Cruise Description

Get a taste of the treasures of the Danube River on this 4-day European river cruise. Sail through the natural beauty of Austria’s Wachau Valley, with stops in quaint towns and iconic cities. Board your ship in Vienna and set sail for Melk, and visit Austria’s majestic Benedictine Abbey, one of Europe’s largest, and where Benedictine monks still stroll within the sacred walls. From the Abbey’s terrace, take in the breath-taking views of the Danube River and the surrounding countryside. Visit Dürnstein in the heart of the picturesque Wachau Valley, a charming town that’s best known for its beautiful Stiftskirche with its blue façade in the town below the castle ruins where England’s Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned. Continue your Danube River cruise to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia and a dynamic city at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains. Enjoy sightseeing with a local expert and visit the Gothic St. Martin’s Cathedral, which served as Hungary’s coronation church during the 16th to 19th centuries. Continue on to Budapest, Hungary, where your Danube river cruise holiday ends. What a perfect introduction to the beauty, history, and culture along the Danube River!

Day 1
Welcome to Austria. Your Suite Ship is Ready for Boarding. Flights into Vienna must arrive by 3:30 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm. Spend free time today by relaxing, exploring, or strolling through the streets of Vienna before boarding.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MELK (D)

Day 2
Frescoes Above and Vineyards Below
Visit the Adventure centre for today's activities with your Adventure Host
ACTIVE - Explore Melk by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:
CLASSIC - Join a morning Guided Sightseeing Tour of Melk's 11th-century Benedictine Abbey. Explore its frescoes, statues, library, and spectacular pipe organ in the monastery's lofty perch above the Danube. Take a relaxing break on the Sky Deck as you sail through awe-inspiring views of the Wachau Valley and the wine region.
DURNSTEIN: A King's Ransom and Castle Ruins
Spend free time at your leisure, perhaps biking through the vineyards in the Wachau Valley. Later, enjoy onboard entertainment by local musicians.
OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BRATISLAVA (B,L,D)

Day 3
Cathedral Coronations and a Crowning Castle
ACTIVE - Join your Avalon Adventure Host for a scenic walk to Bratislava Castle, OR:
CLASSIC - Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Old Town's cobblestone streets to Town Hall. Visit the gothic halls of St. Martin's Cathedral-Hungary's centuries-old coronation church
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BUDAPEST (B,L,D)

Day 4
Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning. Flights should not leave Budapest airport before 10 am. (B)