Imperial Cities along the Danube

We travel by coach or rail to our overnight hotel in the Munich area.

After breakfast, we’ll travel by coach and board our ship in Passau, where we’ll be joined by those who have travelled by air. Known as the ‘three rivers city’, Passau is situated where the rivers Danube, Inn and Ilz all meet, so there’s no better place to begin our cruise. This evening, enjoy a relaxing dinner onboard as we set sail towards Vienna.

Arriving in the early afternoon, you have plenty of time to explore Vienna and the option to join a guided tour of the Austrian capital too. The birthplace of classical music boasts a UNESCO World Heritage historical centre, more than 150 grand palaces and no fewer than 27 baroque castles. Home to spectacular squares and magnificent monuments, it really is a magical city. After an afternoon of sightseeing, we return to the ship and begin our onward journey towards Budapest.

This morning, en route to Budapest, we’ll continue our relaxing cruise along the mighty Danube as we pass by the impressive Esztergom Basilica. Sitting atop Castle Hill, it’s the largest church in Hungary and has a 72-metre-high central dome that can be seen for miles around. Our captain will slow the ship right down as we drift by, so there’s plenty of opportunity to capture a stunning photograph of the sights from our vantage point on the water. Then its full speed ahead as we continue our journey to Budapest, where we arrive at around lunchtime. Here you can spend the afternoon exploring what many refer to as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. There’s an optional city tour available where you’ll get to take in all the key sights, such as the Royal Palace, Fishermen’s Bastion, the Parliament building and more. Divided into two by the flowing Danube, you’ll experience Castle Hill and the traditional Buda side of the city, as well as the cosmopolitan side of Pest too. We set sail for Bratislava in the evening.

At around lunchtime today we arrive into the ancient city of Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. The skyline is dominated by the striking Bratislava Castle and the city’s unique suspension bridge; demonstrating the blend of the traditional with the modern. Join our optional guided walking tour, where you’ll experience the city’s highlights , as well as sampling the sweet delicacy ‘Makovka’ too. Relax onboard this evening, as we cruise towards Weissenkirchen.

This morning, we arrive in the picturesque village of Weissenkirchen in the heart of Austria’s Wachau Valley. You’ll enjoy some free time here, where you can explore the village and wander along the banks of the river, before we continue to Passau.

After breakfast, we bid farewell to our captain and crew and travel by coach or rail to our overnight accommodation in the Cologne area. Those travelling by air will be transferred to the airport for the return flight.

After breakfast, we continue our return journey home to the UK.