JEWELS OF CENTRAL EUROPE 19 DAYS FROM $5,909 US Details below or
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Sail along the Danube, Main, Rhine, and Moselle Rivers and through the Main Danube Canal and dramatic Rhine Gorge on this remarkable river cruise vacation. Begin your trip with two nights in the vibrant Hungarian capital of Budapest with guided sightseeing and time to explore the city on your own. Then set sail and enjoy guided sightseeing showing the highlights in each city, with inside visits of Fishermen’s Bastion in Budapest, Melk’s awe-inspiring Benedictine Abbey, the Bishop’s Residenz in Würzburg, Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum in charming Rüdesheim, and Reichsburg Castle in Cochem. Also participate in a lively beer tasting, attend a traditional baking demonstration in the pretty Bavarian village of Miltenberg, and travel by high-speed train to Paris, where your vacation concludes with two overnights, guided sightseeing, and plenty of free time to explore the “City of Light” at your own pace!
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.
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: the 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 Kärntnerstrasse and enjoy Sachertorte or Apfelstrudel in a neighborhood café. An optional concert is available during your stay. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 6 Dürnstein–Melk
Dürnstein, known for the magnificent baroque Stiftskirche with its blue façade, lies right in the heart of the Wachau wine region. Continue through the Wachau Valley to Melk, whose magnificent BENEDICTINE ABBEY dominates the town and is one of Europe’s largest monasteries. The view from the terrace over the Danube and surrounding countryside is breathtaking! This evening you’ll be able to sample some of the FAMOUS WINES of this region. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 7 Linz–Passau, Germany
Linz, Austria’s third-largest town, 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 Wurstküche (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. 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. Excursion to Munich
After breakfast, drive to Munich, where a local expert will proudly show you the sights in the Bavarian capital. An inspiring mix of historic buildings and impressive architecture, you’ll see the Olympic Stadium, Nymphenburg Palace, MARIENPLATZ in the historic heart of the city with the Old and New Town Halls, and the gothic Frauenkirche. Later, enjoy free time to explore on your own. Return to your ship in the late afternoon. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 11 Bamberg
A beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site The World Heritage List includes over 800 properties with cultural and/or natural heritage of global significanceis medieval Bamberg. Your walking tour takes in the breathtaking cathedral, the Old Town Hall straddling the river Regnitz, and serpentine streets with charming houses and 18th-century mansions. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 12 Würzburg
Known as the “Pearl of the Romantic Road,” Würzburg is surrounded by sloping hills covered with vineyards. The magnificent BISHOP’S RESIDENZ is another UNESCO World Heritage Site. The World Heritage List includes over 800 properties with cultural and/or natural heritage of global significance (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 13 Miltenberg
Located on the Main River, Miltenberg is a picturesque Bavarian village that thrived on income from river traffic. Its cultural wealth and affluence are reflected in the beautiful medieval and renaissance houses and the gothic splendor of the Merchant Hall, shown to you during your guided walk. This afternoon, learn how to bake a local SOFT COOKIE specialty. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 14 Rüdesheim–Rhine Gorge–Koblenz
Visit SIEGFRIED’S MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM in pretty Rüdesheim. Enjoy a SPECIAL TREAT, then there’s free time to explore the Drosselgasse and pick up some souvenirs. The dramatic RHINE GORGE is the most beautiful stretch of river. Pass the legendary rock of the Lorelei, where sweet songs of local beauties lured enchanted sailors to their doom. Situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, 2,000-year-old Koblenz is the cultural and business center of the Middle Rhine region. The Deutsches Eck, located on a tongue of land where the two rivers converge, holds an impressive equestrian statue of Wilhelm I. The Moselle River is some 312-miles long, rising in the Vosges Mountains of northeastern France and entering Germany at Trier. The entire Moselle Valley is famous for its beautiful and tranquil scenery. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 15 Cochem
Visit REICHSBURG CASTLE, which sits atop a conical hill covered in vines. From here the views of the little town of Cochem nestled down below and of the river valley are splendid. Cruising the wide, peaceful curves of the river, it quickly becomes obvious that the Moselle is an important wine-growing region. Most notably, the Riesling grape is cultivated, producing a dry to sweet, floral white wine. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 16 Trier–Remich, Luxembourg
The venerable Episcopal city of Trier is the oldest in Germany and, some claim, even older than Rome! The famous Porta Nigra is the only surviving fortified gate from the original Roman settlement and still gives access to the town center. This afternoon, cruise to Remich in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 17 Remich (Disembarkation)–Paris, France
