Wednesday, April 10, 2024

7 Things You Should Know Before Cruising the Danube River

river cruise on the danube

Sip on glühwein, pick up handmade crafts and listen to Christmas carols as you soak up the festive atmosphere. The building is painted in Canary yellow, with "Mozart's Geburtshaus" (Mozart's birthplace) emblazoned in gold on the front facade. Inside is a museum showcasing the elegant eight-room apartment that Mozart's family lived in until 1780. The seat of the National Assembly of Hungary in Kossuth Square, on the Pest side of the city, the show-stopping Hungarian Parliament Building glistens on the banks of the Danube. The building opened as the House of the Country in 1902, designed in a fanciful neo-Gothic style by Hungarian architect Imre Steindl, whose design bears a strong resemblance to London's Palace of Westminster. This glowing retreat has an extraordinary ceiling fresco by Paul Troger from 1739 above the monumental imperial staircase -- it's one of the largest staircases of its kind in the world.

Danube river cruises with 484 reviews

The walk from the town center takes roughly 20 minutes, with the two connected by a stone wall. Salzburg is one of Europe's truly magical cities and is easily reached from Passau on a Danube River cruise. Home of "The Sound of Music," the hills are also alive with the classical sounds of Mozart, one of history's greatest composers, who was born in Salzburg. Dedicate time to exploring Salzburg's UNESCO-listed Italianate Old Town, before visiting Hagenauer House at Getreidegasse 9, where the composter was born on January 27, 1756. As with all rivers cruises in Europe, Danube cruises can be affected by water levels.

Danube River Cruise Map

For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. Crowds are a little thinner, the wine-producing regions host harvest festivals and you will see fall foliage colors along the way. With cooler and shorter days, you also may not be able to enjoy the top deck of the ship as much as you would like. (After all, is there anyone who can't hum a few bars of the "Blue Danube Waltz"?) Meandering southeast from its origins in Germany's Black Forest, the Danube isn't Europe's longest river -- the Volga takes that honor. But, on its 1,775-mile course to the Black Sea, it flows through, or borders, 10 countries -- more than any other river in the world. Discover the delights of Vienna and browse the museums or enjoy a Viennese pastry.

A world of experiences

One of the mightiest castles peering over the Danube is Durnstein Castle, around a 15-minute drive from Krems. This infamous medieval fortress is where Richard the Lionheart was incarcerated by Austria's Leopold V in the 12th century. Legend has it that on his return from the Crusades, King Richard refused to share his spoils with Leopold and tore up the Austrian flag, leading to his imprisonment. On an included Panoramic tour of Budapest with Viking, you can take in fantastic views of Szechenyi Bridge from Buda Hill, in Buda's sublime Castle District. Viking offers a Privileged Access shore excursion to the Alma Deutscher Mozart & Strauss performance, which takes place at the exquisite Wiener Konzerthaus. You’d disembark your current vessel, get bussed past the trouble area, and then board a different ship to continue your journey.

Danube Dreams with 2 Nights in Prague (Westbound) 2024

river cruise on the danube

Too high and ships can’t sail under the bridges; too low and ships can’t operate. Accelerated snow melt, heavy rain and drought are the chief interrupters of river itineraries, but cruise lines are adept at handling disruptions and have contingency plans in place. Your ship may organize special events, such as bringing dancers onboard to perform the Viennese Waltz while in Austria or hosting a lecture on Bavarian beer by a local expert in Germany.

This Danube cruise beats other river cruises – it's spacious with brilliant food - MSN

This Danube cruise beats other river cruises – it's spacious with brilliant food.

Posted: Sun, 21 Apr 2024 00:44:02 GMT [source]

Highlights of Danube River Cruises

While most river cruise lines pause cruising between January and mid-March, a few will sail during these months, giving them a year-round presence. Cruising during low season means fewer crowds and lower cruise fares, and you’ll see the cities and towns in a much different light. When it comes to European river cruising, the Danube is unequivocally a popular choice, as it traverses through multiple countries, offering a variety of landscapes, cultures and a wealth of history. Due to its popularity amongst all cruisers, practically every river cruise line sails along the Danube, so there are fortunately lots of choices to choose from.

With VIVA Cruises' Danube river cruises, you are spoiled for choice when it comes to routes and duration. Whether you want to take a short 4-day vacation, a Rhine-Main-Danube river cruise or a river trip to the estuary, you will find the right trip for you at VIVA Cruises. Our seven-night Danube river cruise with Lucy Worsley departs from the city of Engelhartszell in Austria before calling at Vienna (pictured below), the pretty town of Esztergom in Hungary and Budapest. You'll then loop back down the river, calling at Slovakia's capital Bratislava and the Wachau Valley in Austria before returning to Engelhartszell. Danube River cruises include dramatic scenery and historic ports of call, including Regensburg, Germany; Vienna, Austria, and Budapest, Hungary, encompassing some of Europe's most iconic capital cities and magical towns.

