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20 Days Jewels of Central Europe Tour Package
Duration: 20 Days / 19 Nights
Priced From: $4,689 pp Dbl. Occ.
Dates: Jun, Aug, Oct /08
Spend two nights in Budapest, 14 nights cruising to Trier, and two nights in Paris on this delightful 20-day vacation, which cruises along the Danube, Main, Rhine, and Moselle Rivers and through the dramatic Rhine Gorge and Main Danube Canal. Enjoy guided sightseeing in Budapest with its Fishermen’s Bastion and Buda Castle, and in Vienna with the lavish Hofburg Palace and impressive Opera House. In Durnstein, marvel at the magnificent blue façade of the baroque Stiftskirche, and take a guided visit of Melk’s impressive Benedictine Abbey. You’ll have guided tours of Regensburg, Nuremberg, and Passau, and an excursion along the Romantic Road to Rothenburg. Medieval Bamberg beckons next, and there are walking tours in Miltenberg with its narrow cobblestone streets, and charming Bernkastel. Visit the Residential Palace in Würzburg, Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum in Rüdesheim, and Reichsburg Castle towering above Cochem. Disembark in Trier and transfer by motorcoach to Paris, where Local Guides will show you the famous landmarks.
Itinerary
Day 1
Board your overnight transatlantic flight.
Days 2-3 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 Elisabeth Bridges, connect ancient Buda on the right bank with Pest on the left. The massive hilltop 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. Your Cruise Director will have more suggestions for interesting outings and things to do. (BB)
Day 4 Budapest. (Embarkation)
This afternoon, the crew of your vessel waits to welcome you aboard. (BB,D)
Day 5Budapest–Vienna, Austria
A day to relax on board and marvel at the beautiful scenery on both banks of the Danube. Hungary is on your left as you cruise upriver and Slovakia is on your right. The two countries share the Danube for a 58-mile stretch, with the border in the middle of the river. Vienna, Austria’s capital, is known as the “City of Music,” and inspired the creative genius of Mozart, Beethoven, and Strauss. (FB,L,D)
Day 6 Vienna
Once the center of the mighty Habsburg Empire, Vienna 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. An optional concert is available during your stay. (FB,L,D)
Day 7 Dürnstein–Melk
Dürnstein, known for the magnificent baroque Stiftskirche with its blue façade, lies right in the heart of the Wachau wine region. Above town are ruins of the castle where England’s King Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned in 1192. 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! (FB,L,D)
Day 8 Linz–Passau, Germany
Linz, Austria’s thirdlargest town, lies on both banks of the Danube and is an important industrial town and busy river port. An optional full-day excursion to Salzburg takes in the popular Sound of Music sights. 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. (FB,L,D)
Day 9 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 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. It is here you will find Germany’s oldest restaurant, the 12th-century Alte Wurstküche (Old Sausage Kitchen). (FB,L,D)
Day 10 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 famous Lebkuchen, toy making, and metal working. (FB,L,D)
Day 11 Nuremberg. Excursion to Rothenburg
Medieval Rothenburg is a classical walled city. Its half-timbered houses, the church’s wooden altar carved by Tilman Riemenschneider, and the 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 Bamberg
A beautiful 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 13 Würzburg
Known as the “Pearl of the Romantic Road,” Würzburg is surrounded by sloping hills covered with vineyards. The magnificent BISHOP’S RESIDENZ is another UNESCO World Heritage Site. (FB,L,D)
Day 14 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 15 Rüdesheim–Rhine Gorge–Coblenz
Pretty Rüdesheim is the perfect example of a Rhine Valley wine town. Explore the Drosselgasse, pick up some souvenirs, and be sure to try one of the vintages in any of the little wine taverns. 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. 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. 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. (FB,L,D)
Day 16 Cochem
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. (FB,L,D)
Day 17 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 18 Trier (Disembarkation)–Paris, France
After breakfast, cross the border into France and head for Paris. (FB)
Day 19 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 20 Paris
Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (BB)
Highlights
BUDAPEST
Guided sightseeing; visit Fishermen's Bastion; Welcome reception
VIENNA
Guided sightseeing
DÜRNSTEIN
Guided walk
MELK
Guided visit of the Benedictine Abbey; wine tasting
PASSAU
Guided sightseeing
REGENSBURG
Guided sightseeing; visit the Old Chapel
MAIN-DANUBE CANAL
Cruise in the canal
NUREMBERG
Guided sightseeing; excursion to Rothenburg
BAMBERG
Guided sightseeing
WÜRZBURG
Guided sightseeing, visit the Residenz
MILTENBERG
Guided sightseeing
RÜDESHEIM
“Winzerexpress” mini train; visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum
COCHEM
Visit Reichsburg Castle
BERNKASTEL
Guided sightseeing
PARIS
Guided sightseeing
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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