River Cruise 2023 Cruises

EXPERIENCE THE HISTORICAL
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GREAT DANUBE
Imperial Cities of the Danube
including Vienna, Budapest & Bratislava onboard MS Arena
Vienna
Step aboard and let our attentive captain and crew guide you on an unforgettable journey along the Danube. For those who are short on
time, this is the ideal itinerary, encompassing some of the highlights that there are to see along Europe’s second longest river. Explore
the birthplace of classical music in Vienna, fall in love with the world’s most beautiful city in Budapest and discover Slovakia’s unique and
ancient capital city, Bratislava. This is how river cruising is meant to be.
Day 1: UK – Munich (Coach and Rail)
We travel by coach or rail to our overnight hotel
in the Munich area.
Day 2: Munich – Passau (Coach and Rail)
/ UK – Passau (Air)
After breakfast, we’ll travel by coach or rail 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.
Day 3: Vienna – Budapest
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.
Day 4: Esztergom – Budapest – Bratislava
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 it’s
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.
Day 5: Bratislava – Weissenkirchen
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.
Day 6: Weissenkirchen – Passau
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.
Day 7: Passau – Germany (Coach and Rail)
/ UK (Air)
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.
Day 8: Germany – UK (Coach and Rail)
After breakfast, we continue our return journey
home to the UK..
Esztergom
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