Splendours of Europe
| Resort: | Splendours of Europe |
| Operator: | Emerald Waterways |
| Destination: | |
| Price From: | £2995.00 |
OverviewBeginning in quirky Amsterdam, your colossal journey through Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary, boasts World Heritage-listed sites, historic cities and beautiful landscapes, between capitals. ItineraryDay 1 – Arrival AmsterdamWelcome to Amsterdam, a fascinating 700-year-old city of picturesque canals, world class museums, theatres and cafs. You will be met and transferred from the airport to your Emerald Waterways luxury river cruise ship. After boarding, enjoy some time at your leisure to explore Amsterdam. This evening, join your fellow travellers for dinner on board. Meals Included: Dinner Day 2 – Amsterdam CruisingThis morning you can decide to either enjoy a glass top canal boat tour through Amsterdams canal or a guided bike tour. Return to the ship for your first day sailing through the Dutch countryside passing windmills and sailing through locks towards the Rhine River. Tonight, the Captain will be delighted to host a gala dinner. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 3 – CologneFounded by the Romans, and one of Germanys oldest cities, Cologne is famous for its magnificent WorldHeritage listed Gothic Cathedral. Join your guide and explore the city including the Old Town. During your free time shop for handicrafts or visit a local market before returning to your ship. DiscoverMORE: Tour to Drachenburg (extra expense) *** Please note, you can only choose either the Drachenburg Castle or the Football Stadium Tour as both DiscoverMORE options run at the same time. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 4 – RdesheimTodays cruising will be a highlight of your trip, as we cruise through the spectacular Rhine Gorge. Keep your camera at the ready as around every bend there are stunning vistas of castles perched above steep vinecovered slopes. We will also pass the infamous Lorelei Rock where sailors are said to have been lured onto treacherous rocks by enchanted temptresses. We also pass the impressive Pfalzgrafenstein Castle which was formerly a toll gate perched on an island in the middle of the river. In the afternoon we arrive in Rdesheim, one of Germanys most popular towns. You will either have a choice of visiting the Siegfrieds Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum or if you feel active take a guided hike through vineyards. Continue exploring, and perhaps taste the famous Rdesheimer Coffee, made with Germanys most famous brandy Asbach Uralt. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 5 – Miltenberg – WertheimWelcome to Miltenberg, a picturesque village on the Main River, which creates an imitable feeling of Bavarian life in medieval times due to the Old Town being lined with well-preserved half-timbered buildings. The gothic Merchant Hall is an impressive symbol of past affluence created by trade from river traffic. After your included tour of Miltenberg and free time, you will be transferred by coach to the stunning medieval glass-blowing town of Wertheim to enjoy free time until the ship arrives. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 6 – WrzburgKnown as the Pearl of the Romantic Road, Wrzburg is surrounded by sloping hills covered with vineyards. After breakfast, visit the Bishops Residenz, one of Germanys largest and most ornate baroque palaces and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your tour highlights the palaces unique staircase, elaborate 18th century frescoes and the amazing 3dimensional stuccowork. DiscoverMORE: Tour to Rothenburg (extra expense) *** Please note, you can only choose either included visit to Bishops Residenz or the DiscoverMORE option, as both tours run at the same time. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 7 – BambergRelax on board this morning as we cruise to Bamberg. Feel the magic of the past as you explore this UNESCO World Heritage city with your guide. Boasting one of Europes largest intact medieval town centres, Bamberg is bursting with character and charm. At the town centre is the largest preserved old quarter in Europe. Around 2,400 listed buildings and the centuriesold garden quarter form a special cultural heritage. Admire hundreds of building faades richly decorated in fascinating detail with spectacular ornamentation. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 8 – NurembergToday you will have a sightseeing coach tour of the historic city of Nuremberg. Your coach tour would pass by some of the historical parts of Nuremberg, such as the 900-year-old ramparts, the Nazi party rally grounds, where rallies were held from 1933 until 1938 among other sights. DiscoverMORE: WW2 Tour (extra expense) Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 9 – Kelheim – RegensburgThis morning takes you through the final stretch of the fascinating MainDanube Canal to Kelheim. Continue cruising along the Danube River to Regensburg, one of Germanys best preserved medieval cities. On our guided walking tour, you will have the chance to see one of the oldest bridges crossing the Danube and see the citys architectural highlights including the Old Town Hall. DiscoverMORE: Excursion to Kuchlbauer Brewery (extra expense) Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 10 – Passau – LinzCobblestone streets and graceful arcades welcome you in the beautiful city of Passau. On this mornings walking tour, stroll through the old towns narrow alleys and see the hilltop Oberhaus Fortress from the town below. Visit St. Stephens Cathedral, a wonderful example of Baroque architecture and home to Europes largest church organ with more than 17,000 pipes. Return for lunch and an afternoon cruising along the Danube River. DiscoverMORE: Tour to Salzburg (extra expense) *** Please note, you can only choose either included tour of Passau or the DiscoverMORE option, as both tours run at the same time. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 11 – Melk – DrnsteinSituated within Austrias winegrowing region, Melk is home to an imposing 900year old Benedictine Abbey which features Austrias finest Italian baroque architecture, with its ornate gold leaf walls, 640ft Imperial Corridor and fresco ceilings. Later the ship sails through the spectacular Wachau Valley and on to Drnstein, one of the most enchanting villages of the Wachau wine region. This is the site of the castle where Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned after returning from the crusades in the 12th century. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 12 – ViennaWelcome to Vienna, the capital of classical music. Today, you have a choice of either exploring Austrias capital beginning with a drive along the magnificent Ringstrasse, where we will see the sights of the Viennas world-famous attractions such as the Opera House, Burgtheater, Town Hall, St. Stephens Cathedral and the Hofburg Imperial Palace. If you feel active, join the guided bike tour instead of the drive around and guided walk. DiscoverMORE: Visit to Schnbrunn Palace (extra expense) Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 13 – BratislavaSet on the crossroads of ancient trade routes in the heart of Europe, Bratislava the capital of Slovakia, embodies various cultures primarily Celtic, Roman and Slavic. Enjoy a sightseeing tour including the enchanting Old City with its Town Hall, Mirbach Palace and the Gothic Cathedral of St Martin. Alternatively, join an active hike to Bratislava Castle. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 14 – BudapestBudapest is Eastern Europes liveliest and most cosmopolitan city. Enjoy a guided tour of the city sights including the Hungarian Parliament Building, the Buda Castle and the Chain Bridge linking Buda and Pest or an exciting hike on the Buda Hill. This evening, enjoy a traditional Hungarian farewell dinner, then a Hungarian folk dancing and music performance on board. DiscoverMORE: Jewish Heritage Tour (extra expense) Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 15 – Budapest DisembarkationAfter breakfast, it is time to farewell your fellow passengers and disembark the ship for your transfer to the airport. Please note: Pre release itinerary subject to change Meals Included: Breakfast |
