Contact one of our Tour Specialists for more information. Offer valid on new bookings only. Savings vary per cabin category on select river cruises. Cannot be combined with any other offer, promotion or discount. Capacity controlled and may be removed at any time without notice. Certain restrictions may apply; ask at time of booking.
When your road is the Danube, it's enchanting... Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, and Germany are linked by peaceful river landscapes dotted with storybook castles and romantic villages surrounded by stone terraced vineyards, where making world-class wines – and tasting them! – is an art. A wonderfully preserved medieval castle and town in the Czech Carpathian mountains are as awe-inspiring as the palaces and museums of Imperial Vienna. As you cruise from port to port, explore the cobblestone streets and market squares in the Old Towns of Budapest, Bratislava, Cesky Krumlov, Grein, and Passau, each offering unexpected cultural treasures and culinary pleasures around every bend. And the pièce de résistance – a Tauck Exclusive gala evening with music and dancing at a private palace conjures up elegant Old World Europe just for Tauck guests!
Tour begins: 5:30 PM. A transfer is included from Munich International Airport directly to your riverboat, where embarkation begins at 4:00 PM. Settle in aboard ship and then meet your fellow river cruisers this evening at a welcome cocktail reception followed by dinner. Your riverboat sets off along the Danube this evening.
Awaken in Passau today for a choice of sightseeing in this riverside town in Germany, or an excursion to Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. Once a Roman outpost at the confluence of three rivers, Passau is over 2,500 years old, a quintessential Bavarian town of pastel patrician houses, cafés, romantic cobblestone lanes and riverfront promenades, made for walking (many streets are closed to traffic). If you choose to stay in Passau, your walking tour immerses you in its storybook mix of Roman, Italian Baroque and German Gothic architecture. See St. Stephen's Cathedral; view the hilltop fortress where Passau's prince-bishops once resided; and peruse the 14th-century Rathaus (Town Hall). Later, if you wish, join your Tauck Director for a brisk walk to a hilltop fortress, or attend a public concert on the famous organ of St. Stephen's Cathedral, when available or take a 12 mile bike ride along the Danube, meeting up with your riverboat in the town of Enghelhartszell. Alternatively, travel to Cesky Krumlov, an incredibly well-preserved medieval town in a landscape of exceptional beauty. Your walking tour includes Krumlov Castle, one of the largest castle complexes in Central Europe, embracing 40 buildings and palaces of medieval, Renaissance and Rococo designs, plus numerous courtyards and gardens. Return to the riverboat and enjoy the chef's signature dinner tonight as you cruise to Grein.
Arrive in the typically picturesque riverside village of Grein, Austria, for a choice of sightseeing in Grein or a visit to the Mauthausen Memorial. Your visit begins with a guided walking tour of the village, which includes views of the Grein Theatre – since 1791 the oldest operating theatre in Austria – and the historic town square with the adjacent Gothic St. Giles Church, known for its fine altar and stained glass. If you wish, visit Schloss Greinburg, the privately owned castle of the Ducal House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, showcasing the history and lifestyle of one of the most significant ruling families in Europe (including Queen Victoria of England). Alternatively, pay a poignant guided visit to the museum and memorial on the site of the infamous World War II-era Mauthausen–Gusen concentration camp, approximately 20 kilometers east of Grein. You'll tour the camp's main complex, preserved as a museum and memorial to the victims of the last major concentration camp liberated by the Allies. Back aboard the riverboat, enjoy dinner and local entertainment tonight.
This morning, your riverboat docks in Dürnstein, in Austria's Wachau Valley, which offers you a choice of unforgettable sightseeing excursions. You may choose to explore the picture-perfect Austrian village of Dürnstein on a guided walking tour, with free time on your own – maybe a climb up to the brooding ruins of Kuenringerburg Castle high above the town. Or, a challenging bicycling excursion (not suitable for beginners) through the Wachau Valley, starting and ending in Dürnstein. Rejoin the boat for lunch, and set off on a leisurely, breathtakingly scenic river cruise to Austria's capital, Vienna.
