Celebrate the holidays aboard one of the most elegantly decorated ships on the Danube, witnessing firsthand how this storied river inspired artists, poets, and musicians. Experience the unique seasonal celebrations ahead of the holiday crowds in three magnificent capitals: Budapest, Bratislava, and Vienna. Keep your eye out for the many Christmas Markets that delight locals and world travelers alike; set out on breathtaking city tours free from the holiday crowds; and cruise through the enchanting Strudengau Valley, letting the melodies of the Danube carry you from one gem to another on a regal journey through time.
Celebrate the holidays aboard one of the most elegantly decorated ships on the Danube, witnessing firsthand how this storied river inspired artists, poets, and musicians. Experience the unique seasonal celebrations ahead of the holiday crowds in four magnificent capitals: Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, and Prague. Keep your eye out for the many Christmas Markets that delight locals and world travelers alike; set out on breathtaking city tours free from the holiday crowds; and cruise through the enchanting Strudengau Valley, letting the melodies of the Danube carry you from one gem to another on a regal journey through time. Plus, spend some time getting acquainted with wonderous Prague and magnificent Budapest during your extended stays in these storied European capitals.
Melodies of the Danube (Taste of Christmas)
At A Glance
On our river cruises, you will enjoy an extensive lineup of included tours. In many cases, you will have a choice of excursions, such as standard tours, bike tours, hikes and special interest tours. We always include a large variety of activities so that you can choose how you want to explore. No matter your preference, your days will be full of discovery and wonder.
Arrive in Budapest and board your luxurious river cruise ship. (D)
Day 2 | Budapest | “Queen of the Danube” tour |
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Budapest offers an unmatched combination of culture, tradition and even a secret labyrinth of caves under the city. Your city tour begins with a visit to the Great Market Hall before going to both the Buda (hilly) and the Pest (flat) sides of the river. You’ll see Heroes’ Square and Castle Hill, home to the Fisherman’s Bastion and Mattias Church. As an alternative, you can hike up to Castle Hill for breathtaking views of the city below. (B,L,D)
Day 3 | Bratislava | “Coronation City” walking tour |
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| | OR Bratislava Castle hike |
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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 culinary host to sample traditional Slovakian specialties, as well as learn how to prepare stuffed potato ravioli with an opportunity to taste your own creation. For a more active adventure, hike up to Bratislava Castle, offering magnificent views of the city. (B,L,D)
The “City of Waltzes” offers a wealth of gems 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 Vienna’s historic city center and then visit St. Stephen’s Cathedral, or discover Vienna by bike. During the afternoon, enjoy leisure time to further explore this iconic city. (B,L,D)
Day 5 | Weissenkirchen | Highlights of Dürnstein and Melk Abbey |
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| | OR Weissenkirchen to Melk bike tour |
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| | OR Weissenkirchen walking tour and Melk Abbey |
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| | OR Dürnstein excursion with wine and apricots tastings |
|
| | OR Dürnstein fortress hike |
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| Scenic Cruising | Strudengau Valley and UNESCO Wachau Valley |
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| Grein | Exclusive castle visit with private reception |
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After reaching Weissenkirchen, you’ll be treated to several choices of excursions. Take a walking tour of Dürnstein before visiting the UNESCO-designated Melk Abbey. Or opt for a walking tour of Weissenkirchen followed by an abbey visit. For a more culinary-focused experience, join a walking tour in Dürnstein, then enjoy a wine tasting hosted by a local vintner and sample special apricot treats from a local boutique. If you prefer a more active adventure, join a guided bike tour to Melk or hike up to the fortress where Richard the Lionheart was once held. Later in the day, sail through the Strudengau and Wachau valleys to medieval Grein for an exclusive visit to the more than 500-year-old Greinburg Castle, looming regally from above. While here, enjoy a folklore show and wine reception. (B,L,D)
Day 6 | Linz | “UNESCO City of Media Arts” walking tour |
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| | OR Full-day Salzburg excursion |
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| | OR “Cultural Mile” bike tour |
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| | OR Full-day Český Krumlov excursion |
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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. Alternatively, you can visit the charming mountain town of Český Krumlov, a guest favorite located just over the Czech-Austrian border, on a full-day excursion. (B,L,D)
Day 7 | Passau | “City of Three Rivers” walking tour |
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| Vilshofen | Exclusive Oktoberfest celebration |
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Discover the 2,000-year-old 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. Guests looking for a more active morning can choose between a guided bike tour along the Danube River, or a guided hike up to the Veste Oberhaus Fortress. Later, the ship cruises to Vilshofen, where you will be treated to a festive Oktoberfest celebration with local beer, Bavarian folk music and dancing—an AmaWaterways exclusive. (B,L,D)
Day 8 | Vilshofen | DISEMBARKATION |
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This morning, disembark your ship in Vilshofen. (B)
Day 1 | Budapest | Hotel check-in |
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Arrive in Budapest and transfer to your hotel.
