Melodies of the Danube (Wine Cruise) (Budapest to Vilshofen)

ARRIVE IN BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – EMBARKATION. Arrive in Budapest and board your luxurious river cruise ship. You will meet your fellow passengers at an evening Welcome Aboard Wine Toast.

BUDAPEST. Home to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Buda Castle quarter in Castle Hill and Heroes’ Square, Budapest offers an unmatched combination of culture, tradition and even a secret labyrinth of caves and caverns under the city. Your city tour begins with a visit to the vibrant Great Market Hall brimming with vendors selling everything from food to souvenirs. The remainder of this tour takes you to both the Buda (hilly) and the Pest (flat) sides of the river (B,L,D).

VIENNA, AUSTRIA. The heart of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Vienna, remains as renowned today as it has throughout history. The entire city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site awash with Baroque treasures. Your city tour showcases its regal splendors, including the majestic Opera House and the former Imperial Palace of the Habsburgs, before concluding in Vienna’s historic city center. You’ll then visit the majestic St. Stephen’s Cathedral, which has stood watch over Vienna for 700 years and is one of the most important and beloved landmarks in Austria.

VIENNA – KREMS. Discover more of Vienna’s on you “Royal Treasures” tour, or for a more active exploration of the area, take a guided bike ride along the Danube. During the afternoon, enjoy a scenic cruise through the Wachau Valley en route to Krems, the wine capital of this region. While in Krems, you will discover the town’s rich array of wine-related history and culture with a visit to Schloss Gobelsburg wine cellar, dating back several centuries. Some of the finest vineyards in Austria belong to Schloss Gobelsburg, so you’ll be in for a real treat tasting some of it vintages, including Riesling and Grüner Veltliner.

WEISSENKIRCHEN – YBBS – GREIN. After reaching Weissenkirchen in the heart of the Wachau Valley, you’ll be treated to several choices of excursions. Choose a walking tour along the cobblestone streets of Dürnstein followed by a wine tasting. For those who would like a more culinary-focused experience, visit a local boutique where you'll enjoy a tasting of special apricot treats. Prefer more active adventures? Join a guided hike to the fortress where Richard the Lionheart was once held captive. Afterwards, you have a choice to tour the UNESCO-designated Melk Abbey or go on a guided bike tour from Dürnstein to Ybbs along the famous Danube bike path. You’ll then sail to Grein, known during the Middle Ages as the "golden city”; and today, it continues to shine. The city is home to both Austria’s oldest residential castle, Greinburg Castle, dating back to 1488, and its oldest theater, Stadttheater, built in 1791. Be treated to an exclusive visit to the more than 500-year-old Greinburg Castle, looming regally above the village, and while here, enjoy a folklore show along with a wine reception.

LINZ. The ship arrives in Linz where you’ll have several choices of excursions. For those who love The Sound of Music, enjoy a full-day excursion to Salzburg and tour the historic center, Mirabell Gardens, Residenz Square and the Old Market. You may also choose to join a full-day 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 Renaissance-style buildings; and tour Krumlov Castle, one of Europe’s largest castle complexes. Following these full-day excursions, you may also choose to take a brief walking tour in Linz. Alternatively, join a walking tour through the old city center of Linz and by the Mozart House; or bike along the city’s famed “Cultural Mile” and the Danube.

PASSAU, GERMANY – VILSHOFEN. Discover the 2,000-year-old city of Passau in one of three ways. Enjoy a walking tour and marvel at Gothic and Italian Baroque architecture and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Guests looking for a more active morning can choose between a guided bike tour along the Danube River, or a guided hike up to the Veste Oberhaus Fortress. Later, the ship cruises to Vilshofen, where you will be treated to a festive Oktoberfest celebration with local beer, Bavarian folk music and dancing—an AmaWaterways exclusive.

VILSHOFEN – DISEMBARKATION. This morning, disembark your ship in Vilshofen.