DAY 1: Depart home gateway city to Bucharest
DAY 2: Bucharest
Transfer from Bucharest airport to hotel
DAY 3: Bucharest
Enjoy a full day at leisure. (BB)
DAY 4: Bucharest, Bus transfer to Giurgiu
Featured Excursion: Bucharest city tour
City tour of Bucharest, lunch, transfer to Giurgiu (BB, L)
DAY 5: Giurgiu
Featured Excursion: Full-day Varna and a Black Sea cruise
Visit Varna’s Archeological Museum, home to the oldest gold treasure in the world. Savor Bulgarian cuisine, and enjoy an exclusive cruise on the Black Sea. (BB, L, D)
DAY 6: Rousse
Enjoy leisure time exploring Rousse, Bulgaria’s fourth-largest city. Walk along the lively pedestrian zone, known for its 19th- and 20th-century Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture. (BB, L, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)
DAY 7: Vidin (Belogradchik)
Featured Excursion: Half-day Vidin and Belogradchik rock formations
Visit the legendary Medieval Baba Vida Fortress and Belogradchik, a fairytale world of weathered red sandstone in fantastic formations and one of the natural wonders of Bulgaria. (BB, L, D)
DAY 8: Cruising the scenic Iron Gates, Kostolac
Relax onboard as you cruise the spectacular Iron Gates, an 80-mile sequence of gorges that the mighty Danube cut through the Carpathian Mountains and one of the most dramatic natural displays of beauty in Europe. (BB, L, D)
DAY 9: Kostolac (Viminacium), Belgrade
Featured Excursion: Viminacium archeological site
Resident archeologists bring the historic grandeur of the excavations at Viminacium alive. The former Roman city boasted villas, thermal baths, a mausoleum, and even an amphitheater. (BB, L, D)
DAY 10: Belgrade
Featured Excursion: Belgrade city tour
You’ll be taken on a panoramic drive through Belgrade, which features the Belgrade Fortress in Kalemegdan Park, St. Sava Cathedral, and a visit to Tito’s Memorial. (BB, L, D)
DAY 11: Vukovar (Osijek)
Featured Excursion: Full day Vukovar and Osijek home-hosted lunch, and school visit
Tour Osijek and experience Croatian life while meeting students during a school visit and enjoying a home-hosted lunch.
(BB, L, D)
Note: School visit not available during school holidays.
DAY 12: Budapest
Featured Excursion: Full day cruising
Enjoy the morning at leisure in Budapest before cruising the Danube. (BB, L, D)
DAY 13: Budapest
Featured Excursion: Budapest city tour
Your panoramic tour of Budapest gives you a sweeping view of all its famous sights. (BB, L, D)
DAY 14: Bratislava
Featured Excursion: Bratislava walking tour
Admire Bratislava’s eclectic architecture of Gothic, Baroque, and Art Deco styles on your walking tour. (BB, L, Captain’s Welcome Dinner)
DAY 15: Vienna
Featured Excursion: Vienna city tour
There can be no exploration of the Danube without a visit to Vienna, which is a city both steeped in history and on the cusp of current trends. Your panoramic city tour takes you along the stately Ringstrasse showcasing imperial Habsburg grandeur, past the Rathaus (City Hall), Parliament, the Hofburg (Imperial Palace), and the State Opera, among other sights.
(BB, L, D)
Note: On Mondays, the Mozart House will be visited instead of the library.
DAY 16: Vienna
Featured Excursion: Vienna city tour
Leaving the motorcoach, you’ll start a walking tour through the Hofburg grounds, culminating at magnificent St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Visit the Baroque State Hall of the Austrian National Library, said to be the most beautiful library room in the world.
(BB, L, D)
Note: On Mondays, the Mozart House will be visited instead of the library.
DAY 17: Vienna
Featured Excursion: Schoonbrunn Palace
DAY 18: Vienna, Melk
Featured Excursion: Melk Abbey
Cruise the scenic, vineyard-rich Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape representing one of the most beautiful river valleys in Europe. Then tour Melk’s 900-year-old Benedictine abbey, a masterpiece of Baroque art and architecture situated high atop the granite cliffs of the Danube. The views from the terrace are spectacular, but the splendid frescos, marble, and gilded plasterwork of its interior will be the true highlight of your visit. (BB, L, Captain’s Welcome Dinner)
DAY 19: Passau
Featured Excursion: Passau walking tour and St. Stephan’s organ concert
Passau boasts a delightful layer of Italian-style on quintessential German foundations. Explore the well-preserved town on your guided walking tour. Visit St. Stephan’s Cathedral, home to Europe’s largest pipe organ, where you’ll hear a magnificent organ recital. (BB, L, D)
Note: Concert not available before 5/2, after 10/31, or on Sundays.
