Itinerary Details
Day 1 Prague.
Fly to Prague where you will be met and transferred to the Hilton Prague (or similar) for two nights.
Day 2 Prague.
Included today: Guided sightseeing.
Prague is a 1,200 year old city preserved in time. See its best-known treasures on a guided walking tour, including the Old Town’s astronomical clock, Hradcany Castle grounds, St Vitus Cathedral and the Charles Bridge. Browse the shops for hand-cut crystal or art books, mingle with the locals in Wenceslaus Square or stroll alongside the Vltava River. (B)
Day 3 Prague – Passau.
After lunch, drive to Passau, where your cruise ship is docked. Before dinner, meet your crew at a welcome reception. (B, D)
Day 4 Passau – Engelhartszell
Included today: Guided sightseeing in Passau.
Passau is a maze of narrow cobblestone streets lined with beautiful patrician houses. St. Stephen’s Cathedral, a masterpiece of Italian baroque architecture, houses one of the world’s largest church organs with 17,774 pipes. Join your Local Guide for a WALKING TOUR through this charming town, and find out much more about the “City of Three Rivers.” This afternoon stop in Engelhartszell and become acquainted with some of Germanys FAMOUS BEERS. (B, L, D)
Day 5 Linz, Austria
Included today: Guided sightseeing.
Linz is Austrias third-largest city and an important river port where culture plays a significant role in everyday life. This morning join a local expert for a GUIDED TOUR. See the 13th-century Hauptplatz, Austrias largest medieval square, and the Trinity Column, built in 1723 as thanks for the city escaping the ravages of the plague, war, and fire. On your own you might like to wander around the old castle grounds and take in the beautiful views of the river, or visit the neo-gothic New Cathedral, Austrias largest church, with capacity for 20,000 visitors. (B, L, D)
Day 6 Grein – Weissenkirchen
Included today: Guided walk in Grein, visit the historical theatre; guided walk in Weissenkirchen
This morning arrive in the attractive country resort of Grein, nestled at the foot of a bluff in the shadow of its castle. Take an included GUIDED WALK through town and visit its unique historical THEATRE, the oldest in Austria still holding regular performances. A behind-the-scenes peek to learn about some of the curiosities of this rococo-style, 167-seat theatre will certainly tell you much about life as it wasand as it now is in this small town. The turreted houses on the main square make excellent photo subjects. Then, re board your ship and sail into the picturesque Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stop in Weissenkirchen (“White Church”) for a GUIDED WALK through this pretty little town, Once you leave Weissenkirchen on your way to Vienna, be sure to look out for the magnificent baroque Stiftskirche of Drnstein, with its blue faade. (B, L, D)
Day 7 Vienna.
Included today: Guided sightseeing.
Also known as the ‘City of Music’, Vienna inspired the creative genius of Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss and was once the centre of the mighty Habsburg Empire. See the lavish Hofburg Imperial Palace complex, with its Vienna Boys’ Choir and Lipizzaner stallions, the impressive neo-Renaissance Vienna Opera House, and awe-inspiring St Stephen’s Cathedral on your included city tour with a local guide. Stroll on the Krntnerstrasse and enjoy Sachertorte or Apfelstrdel in a classic Viennese coffee house. An optional concert is available during your stay. (B, L, D)
Day 8 Bratislava.
Included today: Guided sightseeing.
At the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains is Bratislava, the dynamic capital of Slovakia. Sightseeing with a Local Guide will introduce you to the charming Old Town and its Town Hall, one of the oldest stone buildings in the city. Also visit the Gothic St Martin’s Cathedral, coronation church for the Kingdom of Hungary from the 16th to 19th centuries. (B, L, D)
Day 9 Budapest.
Included today: Guided sightseeing.
Spanning the banks of the Danube, Budapest is one of Eastern Europe’s liveliest cities. Today’s guided city tour takes in the massive hilltop castle complex, Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church. This afternoon, explore this vibrant city at your own pace, perhaps strolling across the famed Chain Bridge, a symbol of Budapest built in 1849 that connects ancient Buda on the right bank with Pest on the left. Or why not visit St Stephen’s Basilica, Hungary’s largest church? (B, L, D)
Day 10 Budapest.
Disembark and transfer to the airport for your flight to the UK. (B)
