River cruise on The Danube
The Danube traverses the heart of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire. At the end of World War I, this empire was disassembled into Austria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Croatia. Now, a century later, the imperial imprint is still heavy. It flows 2,850 kilometres west to east before emptying into the Black Sea. Ever since the Romans founded a garrison town at Vienna and struggled past the treacherous “Iron Gates” — 128 kilometres of dramatic gorges — to settle Dacia, today’s Romania, the Danube has been one of Europe’s chief routes of commerce, culture and conquest. A Danube journey will therefore appeal to avid fans of history and art as much as it will to travellers in search of unforgettable scenery.
The pleasure of a cruise on the Danube derives from simply watching the glorious scenery slide past. The entire course of the river is astonishingly picturesque and completely indelible from the squat onion dome of a church behind a screen of bright green poplars, or the craggy ruins of a medieval castle on a bluff at a bend in the river. Stops may include Bratislava, Vienna and the quaint village of Durnstein, the vineyards of the Wachau Valley and Linz that is the jumping-off point for the UNESCO heritage-listed city of Salzburg. Then Budapest and Belgrade followed by a spectacular gorge that leads to Rouse and Silistra, the embarkation point for tours to the Black Sea.
Besides amazing scenery, other notable highlights include the sumptuous Benedictine Abbey of Melk, Passua in Germany, Vienna, the thermal spas of Budapest, and apricot schnapps in Durnstein.
From freshly brewed coffee in the early morning on the deck to a light but leisurely lunch to the daily dinners, the cuisine often ties in the local dishes of the region. Most river cruise companies include wine and beer during dinner in the tariff.
Shore excursions might include city tours of Budapest and Vienna, a wine tasting at Dürnstein in the Wachau Valley, a full-day trip to
Salzburg, a visit to the magnificent Dohány synagogue in Budapest or a private tour of Schönbrunn, the Hapsburg summer palace in Vienna.
The Danube River is second in length only to the Volga River in Russia but it is one of the most popular European rivers for river cruising to cruise and many river companies include the Danube in their schedule of itineraries.
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