DAY 20: Passau, (Theresienthal), Deggendorf
Featured Excursion: Bavarian forest horse-drawn carriage ride, and visit to a glass museum and workshop in Theresienthal
After taking a scenic drive through the Nature Reserve of the Bavarian Forest, marvel at the amazing glass collection exhibited in the Theresienthal Glass Museum. Experience the art of glass-making firsthand during a visit to a nearby glass workshop, and follow the glass from the oven to the cooling station while learning about the extraordinary history of Theresienthal. Cap the day off with a traditional horse-drawn carriage ride through the Bavarian Forest. (BB, L, D)
DAY 21: Regensburg
Featured Excursion: Regensburg walking tour
Regensburg, one of the finest Medieval towns in Europe, captures 2,000 years of living history with outstanding manmade monuments like the 12th-century Stone Bridge and the towering Gothic cathedral. Your walking tour takes you past the architectural treasures of Old Town as well as the Cathedral of St. Peter with its magnificent 14th-century stained glass windows. Genuine Bavarian hospitality adds to the vibrant mix of art and culture in this UNESCO World Heritage Site. (BB, L, D)
DAY 22: Nuremberg
Featured Excursion: Half-Day Nuremberg city tour
After cruising parts of the impressive Main-Danube Canal, visit Nuremberg, an archetypal German Medieval city encircled by mighty defensive walls and red-roofed buildings. Birthplace of Albrecht Du¨rer and famous for its pocket watches, the city also held the astounding War Crimes Trials after WWII. Discover the sights of Nuremberg during your panoramic tour before exploring its walled Old Town on foot. (BB, L, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)
DAY 23: Nuremberg
DAY 24: Bamberg
Featured Excursion: Bamberg walking tour
Stroll through the UNESCO World Heritage city of Bamberg with your guide. See the unique town hall, the Imperial Cathedral, and the fishermen’s village known as Little Venice. (BB, L, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)
DAY 25: Gerlachshausen (Rothenburg), Würzburg
Featured Excursion: Full-day tour of Rothenburg
Travel along parts of the “Romantic Road” to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the best-preserved Medieval town in Germany. The old city walls still stand, protecting the charming core of Gothic churches and gabled houses from intruders. Climb the Town Hall Tower for great views over the city and the Tauber valley. (BB, D)
DAY 26: Miltenberg
Featured Excursion: Miltenberg walking tour
Visit historic Miltenberg, a charming Medieval village with fairytale half-timbered houses, a Crooked House, and Royal Inn, which has been serving meals since the 17th century. Take in the breathtakingly beautiful scenery along the meandering Main River as you relax onboard in the afternoon. (BB, L, D)
DAY 27: Frankfurt, Mainz, Rüdesheim
Featured Excursion: Frankfurt city tour
Your tour of dynamic Frankfurt takes you through the financial hub with its imposing skyline and past Old Town, Goethe University, and the Botanical Gardens. Then you’ll explore the historic area around Römer Square on foot, passing St. Paul’s Church and many picturesque gabled houses. (BB, L, D)
DAY 28: Rüdesheim, cruising the romantic Rhine, Koblenz
Featured Excursion: Koblenz walking tour
Amble through Koblenz’s picturesque streets while your local expert explains the town’s history and importance in the region. Later in the day, cruise along the UNESCO World Heritage-designated romantic Rhine with its more than 40 castles and famous Lorelei Rock. Enjoy leisure time in Rüdesheim, a celebrated wine town, during the evening. (BB, L, D)
DAY 29: Traben Trarbach, Bernkastel
Featured Excursion: Bernkastel walking tour, Traben-Trarbach walking tour and wine experience
Discover Bernkastel’s 500-plus years of winemaking history with its historic vineyards and delightful market squares. After a scenic cruise past the Moselle region’s vine-filled slopes and picturesque villages, discover the romantic twin town of Traben-Trarbach, where treasures of Art Nouveau architecture pay tribute to the wealthy 19th-century wine merchants. Afterward, savor delectable Riesling wines from local vineyards. (BB, L, Captain’s Welcome Dinner)
DAY 30: Trier to Paris
Featured Excursion: Trier city tour
Travel by motorcoach from Paris, France to Trier, Germany where you’ll board the ship. Your afternoon tour of Germany’s oldest city, also called the second Rome, showcases the impressive Roman gate Porta Nigra, and Emperor Constantine’s throne room, all of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. (BB, D)
DAY 31: Paris
Featured Excursion: Paris city tour
We begin our city tour with a drive up the grand boulevard Champs Élysées, passing the Arc de Triomphe. We’ll stop for a photo opportunity at the Eiffel Tower before continuing to Place Vendôme, Hôtel de Ville, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Latin Quarter. We’ll then go to Les Invalides, the Louvre courtyard, and Luxembourg Gardens, where we will see a slice of daily Parisian life as well as view Bartholdi’s model for the Statue of Liberty. (BB)
DAY 32: Depart Paris
Transfer to the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport for your flight home
Extend our new Paris & the Heart of Europe cruise with Eastern Europe Explorer and see the best of both worlds. Visit nine countries and six capitals, with hundreds of fascinating sights in between.
- 26-night cruise in a riverview stateroom on the lovely River Princess
- 2 nights at the superior first class JW Marriott Bucharest (or similar) with breakfast
- 2 nights in Paris at a superior first class Tour Eiffel Suffren Hotel (or similar) with breakfast
- All meals onboard
- Complimentary fine wine during dinner, bottled water in your stateroom, and 24-hour specialty coffee during the cruise
- 24 shore excursions, fully hosted by English-speaking guides
- State-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio headset system on all shore excursions
- Exciting onboard entertainment
- Exclusive Epicurean Adventurer Program
- 3 Captain’s Welcome & 3 Captain’s Farewell Dinners
- An experienced Cruise Manager and attentive, all English-speaking staff
- All transfers on arrival and departure days
*
The prices shown are U.S. dollars per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability.
Prices quoted for land/cruise arrangements are subject to increase without notice. Once we have received your
deposit, land/cruise prices are guaranteed. Whenever air-inclusive prices are displayed, these prices do
not include government taxes and fees, which are additional. Air prices are subject to increase and are
guaranteed only from the time that full payment is received. Air-inclusive prices include air from a major
U.S. gateway; air from other U.S. airports is available at an additional cost. Sorry, we are unable to
offer air from countries other than the U.S. However, for those international customers who are able to
arrange their own transportation to the origination city, we are able to offer the land/cruise portion of
the package, at the price quoted.
. All rights reserved. CST 2072920-50