Say goodbye to your crew after breakfast today and travel to Metz to board the HIGH-SPEED TRAIN for a swift and comfortable journey to Paris. (Breakfast)
Day 18 Paris
Paris’ famous sights are living history: your included city sightseeing shows you magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, the unique Louvre Museum with its glass pyramid as a contrast to its ancient architecture, the commemorative Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, Champs Elysées, and the Eiffel Tower, a structural miracle of its age. The city is well known for its colorful nightlife including some of the world’s most famous cabaret shows. (Breakfast)
Day 19 Paris
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)
Highlights & Sightseeing
CRUISE:
Deluxe 14-night cruise from Budapest to Remich in an outside stateroom with hotel-style beds
RÜDESHEIM:
Visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum; special treat
RHINE GORGE:
Cruise through the gorge
KOBLENZ:
Guided walk, see the Deutsches Eck
COCHEM:
Visit Reichsburg Castle
TRIER:
Guided sightseeing, see the Porta Nigra
METZ–PARIS:
By high-speed train
PARIS:
Guided sightseeing
Meals
Full buffet breakfast in Budapest and Paris; superb dining with meals on board 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), PARIS Hilton Arc de Triomphe (SF)
Notes:
In the event of water level problems on stretches of any river, or any problems of a technical nature, it may be necessary to operate part of the itinerary by motorcoach or to alter the program.
Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.
In the rare event that the high-speed train is unavailable, alternative arrangements will be made.
Included visits and special features are subject to change. If a change is necessary, a substitute will be offered
Avalon Luminary
Cruising on the Avalon Luminary is the ideal way to experience the majesty, extensive history and fascinating culture of some of Europe's oldest cities along the Rhine, Main, Danube and Moselle rivers. Built in 2010, the Avalon Luminary is one of the latest additions to the Avalon fleet, and holds a maximum of just 138 passengers. Visit multiple countries and cities and unpack only once, so you spend your time experiencing and enjoying Europe rather than dealing with the logistics of travel. Enjoy a highly personalized cruise experience, spacious deluxe staterooms and suites, contemporary décor, and popular onboard amenities, including a large Sky Deck with deck chairs and whirlpool, multiple lounges and a bar, Internet corner, fitness center, hair salon, and elevator.
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: Paris
The Artist's Quarter of Montmartre
Join our local expert on a short walking tour of the lanes and squares around Sacré Coeur Church. Admire a spectacular view over the roofs of the City of Light and love. Listen to the stories, and admire the artwork of the artists at Place du Tertre where some of the French impressionists started their career. There is free time before your local expert provides a short orientation of the city on the way back to the hotel.
Approximate value: EUR €41 per person
Mona Lisa's Smile and the Louvre Museum
"Open to all since 1793" The Louvre Museum has embodied the concept of a truly "universal" institution. The priceless artworks housed in the Louvre are held for the benefit of present and future generations. The 35,000 works of art include such famous master pieces as the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, the Venus de Milo. Our local expert will bring them to life as we have a look at the most important pieces of the various collections.
Approximate value: EUR €48 per person
An Evening at the Moulin Rouge
The Moulin Rouge Theater is the epitome of French cabaret shows. Enjoy a dinner at the Moulin Rouge before you admire the colorful show "Féerie" featuring more than 100 artists and dancers, and more than 1000 costumes.
Approximate value: EUR €159 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. The tour operator 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 Schönbrunn Imperial Palace
Schönbrunn, 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
CITY: Wurzburg
Excursion To Rothenburg ob der Tauber
The best preserved medieval town in Germany, Rothenburg ob der Tauber fits the word romantic perfectly. Walk the wall that encircles Rothenburg to get various perspectives of architecture in the middle ages (as well as a lot of exercise). Climb to the top of the Rothenburg Town Hall Tower (circa 1250-1400) for a wide-angle view of Rothenburg and surrounding, mostly pastoral countryside. The entire walled town of Rothenburg is a museum. The wall connects five medieval gates complete with guard towers that date from the thirteenth to sixteenth centuries. Just walk along Rothenburg's narrow cobblestone streets and admire the gothic, renaissance, and baroque houses and fountains. You may wish that you had lived in these prettier, quieter, slow times. As well as the attraction of the town itself, Rothenburg offers a complete selection historic restaurants, gothic churches, art exhibits, museums, suits of armor, and great Franken wine, to name only a few.
Approximate value: EUR €39 per person
Departure Dates:
May
July
October
PRICES From approx $5,909 US per person double occupancy
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