VIKING RIVER CRUISES
12 Days | Imperial Cities of Europe
Eastbound

BERLIN TO BUDAPEST

Day 1 | Berlin, Germany. Arrive at the Berlin airport, then transfer to your hotel. After check-in, you have free time to get acquainted with the city, or join our “welcome walk” to stretch your legs and get oriented.

Day 2 | Berlin. After breakfast, enjoy a panoramic tour of the vibrant German capital, which has seen its fair share of dramatic changes in the last century. See the Reichstag with it spectacular glass dome, the historic Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie and many other iconic sites. In the afternoon, explore one of the city’s amazing museums, or join fellow travelers on an optional tour of nearby Potsdam with its delightful gardens and palaces. (B)

Day 3 | Wittenberg. Dresden. After breakfast, check out of your hotel and take a coach ride to Wittenberg. Follow in Martin Luther’s footsteps to view many of Wittenberg’s historic landmarks. Tour inside Luther’s House and St. Marien’s Church, where he preached. See the Castle Church where Luther posted his “95 Theses”; then reboard your coach and head for Dresden on the Elbe River. (B)

Day 4 | Dresden. Embark on a tour of Dresden, nicknamed “Florence on the Elbe.” Drive through the 19th-century residential area to the Dresden Castle complex; enter the Green Vault to see a comprehensive collection of the Saxon monarchs’ crown jewels. Continue on foot to see Zwinger Palace, Semper Opera House and the Frauenkirche (Cathedral of Our Lady) with its distinctive bell-shaped dome, which survived World War II bombings but collapsed the following day and was later rebuilt. (B)

Day 5 | Bayreuth. Nuremberg. After breakfast, check out of your hotel and head for the Franconian city of Bayreuth, known for its Wagner Opera Festival. See the Festival Theater, the Margravial Opera House, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Wagner Residence, now a museum. Continue to the former imperial city of Nuremberg, where you will embark your ship. (B, D)

Day 6 | Main-Danube Canal. Nuremberg. Your morning tour of Nuremberg includes the ruins of Zeppelin Field, the Nazi parade grounds of the 1930s, and the Palace of Justice, the venerable vestige of the Nuremberg Trials. You have a brief stop at the main courthouse before walking from the imperial palace grounds, past the Albrecht Dürer House and on to the Main Market Square of Old Town, enclosed within ancient city walls. After lunch aboard your ship, join a lively and entertaining discussion of the European Union as you sail through the locks that comprise the Main–Danube Canal. An engineering marvel, the canal stretches 106 miles from Bamberg on the Main River to Kelheim on the Danube, enabling river travel from the North Sea to the Black Sea. Dinner is served aboard while we cruise through the night. (B, L, D)

Day 7 | Regensburg. This morning, meet your guide dockside for a walking tour through the scenic town of Regensburg, considered one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval cities. See one of the largest groupings of 13th- and 14th-century church spires, towers and patrician houses north of the Alps. You also encounter the 12th-century Old Stone Bridge, St. Peter’s Cathedral and a number of idyllic courtyards. Take time to stroll the streets or to shop. As always, your Program Director can help you plan your free time.

This afternoon, spend more time in Regensburg, perhaps visiting Germany’s oldest restaurant, the Alte Würstküche. Or, choose an optional excursion to Kelheim at the southernmost point of the Main–Danube Canal. Travel by road to Kelheim, then cast off on a ferryboat ride to explore the 400-foot chalk cliffs and dramatic scenery of the Danube Narrows. You also visit the renowned Weltenburg Abbey*, famous for its dark ale, brewed here by monks since 1050. Rejoin your ship for dinner and cruise through the night. (B, L, D) *Weltenburg Abbey tour is available from May-October only

Day 8 | Passau. Arrive this morning in Passau, at the confluence of the Inn, Ilz and Danube Rivers. Your guided walk along the town’s narrow streets takes you through Old Town and past traditional patrician houses. You’ll see the New Bishop’s Residence and visit the impressive baroque St. Stephen’s Cathedral with its ornate interior. Inside, you are treated to a special concert played on the 17,000-pipe organ, considered Europe’s largest church organ.† Enjoy lunch aboard your ship, and return to the city for further exploration on your own before departing. We cruise through the night. (B, L, D) †Passau organ concert is only available May 1-October 31 and is closed on Sunday.

Day 9 | Melk, AUstria. Vienna. Join a guided tour of the ornate interior of this baroque jewel of architecture, the Benedictine abbey at Melk. See its elaborate frescoes and admire the library’s comprehensive collection of medieval manuscripts; then enjoy the garden courtyard and the terrace’s Wachau Valley views. Rejoin your ship for lunch and an afternoon cruise through the captivating Wachau Valley. Later, learn to make Viennese coffee as you enjoy apple strudel. Arrive in Vienna after dinner and enjoy a leisurely evening, or you may choose to attend an optional evening concert in this “City of Waltzes.” (B, L, D)

Day 10 | Vienna. Today we tour the Austrian capital of Vienna. Ride along the Ringstrasse, which replaced the city walls in the mid-19th century. See some of the city’s baroque architecture, including the world-famous Opera House, St. Stephan’s Cathedral and Hofburg Palace. Return to your ship for lunch. The rest of the day is yours to further explore. As always, your Program Director can help you plan your free time. Or you may take an optional tour to Schönbrunn Palace, the “Versailles of Vienna,” erected in 1778 and graced by a number of formal gardens, Grecian statuary, the world’s oldest zoo and Roman ruins. Dinner is served aboard. (B, L, D)

Day 11 | Budapest, Hungary. Arrive in Budapest, Hungary’s vibrant capital divided by the Danube River. Take a panoramic city tour through the more modern Pest side of the city. Journey along Andrássy Avenue and see the 19th- and 20th-century mansions, National Opera House, Parliament Building and Chain Bridge. Stop in Heroes’ Square to learn more about Hungarian history, then cross the Danube to Buda’s Castle District. Walk up the hill to Fishermen’s Bastion and Matthias Church; enjoy brilliant views of the city below. Return to your ship for lunch and the rest of the day is yours to explore both sides of the city. (B, L, D)

Day 12 | Budapest. After breakfast, disembark and proceed to the airport for your return flight. Or, extend your journey with 2 additional nights in Budapest, giving yourself more time to explore the bustling Hungarian capital. (B)

NOTE: Itinerary is subject to change without notice. For the most up-to-date information, please refer to the itinerary schedule you receive with your final documents.

EASTBOUND 12 DAYS | BERLIN TO BUDAPEST Click ship name to view deck plan.