Classical Danube River Cruise 4 Star (Passau - Budapest)

Upon arrival in Munich, we will be met by our local guide who will assist us in the transfer to Passau port with a guided Passau city tour en-route. Let's discover the beauty of this elegant German city. Created by Italian baroque masters in the 17th century, it is filled soaring towers, picturesque places, enchanting promenades and romantic lanes. Let's 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.

In the afternoon we will be transferred to Passau port to join our River Cruise. Settle in to our cabin and explore the range of facilities on board our ship as we embark on our 7-night cruise along the Danube. Sit back with a welcome cocktail in one of the lounge areas, followed by a tasty welcome dinner.

Today our ship will be docked at Passau until late evening, here we will have free time to further explore this old elegant town. Relax in one of the many cafes and enjoy a coffee before we begin sailing down the Danube.

 Alternatively, we can take an optional excursion Visit of the Veste Oberhaus with three rivers viewpoint (payable locally)

This evening, we set sail towards Linz and will enjoy a traditional Bavarian evening hosted by the crew on board our ship.

Today we will arrive into the town of Linz and disembark the ship for a full day excursion to Salzburg and Salzkammergut with lunch included. A two-hour coach ride will bring us to Salzburg – the city of music. The old town with its world-famous Baroque architecture is one of the best-preserved city centres north of the Alps. It was adopted by UNESCO in 1997 and is included on its list of World Cultural Heritage Sites. Salzburg is also the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. During the guided tour through the old town, we will see the birth house of the musician (outside only), as well as other well-known attractions, such as the Getreidegasse. This long yet narrow shopping street runs parallel to the river in the centre of town. The street is famous for its old-style signage outside each store, indicating the profession found within. You will continue to the Mirabell Palace, a beautiful castle with gardens, built by an archbishop for his beloved courtesan. Look out for the Garden of Dwarfs and the Garden of Roses, as they are especially beautiful.

After the included lunch, we will head to the picturesque village Monesee in Salzkammergut, which was the film location for the well-known movie “The Sound of Music”. Enjoy the beautiful scenery as you head back to the ship which will be docked in Linz.

This morning we will arrive into small town of Emmersdorf in the Melk district of Austria. Here, we can take an optional excursion to visit Melk Abbey (payable locally) or visit the town at our own pace. The ship will depart Emmersdorf in the early afternoon.

We will set sail in the early afternoon enjoy lunch on board as we depart Emmersdorf and travel on to the 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 rejoin our ship in the late afternoon as set sail for Vienna.

This morning, we will have arrived into the beautiful city of Vienna, here we will embark on a city tour of Vienna. This tour will give us an overall impression of the most important sights Vienna has to offer. First, we will drive along the famous Ringstrasse, passing several magnificent buildings like the stunning opera house, the parliament, the Court Theatre or 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.

An optional excursion to Schönbrunn Palace will be offered in the afternoon (payable locally). One of the most important cultural and historic monuments in Austria, the 1,441 room Baroque palace is surrounded by a magnificent garden, known as the Gloriette, giving unforgettable view over the palace area.

This morning we will arrive into Bratislava where we will be docked for the day. The city is small and best explored on foot. Following breakfast, lets enjoy a walking tour of this compact city. During this tour we will get to know the capital of the young Slovakian Republic. The gorgeous old town has maintained its Gothic-Baroque style. The tour passes St. Martin’s Cathedral a former coronation cathedral for Hungarian kings and the Grassalkovich Palace and continues up to the hill, where you will have a stunning, panoramic view of the city and surrounding areas. Afterwards, we will have some free time to explore this compact 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.

We will have the afternoon at leisure, spend the afternoon exploring more of this beautiful Slovakian capital 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 or else just sit with a coffee or a drink and watch the world go by. 

You can also take an optional excursion (payable locally) to the impressive Schloss Hof, a former home of the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.

This morning, we will arrive into Esztergom One of Hungary's oldest cities, Esztergom was formerly the capital and is home to the Basilica, the main Roman Catholic church of Hungary. We will have the chance take a part in the optional excursion to Szentendre and Esztergom (payable locally). 

After our short stop we will continue to sail along the Danube and into Budapest in the early afternoon.

In the afternoon we will have arrived into Budapest where it will be docked for the night. After lunch we will have a panoramic guided tour of Budapest where we will see the unique Chain Bridge connecting the Buda side, with its Fisherman’s Bastion, and the Pest side, with its iconic Hungarian Parliament building. 

Tonight, experience another side of the city with an evening cruise along the Danube to see the sights of the city at night. Look out for Budapest's spectacular parliament which is particularly beautiful when illuminated.

This evening, we will enjoy a Captain's Gala Dinner on board. After our dinner we will experience another side of the city with an evening cruise along the Danube to see the sights of the city at night. Look out for Budapest's spectacular parliament which is particularly beautiful when illuminated.

It is time to say goodbye after a full week of delights aboard your Amadeus ship. After breakfast, we will be met by our local guide and we will head to the airport for our flight home. It's time to start thinking about where to go on our next river cruise holiday!