Day 2 | Budapest | “Hidden Budapest” tour |
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Once the co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian empire (along with Vienna), Budapest is one of Europe’s most regal and storied cities—and many of its most iconic sights can be seen right off the banks of the Danube. Today’s tour takes you to another side of Budapest to the Jewish Quarter, where there are some real treasures. The Great Synagogue, the largest Synagogue in Europe and the second largest in the world, located in Dohány Street represents the beating heart of this quarter. Other prominent attractions include the Holocaust Memorial, a weeping willow tree with the names of Hungarian Jews killed during the Holocaust inscribed on each leaf; and the Shoes on the Danube, a memorial to the Budapest Jews who were shot by Arrow Cross militiamen between 1944 and 1945. (B)
Check out of your hotel to board your luxurious ship. During the evening, be treated to a special Illuminations cruise around Budapest’s famed Parliament building as at night, the city virtually glitters as these landmarks are awash in lights. (B,D)
Day 4 | Budapest | “Queen of the Danube” tour |
|
Budapest offers an unmatched combination of culture, tradition and even a secret labyrinth of caves under the city. Your city tour begins with a visit to the Great Market Hall before going to both the Buda (hilly) and the Pest (flat) sides of the river. You’ll see Heroes’ Square and Castle Hill, home to the Fisherman’s Bastion and Mattias Church. As an alternative, you can hike up to Castle Hill for breathtaking views of the city below. (B,L,D)
Day 5 | Bratislava | “Coronation City” walking tour |
|
| | OR Bratislava Castle hike |
|
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 culinary host to sample traditional Slovakian specialties, as well as learn how to prepare stuffed potato ravioli with an opportunity to taste your own creation. For a more active adventure, hike up to Bratislava Castle, offering magnificent views of the city. (B,L,D)
The “City of Waltzes” offers a wealth of gems 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 Vienna’s historic city center and then visit St. Stephen’s Cathedral, or discover Vienna by bike. During the afternoon, enjoy leisure time to further explore this iconic city. (B,L,D)
Day 7 | Weissenkirchen | Highlights of Dürnstein and Melk Abbey |
|
| | OR Weissenkirchen to Melk bike tour |
|
| | OR Weissenkirchen walking tour and Melk Abbey |
|
| | OR Dürnstein excursion with wine and apricots tastings |
|
| | OR Dürnstein fortress hike |
|
| Scenic Cruising | Strudengau Valley and UNESCO Wachau Valley |
|
| Grein | Exclusive castle visit with private reception |
|
After reaching Weissenkirchen, you’ll be treated to several choices of excursions. Take a walking tour of Dürnstein before visiting the UNESCO-designated Melk Abbey. Or opt for a walking tour of Weissenkirchen followed by an abbey visit. For a more culinary-focused experience, join a walking tour in Dürnstein, then enjoy a wine tasting hosted by a local vintner and sample special apricot treats from a local boutique. If you prefer a more active adventure, join a guided bike tour to Melk or hike up to the fortress where Richard the Lionheart was once held. Later in the day, sail through the Strudengau and Wachau valleys to medieval Grein for an exclusive visit to the more than 500-year-old Greinburg Castle, looming regally from above. While here, enjoy a folklore show and wine reception. (B,L,D)
Day 8 | Linz | “UNESCO City of Media Arts” walking tour |
|
| | OR Full-day Salzburg excursion |
|
| | OR “Cultural Mile” bike tour |
|
| | OR Full-day Český Krumlov excursion |
|
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. Alternatively, you can visit the charming mountain town of Český Krumlov, a guest favorite located just over the Czech-Austrian border, on a full-day excursion. (B,L,D)
Day 9 | Passau | “City of Three Rivers” walking tour |
|
| Vilshofen | Exclusive Oktoberfest celebration |
|
Discover the 2,000-year-old 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. Guests looking for a more active morning can choose between a guided bike tour along the Danube River, or a guided hike up to the Veste Oberhaus Fortress. Later, the ship cruises to Vilshofen, where you will be treated to a festive Oktoberfest celebration with local beer, Bavarian folk music and dancing—an AmaWaterways exclusive. (B,L,D)
Day 10 | Vilshofen | DISEMBARKATION |
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| Regensburg | UNESCO city highlights tour |
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Depart the ship and drive through the countryside to Regensburg, one of Germany’s best preserved medieval cities, which you’ll discover on a guided walking tour showcasing the city’s architectural highlights, including the Old Town Hall and the Porta Praetoria. After touring Regensburg, continue your journey on to Prague. (B)
Day 11 | Prague | “Golden City of a Hundred Spires” tour |
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Discover Prague on a city tour or a castle hike. Both will reveal why Prague is considered one of Europe’s most attractive cities, with a historic city center that’s recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (B)
Day 12 | Prague | Czech beer tasting |
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Beer has a long and illustrious history in the Czech Republic, so join a tasting and discover some of the very best beer in the world. (B)
Day 13 | Prague | Return flight home |
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Bid farewell to Prague and prepare for your homeward flight. (B)