THE BLUE DANUBE
WESTBOUND ITINERARY:
1. Arrive Budapest
Tour begins: 6:00 PM, InterContinental Budapest. A transfer
is included from Budapest’s Ferihegy Airport to the
InterContinental Budapest in the heart of Pest on the Danube’s
eastern bank, across the river from the Royal Palace. Please
join us for a welcome reception and dinner.
InterContinental Budapest ~ Meals D
2. Fascinating Pest
View the impressive architecture of Hungary’s capital –
divided by the Danube into two sections, Buda and Pest – on a
tour of Pest that includes patriotic Heroes’ Square, Váci Utca,
the Parliament building, tree-lined Andrassy Avenue, and a
special visit to the State Opera House. InterContinental
Budapest ~ Meals BD
3. Explore Buda / Embark Riverboat
After a morning at leisure, a guided walking tour of Buda
takes you up to Gellért Hill – you’ll see the city spread out
before you! View Fishermen’s Bastion and visit the National
Gallery and Matthias Church (may be closed on some days due to
services) before embarking your riverboat. Aboard the Riverboat
~ Meals BLD
4. Danube Cruise / Bratislava
Cruise the Danube to Bratislava, Slovakia’s charming capital
city and former capital of Hungary, where a guided walking tour
chronicles centuries of history and includes a visit to the
13th-century Old Town Hall. See Baroque Habsburg-era palaces,
the Opera House, Slovak Philharmonic Hall, and St. Martin’s
Cathedral, site of the coronation of many Hungarian kings and
queens. Aboard the Riverboat ~ Meals BLD
5. The Imperial City of Vienna
Arrive in legendary Vienna, inspiring romantic visions of
“Old Europe” from majestic Habsburg-era palaces to magnificent
boulevards and parks. Sightseeing includes the Ringstrasse, the
Opera House and Parliament, and your choice of a visit to
Schönbrunn Palace – which both Marie Antoinette and Napoleon
once called home – or the Imperial Silver Room at the Hofburg.
Receive the royal treatment tonight at a private Imperial
Evening in a traditional palace, where a grand dinner is
accompanied by Viennese musicians. Aboard the Riverboat ~
Meals BLD
6. Vienna / Cruise to Dürnstein
Spend time exploring Vienna as you wish before setting off
on an afternoon cruise to medieval Dürnstein in Austria’s wine
country. High on a hilltop above the town lay the ruins of
Kuenringerburg Castle, a place of history and legend – Richard
the Lionhearted was once imprisoned here. Aboard the Riverboat ~
Meals BLD
7. Dürnstein / Wachau Valley Cruise
A guided walking tour of Dürnstein’s cobblestone streets
reveals 16th-century Baroque houses and a 13th-century
Romanesque church. Explore on your own, or walk up to the castle
ruins for lovely vistas of Dürnstein and the Danube, prior to a
delightful wine tasting in town. Cruise past lush vineyards,
ancient castles and monasteries in the Wachau Valley today,
declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its well-preserved
medieval landscapes. Aboard the Riverboat ~ Meals BLD
8. Salzburg and Linz
You have a choice today; enjoy the town of Linz, Austria, or
join us for a full-day excursion to enchanting Salzburg,
Mozart’s hometown on the Salzach River. A pageant of beautiful
Baroque architecture awaits on a guided walking tour through
narrow lanes and old squares, past ornate church towers and
grand palaces. Have lunch at a local restaurant; visit Mirabell
Gardens with their Baroque statues and fountains before
rejoining the ship for dinner. Aboard the Riverboat ~ Meals BLD
9. Passau / Cruising the Danube
Arrive in Passau for a walking tour through the tunnels,
archways, many churches, four-story Baroque houses and
cobblestone streets of this Bavarian town on the Danube and Inn
Rivers. See the Old Town and Altes Rathaus (town hall), with its
15th-century origins and 19th-century tower, before spending the
rest of the day cruising through Germany’s pastoral landscapes
to Regensburg. Aboard the Riverboat ~ Meals BLD
10. Regensburg / Prague
Disembark your riverboat in Regensburg, whose roots stretch
back to the days of the Roman Empire. A guided walking tour
shows you 12th-century Steinerne Brücke (Germany’s oldest
surviving stone bridge) and the remains of the Roman wall. Enjoy
lunch on your own – perhaps partaking of some of Regensburg’s
renowned Bavarian sausage – before departing for Prague, ancient
capital of the modern Czech Republic.
Prague Marriott Hotel ~ Meals BD
11. Prague / Nelahozeves Castle Evening
Prague’s name translates to “crossroads”; it truly is a city
where ancient and modern, and east and west, converge. Discover
it for yourself on a choice of guided walking tours today – of
Old Town, Wenceslas Square and other sites that contributed to
the Czech Republic’s “Velvet Revolution” of 1989, or of key
sites in the historic Jewish quarter of Josefov, including
Pinkas Synagogue and the Old Jewish Cemetery (may not be
available on some departures due to Jewish holidays). Join us
tonight for an exclusive evening at Nelahozeves Castle, a
Renaissance palace originally built in 1553, where a member of
the former Czech nobility greets you and relates the castle’s
history; enjoy wine from their vineyards and a farewell dinner
in the castle.
Prague Marriott Hotel ~ Meals BD
12. Hradcany / Prague Castle
Tour Prague’s Hradcany district, where 1,000-year-old Prague
Castle is surrounded by palaces, museums, and monasteries. Visit
the magnificent Gothic Cathedral of St. Vitus, and enjoy an
exclusive private tour of the grand libraries of Strahov
Monastery. Spend time exploring more of dazzling Prague on your
own or relaxing at your hotel, ranked among the Top 100 Best
Luxury Hotels of the World. Prague Marriott Hotel ~ Meals
BD
13. Journey Home
Tour Ends: Prague, Czech Republic. A transfer is included
from the Prague Marriott Hotel to Prague’s Ruzyne Airport; allow
a minimum of 2 1/2 hours for flight check-in. For additional
nights in Prague (or Budapest), ask at time of booking. Meals B
Above itinerary is for 2008, please call for 2009 details.
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