TravelWorld International Magazine, Spring 2022 - Spring into Travel

Overlooking the “Three Rivers City” of
Passau, Germany from Veste Oberhaus.
Melk Abbey Courtyard in Melk Austria is an exquisite
example of baroque architecture that survived the
Reformation. It’s home to around 30 Benedictine
monks who maintain and reside at the abbey.
The impressive
Hungarian
Parliament
viewed from the
sundeck of the
Emerald Destiny
on a Danube
River Cruise.
E
U
N
R
O
P
R
E
T
•
H
D
A
N
M
U
EB
RE
I
R
CI
AV
E
R
uremberg resonates
with history buffs
for the Memorium
Nuremberg Trials,
a museum and
active courtroom where high
ranking Nazi officials were tried.
Art buffs should visit Albrecht
Durer’s House, the former studio
of Germany’s most famous
Renaissance painter. A longtime
friend from university days, Felix
Oettner, owns the Albrecht Durer
Museum Shop, which features
antique tiles from the 1700’s.
Sailing along the Danube from
Nuremberg to Regensburg, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site,
visitors learn about the bratwurst
rivalry between two picturesque
German towns. It’s the perfect
setting to enjoy delicious brews in
a beer garden like Spitalgarten.
Passau, Germany is called the Three
Rivers City because it rests along
the confluence of the Danube,
Inn and Ilz rivers. I marveled at
the breathtaking view of Passau’s
charming historic center and the
three rivers atop Veste Oberhaus, a
13th-century defense fortress built
by prince-bishops. Dom St. Stephen
is a stunning baroque church that
houses the world’s largest organ,
made of 17,974 pipes.
Sailing through the Wachau Valley
of Austria offers another idyllic
European setting. Melk Abbey
is an impressive Baroque style
Benedictine abbey. Adorned with
elaborate frescoes, it offers sweeping
views above a perfectly charming
Austrian village. The incredible
28km sail from Melk to Durnstein
is lined with scenic towns, rolling
vineyards and historic castles.
The grandeur of Vienna is well suited
to be called the “City of Music.” A visit
to ornate palaces like Schönbrunn and
Belvedere showcases lavish gardens and
offers a glimpse into the aristocratic life
of a bygone era.
Eroica Hall, where Beethoven performed
the premiere of his Third Symphony, is
the perfect setting for a concert. Fabulous
music is capped with a soaring rendition
of Johann Strauss’s Blue Danube Waltz.
Emerald Cruises organizes the concert as
an additional outing you can select and
includes pre-concert champagne in the
foyer.
Founded in 1447, Griechenbiesl is the
oldest inn in Vienna. Grab a seat on their
terrace and savor Vienna’s most popular
dish, wiener schnitzel! Cafe Central,
founded in 1876, is an iconic venue to
savor Viennese cakes like sachertorte,
gugelhupf, dobos torte and strudel.
t’s a short sail down the
Danube River from Vienna
to Bratislava. The revitalized
capital of Slovakia is a
charming and easily navigable
destination. River cruises
dock in the heart of town, and its
quaint historic center is packed with
delicious cafes and punctuated by
Bratislava Castle, which overlooks
town.
Sailing into Budapest is an epic
way to conclude a Danube River
Alexander and Bellinda King-Kallimanis
enjoying schnitzel at the oldest
restaurant in Vienna, Griechenbiesl.
cruise. The Hungarian Parliament,
built in 1904, is a grand example of
Gothic Revival architecture. Waking
up to view the striking building in
early light, while the ship makes
360 degree turns to offer panoramic
views of other sites like Castle Hill,
is a remarkable experience.
Nicknamed “Spa City,” Budapest
rests atop 123 thermal springs.
Roman settlers built the first spa
baths, and the tradition continued
through Ottoman occupation.
Popular Budapest baths include
Szechenyi, Rudas, Gellert and
Kiraly. Budapest houses more
medicinal baths than any other
world capital.
A Danube River cruise is a fantastic
way to experience Europe in spring.
Waking up to explore exciting new
destinations, in different countries,
all without swapping your room, is
a memorable journey sure to elicit
frequent doses of nostalgia.
The medieval Maxbrucke Bridge in Nuremberg is the oldest stone
bridge in the city, built in 1457 by Jakob Grimm. It crosses the
Pegnitz River and connects historic Maxplatz and Untschlittplatz.
E
U
R
O
P
E
•
D
A
N
U
B
E
R
I
V
E
R
68
69