Extended! 20% Cruise Saving with AmaWaterways
Price: $3,681 CAD Per Person
(Price per person, based on double occupancy, cabin category E.)
Offer: 20% Savings
Departure Date: March 22, 2025
Return Date: March 29, 2025
Video: Best of the Danube (Celebration of Music)
Capture the imperial history of Old-World Europe along the Danube River as it flourished beneath towering fortresses and inspired legendary artists and musicians. With an abundance of scenic cruising, a focus on grand cities and popular landmarks, and the ease of traveling roundtrip from Budapest, this special itinerary is our Co-Founder Rudi Schreiner’s top-choice itinerary for 2025 – be among the first to experience it! Begin your journey with our pre-cruise land package in majestic Budapest, during which you will immerse yourself in some of the Hungarian capital’s lesser-known heritage and historic sites. After embarking your ship, discover the luxury and beauty of river cruising as you glide through the scenic Wachau Valley, a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site. Throughout your journey you will visit the river’s legendary capitals: Bratislava and Vienna – where AmaWaterways’ Co-Founder Rudi Schreiner, the visionary “Godfather of River Cruising,” was born and raised. Encounter fascinating architecture from Melk’s golden-hued Benedictine abbey to Vienna’s magnificent Schönbrunn Palace. Plus, follow The Sound of Music through sprawling Salzburg, the incomparable birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Photo: AmaMora Christening
Inclusions:
- All fine dining in multiple venues, including The Chef's Table specialty restaurant
- Unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner
- Daily Sip & Sail cocktail hour with wine, beer, spirits and soft drinks
- A daily variety of small group excursions, including hiking, biking and special interest tours
- Complimentary high-quality Wi-Fi
- Wellness Program with a variety of host-led fitness classes
Photo: Dining onboard
Day 1: Budapest
Arrive in Budapest and board your luxurious river cruise ship, perhaps exploring the city independently before the evening’s briefings, cocktail hour and dinner.
Day 2: Bratislava
Take your time this morning as the ship cruises from Austria to Slovakia. Host to the crowning ceremonies of 11 Hungarian kings and queens between 1536 and 1830, Bratislava certainly has earned the title “Coronation City of Kings,” as you’ll discover during your walking tour. If you prefer exploring the world through your tastebuds, join a special “Tastes of Slovakia” tour to sample traditional flavors from the region, including local beer. For a more active adventure, hike up to Bratislava Castle, offering magnificent views of the city, or journey further from the seat of your bike on a guided cycling tour.
Day 3: Wachau Valley - Melk
Spend your morning reveling in the postcardperfect landscapes of Austria’s picturesque UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Wachau Valley. Later in the day, arrive in Melk. Located above the city on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube, Melk Abbey is one of Europe’s largest and most revered Baroque monasteries and a breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage Site. Originally founded in the 11th century, the magnificent abbey now houses a museum chronicling its history and a famous library with countless medieval manuscripts. During your tour you will see some of Melk’s musical manuscripts as well as frescoes painted by Johann Michael Rottmayr and Paul Troger. If you prefer a more active tour, you may hike to Melk Abbey or pedal around town on a guided bike tour. Alternatively, venture to the neighboring town of Dürnstein for a walking tour along its charming cobbled lanes, taking in the beauty of its brilliant blue Stiftskirche tower.
Photo: Biking
Day 4: Linz
Arrive in Linz, where you’ll have two choices for fullday excursions. Venture to Salzburg where you’ll tour the historic center, lovely Mirabell Gardens, Residenz Square and the Old Market. You will also visit the museum at the famed yellow building known as Mozart Birth House and residence where the legendary composer was born in 1756 and lived until 1773. En route to Salzburg, stop at Mondsee, home of the Basilica St. Michael where the wedding scene from The Sound of Music was filmed. You may alternatively choose to join a fullday excursion to the charming Czech mountain town of Český Krumlov, where you can stroll its cobblestone streets; marvel at the city’s picturesque Baroque and Renaissancestyle buildings; and tour Krumlov Castle, one of Europe’s largest castle complexes.
Day 5: Vienna
Enjoy a full morning of scenic cruising, taking some time to sit back, relax and delight in the everchanging views. Sleep in late, participate in a complimentary wellness class, treat yourself to a massage and get to know fellow cruisers while exploring all the amenities on board. In the afternoon, enjoy a horsedrawn carriage ride through the historic city center as a traditionally costumed coachman regales you with fascinating stories along your route, offering a new perspective on this sophisticated city. Alternatively, take a thrilling guided bike ride along the romantic Danube Canal and through the city, traversing a bridge, cycling across a meadow and heading to Vienna’s famous Ringstrasse Boulevard.
Photo: Entertainment onboard
Day 6: Vienna
Following your overnight in the “City of Waltzes,” visit the UNESCOdesignated Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens, the main summer residence of the Habsburg rulers. Built in the 18th century as an imperial summer residence, this magnificent 1,441room Baroque palace is one of the most important architectural, cultural and historical monuments in Austria. If you prefer to connect with nature, journey to the town of Cobenzl where you will embark on a hike through the famed Vienna Woods that inspired a waltz composed by Johann Strauss II. Later in the day, explore Vienna at your leisure.
Day 7: Budapest
Budapest offers an unmatched combination of culture and tradition. Start your exploration of the city on the Buda side of the Danube, following your guide through the city’s Castle District where you will marvel at the fairytale turrets of Fisherman’s Bastion, gaze upon the breathtaking panorama below and see Matthias Church, renowned for its striking tower and colorful mosaic roof. For a more active tour, hike to Budapest’s Castle Hill. In the afternoon, explore the treasures of Pest, admire the colossal Hungarian Parliament Building, Heroes’ Square and the moving “Shoes on the Danube Bank” memorial. In the evening, head up to the Sun Deck or stroll around town, delighting in the way Budapest’s magnificent landmarks illuminate against the night sky.
Day 8: Budapest
Bid farewell to Budapest and prepare for your flight home.
