17 Dec Melodies of the Danube River Cruise

If you are dreading the thought of enduring another triple digit heatwave next summer in Fresno, start planning now to take a river cruise through Central Europe. AMA Waterways offers a splendid 8 day Melodies of the Danube river cruise aboard the ship AmaPrima.

The tour begins in Budapest, Hungary where you’ll get to spend the morning sightseeing in the cities of Buda and Pest spread over both banks of the river. You will see famed Heroes’ Square and Castle Hill, home to Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church, and spectacular views of the Danube.

Your next stop is Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. Here you can enjoy a walking tour of the city’s top sights, including the Old Town Hall, Mirbach Palace, and St. Martin’s Cathedral. Later, you will have some free time before the ship cruises to Vienna, the music capital of the world. After dinner, experience a traditional “Viennese Wine and Music” evening in a rustic wine tavern outside the city, where you can enjoy a glass of newly pressed, locally grown wine, and Austrian music and hospitality.

Along the way, you’ll stop in Austria where you will have a chance to savor the Baroque elegance of romantic Vienna through your choice of one of three different excursions.

The first option is a panoramic tour of Vienna that guides you past the majestic Opera House, the former Imperial Palace of the Habsburg Emperors, Parliament, Town Hall, and Vienna University. Afterwards, you will visit Vienna’s historic city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and see St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Graben, and the world-famous Spanish Riding School.

The second option is a walking tour of Vienna’s hidden treasures that takes you to secret places and sights like Ankeruhr, a whimsical Art Nouveau clock.

Your third option is a guided bike tour along the Danube and through the Donaupark. This afternoon, you can join a guided bike ride to Klosterneuburg Monastery, or explore at your leisure. Be sure to sample some Viennese coffee and pastries.

Upon your arrival to Passau, Germany, you’ll enjoy a walking tour of this 2,000-year-old city, noted for its Gothic and Italian Baroque architecture, cobblestone streets, and squares like Rathaus, Domplatz, and Residenzplatz, as well as St. Stephan’s Cathedral. Guests looking for a more active morning can choose between a guided bike tour along the Danube from Passau to Erlau, or a guided hike up to the Veste Oberhaus fortress overlooking Passau. In the afternoon, the ship cruises to the medieval town of Vilshofen, where you will enjoy a festive Oktoberfest celebration with local beer and Bavarian folk music and dancing.

The cruise ends in Vilshofen, where you will disembark the ship and leave for Prague.

On the way, you’ll stop in Regensburg, one of Germany’s best-preserved medieval cities, where you will have a walking tour and free time to explore the city’s historic district, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue on to Prague, taking in the scenic beauty of the countryside before arriving at your hotel in the late afternoon.

When you book your Danube River cruise through Elite Global Journeys, you get extra benefits. As the only Virtuoso member office in Central California, we’re pleased to offer exclusive amenities, such as a guided tour of the Schönbrunn Palace. This tour is offered following the included Vienna City tour and lunch onboard ship. For more information, contact your Elite Global Journeys travel advisor today at (559) 431-7440.