With overnights in Vienna, Passau and Budapest, enjoy more time to fully explore. The winter season is an ideal time to visit, with fewer travelers and easier access to landmarks. Among the companies offering cruises along the Danube are A-ROSA Cruises, with whom we have partnered to bring you our remarkable river cruise. A-ROSA has 20-plus years of experience in sailing couples, families, groups and solo travellers along some of Europe’s loveliest rivers in laidback style, giving you lots of freedom to explore port stops at your own pace. Although you can arrange it yourself, river cruise lines will offer these city stays as an add-on package to the cruise, which includes hotel accommodations, transfers, some meals and tours, with plenty of free time to explore on your own. Best of all, land programs offered by the cruise lines will be fully escorted by a cruise director who will look after your every need.

Vienna, Austria

river cruise on the danube

Popular with first-time cruisers, the 1,775-mile-long Danube River flows through 10 countries, from Germany to the Ukraine, and passes along several major capital cities, including Vienna and Budapest. Often called the "Blue Danube," thanks to Austrian composer Johann Strauss II's famous waltz, the Danube is Europe's second-largest river. As such, it has been an important transportation route for more than 2,000 years. More days means more to discover, with extension packages you can add before or after your Viking cruise or cruisetour. Enjoy additional days to explore your embarkation or disembarkation city, or see a new destination altogether with a choice of exciting cities.Pre & Post Cruise Extensions vary by itinerary and are subject to change.

Good Housekeeping's seven-night itinerary sails in September, when the weather should still be balmy and dry, but the summer hordes have gone home. Its banks are lined with dramatic, unspoiled landscapes, postcard-perfect towns and villages, and grand, opulent cities. Take a river cruise down this majestic river and you’ll encounter some of the world’s most stunning countryside, including the UNESCO-protected Wachau Valley, along with an array of fascinating cultures. Following in the footsteps of the world's greatest ever composers, visiting bucolic vineyards and exploring Renaissance castles are among the best things to do on a Danube River cruise. This extraordinary waterway is Europe's second-largest river, winding 1,775-miles southeast from Germany's Black Forest to the Black Sea, with a river cruise presenting the best way to explore it. From the end of November to mid-December, Danube ships operate Christmas Markets cruises.

Admire Vienna’s architecture, linger at a café or visit the Hapsburgs’ Schönbrunn Palace. Savor a taste of Bavaria and sample a selection of local cheeses, hams and sausages. We are happy to book a transfer for you from the train station to the ship and back. This is available from us for 20 € per person, including luggage transport in the bus. Sail the mighty Danube River through Europe and discover some of the world’s most vibrant and influential cities. Cutting a swathe through the heart of Europe, the mighty Danube flows for a stretch of 2,860km through or along the border of 10 countries in Central and Eastern Europe.

Danube river cruises: an ultimate guide to cruising the Danube - Good Housekeeping uk

Danube river cruises: an ultimate guide to cruising the Danube.

Posted: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 08:15:03 GMT [source]

Surrounded by dashing amber-hued buildings, the Outdoor Thermal Pool is the warmest spot, heated to °F (36-38°C). There's also the balmy Leisure Pool, the Indoor Medicinal Pool, plus plunge pools. Saunas, steam rooms and spa treatments, such as couples' massages, are also available. Take home a memento from your time here by picking out a handmade soap made from water from the Gellert Baths, also in Budapest, containing nourishing avocado oil. The second-largest city in Bavaria, after Munich, Nuremburg is perfectly situated near the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, which means it's actually a great stop on multiple Viking river cruise itineraries. Crammed with Gothic churches, timber-clad houses and charming squares, plus three miles of medieval city walls, dotted with original watchtowers.

With a length of almost 2,900 kilometers, the river runs from the Black Forest to the Black Sea and crosses ten countries on its journey. Accordingly, there is a lot to see and experience on a river cruise on the Danube. With Vienna and Budapest, two of Europe's most beautiful and important cities lie on the banks of the Danube, their magnificent buildings bearing witness to their centuries-old history. But travelers should also have seen historic cities such as Regensburg, Passau, Linz and Bratislava.

This quaint Bavarian city is a visual feast and a history lover's dream, with half-timbered medieval, Romanesque and Gothic architecture. A highlight is the 900-year-old Stone Bridge, with its striking 16 arches crossing the Danube to the old town. Here, the spiky 13th-century Regensburg Cathedral, with its twin spires poking above terracotta rooftops, is home to the oldest boys' choir in the world, the Regensburger Domspatzen. The beautiful Szechenyi Bridge straddles the Danube, linking the two sides of the Hungarian capital, Buda and Pest. This chain suspension bridge is most spectacular at night, when lit up against a dark sky. Opened in 1849, the bridge became the first to be built across the Danube in Hungary.

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