Day 1 - Tuesday - Aug 8, 2023
Arrive in Bucharest and transfer to your hotel in the heart of the city for a one-night stay. Spend the rest of the day relaxing, or do some exploring on your own.
Day 2 - Wednesday - Aug 9, 2023
After breakfast, check out of your hotel and take a tour of the city. See the city's wide boulevards, the Romanian Athenaeum, the Arch of Triumph, and the Palace of Parliament. Visit the outdoor Muzeul Satului, otherwise known as the Village Museum, where authentic dwellings from all regions of the country have been relocated and reassembled, including rural cottages, farmhouses, and water mills. During lunch at a local restaurant, enjoy a lively folkloric performance that recalls the simple pleasures of rural life. You then proceed to Giurgiu to board your ship and enjoy a welcome dinner. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 3 - Thursday - Aug 10, 2023
After breakfast, disembark at Russe for a full-day excursion to Bulgaria's former capital, Veliko Tarnovo. See Tsarevets Hill and the ruins of the royal castle. During free time, shop for local crafts along Samovodska Charshia. Continue your venture to Arbanasi for lunch in a local restaurant and a guided tour of the Nativity Church, with its intricate floor-to-ceiling murals and icons. Return to your ship for dinner. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 4 - Friday - Aug 11, 2023
Arrive in the picturesque Bulgarian port of Vidin, and take an excursion to see Belogradchik Fortress, built right into the striking Belogradchik Rocks. See the fortress's amazing construction, begun in Roman times and greatly extended by Bulgarian tsars and the Ottomans, and enjoy breathtaking views. Enjoy lunch onboard your ship; then you have free time to explore Vidin's city center, Orthodox churches, and the ruins of the city's once-grand synagogue. We depart during dinner. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 5 - Saturday - Aug 12, 2023
This morning, enjoy scenic cruising as you travel through one of the most picturesque areas of the Lower Danube. The Iron Gate is one of Europe's most dramatic natural wonders-a spectacular narrow gorge with enormous white limestone cliffs. Arrive in Donji Milanovac where you can choose to disembark and join an optional tour, or continue to enjoy scenic sailing. Arrive in Golubac and join an included tour of the Golubac Fortress where you will admire sweeping views over the Danube. Enjoy dinner onboard before departing to Belgrade. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 6 - Sunday - Aug 13, 2023
Wake up in Belgrade, capital of Serbia. Take a guided walk through the grounds of Kalemegdan Fortress, now a stately park; also see the Orthodox cathedral and stop at the Square of the Republic. Enjoy lunch onboard your ship before you have free time to explore Belgrade's gracious architecture or visit one of its many museums. Dine onboard your ship or experience some of Belgrade's nightlife. We depart very late this evening. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 7 - Monday - Aug 14, 2023
Cruise along the Danube, arriving at Vukovar around noon. Disembark for an afternoon excursion to the charming Croatian city of Osijek. Inhabited since Neolithic times, this area has had several heydays under the Romans, the Ottomans, and the Hapsburgs; now, Vukovar is revered for its Baroque buildings, parks, and monuments. Return onboard for dinner. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 8 - Tuesday - Aug 15, 2023
| Puszta Cultural Experience, Hungary |
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Sail into Hungary this morning, arriving in Kalocsa after lunch. Take a guided city tour followed by a short organ concert at St. Joseph Church. Then, you are treated to a performance of traditional Puszta horsemanship. Return to the ship and enjoy a festive dinner onboard as we depart for Budapest. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 9 - Wednesday - Aug 16, 2023
Arrive in Budapest, capital of Hungary. Situated along the Danube, it combines the once separate towns of hilly Buda and cosmopolitan Pest into a city rich with history. Your guided tour shows you both sides, starting with Pest's National Opera House and historic Heroes' Square. In Buda, walk along Castle Hill to Fisherman's Bastion and Matthias Church. Take some free time to explore before returning onboard for a traditional Hungarian dinner. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 10 - Thursday - Aug 17, 2023
Explore Budapest on your own today. Perhaps explore the Old Town, stopping in a spice shop for piquant paprika or a boutique for folk embroidery. Visit the neoclassical Hungarian National Museum. The city's efficient metro helps you on your way. Join us on an optional excursion to the Grand Market Hall, an emporium of Hungary's rich culture. Or tour the city's Iron Curtain landmarks via Trabant, the Eastern Bloc's "cardboard" car. Each optional excursion is designed to bring you to the heart of this historic and cosmopolitan city. Return to your ship for dinner and evening sail away. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 11 - Friday - Aug 18, 2023
Enjoy a day of scenic cruising along the beautiful Danube toward Vienna. As we sail, perhaps join this morning's German language lesson to learn a few key words and phrases. You may also choose to attend an afternoon presentation on Viennese coffee houses. We arrive early this evening. After dinner, relax or enjoy an optional classical concert. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 12 - Saturday - Aug 19, 2023
Today we tour the Austrian capital of Vienna. Ride along the Ringstrasse, which replaced the city walls in the mid-19th century. See some of the city's Baroque architecture, including the world-famous Opera House, St. Stephen's Cathedral, and Hofburg Palace. Return to your ship for lunch. The rest of the day is yours to explore further. As always, your program director can help you plan your free time. Alternatively, you may choose to join an optional excursion to see the famed Lipizzaner stallions; or, express your creativity and create a lasting keepsake at an optional art workshop inspired by the work of Gustav Klimt. After dinner, relax or enjoy an optional classical concert. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 13 - Sunday - Aug 20, 2023
