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PRICE REDUCED!
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Save $600 per couple off select 2010 river cruises.
Book by 2/28/2010.
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Companion flies for free! Offer applies to select Europe river cruises when you pay in full at time of booking. Restrictions apply.
Book by 2/26/2010.
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DAY 1: Depart home gateway city to Basel
DAY 2: Basel (embark)
DAY 3: Strasbourg, Speyer
Featured Excursion: Strasbourg canal cruise
You’ll wake up in the beautiful port of the Alsatian town of Strasbourg. Situated halfway between Paris and Prague, Strasbourg is known as the “Crossroads of Europe.” It is home to a magnificent, single-spired Gothic cathedral, Notre Dame, and beautiful half-timbered houses; it is also the seat of the European Parliament. See Strasbourg in the way it has been seen through the centuries—on a canal cruise that passes Petite France, the picturesque old quarter with its timberframe houses adorned with flower boxes. (BB, L, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)
DAY 4: Speyer (Heidelberg), Rüdesheim
Featured Excursion: Full-day tour of Heidelberg
From the port of Speyer, you’ll take a motorcoach to Heidelberg, a perfectly preserved Medieval city nestled in the Neckar River Valley along Germany’s Castle Road. Heidelberg is home to Germany’s oldest university and is forever immortalized by Sigmund Romberg’s operetta, The Student Prince. Your tour takes you past the romantic ruins of Heidelberg Castle, where you’ll be guided through the castle’s courtyard. You will also get to see the world’s largest wine barrel. Continue your tour in downtown Heidelberg and through Old Town where you’ll see the town’s late-Gothic church. You’ll have some free time to wander along one of Germany’s longest pedestrian streets, enjoy bustling squares lined with cafés, or simply take in the serene atmosphere of this truly charming town. (BB, D)
DAY 5: Rüdesheim
Featured Excursion: Gondola ride to the scenic Niederwald Heights
Rüdesheim is one of the most scenic wine towns along the Rhine and its history dates back to Roman times, as do most of the cities along the Rhine.
The town is famous for, among other things, its long avenue of shops and wine bars—known as the Drosselgasse—as well as the Niederwald Monument commemorating the unification of Germany. As an added treat today, you’ll board a mini-train for the short trip to the Niederwald Gondola. The adventure takes off the moment your gondola rises up the hillside. During the ride and once at the top, you will be mesmerized by the fairytale views that appear on all sides, including Rüdesheim, the vineyards of the Rheingau, and the Niederwald Monument. Perched at the top of the Niederwald heights, the monument can be seen by all who pass through this section of the beautiful Rhine Valley. (BB, L, D)
DAY 6: Miltenberg
Featured Excursion: Miltenberg walking tour
Relax onboard during the morning as your ship travels the tranquil waters of the meandering Main River through a series of locks and past quiet Franconian hamlets. Arrive in charming and romantic Miltenberg, the “Pearl of the Main River.” The town is protected by its old walls and two gates—one facing east, and another facing west. While on your walking tour, you’ll discover why this Medieval town seems to leap from the pages of a German fairytale with its 14th- and 15th-century half-timbered, gabled houses; the Crooked House; and the Royal Inn, which has been a working hotel since the 17th century. (BB, L, D)
DAY 7: Würzburg
Featured Excursion: Würzburg Residenz visit and winetasting
Visit Würzburg Residenz, an immaculate example of Baroque architecture and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. This grand palace was built and decorated in the 18th century by an international team of architects, sculptors, stucco-workers, and painters. Particularly noteworthy is Tiepolo’s ceiling fresco—the largest in the world. Enjoy the magnificent garden, one of the most expansive and beautiful in Europe. Your tour will be capped off with a private winetasting of fabulous Franconian wines in the historic Residenz cellar. (BB, L, D)
DAY 8: Bamberg
Featured Excursion: Bamberg walking tour
Awaken in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Bamberg, located on the Regnitz River near its confluence with the Main. Bamberg has one of Europe’s largest intact Old Town centers, and like Rome, the city is built on seven hills—only here, a church tops each hill. Your walking tour takes you past the imperial cathedral, the four-winged New Residence, the Town Hall lapped by the Regnitz River, and Little Venice, an area of colorful fishermen’s houses from the 19th century. During the afternoon, you’ll cruise the peaceful, meandering Main River. (BB, L, Captain’s Welcome Dinner)
DAY 9: Nuremberg
DAY 10: Nuremberg
Featured Excursion: Nuremberg city tour
After cruising parts of the impressive Main-Danube Canal, visit Nuremberg, an archetypal German Medieval city encircled by mighty defensive walls and red-roofed buildings. Birthplace of Albrecht Du¨rer and famous for its pocket watches, the city also held the astounding War Crimes Trials after WWII. Discover the sights of Nuremberg during your panoramic tour before exploring its walled Old Town on foot. (BB, L, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)
DAY 11: Regensburg
Featured Excursion: Regensburg walking tour
Regensburg, one of the finest Medieval towns in Europe, captures 2,000 years of living history with outstanding manmade monuments like the
12th-century Stone Bridge and the towering Gothic cathedral. Your walking tour takes you past the architectural treasures of Old Town as well as the Cathedral of St. Peter with its magnificent 14th-century stained glass windows. Genuine Bavarian hospitality adds to the vibrant mix of art and culture in this UNESCO World Heritage Site. (BB, L, D)
DAY 12: Deggendorf (Theresienthal), Passau
Featured Excursion: Bavarian forest horse-drawn carriage ride, and visit to a glass museum and workshop in Theresienthal
After taking a scenic drive through the Nature Reserve of the Bavarian Forest, marvel at the amazing glass collection exhibited in the Theresienthal Glass Museum. Experience the art of glass-making firsthand during a visit to a nearby glass workshop, and follow the glass from the oven to the cooling station while learning about the extraordinary history of Theresienthal. Cap the day off with a traditional horse-drawn carriage ride through the Bavarian Forest. (BB, L, D)
DAY 13: Passau
Featured Excursion: Passau walking tour and St. Stephan’s organ concert
Passau boasts a delightful layer of Italian-style on quintessential German foundations. Explore the well-preserved town on your guided walking tour. Visit St. Stephan’s Cathedral, home to Europe’s largest pipe organ, where you’ll hear a magnificent organ recital. (BB, L, D)
Note: Concert not available before 5/2, after 10/31, or on Sundays.