You have a choice of sightseeing today, both preceded by a tour of Vienna's landmark sights: visit the Imperial Treasury (the Schatzkammer) in the Hofburg, displaying priceless treasures from the House of Habsburg, including the Austrian Crown Jewels and the Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire; or alternatively, enjoy a mid-morning music rehearsal. After lunch aboard the riverboat or in town, your afternoon is free to explore more of this amazing city – once the capital of the Habsburgs' Austro-Hungarian Empire – on your own. Later, join us this evening at Palais Pallavicini for a Tauck Exclusive – a gala evening of dining and musical performances in elegant Viennese style. The sumptuous surroundings of Palais Pallavicini (built in 1784), with its ornate decor and magnificent state rooms, will transport you to another time – in fact, the palace facade is famous in another cultural reference... as the location of Harry Lime's (Orson Welles) apartment in the classic film The Third Man.
A choice of activities await this morning in or near Bratislava, Slovakia's visually intriguing capital city. One is a walking tour of the cobblestoned, vehicle-free historic center of Bratislava; medieval, Baroque and modern architecture mix as you visit sites that include the 13th-century Old Town Hall, Baroque Habsburg-era palaces, the Opera House, Slovak Philharmonic Hall, St. Michael's Gate, St. Martin's Cathedral, and the Primate's Palace, where you'll view rare 17th-century British tapestries. Your other excursion takes you on a drive along the Small Carpathians wine route from Bratislava into the Slovakian countryside, lush with vineyards, for a visit to historic Cerveny Kamen Castle in the Little Carpathian Mountains followed by a stop at a local falconry. Continue on to the town of Modra in the foothills of the Little Carpathians for a traditional lunch featuring local cuisine. Prior to departure this afternoon, our local expert offers inside information and anecdotes on Bratislava. Back aboard ship, have lunch and settle in for an afternoon at leisure. Join us this evening for dinner as your riverboat heads to Budapest.
Your cruise ends this morning in Budapest, Hungary, which is split into the sections of Buda and Pest by the Danube River. A guided tour of the city begins with the Pest side and a drive along Andrassy Avenue to Heroe's Square and a drive by Parliament and other sites. Explore the Buda side with a drive up Castle Hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; see Fishermen's Bastion with its Neo-Romanesque design, and admire the stained glass windows and centuries of history in Matthias Church (may be closed on some days due to services). After lunch, spend the rest of the day and evening pursuing what interests you most in this historic, and artistic, city. Join us this evening for a farewell toast followed by dinner as your Danube cruise comes to a close.
Tour ends: Budapest, Hungary. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the riverboat to Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport; you should allow a minimum of three hours for flight check-in at the airport.
When your road is the Danube, it's enchanting... Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, and Germany are linked by peaceful river landscapes dotted with storybook castles and romantic villages surrounded by stone terraced vineyards, where making world-class wines – and tasting them! – is an art. A wonderfully preserved medieval castle and town in the Czech Carpathian mountains are as awe-inspiring as the palaces and museums of Imperial Vienna. As you cruise from port to port, explore the cobblestone streets and market squares in the Old Towns of Budapest, Bratislava, Cesky Krumlov, Grein, and Passau, each offering unexpected cultural treasures and culinary pleasures around every bend. And the pièce de résistance – a Tauck Exclusive gala evening with music and dancing at a private palace conjures up elegant Old World Europe just for Tauck guests!
While this trip was nice, it was a little bit boring. We had day trips in the morning. One of the excursions took us to a small town in Austria. It took 1 hour 45 minutes to get there and return. We had a 45 minute tour. Then there was lunch but there wasn\'t much else to do. We left at 9 a.m. and returned at 5 p.m. When we went to Vienna there were great tours in the morning but not enough time to do an on our own tour in the afternoon because of the bus schedule. If you like to do nothing in the afternoon or eat or drink or read then you will like this tour. If you are an adventure traveler, River cruising isn\'t great. The food was mediocre. The service was great.
Tauck was very professional and offered a high quality of a travel experience albeit for a premium price.
Tauck was fabulous -- ship was beautiful and the staff was above and beyond in every area!! Food and drinks were great!! Loved the Itinerary -- we went 2 days early and stayed 2 after and Tauck made sure all was taken care of -- picked up upon arrival and car to airport upon departure. Local guides were great with a fun sense of humor.
I loved the fact that everything was included(drinks, tips, etc.) It is always an undue burden to have the right amount of tip money for all at each guided tour and end of trip. Tauck also gave many extras that although may not have been a great expense(ice cream and or a drink), it was appreciated. Great company. will definitely travel with them again.
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Tauck is incredible. I would recommend them to anyone. They think of details I would never have imagined... down to the coins it takes to use a restroom at one of the Christmas markets in Salzburg.