Danube Cruise - 8 Days

Once you have arrived at Munich airport, you make your own way to the pier at Passau, where check-in for the cruise begins at 3 pm.The ship sets sail for Austria at 5 pm, and this evening we come together for a welcome reception with the captain and crew before our first night on board.

We enjoy breakfast on board as the ship sails towards Ybbs, a historic town at the meeting point of the Ybbs and Danube rivers that held great economic importance during the Middle Ages.The cruise continues through the scenic Wachau valley towards Vienna, known as the City of Music for its imperial palaces, interesting museums, wider cultural heritage and coffee house culture.The afternoon is yours to spend as you choose, whether that means enjoying the ship's facilities or going ashore to explore Vienna independently. This evening in Vienna, you could also choose to take a walking tour of the city or enjoy a performance by one of its renowned chamber orchestras. Today also brings the option to join one of the following excursions, bookable on board:Visit of Maria TaferlA short bus ride takes you to Lower Austria's most important pilgrimage site, the Maria Taferl basilica, followed by a panoramic view over the Niebelungengau and a visit to Ybbs' old town, including the art gallery housed in the former ship master's house.Visit of the Hydropower Plant Ybbs-PersenbeugA guided tour of Austria's oldest Danube power plant, completed in 1959, taking in the dam wall, lock chambers and the workings of hydroelectric power generation and river navigation.Trip to the Prater with Ferris WheelHead to Vienna's Prater amusement park for its rides and attractions, including a turn on the landmark Ferris wheel with views across the city.We enjoy dinner together this evening as the ship continues towards our next destination

This morning, we join a guided walking tour of Vienna, driving past the New Vienna district with its Uno-City and Danube Island before taking in the city's grand architecture along the Ringstrasse, including the State Opera, Burgtheater, Hofburg, Parliament, Town Hall and Votivkirche. We experience the city's distinctive charm and easy humour up close, with some short free time before driving past Praterstern back to the ship.The rest of the day is yours to spend exploring Vienna independently, whether that means relaxing on board or venturing further afield. Those wanting to get away from the city could join an excursion to the Biedermeier town of Baden, a historic spa town in the Vienna Woods once favoured by emperors and kings, with a guided tour taking in its charming 19th-century architecture. Alternatively, an e-bike tour lets you explore the Danube Island with a local guide, learning about life in the Austrian capital along the way, with a refreshment break included.The ship remains docked here for the day, setting sail again this evening as we continue on our journey, with another night on board.

We sail along the Danube today towards Budapest, nicknamed the Queen of the Danube and considered one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The Chain Bridge links hilly Buda with flat Pest, and the skyline is dominated by grand domes and spires, eighteenth-century townhouses, bridges and lamp-lit streets.On arrival, we join a guided walking tour through the city centre, taking in the flair of Budapest before continuing to the castle district, where Buda Castle, the Fisherman's Bastion and Matthias Church reflect the city's illustrious past. The tour continues to Gellert Hill for sweeping views over the Danube, its bridges and the buildings along the riverbanks.The rest of the day is free for you to explore Budapest independently, perhaps joining a walking tour of the city on your own terms. This evening, those wanting a taste of Hungarian tradition could join a folklore evening with live music, colourful costumes and a Hungarian goulash supper, before a drive back past the city's illuminated landmarks. Alternatively, an amphibious Riverride tour takes you through Budapest's lit streets before continuing on the water for a different view of the Parliament, Fisherman's Bastion and Castle

This morning brings further opportunities to explore Budapest independently, whether that means relaxing on board or making the most of one of the following optional excursions, bookable on board:Puszta ExcursionTravel south into the Hungarian lowlands to Tanya-Csarda for a traditional welcome of schnapps and pastries, a visit to the stud farm, a short carriage ride and a horse show hosted by the Csikos, Hungary's traditional horse herders, followed by a snack of local specialties and time to browse for souvenirs.Budapest ImpressionsA walking and rail tour taking in St Istvan Basilica and the Opera House, followed by a ride on the oldest metro line in continental Europe and a stroll through one of Budapest's best-known squares.Ebike BudapestCycle with a local guide to Margaret Island, a green space in the middle of the Danube, taking in the city from the riverside with a refreshment stop along the way. Later in the day, the ship sets sail for Bratislava.

Our return journey towards Passau begins with the sail to Bratislava, the Slovak capital that sits in the fertile Danube plains south of the Little Carpathians. Its medieval and Gothic old town, crowned by its hilltop castle, has been rebuilt in Renaissance style over the centuries and now sits alongside communist-era architecture and a striking modern bridge.We join a guided city tour that drives past the embassy district to the castle, known as the Hrad, which towers above Bratislava and is considered the city's landmark. Here we make a photo stop for panoramic views over the city and learn about the castle's history, once home to Hungarian kings before Maria Theresa's residence brought it to its heyday. The tour continues into the old town, where we see the Redoubt, the National Theatre, the Town Hall, several baroque palaces and the city gates, along with Cumil, Bratislava's best-known statue.The rest of the day is free to spend as you wish, before another night on board.

We cruise through the Wachau valley today, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape shaped by monasteries, castles, ruins, towns and villages, along with cultivated vineyards and apricot orchards that reflect centuries of continuous settlement.We arrive at Melk, a town dominated by the eleventh-century Melk Abbey, which sits high above the ground. We join a guided tour through the abbey, a baroque Benedictine monastery that has served as a spiritual and cultural centre for more than a thousand years and gained literary fame through Umberto Eco's novel The Name of the Rose. The tour takes in the abbey's grand Baroque interior and its connection to the House of Babenberg, Austria's first ruling dynasty, several of whom are laid to rest here.Afterwards, you can explore the abbey's outdoor grounds independently before the bus returns you to the ship for another night on board.

After breakfast on board, you have until 9 am to disembark the ship in Passau. From here, you make your own way to Munich airport in time for your flight home.