THE BLUE DANUBE DISCOVERY FROM BUDAPEST TO PRAGUE

Day 1 Arrive in Budapest, Hungary
Welcome to Budapest, Hungary�s lively capital. The remainder of the day is free to start exploring Eastern Europe�s most cosmopolitan metropolis. Map

Day 2 Budapest
Budapest straddles both banks of the Danube, with seven bridges, including the famous Chain and Elisabeth Bridges, connecting ancient Buda on the right bank with Pest on the left. The massive hilltop castle complex with FISHERMEN�S BASTION and the Matthias Church is among the many sights your Local Guide will show you. Shop for renowned peasant embroidery, Herend porcelain, and paprika. (Breakfast)

Day 3 Budapest (Embarkation)
This afternoon, board your river cruise vessel and meet your crew at a welcome reception. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Day 4 Budapest�Vienna, Austria
A day to relax on board and marvel at the beautiful scenery on both banks of the Danube. Hungary is on your left as you cruise upriver and Slovakia is on your right. The two countries share the Danube for a 58-mile stretch, with the border in the middle of the river. Vienna, Austria�s capital, is known as the �City of Music� and inspired the creative genius of Mozart, Beethoven, and Strauss. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 5 Vienna
Once the center of the mighty Habsburg Empire, Vienna has much to offer: lavish Hofburg Palace, the impressive Vienna Opera House, the majestic Ring Boulevard, and awe-inspiring St. Stephen�s Cathedral, to name just a few of the sights you will enjoy during your city tour. You do not rush through Vienna�you waltz, taking your time to savor each classic sight and sound. Shop in the K�rntnerstrasse and enjoy Sachertorte or Apfelstrudel in a neighborhood caf�. An optional concert is available during your stay. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 6 D�rnstein�Melk
D�rnstein, known for the magnificent baroque Stiftskirche with its blue fa�ade, is situated right in the heart of the Wachau wine region. Above town are the ruins of the castle where England�s King Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned in 1192. This afternoon: Melk, whose magnificent BENEDICTINE ABBEY dominates the town from its commanding hill site and is one of Europe�s largest monasteries. The view you have from the terrace over the Danube and surrounding countryside is breathtaking! This evening you�ll be able to sample some of the Wachau Valley�s FAMOUS WINES. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 7 Linz�Passau, Germany
Linz, Austria�s third-largest city, lies on both banks of the Danube and is an important industrial town and busy river port. An optional full-day excursion to Salzburg takes in the popular Sound of Music sights. Passau, ideally located at the confluence of the Rivers Inn, Ilz, and Danube, is a city of graceful arcades and cobblestone streets. St. Stephen�s Cathedral houses the world�s largest church organ with more than 17,000 pipes. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 8 Regensburg
Regensburg is one of Germany�s best preserved medieval cities. Architectural highlights on your guided tour include the Old Town Hall and Porta Pretoria�gates to an ancient Roman fort built in 179 AD. The city is the capital of Upper Palatinate, a bustling university town, and one of Bavaria�s cultural centers. It is here you will find Germany�s oldest restaurant, the 12th-century Historische Wurstk�che (Old Sausage Kitchen). (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 9 Nuremberg
Although Nuremberg suffered extensive damage during WWII, much of it was restored to its original style. Marvel at this historic city with its fabulous gothic churches and elegant patrician houses�all explained by a local expert. Nuremberg�s traditions include famous Lebkuchen, toy making, and metal working. After dinner we�ll introduce you to some of Germany�s FAMOUS BEERS. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 10 Nuremberg (Disembarkation)�Prague, Czech Republic
Cross the Czech border in the Bohemian Forest and head for Prague, the �Golden City.� (Breakfast)

Day 11 Prague
Prague is a 1,000-year-old city preserved in time. See its best-known treasures such as the Old Town�s Astronomical Clock, once the envy of all of Europe; HRADCANY CASTLE GROUNDS, St. Vitus Cathedral, and the Charles Bridge. Browse the shops for hand-cut crystal or art books. Mix with the locals in Wenceslaus Square or stroll along the Vltava River. (Breakfast)

