We decided to do the Rhine Getaway with Viking (Basel to Amsterdam), because we both wanted to explore Germany more, and neither of us had spent much (if any) time there. We flew into Basel, and had a delightful day there. We arrived at the airport – be careful there – you can exit into two different countries! – and made our way into beautiful, iconic Switzerland.
Danube Waltz with Viking was my first cruise with Viking River Cruise, and it was everything I dreamt of and more. Sailing through the heart of Europe to unforgettable destinations in 4 countries with VIP access.
Let me introduce you to Viking Bragi – Welcome Aboard!
After many years of ocean cruises and land vacations, I was blessed to take my very first river cruise. The Danube Waltz with Viking (Budapest to Passau) has become one of most favorite and memorable vacations. There is a tremendous amount of cultural and historical sites throughout the region. What better way to visit each of these ports of calls nestled along the Danube River. This 8-day itinerary allowed us to see the highlights of Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, Krems and Linz, Austria, along with Passau, Germany. These are not only some of the most beautiful European countries and cities but they are all designated UNESCO sites.
Continue readingWelcome to Prague or as the Europeans say Praha. I was welcomed for my Central European Experience with Avalon Waterways the minute I arrived by Avalon and whisked away to the Art Deco Imperial Hotel. Perfect historical building in new town and a 20 minute walk to Old Town Praha. We walked around for hours and then we went back to the hotel for dinner reservations which is required. 5 star Michelin restaurant. Dinner was superb.
This past December I had the pleasure of joining Avalon’s Tranquility II for its “Festive Time on the Romantic Rhine with Avalon Waterways” itinerary. This was my second Avalon Waterways vacation, and it will not be my last. My friend Akram was excited to join me for this trip (full disclosure: all the best pictures in this blog are his). What follows are my impressions and musings about the trip, although we did so much that I couldn’t possibly include everything. If you are the kind of person who (like me) likes to sit and go through photo albums with people, then you might find the read rewarding.