14 Night Grand Danube Cruise (Wine Cruise)

EMBARKATION-EMBARKATION – VILSHOFEN, GERMANY. Board the ship in Vilshofen for your Grand Danube Wine Cruise. In the evening, be treated to a festive Oktoberfest celebration – an AmaWaterways exclusive. (D)

Free Time-VILSHOFEN. Enjoy a free morning to walk around the quaint village of Vilshofen. Later, cruise to Passau, where you have the option of exploring it one of three ways. Take a walking tour and marvel at Gothic and Italian Baroque architecture and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Or choose between a guided bike tour along the Inn River or a guided hike up to the Veste Oberhaus fortress.. (B,L,D)

“City of Three Rivers” walking tour-VILSHOFEN. Enjoy a free morning to walk around the quaint village of Vilshofen. Later, cruise to Passau, where you have the option of exploring it one of three ways. Take a walking tour and marvel at Gothic and Italian Baroque architecture and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Or choose between a guided bike tour along the Inn River or a guided hike up to the Veste Oberhaus fortress.. (B,L,D)

“UNESCO City of Media Arts” walking tour-LINZ. The ship arrives in Linz where you’ll have several choices of excursions. Opt for a full-day excursion to Salzburg where you’ll tour the historic center, Mirabell Gardens, Residenz Square and the Old Market. En route to Salzburg, stop at Mondsee, home of the Basilica St. Michael. Or join a morning walking tour through the old city center of Linz and by the Mozart House; or go on a bike tour of the city’s famed “Cultural Mile” and the Danube. You can also choose to visit the charming mountain town of Český Krumlov – a guest favorite, located just over the Czech-Austrian border on a full-day excursion. In the afternoon, embark on a journey into the fascinating world of whiskey distillation on an exciting guided tour. (B,L,D)

*Not available with full-day excursions

Scenic cruising through Strudengau and UNESCO Wachau Valley-WEISSENKIRCHEN, AUSTRIA. Head up to the Sun Deck for panoramic views as you unwind with a scenic cruise through the Strudengau and UNESCO-designated Wachau valleys. After reaching Weissenkirchen, you’ll be treated to your choice between two excursions. Take a walking tour of Dürnstein before tasting some of Weissenkirchen’s famed wines, made with apricots from Austria’s Wachau Valley. For a more active adventure, hike the trail up to the ruins of Dürnstein Fortress, where Richard the Lionheart was once held captive, and where you’ll find spectacular views of the valley, river and village below. As a reward for completing the hike, enjoy tasting the wines of Weissenkirchen following your descent from the hill. (B,L,D)

Melk Abbey visit-WEISSENKIRCHEN, AUSTRIA. Today you will have the chance to join our tour of magnificent Melk Abbey. Sitting on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube, the Benedictine abbey is one of Europe’s largest and most revered Baroque monasteries, and you will marvel at the beautiful frescoes painted inside. Alternatively, get active on a bike tour through the breathtaking Wachau Valley. (B,L,D)

“Imperial Vienna” tour-VIENNA, AUSTRIA. The “City of Waltzes” is a treasure trove and your city tour showcases its regal splendors, including the majestic Opera House and the former Imperial Palace of the Habsburgs. Conclude your tour in the UNESCO-designated historic city center and visit St. Stephen’s Cathedral. For a more active exploration, take a guided bike ride through Vienna. In the evening, be treated to an evening of Viennese wine and music and a traditional Austrian wine tavern. (B,L,D)

Buda city tour-ESZTERGOM, HUNGARY. Today you have the opportunity to visit Budapest’s Buda (hilly) side of the Danube River. Follow your guide through the city’s Castle District where you will marvel at the fairytale turrets of Fisherman’s Bastion, gaze upon the breathtaking panorama below and see Matthias Church, renowned for its striking tower and colorful mosaic roof. For a more active tour, hike to Budapest’s Castle Hill. (B,L,D)