Day 12 Prague
A free day for you to explore the city at your own pace. Your Cruise Director will have other suggestions for things to do. (Breakfast)

Day 13 Prague
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)

Highlights & Sightseeing

CRUISE:
Deluxe 7-night cruise from Budapest to Nuremberg in an outside stateroom with hotel-style beds

BUDAPEST:
Guided sightseeing, visit Fishermen�s Bastion; welcome reception

VIENNA:
Guided sightseeing

D�RNSTEIN:
Guided walk, see the Stiftskirche

MELK:
Guided visit of the Benedictine Abbey; wine tasting

PASSAU:
Guided sightseeing

REGENSBURG:
Guided sightseeing

MAIN DANUBE CANAL:
Cruise in the canal

NUREMBERG:
Guided sightseeing; beer tasting

PRAGUE:
Guided sightseeing, see the Astronomical Clock and visit Hradcany Castle grounds

Meals
Full buffet breakfast in Budapest and Prague; superb dining with all meals on board daily featuring full breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including a welcome reception, Captain�s reception and farewell dinner; quality wines from Europe�s most famous wine regions with every dinner; one sitting with open seating arrangements

Hotels
BUDAPEST InterContinental (SF), PRAGUE Hilton (SF) or InterContinental (D)

Notes:
In the event of water level problems or any problems of a technical nature, it may be necessary to operate the itinerary by motorcoach or to alter the program.
Included visits and special features are subject to change. If a change is necessary, a substitute will be offered.
Due to closure of locks on the Main Danube Canal for maintenance reasons, disembarkation for departures April 15 (Tapestry) and April 19 (Imagery) will be in Passau and there will be some modifications to the itinerary. Check with our travel consultants for more information.
Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); the responsibility for obtaining a visa rests with the traveler.

Avalon Tapestry
The innovative Avalon Tapestry introduced an award-winning concept to river cruising: the impressive Silent Drive System, which separates the engines from the guests for a quieter and more enjoyable cruise. The inventive design also places the navigational bridge behind the passenger section for a spacious layout; situates the lounge and dining room in the front of the vessel for unimpeded views; and includes a vast Sky Deck, ideal for sunning, taking pictures, and relaxing. Unpack only once and spend your time experiencing the charming Central and Eastern European towns and sites along the Danube. While onboard, enjoy the panoramic views throughout the ship, the spacious staterooms and suites, and the seasonal cuisine featuring the freshest local ingredients.

Always Included
It's about you. You are the reason we've used our 80-plus years of travel expertise to design the very best river cruise experience. Inspired by you, we've taken everything special about river cruising and made it even better. Here are some of the features and amenities you'll experience on board our ships.

Panoramic windows throughout every ship.
Spacious designs provide personal space.
Included shore excursions with Local Guide.
Headsets for shore excursions.
Complimentary Wi-Fi access.
Personalized room options & excursions.
Highest-quality craftsmanship.
Premium coffees, cappuccinos and lattes.
Coffee self-serve beverage station.
A lounge serving premium spirit cocktails.
Maintain your routine in the fitness center.
The Comfort Collection by AvalonSM.
Premium L'Occitane bath amenities.
Daily early- and late-riser breakfast.
Full buffet breakfast with sparkling wine.
Complimentary juices with breakfast.
Made-to-order egg station at breakfast.
Complimentary soft drinks with lunch.
Chef-inspired regional recipes.
Four-course dinners with open seating.
Choice of appetizers, soups & salads.
Nightly option of entree, dessert or cheese.
Complimentary regional wines at dinner.
Free soft drinks or beer with dinner.
Night Fare served at 10:30 p.m.
Remarkable service through the cruise.
English-speaking crew.
Non-smoking interior.
Large bathrooms - showers w/ glass doors.
Flatscreen satellite TV with movie channels.
Spacious 3-door closets for ample storage.
And, much more

Optional Excursions

Important Note: the following list of optional excursions are examples only for this vacation as they are the excursions that are being offered for this vacation in the current travel year. These optional excursions might or might not be offered next year, as well as new optional excursions might be offered. Information about what optional excursions will be offered for your vacation will be available later this year into next year. If no example excursions are listed, please check back later.