Today, visit the abbey at Melk, a 900-year-old Benedictine monastery featuring Austria's finest Italian Baroque architecture. See its wonderful frescoes and admire the comprehensive collection of medieval manuscripts in its library. Rejoin your ship and cruise through dinner. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 14 - Monday - Aug 21, 2023
Arrive this morning in Passau, at the confluence of the Inn, Ilz, and Danube Rivers. Your guided walk along the town's narrow streets takes you through Old Town and past traditional patrician houses. Admire the New Bishop's Residence and see the impressive Baroque St. Stephan's Cathedral; its ornate interior is home to the Europe's largest church organ. Enjoy lunch onboard your ship, and return to the city for further exploration on your own. Alternatively, set out this morning with your guide to enjoy a full-day optional tour of picturesque Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart and setting of The Sound of Music. We depart just before dinner and cruise through the night. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 15 - Tuesday - Aug 22, 2023
Arrive in Regensburg after breakfast and tour this wonderfully preserved medieval city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including structures dating back to Roman times. Discover many 13th- and 14th-century patrician houses and see the splendid St. Peter's Cathedral. During free time, visit the Alte Wurstkuche (Old Sausage Kitchen), Germany's oldest restaurant. Alternatively, you may choose to disembark this morning and drive with your guide to Munich for an optional full-day tour of this cultural and historic city, rejoining your ship before our evening departure. Cruise through dinner. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 16 - Wednesday - Aug 23, 2023
Cruise the Main-Danube Canal this morning. Or, instead, disembark for a short drive to the center of Nuremberg and use your free time to explore until lunchtime. After lunch, venture out on a tour of the city. Visit the ruins of Zeppelin Field, the Nazi parade grounds of the 1930s, and see the Palace of Justice, site of the infamous Nuremberg Trials. See the Old Town area as you walk past the Albrecht Durer House and Main Market Square. Alternatively, you may choose to join an optional afternoon World War II tour including the illuminating Documentation Center. Dinner is served onboard your ship before we depart late this evening. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 17 - Thursday - Aug 24, 2023
Sail through the morning; after lunch, we visit Bamberg, with its medieval city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your walking tour includes a visit to the magnificent 11th-century cathedral, reworked in late Romanesque style in the 13th century, and the picturesque city hall built on a tiny island in the middle of a river. Take some free time to enjoy Bamberg and perhaps try some of the town's distinctive smoke-flavored beer before returning onboard. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 18 - Friday - Aug 25, 2023
Today, tour Wurzburg's Bishops' Residenz, one of Germany's largest and most ornate Baroque palaces and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Or, you may choose to disembark this morning to experience an optional full-day journey along Germany's picturesque "Romantic Road" to Rothenburg, with its turreted city wall and impressive Gothic and Baroque architecture. Rejoin your ship for dinner and an evening glassblowing demonstration. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 19 - Saturday - Aug 26, 2023
Wertheim is located at the confluence of the Main and Tauber Rivers. During your morning walking tour, experience life in a typical small German town. Stop in a bakery and a butcher shop, and learn about Wertheim's glassblowing tradition. Enjoy free time to explore before returning to your ship for lunch. Alternatively, depart this morning on an all-day optional excursion that offers a rare glimpse into noble life, enjoying Privileged Access visits to two very different castles: Schloss Mespelbrunn and Schloss Lowenstein. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 20 - Sunday - Aug 27, 2023
Today, we cruise past hilltop castles along the Rhine; this stunning stretch of the river is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Be sure to keep an eye out for the Lorelei Rock, which marks the river's narrowest point; the rock is named after a legendary Rhine Maiden who lured sailors to their demise. This afternoon, we'll stop to visit Marksburg Castle, the only Rhine fortress never destroyed. Rejoin your ship in Koblenz and dine onboard. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 21 - Monday - Aug 28, 2023
Arrive in Cologne during breakfast, then disembark for a tour of Germany's fourth-largest city. Stroll through Old Town past St. Martin's Church and see the Dom, Germany's largest cathedral and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spend your free time enjoying Cologne's atmospheric waterfront, or perhaps join an optional excursion on which you ascend to the Dom's roof for up-close views of the cathedral's architecture and bird's-eye vistas of Cologne. Afterward, return onboard for dinner. Alternatively, you may set off on an optional excursion to explore Cologne's spirited beer culture, sampling Kolsch, a light, crisp beer brewed only in Cologne, and enjoying a Brauhaus dinner. Afterward, return to your ship for a late-evening departure. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 22 - Tuesday - Aug 29, 2023
We sail along the Rhine during the morning hours. Admire scenic views and enjoy a morning of enjoyable Dutch diversions: sample Dutch cheeses and jenever, a distilled juniper liquor, and take in a culturally enriching presentation on the Dutch Golden Age. This afternoon, your ship arrives in Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Disembark for an afternoon tour of this ingenious network of windmills and other flood management devices. You learn why the windmills were built and see how they work, plus you enter a working windmill for a tour of its mechanisms and living quarters. Board your ship for departure and dinner. Arrive in Amsterdam around midnight. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 23 - Wednesday - Aug 30, 2023
After breakfast, disembark and proceed to the airport for your return flight (ground transfers are included with Viking Air purchase). Or, extend your journey with two additional nights in Amsterdam; take time to explore the city's neighborhoods, museums, and exciting nightlife. (Breakfast)
