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A Taste of the Danube – Vienna to Budapest

Resort:A Taste of the Danube - Vienna to Budapest
Operator: Avalon Waterways
Destination: Austria, Europe, Hungary, Slovakia
Price From: £1382.00

Itinerary Details

Day 1 Vienna.

Fly to Vienna where you will be met and transferred to the InterContinental Hotel (or similar) for two nights. The rest of the day is yours to start exploring this elegant city.

Day 2 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. A showcase of gilded architecture, 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 sightseeing tour with a local guide. In your free time, perhaps visit one of the many magnificent museums or browse through the Naschmarkt, Vienna’s main outdoor produce market for over 80 years. An optional concert is available during your stay. (B)

Day 3 Vienna.

This morning is at leisure to perhaps stroll on the Krntnerstrasse and enjoy Sachertorte or Apfelstrdel in a classic Viennese coffee house. This afternoon, transfer to your cruise ship for three nights and meet your crew at a welcome reception. (B, D)

Day 4 Melk – Drnstein.

Included today: Guided visit of Melk’s Benedictine Abbey; see the Stiftskirche in Drnstein.
Today is dedicated to the beautiful and romantic Wachau Valley, where so much of the excellent Austrian wine is grown and produced. Visit the impressive 11th-century BENEDICTINE ABBEY, which towers over the town of Melk. The abbey houses an ornate library with over 80,000 printed books and 2,000 manuscripts. Words cannot describe the splendor of the church with its frescoed ceilings, stunning high altar, marble statues, and 210-foot-high cupola. The view from the terrace of the abbey over the Danube and surrounding countryside is breathtaking! After Melk, lounge on the Sky Deck with a glass of white wine while enjoying the gorgeous scenery as you sail to Drnstein, best recognized by its baroque blue and white Stiftskirche standing right on the river bank. The main street of this small townwith a population of less than 1,000 peopleis lined with 16th-century residences and charming cobblestone streets. Explore on your own or choose one of the popular optional excursions if you are fit and fancy some exercise, perhaps a biking excursion (weather permitting) fits the bill?. Situated above town are the ruins of the castle where Englands King Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned in 1192. If you are feeling adventurous, hike up to the ruins for spectacular views of the town and river. (B, L, D)

Day 5 Bratislava.

Included today: Guided sightseeing.
At lunchtime, arrive in Bratislava, the dynamic capital of Slovakia at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. Join your Local Guide for a tour of the city, including a GUIDED WALK of its fascinating Old Town, where winding cobblestone streets and narrow alleyways twist and turn to reveal the Town Hall, one of the oldest stone buildings in the city. Also visit gothic ST. MARTINS CATHEDRAL, coronation church for the Kingdom of Hungary from the 16th to 19th centuries. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore on your own. (B, L, D)

Day 6 Budapest.

Included today: Guided sightseeing.
Spanning the banks of the Danube, Budapest is one of Eastern Europe’s liveliest cities. After disembarking your cruise ship 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? Stay two nights at the InterContiental Hotel Budapest (or similar) for two nights. (B)

Day 7 Budapest.

A free day to enjoy Hungary’s exciting capital. Visit one of the many museums, take a walk to see some of the remaining statues from the communist era, shop at the Great Market Hall to purchase paprika and embroidery, or stroll along Vac Utca main shopping street. (B)

Day 8 Budapest.

Transfer to the airport for your flight to the UK. (B)