DAY 14: Melk, cruising the scenic Wachau Valley, Vienna
Featured Excursion: Melk Abbey
Cruise the scenic, vineyard-rich Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape representing one of the most beautiful river valleys in Europe. Then tour Melk’s 900-year-old Benedictine abbey, a masterpiece of Baroque art and architecture situated high atop the granite cliffs of the Danube. The views from the terrace are spectacular, but the splendid frescos, marble, and gilded plasterwork of its interior will be the true highlight of your visit. (BB, L, Captain’s Welcome Dinner)
DAY 15: Vienna
Featured Excursion: Vienna city tour
There can be no exploration of the Danube without a visit to Vienna, which is a city both steeped in history and on the cusp of current trends. Your panoramic city tour takes you along the stately Ringstrasse showcasing imperial Habsburg grandeur, past the Rathaus (City Hall), Parliament, the Hofburg (Imperial Palace), and the State Opera, among other sights.
(BB, L, D)
Note: On Mondays, the Mozart House will be visited instead of the library.
DAY 16: Vienna
Featured Excursion: Vienna city tour
Leaving the motorcoach, you’ll start a walking tour through the Hofburg grounds, culminating at magnificent St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Visit the Baroque State Hall of the Austrian National Library, said to be the most beautiful library room in the world.
(BB, L, D)
Note: On Mondays, the Mozart House will be visited instead of the library.
DAY 17: Vienna
Featured Excursion: Schoonbrunn Palace
DAY 18: Bratislava
Featured Excursion: Bratislava walking tour
Admire Bratislava’s eclectic architecture of Gothic, Baroque, and Art Deco styles on your walking tour. (BB, L, Captain’s Welcome Dinner)
DAY 19: Budapest
Featured Excursion: Budapest city tour
Your panoramic tour of Budapest gives you a sweeping view of all its famous sights. (BB, L, D)
DAY 20: Budapest, cruising the Danube
Enjoy the morning at leisure in Budapest before cruising the Danube. (BB, L, D)
DAY 21: Vukovar (Osijek)
Featured Excursion: Tour of Osijek, home-hosted lunch, and school visit
Tour Osijek and experience Croatian life while meeting students during a school visit and enjoying a home-hosted lunch.(BB, L, D)
Note: School visit not available during school holidays.
DAY 22: Belgrade
Featured Excursion: Belgrade city tour
You’ll be taken on a panoramic drive through Belgrade, which features the Belgrade Fortress in Kalemegdan Park, St. Sava Cathedral, and a visit to Tito’s Memorial. (BB, L, D)
DAY 23: Kostolac (Viminacium)
Featured Excursion: Viminacium archeological site
Resident archeologists bring the historic grandeur of the excavations at Viminacium alive. The former Roman city boasted villas, thermal baths, a mausoleum, and even an amphitheater. (BB, L, D)
DAY 24: Cruising the scenic Iron Gates, Vidin
Relax onboard as you cruise the spectacular Iron Gates, an 80-mile sequence of gorges that the mighty Danube cut through the Carpathian Mountains and one of the most dramatic natural displays of beauty in Europe. (BB, L, D)
DAY 25: Vidin (Belogradchik)
Featured Excursion: Baba Vida Fortress and Belogradchik rock formations
Visit the legendary Medieval Baba Vida Fortress and Belogradchik, a fairytale world of weathered red sandstone in fantastic formations and one of the natural wonders of Bulgaria. (BB, L, D)
DAY 26: Rousse
Enjoy leisure time exploring Rousse, Bulgaria’s fourth-largest city. Walk along the lively pedestrian zone, known for its 19th- and 20th-century
Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture. (BB, L, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)
DAY 27: Rousse (Varna and a Black Sea cruise)
Featured Excursion: Full-day Varna and a Black Sea cruise
Visit Varna’s Archeological Museum, home to the oldest gold treasure in the world. Savor Bulgarian cuisine, and enjoy an exclusive cruise on the Black Sea. (BB, L, D)
Note: Black Sea cruise may not be possible in adverse weather conditions.
DAY 28: Giurgiu, Bucharest
Featured Excursion: Bucharest city tour
After disembarking the ship, enjoy a Bucharest city tour. (BB, L)
DAY 29: Bucharest
Enjoy a full day at leisure. (BB)
DAY 30: Bucharest, transfer to the airport
DAY 31:
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