Grand Danube Cruise

Embark in Vilshofen to begin your cruise.

Later in the day, enjoy a festive Oktoberfest celebration – an AmaWaterways exclusive.

Enjoy a free morning to walk around this quaint village. Later, cruise to Passau, and take a walking tour among the Gothic and Italian Baroque architecture and St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

Or choose between a guided bike tour along the Danube River or a guided hike to the Veste Oberhaus fortress.

Opt for a full-day excursion to Salzburg where you’ll tour the historic center, Mirabell Gardens, Residenz Square and the Old Market. En route to Salzburg, stop at Mondsee, home of the Basilica St. Michael.

Or join a morning walking tour through the old city center of Linz and by the Mozart House; or go on a bike tour of the city’s famed “Cultural Mile” and the Danube.

You can also choose to visit charming Český Krumlov, located just over the Czech-Austrian border.

Enjoy a scenic cruise through the Strudengau and UNESCO-designated Wachau valleys.

After reaching Weissenkirchen, take a walking tour of Dürnstein before visiting the UNESCOdesignated Melk Abbey. Or hike to the ruins of Dürnstein Fortress, where Richard the Lionheart was once held captive.

You can also cycle through the Wachau Valley on a guided bike tour, sample special apricot treats from a local boutique. In the evening, enjoy a wine tasting hosted by a local vintner.

The “City of Waltzes” is a treasure trove and your city tour showcases its regal splendors, including the majestic Opera House and the former Imperial Palace of the Habsburgs.

Conclude your tour in the UNESCO-designated historic city center and visit St. Stephen’s Cathedral. For a more active exploration, take a guided bike ride through Vienna.

During the afternoon, enjoy leisure time exploring this iconic city even more.

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.

Or join a special “Tastes of Slovakia” tour.

For a more active adventure, hike up to Bratislava Castle, offering magnificent views of the city.

You cannot help but fall in love with Budapest, known as the “Queen of the Danube.”

Your city tour begins with a visit to the Great Market Hall. The remainder of this tour takes you to both the Buda (hilly) and the Pest (flat) sides of the river.

Alternatively, hike up to Castle Hill for breathtaking views of the city

Tradition will be on full display in Puszta, the Great Hungarian Plain. Tour a genuine Hungarian csárda (farm) run by world-champion carriage-drivers.

Afterwards, be treated to an unforgettable performance of horsemanship and then experience the Hungarians’ warm hospitality, along with a traditional lunch complete with authentic goulash.

Enjoy a scenic morning cruise to Mohács and then visit Pécs, founded more than 2,000 years ago by the Romans. Visit the UNESCOdesignated Christian Necropolis; St. Peter’s Basilica, the city’s main Catholic cathedral along with its catacombs; and Széchenyi Square, the heart of Old Town Pécs.

You will also see the Mosque of Pasha Qasim the Victorious, one of the symbols of the city.

Prefer to see the city on two wheels, join a bike tour; and for wine connoisseurs, you’ll want to go instead to the Szekszárd wine region, one of the oldest red-wine-growing areas in Hungary, established more than 2,000 years ago.

Go on a city tour showcasing the Ovčara Memorial and Eltz Palace.

Alternatively, choose a wine tasting in Ilok, a center of wine production since Roman times.

Later, cruise to Novi Sad, the “Serbian Athens” and go on a walking tour to Dunavski Park and through Stari Grad, the Old Town center.

Or, join a guided biking tour or hike through Fruska Gora National Park.

During the evening, visit Petrovaradin Fortress.

Explore Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, on a city tour that includes the Kalemegdan Fortress and the Serbian Orthodox Temple of St. Sava.

Later, choose from three intriguing excursions. Visit the Royal Palace, the official residence of the Serbian Royal Family; and then tour the House of Flowers, the mausoleum of Marshal Tito, who became the first President of Yugoslavia.

Or enjoy a taste of the region by sampling Serbian plum brandy, Šlivovitz, and delicious local delights at the Quburich Distillery.

For those wishing a more active adventure, join a guided bike tour or hike to well-preserved Belgrade Fortress with its conical towers.

