Day 1Nuremberg
Welcome to Nuremberg. We will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your ship.* After settling into your stateroom, enjoy free time and get acquainted with the city. (D)
Day 2Nuremberg
This morning, tour Nuremberg to see Zeppelin Field and the Palace of Justice, site of the Nuremberg Trials. Or, learn more about World War II history during our optional tour to the Documentation Center Museum. Lunch and dinner aboard; cruise through the remainder of the day. (B, L, D)
Day 3Regensburg
Arrive in Regensburg during breakfast. During your guided walk, you see the Town Hall, St. Peter’s Cathedral and the 12th-century Old Stone Bridge. Lunch aboard with afternoon at leisure to explore on your own. Dine aboard and cruise through the night. (B, L, D)
Day 4Passau
Dock in Passau this morning. Your walking tour takes you through this 2,000-year-old city at the confluence of the Inn, Ilz and Danube Rivers. Stop at St. Stephan’s Cathedral for a special concert on Europe’s largest pipe organ.† Enjoy afternoon free time; dinner coincides with an evening departure. (B, L, D)
†Passau organ concert not available on Sundays or after November 1.
Day 5Melk
Arrive in Melk during breakfast and tour the 900-year-old Benedictine abbey to see its collection of medieval manuscripts, ceiling paintings and frescoes. Return to your ship for lunch and cruise through the afternoon. After dinner, arrive in Vienna; optional evening classical concert. (B, L, D)
Day 6Vienna
Today’s tour of Vienna takes you to see the Opera House and Hofburg Palace. You then visit Belvedere Palace with its beautiful landscaped gardens and wonderful collection of Austrian art. Have lunch aboard with afternoon free time. Return to your ship for dinner followed by an optional evening concert of classical music. Depart late tonight. (B, L, D)
Day 7Bratislava
Arrive in Bratislava this morning. Take a walking tour of Slovakia’s charming capital. See its medieval fortifications, Michael’s Tower, Trinity Church and St. Martin’s Cathedral. Pass several baroque palaces from the Habsburg Dynasty before returning to your ship for lunch and departure. Cruise through the evening. (B, L, D)
Day 8Budapest
Today’s city tour explores both sides of Hungary’s capital. Start in modern “Pest” seeing Heroes’ Square, the Parliament and St. Stephen’s Basilica. Cross the river and tour traditional “Buda” and the Castle District. Walk to Fishermen’s Bastion and Matthias Church. The remainder of the day is free; lunch and dinner are served aboard, or try a local restaurant. Late-evening departure. (B, L, D)
Day 9Pécs
From Mohács, take a motorcoach through the countryside to Pécs, an ancient university town. During your walking tour, visit the impressive Romanesque cathedral and the Gazi Qasim Pasha Djami Mosque, with free time to shop in the vibrant market square. Return to your ship for lunch and cruise through the night. (B, L, D)
Day 10Belgrade
Wake up in Belgrade, capital of Serbia. Take a guided walk through the grounds of Kalemegdan Fortress. During your tour, see the city’s Orthodox cathedral and stop at the Square of the Republic. Lunch aboard; afternoon free time. (B, L, D)
Day 11Iron Gate
Enjoy a full-day cruise along one of the most scenic areas of the Lower Danube, flanked by enormous white chalk cliffs surrounded by spectacular scenery. (B, L, D)
Day 12Vidin & Belogradchik
Wake up in Vidin and take a motorcoach to Belogradchik to tour the former Ottoman castle. Stroll the compound and explore its many terraced courtyards with breathtaking views. Eat lunch aboard followed by free time. Depart during dinner. (B, L, D)
Day 13Veliko Tarnovo & Arbanasi
From Russe, your daylong tour takes you to Bulgaria’s former capital, Veliko Tarnovo. See Tsaravets Hill and the ruins of the royal castle. During free time, you can shop along Samovodska Charshia, a street featuring local crafts. In Arbanasi, enjoy lunch in a local restaurant and a guided tour of the Nativity Church with its intricate floor-to-ceiling murals and icons. Dine aboard and depart late tonight. (B, L, D)
Day 14Varna
Wake up in Silistra and drive through rural Bulgaria to Varna, a Black Sea resort. Take a short cruise on the Black Sea, followed by lunch in a local restaurant. During free time, stroll the town’s pedestrian zone or beautiful beaches, or visit the Varna Museum. Return to your ship for dinner; depart this evening. (B, L, D)
Day 15Bucharest
On your morning tour of Bucharest, visit The Palace of the Parliament, known as “House of the People.”† After lunch in a local restaurant, visit Revolution Square. Tonight, enjoy free time before returning to your hotel. (B, L, D)
†The Palace of the Parliament may occasionally be closed to host official government business.
Day 16Bucharest
After breakfast, check out of your hotel and we will take you to the airport for your return flight.* (B)