Here's a list of optional excursions you can enjoy during your vacation. Whether it's a special dinner, a local show or a special behind-the-scenes glimpse into an historical site, optional excursions are a wonderful way to enrich your vacation even further. Plus, they give you flexibility. We include the must-see sites and experiences, and we also understand that people take interest in different activities and may want to craft a more personal vacation by hand-picking optional excursions that appeal to them.

Availability is subject to sufficient participation, weather conditions, seasonal suitability, days of operation, group interests, and general feasibility for your vacation. The approximate value listed gives you a good, general idea of what you can expect to pay but may vary once you are on your vacation. Some information provided might be in a foreign currency.

CITY: Budapest

Hungarian Puszta Farm with Horse Show and Lunch
Admire the unsurpassed qualities of the Hungarian Equestrian virtue at an active stud farm on the Great Hungarian Plain. Enjoy the sight of the proud hoses as they lead the festive procession. Take a typical country wagon ride and learn about the life on the typical Hungarian farm. Experience the well-known Hungarian hospitality in the most natural environment of the Puszta Farm. The Hungarians have been inseparable from their horses for more than a thousand years. Do not miss this unique opportunity to experience the Hungarian countryside and its authentic ways.
Approximate value: EUR �54 per person

CITY: Linz

Salzburg - Mozart's Sound of Music with Lunch
True, Salzburg is the birth-place of Mozart and you will find the face of the city's most famous son everywhere. Salzburg is also the setting for the Sound of Music movie, which has shaped the city's perception in the minds of generations. But Salzburg is much more. It is a city with history based on the salt trade from the nearby Alpine Mountains, it is a city of beautiful baroque buildings, and a city perched between the mountains and green waters of the Salzach river. It is a city with a long cultural heritage and in the small busy lanes like the "Getreidegasse" with its wrought iron signs you might get a feeling, how busy this city always was. Today we would like to show you Salzburg and its past, we will show you the Austrian Lake district and our local experts will talk about what it takes to be Austrian and to live in this country today.
Approximate value: EUR �69 per person

Salzburg - Mozart's Sound of Music
True, Salzburg is the birth-place of Mozart and you will find the face of the citys most famous son everywhere. Salzburg is also the setting for the Sound of Music Movie, which has shaped the citys perception in the minds of generations. But Salzburg is much more. It is a city with history based on the salt trade from the nearby Alpine Mountains, it is a city of beautiful baroque buildings, and a city perched between the mountains and green waters of the Salzach river. It is a city with a long cultural heritage and in the small busy lanes like the Getreidegasse with its wrought iron signs you might get a feeling, how busy this city always was. Today we would like to show you Salzburg and its past, we will show you the Austrian Lake district and our local experts will talk about what it takes to be Austrian and to live in this country today.
Approximate value: EUR �64 per person

CITY: Prague

Prague's Jewish Heritage - A Visit to Important Sites of Jewish Life
Located between the Old Town Square and the Vltava River, Prague's Jewish Quarter (known as Josefov) was once one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe, with a rich and varied history dating back to the 10th century. The circumstances leading to WW II and the country's post-war Communist regime did little to revive the hopes and religious rights (or indeed living standards) of those who survived, with many deciding to emigrate to the US, Western Europe or Israel. Today, whilst only 1500 or so Orthodox Jews now live in what remains of the traditional Jewish Quarter, it has once again become a thriving - and fascinating - part of Prague. Follow our local expert on a tour to the Jewish Museum, the Jewish Cemetery and the Synagogues and get an inside view of Jewish Life in the past and today.
Approximate value: EUR �39 per person

