Classical Danube River Cruise 4 Star (Budapest - Passau)

Let's begin our river cruise holiday! Upon arrival in Budapest, we will be met by our local guide who will assist us in the transfer to Budapest port with a guided Budapest city tour en-route. We will take in highlights such as Heroes Square, the Synagogue and the Castle District. A must see is our walk by the Mathias Church and Fishermen’s Bastion for stunning photos of the views over the Danube and our visit to St. Stephan’s Basilica.

In the early afternoon we will be transferred to the quayside in Budapest to join your River Cruise. Let's Settle into our cabins and explore the range of facilities on board our ship as we embark on your 7-night cruise along the Danube. Sit back with a welcome cocktail in one of the lounge areas, followed by a tasty welcome dinner as we cruise through Budapest enjoying the sight of the city at night.

This morning, the boat will be moored in Budapest for the morning, and we will have free time to further explore the city. Why not take a short stroll to the nearby Central Market Hall, one of Budapest most famous and vibrant food markets.

You will depart Budapest in the early afternoon and enjoy an afternoon sailing along the beautiful Danube. We will have a short stop in Esztergom that evening. 

This morning, we will arrive in Bratislava where we will be docked for the day. Following breakfast, we will enjoy a walking tour of this compact city. During this tour we will get to know the capital of the young Slovakian Republic and admire famous sites such as St. Martin’s Cathedral a former coronation cathedral for Hungarian kings and the Grassalkovich Palace, where you will have a stunning, panoramic view of the city and surrounding areas.  

Afterwards, we will have some free time to further explore this city, take a stroll through the restored old town, visit Michael’s Gate and admire sights such as the main square with the old City Hall, the Opera House and Maximilian Fountain. 

This morning, we will have arrive at the beautiful city of Vienna, here we will embark on a city tour of Vienna. Firstly, we will a panoramic tour as we drive along the famous Ringstrasse, passing several magnificent buildings like the stunning opera house, the parliament, the Court Theatre and Vienna’s imposing city hall. The tour is followed by a guided walk through the city centre where we will get to know Vienna at its fullest. We will start at the well-known Hofburg Imperial Palace, walk along the Kohl market and finish at Vienna’s iconic St. Stephen’s Cathedral. 
 

After our tour we can return to the ship and enjoy many of the amenities on board or we can spend the afternoon in Vienna exploring this vibrant city at our own pace.
 

This morning, we will arrive at the picturesque town of Dürnstein which is named after the Medieval Castle Burgruine Dürnstein, which overlooks it. The town is the perfect spot to spend a leisurely morning wandering the narrow cobblestoned streets, admiring beautiful buildings, shopping and relaxing with a drink in one of the local coffee shops or visit of the many chocolate shops this picturesque town has to offer.

We will sit sail in the early afternoon, enjoy lunch on board as we depart Durnstein and travel on to the town of Emmersdorf in the Melk district of Austria. If on the MS Capella cruise we will have an excursion to Melk Abbey included today. If on an Amadeus cruise ship, an optional excursion to Melk Abbey may be available however a charge applies for this. 

Alternatively, if you are not partaking in this excursion, we will have the afternoon at leisure in Emmersdorf to explore this charming town at our own pace. 

Melk Abbey 
This afternoon, we will enjoy a guided tour to Melk Abbey, an Austrian Benedictine abbey and one of the world's most famous monastic sites. 

Our ship will depart Emmersdorf in the late evening.
 

Today we will arrive in the town of Linz, if on an Amadeus cruise ship, the Salzburg& Salzkammergut excursion is included as standard. If on the MS Capella cruise an optional excursion to Salzburg may be available however a charge applies for this. 

Alternatively, if you are not partaking in this excursion, you will have the day at leisure in Linz to explore this beautiful town at your own pace.

Salzburg & Salzkammergut Excursion 
On our full day excursion, we will transfer to Salzburg – the city of music. During the guided tour through the old town, we will see the birth house of Mozart (outside only), as well as other well-known attractions, such as the Getreidegasse & Mirabell Palace. After the included lunch, we will head to the picturesque village Mondesee in Salzkammergut, which was the film location for the well-known movie “The Sound of Music”. 
 

This evening we will all come together to enjoy a Captain’s Gala Dinner.

Today our ship will be docked at Passau where we will have free time to explore this old town, created by Italian baroque masters in the 17th century, shows soaring towers, picturesque places, enchanting promenades and romantic lanes. Take in highlights such as St. Stephen's Cathedral, in which the world's largest cathedral organ sounds, the majestic fortress Veste Oberhaus on the Danube's side and the Pilgrimage Church "Mariahilf" on the Inn's side.

We will remain in Passau overnight and enjoy a traditional Bavarian evening hosted by the crew on board your ship.

This morning, we will disembark the ship after breakfast. We will be met by our local representative and enjoy a city tour of Munich. Highlights will include The Nymphenburg Palace, King's Square with its three temple buildings in the classical Greek style, the Bavarian National Museum and the Angel of Peace monument, the elegant buildings and shops along Maximilian Street, the Maximilianeum, the National Opera House, the Royal Palace, Stachus Square and the medieval city gates. 

After our city tour of Munich, we will be transferred to our hotel to check in and have the rest of the day at leisure.
 

This morning, we will check out of hotel after breakfast and settle any additional charges incurred, we will be transferred to Munich airport for our flight home, with guide assistance.