The Iron Gates is one of Europe’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders.

The Danube narrows as it winds through a series of magnificent gorges between the Carpathian and Balkan mountains.

Explore Vidin, one of Bulgaria’s oldest cities, and surrounding areas with a choice of excursions. Discover Baba Vida Fortress, the largest preserved medieval castle in Bulgaria.

Continue on to Belogradchik, one of Bulgaria’s natural wonders, where you can hike around its most spectacular rock formations.

Alternatively, visit a local home for a demonstration of traditional Bulgarian yogurt and Banitsa, a pastry you will also get to make.

You also have the choice to bike through Vidin and to the castle.

Visit Bulgaria’s ancient capital, Veliko Tarnovo, with its medieval fortress and multiple orthodox temples. You can opt instead to go to Rousse, known for its 19th- and 20th-century Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture, and then afterwards visit the UNESCO-designated Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo with frescos revealing exceptional artistry of 14th-century paintings.

Later in the day, travel through the Romanian countryside to the capital of Bucharest, known as the “Little Paris of the East.”

Enjoy a panoramic tour of the historic city center and its elegant architecture, followed by a visit to the Palace of the Parliament, the second largest administrative building in the world.

Disembark your cruise in Giurgiu.

Embark on your cruise in Giurgiu.

Tonight gather on board and meet your fellow passengers.

Travel through the Romanian countryside to the capital of Bucharest, known as the “Little Paris of the East.” Enjoy a panoramic tour of the historic city center and its elegant architecture, followed by a visit to the Palace of the Parliament, the second largest administrative building in the world.

Later in the day, visit Bulgaria’s ancient capital, Veliko Tarnovo, with its medieval fortress and multiple orthodox temples.

You can opt instead to go to Rousse, known for its 19th- and 20th-century Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture, and then afterwards visit the UNESCO-designated Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo with frescos revealing exceptional artistry of 14th-century paintings.

Explore Vidin, one of Bulgaria’s oldest cities, and surrounding areas with a choice of excursions. Discover Belogradchik, one of Bulgaria’s natural wonders, where you can hike around its most spectacular rock formations, and Baba Vida Fortress, the largest preserved medieval castle in Bulgaria overlooking the Danube.

Alternatively, be welcomed into a local home for a demonstration and tasting of traditional Bulgarian yogurt and Banitsa, a delicious pastry with filo dough and cheese.

Or you can choose to bike through Vidin for a more active adventure and see the castle.

Explore Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, on a city tour that includes the Kalemegdan Fortress and the Serbian Orthodox Temple of St. Sava.

Or visit the Royal Palace, the official residence of the Serbian Royal Family; and then tour the House of Flowers, the mausoleum of Marshal Tito, who became the first President of Yugoslavia.

Or enjoy a taste of the region by sampling Serbian plum brandy, Šlivovitz, and delicious local delights at the Quburich Distillery and travel to Avala Mountain.

Later in the day, for those wishing a more active adventure, join a guided bike tour or hike to well-preserved Belgrade Fortress with its conical towers.

Enjoy a walking tour of Novi Sad to explore why some have called the city the “Serbian Athens.” You’ll see Dunavski Park and Stari Grad, the Old Town center.

For a more active adventure, join a guided biking tour along the Strand and Danube Park, or a hiking tour to Petrovaradin Fortress.

Alternatively, get hands-on with Vojvodina cuisine as you enjoy a lively demonstration and taste your culinary creation.

Later in the day, tour the city of Vukovar, with its Franciscan Monastery, Church of St. Philip & Jacob and Eltz Castle, an 18th-century manor that holds the Vukovar City Museum.

Or, travel to Ilok, a center of wine production since Roman times, and sample its famous Grasevina, Traminac and Frankovka wines.

Explore Pécs, founded more than 2,000 years ago by the Romans. Visit the UNESCO-designated Christian Necropolis; St. Peter’s Basilica, the city’s main Catholic cathedral along with its catacombs; and Széchenyi Square, the heart of Old Town Pécs.

