Christmas On The Danube

Welcome the winter season with a timeless trip down the Danube River. Board your cruise and relax as you are transported along beloved cities, where age-old culture is interwoven into seasonal specialties. Peruse handcrafted trinkets, traditional sweets, and infectious holiday cheer as you make your way through some of Europe’s most renowned Christmas markets. Your holiday tour begins with an overnight flight to Austria.

Arrive in Vienna, Austria’s capital city. As arrival times may vary, there’s no scheduled sightseeing today. Board your ship and settle in for a relaxing cruise along the Danube. Your home for the next six nights, this vessel features modern amenities, a panoramic deck café, panorama salon and bar, exceptional service, delicious cuisine, and wine with every dinner. Celebrate with a welcome dinner on board, filled with holiday spirit.

It is time to step off the ship and explore. After walking along the pier to reach your coach, join a local expert on a panoramic city tour and see Vienna's architecture, including Hofburg Palace, the Vienna Opera House, and the Ringstrasse. Then, discover Vienna on foot while walking through the city’s charming cobblestone streets towards the awe-inspiring St. Stephen’s Cathedral and festive Christmas market. (Use caution, as these cobblestones may become slick with frost.) The afternoon is yours. Perhaps you’ll join an optional excursion to Schönbrunn Palace, the Habsburgs’ summer retreat, to enjoy its festive atmosphere and courtyard Christmas market.

Journey through the Wachau Valley, dotted with castles and hillside houses, as you cruise to the quaint town of Emmersdorf. Relax and take in the scenery before visiting the cobblestone streets of Dürnstein and the 900-year-old Benedictine Melk Abbey. Enjoy some time dedicated to exploring this ancient town. Later, get a taste of local tradition at a Glühwein party before returning to the ship.

Amid the early morning light, cruise past scenic valleys and charming riverside towns to Passau, situated at the meeting point of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers. This morning, it's your choice! Enjoy a leisurely paced guided walking tour of Passau, the 2,000-year-old fairy-tale city also known as the “City of Three Rivers” and take in its ornate Baroque architecture, the cobblestoned streets, and St. Stephen’s Cathedral, home to Europe’s largest church organ -OR- join a hike with a local guide up to the pilgrimage church Mariahilf* and be rewarded with spectacular views over Passau.

If you choose to participate in the Choice on Tour Mariahilf hilltop church hike, please note that you must be able to walk up and down more than 300 steps.

With an expert guide, discover Regensburg, one of Germany's best-preserved medieval cities. See the first stone bridge built over the Danube and the Porta Praetoria – a Roman gate built in A.D. 179. Stroll through Old Town to Regensburg's charming Christmas market spread across the Old Town’s streets and squares and marvel at the festive lights and decorations. Browse and shop at the brightly lit wooden huts holding seasonal ornaments, wooden toys, and local handicrafts. Or perhaps you’ll join an optional excursion and experience the beauty and magic of the romantic Christmas market at Thurn and Taxis Palace in Regensburg.

Cruise across the continental divide to Roth and make your way to Nuremberg. After walking along the pier to reach coach, join your local expert on a bus tour that will give you the first taste of the city. Continue with a walking tour of Nuremberg that will take you on a stroll through the historic city for more than an hour. See Old Town, the 900-year-old ramparts, and the Imperial Castle. Your city tour concludes at Nuremberg's 17th-century Christmas market, which is Germany's oldest. Wander along the local goods and perhaps you'll shop for handcrafted nutcrackers or treat your taste buds to Nuremburg's famous Lebkuchen (gingerbread).

Disembark your ship in Nuremberg and continue on to Rothenburg, a town of medieval walls, fairy-tale houses, and Christmas markets. Join a local guide in nearby Würzburg, a historic Bavarian city along the banks of the Main River. Embark on a leisurely paced walking tour exploring this Baroque city and its famous Würzburg Residence. This evening, join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner and toast to the end of your journey along the Danube.

Say goodbye to Germany as your tour draws to a close.