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 is perfect for inquisitive travelers who want authentic experiences that bring the culture and history of the destination to life. One of the best parts of river cruising is exploring the stops along the way during shore excursions. Avalon Waterways offers many cultural and historical shore excursions, where travelers can go behind the scenes with an expert to see the best of each destination. Here are Avalon’s top European excursions that you have to experience!
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.
Growing up, I always saw myself exploring Europe with a big backpack, ripped up sneakers, and multiple large paper maps. I had dreamed of the backpacking life that most 20-something-year-olds fantasize about. I had it all planned out, my limited budget would allow me to fly into one airport, walk, hitch hike, or find a cheap standing only train ticket to move onto my next city. For accommodations, I would find any hostel that seemed relatively safe and clutch my belongings tightly in my sleep so no one can steal anything if I happened to be able to fall asleep among the noise of however many other people were in that same room bunking with me. Plan b would have been to find the warmest, cleanest corner or steps to get a few hours of sleep in before I explored the city with all my belongings on my back.Continue reading