Active travelers will enjoy a guided bike ride along the Danube and through Danube-Drava National Park, a protected flood-plain known for its populations of black storks, white-tailed eagles and grey cattle, a national symbol of medieval Hungary.

Tradition will be on full display in Puszta, the Great Hungarian Plain. Tour a genuine Hungarian csárda (farm) run by the world-champion carriage drivers, the Lazar brothers.

Afterwards, be treated to an unforgettable performance of Hungarian horsemanship and then experience the Hungarians’ warm hospitality, along with a traditional lunch complete with typical goulash.

You cannot help but fall in love with Budapest, known as the “Queen of the Danube.”

Your city tour begins with a visit to the Great Market Hall. The remainder of this tour takes you to both the Buda (hilly) and the Pest (flat) sides of the river.

Alternatively, hike up to Castle Hill for breathtaking views of the city.

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.

Or savor local Slovakian craft beer at a local brew pub along with Slovakian snacks.

For a more active adventure, hike up to Bratislava Castle, offering magnificent views of the city.

The “City of Waltzes” offers a treasure trove of gems and you have two ways to discover them.

Join a city tour showcasing its regal splendors, including the majestic Opera House and the former Imperial Palace of the Habsburgs before concluding in Vienna’s historic city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and then visiting St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

For a more active exploration of the area, take a guided bike ride along the Danube and to Klosterneuburg Abbey, founded in 1114.

Be treated to several choices of excursions. Take a walking tour of Dürnstein before visiting the UNESCO-designated Melk Abbey. Or hike the trail up to the ruins of Durnstein Fortress, where Richard the Lionheart was once held captive, and where you’ll find spectacular views of the valley, river and village below.

You can also choose to cycle through the Wachau Valley on a guided bike tour to Melk. For a more culinary-focused experience, sample wine and special apricot treats from a local boutique.

Later in the day, head up to the Sun Deck for panoramic views as you unwind with a scenic cruise through the Strudengau and UNESCO-designated Wachau valleys.

In the evening, head ashore in Grein for an exclusive castle visit complete with wine.

The ship arrives in Linz where you’ll have several choices of excursions. Opt for a full-day excursion to Salzburg where you’ll tour the historic center, Mirabell Gardens, Residenz Square and the Old Market.

En route to Salzburg, stop at Mondsee, home of the Basilica St. Michael.

Or join a morning walking tour through the old city center of Linz and by the Mozart House; or go on a bike tour of the city’s famed “Cultural Mile” and the Danube.

During the afternoon, you have three more options. Choose a half-day excursion to Salzburg or take a scenic drive through the Austrian Lake District with a stop in St. Wolfgang.

You can also choose to visit charming Český Krumlov, located just over the Czech-Austrian border.

Discover the 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.

Or choose between a guided bike tour along the Danube River, or a guided hike up to the Veste Oberhaus fortress.

Later, cruise to Vilshofen, where you will be treated to a festive Oktoberfest celebration – an AmaWaterways exclusive.

Disembark your ship this morning.

Journey through the Romainian countryside to Bran, where you will visit Transylvania’s legendary Bran Castle, forever linked with the legend of Dracula and the lovely village of Brasov .  Dracula lovers will be in for another treat with an excursion to Sighisoara, birthplace to Transylvania’s most notorious ruler, Vlad Tepes, also known as Vlad the Impaler or Dracula. Enroute to Bucharest, stop in Sinaia to visit Peles castle, which was once the residence of the royal family and considered by many to be one of the most stunning castles in Europe.  Bucharest has earned its nickname “Little Paris of the East”, with its wide boulevards and Arc de Triomphe. Enjoy a visit to the city’s most impressive sites including the historic city centre and the Palace of the Parliament, one of the largest administration buildings in the world.

Prices from £889 per person

Discover Prague, where you will enjoy a city tour or a castle hike.  Both will reveal why Prague is considered one of Europe’s most attractive cities, with a historic centre that’s recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Beer has a long and illustrious history in the Czech Republic, so end your European journey with a tasting of some the very best beer in the world.

Prices from £644 per person