I’ve always wanted to visit the Christmas Markets and see the imperial cities of Prague and Budapest. And considering 2018 marks my 20th anniversary of my first visit to Europe (Vienna and Salzburg included) it just made perfect sense to celebrate by taking a river cruise along the Danube with Avalon Waterways to end the year on a European wonderland festive note.
River cruising with Emerald Waterways is one of the best ways to explore Europe. Emerald believes in authentic shore excursion experiences that put you right at the heart of every destination that are included in every river cruise. Travelers who are looking for a more immersive experience can upgrade to their specially designed collection of DiscoverMORE excursions.Continue reading
Arriving early in Budapest served me and my cousin well. We got a chance to see the city before starting our Avalon Waterways river cruise the next day.
Once we began our adventure with Avalon Waterways, we started with a short tour on the Pest side. There are two sides of Budapest. The Buda side and the Pest side. The Buda side with started back in the 1200’s and the Pest side in the 1850’s. The Buda side is made up of large hillsides and is primarily residential. The Pest side is more commercial and the landscape is flat. Many of the city’s best hotels are on the Pest side.