Prague's Secrets Revealed
It is quite possible to escape the touristy side of Prague. And just as before, it requires knowing just which street to turn down or even which unsigned walkway to pass. Knowing where to turn from the Old Town Square, you can leave all the crowds behind and find yourself shockingly alone in a twisting Medieval street, quiet as can be - with only the sound of your shoes clicking against the cobblestones or a tram swooshing by a few streets away. And in this street, it's also still possible to find the most interesting places when you least expect them. The houses and doors often look the same from the outside. To the naked eye, the street may even seem residential. There are no big flashing lights pointing out the history that lies behind these facades of Prague. It needs a local expert, who shows you these secrets and tell you the stories of what happened here and there . . .
Approximate value: EUR �19 per person

Wonderful Dvorak - Chamber Music Concert
Dvorak was neither conservative nor radical. His works display the influences of folk music, mainly Czech polka rhythms. But Dvorak performed also in the United States, he was for sure one of the first composers working globally. His Slavonic Dances show his very strong roots in the culture of his homeland, yet he was not afraid of letting Indian dances and songs influence his 9th Symphony: "From the New World". Enjoy an evening with tunes and themes of Antonin Dvorak, this great Czech Composer and find out a bit more about his works and his music.
Approximate value: EUR �44 per person

Terezin - The Fortress of Theresienstadt and its History
Terez�n was established at the end of the 18th century as a fortress; still surrounded by its massive ramparts, the town lies at the confluence of the rivers Labe (Elbe) and Ohre (Eger). The Main and Lesser Fortresses at Terez�n, although modern for their period, gradually became obsolete, and having lost their military function fell into disregard. Only in the relatively recent past has Terez�n once again entered the world's public consciousness as a tragic symbol of the sufferings of the tens of thousands of innocent people who died here during the Nazi occupation of their homeland. Ghetto Theresienstadt has long been remembered for its culture, its famous prisoners, and its visit by Red Cross officials.
Approximate value: EUR �44 per person

CITY: Regensburg

Excursion to Weltenburg Abbey and the Danube Gorge
The Danube Gorge has both a gentle and a strange beauty. In a magnificent show of force, the Danube has carved its way through the Swabian Alb to create a stunning landscape - a wild, romantic stretch of river with sheer cliffs rising over 300 feet out of the water. At its upper end the Weltenburg Abbey is located on a peninsula directly beneath the cliffs of the Gorge. It was founded by Irish or Scottish monks in 620 and is one of the oldest abbeys in Bavaria. The present Benedictine abbey dates back to the 18th century when it was extensively rebuilt in baroque style. Their ceiling frescos of the Heavenly Jerusalem blend seamlessly with the abbey interior and are particularly noteworthy. Important is also that Weltenburg Abbey houses the oldest abbey brewery in the world, as the monks have been brewing beer since 1050. A beer and a "pretzel" are a welcome refreshment.
Approximate value: EUR �39 per person

CITY: Vienna

Royal Waltz Concert
Would a stay in Vienna be the same if you were not able to listen to the tunes of the "Blue Danube Waltz" or the "Radetzky" March? Your Cruise Director will accompany you to one of Vienna's famous Concert Halls. We will make preferred seating arrangements. In order to celebrate this evening in style, have a glass of sparkling wine in the intermission, before you listen to the famous tunes brought to you by opera singers and watch the elegant ballet dancers as they interpret some of the most well known classical tunes from Vienna.
Approximate value: EUR �49 per person

A Visit of Sch�nbrunn Imperial Palace
Sch�nbrunn, the former summer residence of the Imperial family, is considered one of the most beautiful baroque palaces in Europe. The Habsburgs resided here for the better part of the year in numerous rooms to house the large Imperial family in addition to representational rooms. Emperor Franz Joseph, who later married the enchanting Sisi and reigned from 1848 to 1916, was born here in 1830. The monarch spent his last years entirely in the palace, which became the property of the new Republic of Austria only two years after his death. Today, the palace is part of UNESCO's cultural heritage due to its historic importance, its unique grounds and its splendid furnishings. Follow our local expert and visit Empress Sisi's former summer residence, afterwards take your time to stroll through the park or enjoy a demonstration of how the famous Viennese Apple Strudel is made - Samples to taste included. . .
Approximate value: EUR �44 per person

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