENBERG
Guided sightseeing
WÜRZBURG
Guided sightseeing, visit the Residenz
BAMBERG
Guided sightseeing
NUREMBERG
Excursion to Rothenburg; guided sightseeing
MAIN DANUBE CANAL
Cruise in the canal
REGENSBURG
Guided sightseeing; visit the Old Chapel
PASSAU
Guided sightseeing
MELK
Guided visit of the Benedictine Abbey
VIENNA
Guided sightseeing
BUDAPEST
Guided sightseeing; visit Fishermen's Bastion
INSIDE VISITS
Inside visits and special features are shown in the description, including admission charges when applicable.
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10/08
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