Beautiful Blue Danube Discovery River Cruise

Day 1

We depart and travel south for our ferry crossing across the Channel. After continuing our journey, we arrive at our overnight hotel in France.

Day 2

After breakfast, we continue our journey and cross the border into Germany, where our next overnight hotel awaits.

Day 3

Today, we head to Passau, found near the Austrian border and nicknamed 'the City of Three Rivers'; this is the boarding point for our exciting Danube cruise. As the ship sets sail in the late afternoon, you'll enjoy the thrill of sailing along the Danube for the first time and can look forward to the picturesque natural scenery, magnificent towns and historical cities to come.

Day 4

Be mesmerised by your first experience of the Wachau Valley this morning. As we sail down the Danube, enjoy this UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to a fascinating river landscape known for vineyards and magnificent castles - an actual once-in-a-lifetime experience! This afternoon, we arrive in Vienna, the capital of Austria. In the early afternoon, we arrive in Vienna, the capital of Austria with that extra-special something. The Viennese are proud of their city and with magnificent imperial buildings all around you, we enjoy an included roundtrip tour of Vienna to see its historically significant sights up close. Enjoy views of the astounding State Opera, Hofburg Palace and Parliament Building as you travel past monuments to famous composers, poets and artists. Our final stop will be an exterior tour of St. Stephen's Cathedral, accessible only by foot before we return to our cruise ship for the evening.

Day 5

From the Ringstrasse over to the Giant Ferris Wheel in the Prater, Vienna has plenty to offer for your second day. Enjoy free time to explore this majestic city in your own time today. Why not enjoy a tour of the beautiful baroque Schönbrunn Palace, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, or relax in a cosy coffee house and experience the authentic Viennese coffee culture? Our river cruise departs Vienna early evening.

Day 6

Enjoy your breakfast as we sail down the blue waters before we arrive in what was once the Royal capital of Hungary, Esztergom. Sitting on the banks of the Danube, this is one of the country's oldest cities and is home to a stunning neoclassical basilica, which is the seat of the Catholic Church in the country. You may wish to join our optional excursion to Esztergom's Basilica, which we reach by a small tourist train. The largest church in Hungary boasts one of the world's largest altarpieces, Egyptian-inspired architecture in places, and a wealth of priceless religious artefacts. We set sail again mid-morning, continuing our cruise for a mid-afternoon arrival in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Famous for its seven bridges that span the river between the neighbourhoods Buda and Pest, we include a city tour, passing highlights such as the Millenium Monument on Heroes Square and the magnificent Opera before continuing on foot to St Stephen's Basilica, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Our ship stays moored in the city tonight, where you'll enjoy unimpeded views of Budapest's famous parliament building from the sundeck.

Day 7

Discover even more of the Hungarian capital on your second day in Budapest. Discover the historic Fisherman's Bastion and enjoy spectacular city views, or visit the famous Gellért Baths. The ship departs mid-afternoon today.

Day 8

We arrive in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava this morning. Located on the left bank of the Danube, it is the youngest capital city in Europe. Throughout the old town, you'll see traces of the Austro-Hungarian Empire wherever you go and a plenitude of art galleries and coffee houses, making it a perfect place to wander around and marvel at impressive sights. We also include an excursion up to Bratislava Castle, located eighty-five metres above the river, to enjoy panoramic views over the Danube before enjoying a walking tour of the city's historical centre.

Day 9

We enjoy a brief stop this morning in Krems an der Donau before departing again for our next port of call in Melk, both apart of the Wachau Valley. Alternatively, why not disembark in Krems and join us for an optional excursion to Dürnstein and the Benedictine Abbey in Melk? Best known for its fifteenth-century church with a blue and white baroque spire, the town is home to the romantic ruins of a fortress, which ultimately became the prison of King Richard I - nicknamed Richard the Lionheart. We continue along the Danube to one of Europe's most magnificent baroque buildings, and the highlight of this excursion is Melk's Benedictine Abbey. Situated on a sixty-metre-tall ridge, it offers a fantastic view over the Danube and the dreamlike landscape of the Wachau. We rejoin the ship in Melk and spend our final afternoon and evening on board.

Day 10

Our river cruise adventure ends this morning as we dock back in Passau after breakfast. After bidding a fond farewell to the 'Queen of the Rivers', we head to our overnight hotel.

Day 11

We continue returning to France before arriving at our final overnight hotel.

Day 12

We complete our journey home, cross our ferry back into Dover, and return home.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner