Fly from London to Budapest, Hungary’s vibrant capital divided by the Danube River, and transfer to your ship.

Your morning begins with a panoramic tour of the 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. Return to your ship for lunch as we set sail through the scenic Danube Bend, past landmarks like the castle of Visegrád and the basilica of Esztergom. Enjoy a mid-afternoon Viennese coffee workshop, complete with apple strudel.

Arrive in Vienna just after breakfast for your half-day city tour. See some of Vienna’s gracious architecture, then ride along the beautiful Ringstrasse with sights including the Opera House, Stadtpark and Hofburg Theater. You then see St. Stephan’s Cathedral. After lunch aboard, the afternoon is yours to further explore this city on your own. Shop along the Kärtnerstrasse or take an optional excursion to Schönbrunn Palace, home of Maria Theresa and summer residence of the Habsburgs. Dinner is served aboard and you may choose to complete your day in this “City of Waltzes” with an optional evening concert.

After breakfast, sail through the stunningly scenic Wachau Valley to the Benedictine abbey at Melk, and join a guided tour through the ornate interior of this baroque architectural gem. See its elaborate frescoes and admire the library’s extensive collection of medieval manuscripts; enjoy the garden courtyard and the terrace’s views of Wachau Valley. Rejoin your ship for lunch, dinner and leisurely cruising along the Danube - taste some local Austrian specialities as you spot charming riverside towns and castle ruins here and there.

Arrive mid-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 the Old Town and past traditional patrician houses. You see the Oberhaus Fortress and visit the impressive baroque St. Stephan’s Cathedral with its ornate interior. Inside, you’re treated to a special concert played on the 17,000-pipe organ, considered Europe’s largest church organ. Enjoy lunch aboard. You may return to the city for further exploration on your own before an early evening departure and cruise through the night.

After breakfast you meet your guide moorside for a walking tour through the scenic town of Regensburg, considered one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval cities. You 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 shop before returning to your ship for lunch and an afternoon of scenic cruising. Alternatively, you can take an optional tour where you will travel by coach to Kelheim where you embark on a ferryboat ride to explore the Danube Gorge's dramatic scenery and its spectacular 400-foot chalk cliffs. You then visit the renowned Weltenburg Abbey. It is famous for its dark ale, brewed here by monks since 1050. Re-join the ship in Kelheim in time for dinner aboard.

Very early this morning you sail through a number of locks that comprise the Main-Danube Canal, an engineering marvel stretching 106 miles from Bamberg on the Main River to Kelheim on the Danube. Begun as Charlemagne’s dream in 793, it was completed in 1992 with 16 locks that raise the water level 1,332 feet. Today it enables river travel from the North Sea to the Black Sea. Arrive during breakfast in Nuremberg, Bavaria’s second largest city. Your coach tour features the Zeppelin Grounds, and the Palace of Justice, historic home of the Nuremberg Trials. You have a brief stop at the Court House before returning to the Old Town area enclosed by ancient city walls. You see St. Elizabeth’s and St. James’ Churches, and your tour ends with a walk from the castle grounds, passing Albrecht Dürer’s House and Main Market Square. You can join an optional WWII history tour visiting the Documentation Centre Museum. Lunch is served aboard. You have the rest of the evening to explore. Your ship remains moored overnight.

After breakfast, disembark and transfer to Munich airport for your return flight to London. This itinerary is also available in the reverse direction. Port sequence, tours and times may vary.