Gödöllő Palace and Puszta excursion-BUDAPEST, HUNGARY. Visit the 19th-century Gödöllő Palace with its royal stables and Baroque theater. This palace became the favored residence of the much-loved Habsburg Empress and Hungarian Queen Elizabeth, affectionately known as Sissi, followed by lunch at Gödöllő Restaurant. Afterward, head for Puszta, the vast flat Great Hungarian Plain where you will tour a genuine Hungarian csárda (farm) run by the carriage-drive world champion brothers Lazar. Following the tour, witness a unique, unforgettable performance of Hungarian horsemanship, a tradition that goes back to the hordes of Magyar tribes conquering Hungary in the 9th century. (B,L,D)

Pécs excursion-MOHÁCS – PÉCS. Welcome to Pécs, founded more than 2,000 years ago by the Romans. Visit the UNESCO-designated Christian Necropolis; St. Peter’s Basilica, the city’s main Catholic cathedral along with its catacombs; and Széchenyi Square, the heart of Old Town Pécs. You will also see the Mosque of Pasha Qasim the Victorious, one of the symbols of the city. Or choose a guided bike tour through Mohács. In the afternoon for wine connoisseurs, you’ll want to go to the Szekszárd wine region, one of the oldest red-wine-growing areas in Hungary, established more than 2,000 years ago. (B,L,D)

Highlights of Vukovar tour-VUKOVAR, CROATIA. Explore this historic Croatian city of Vukovar on a city tour, where you may see sites such as the Ovčara Memorial and Eltz Manor House. Alternatively, you may see Osijek on a guided tour. For a more active excursion, enjoy a guided bike tour of Vukovar. In the afternoon, wine connoisseurs will want to sample Croatia’s famous Grasevina, Traminac and Frankovka wines during a special tasting excursion. You can also choose to explore the Vucedol Museum, home to fascinating exhibits on prehistoric culture and one of the most important archaeological sites in Europe. (B,L,D)

“The City by Two Rivers” tour-BELGRADE. Explore Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, on a city tour that includes the Kalemegdan Fortress and the Serbian Orthodox Temple of St. Sava. You may also explore Novi Sad, a city rich in tradition and culture, on a full-day excursion or join a guided bike tour or hike to the well-preserved Belgrade Fortress with its conical towers. In the afternoon, you can enjoy a taste of the local flavors by sampling wine in Sumadija wine region. For those wishing a more active adventure, join a guided bike tour. (B,L,D)

Full-day scenic cruising-SCENIC CRUISING THROUGH THE IRON GATES. The Iron Gates is one of Europe’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders. The Danube narrows as it winds through a series of magnificent gorges between the Carpathian and Balkan mountains. (B,L,D)

Baba Vida Fortress and Vidin Walking Tour-VIDIN, BULGARIA. Explore Vidin, one of Bulgaria’s oldest cities, and surrounding areas with a choice of excursions. Discover Baba Vida Fortress, the largest preserved medieval castle in Bulgaria. Alternatively, visit a local home for a demonstration of traditional Bulgarian yogurt and Banitsa, a pastry you will also get to make. Familiarize yourself with Bulgarian wines instead at Dos Alamos, a winery located next to vineyards on a hilly terrain where the sun shines all day long. You also have the choice to bike through Vidin and to the castle. (B,L,D)

Veliko Tarnovo excursion-ROUSSE – GIURGIU, BUCHAREST. Visit Bulgaria’s ancient capital, Veliko Tarnovo, with its medieval fortress and multiple orthodox temples, either followed by a wine tasting. For more active exploration, join an unforgettable hike up the iconic Tsarevets Fortress in Veliko Tarnovo. You can opt instead to go to Rousse, known for its 19th- and 20th-century Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture, and then afterwards visit the UNESCO-designated Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo with frescos revealing exceptional artistry of 14th-century paintings. Later in the day, travel through the Romanian countryside to the capital of Bucharest, known as the “Little Paris of the East.” Enjoy a panoramic tour of the historic city center and its elegant architecture. Later in the day, head to the Leventa complex set in a unique fortification dating back almost 200 years where you will be treated to a tasting of three wines and learn more about their winemaking tradition. (B,L,D)

DISEMBARKATION-GIURGIU – DISEMBARKATION. Disembark the ship and bid farewell to Giurgiu as you prepare for your flight home. (B)