Compare European Splendor Eastbound by Avalon Waterways vs Danube Bike & River Cruise: Budapest to Prague by VBT
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 13 days | 8 days |
| Price From | $ 4,790 | $ 5,095 |
| Price Per Day | $ 368 | $ 637 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | River cruise | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Premium |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included |
12 Breakfasts, 11 Lunches and 12 Dinners |
21 meals: 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 7 dinners |
| Description |
This magnificent vacation includes a deluxe cruise that reveals the best of Europe along the Rhine, Main, and Danube Rivers. Enjoy a canal cruise past Amsterdam’s 16th-century merchant houses and through the impressive Main Danube Canal. Sail through the dramatic Rhine Gorge past the legendary Lorelei rock, visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum in charming Rüdesheim, have fun at a beer tasting in Bamberg, and enjoy a tasting of local specialties in Bavaria’s picturesque Wertheim. Also, see the sights with Certified Local Guides in Cologne, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Grein, and Vienna. See the Stiftskirche in Dürnstein and visit the splendid Benedictine Abbey in Melk and the Bishop’s Residenz—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—in Würzburg. While on board, be sure to have your camera ready for the majestic scenery and charming towns you’ll pass on this memorable vacation! |
While most river cruises limit themselves to the lower Danube region, VBT takes you one step further—exploring the entire length of this fabled river, including the shores of Germany and the medieval city of Regensburg, a UNESCO World Heritage site. By day, join your local VBT trip leaders on curated routes through choice segments of the Danube Cycle Path—pedaling past small medieval villages, colorful vineyards, and fairytale castles. You’ll explore the majesty of the Habsburg Empire during VBT’s guided tours of Schloss Hof, Passau, and Vienna. By night, relax on your luxurious Emerald cruise ship—including a sundeck with spectacular views, a heated pool, and 5-star luxury meals and beverages. With a wealth of onboard activities and optional excursions, this is the perfect trip for travel partners with different interests and activity levels. |
Day 1: Arrive In Amsterdam, Holland (Embarkation)
Meals: Dinner
Welcome to Amsterdam! Holland’s capital is sophisticated and modern, with a rich and fascinating history. This delightful 700-year-old city with its elegant and classic architecture, cafés and restaurants, and lively marketplace has a distinct ambiance. The streets, squares, and canals—not to mention the bike paths throughout the city—make for a vibrant atmosphere. This afternoon, board your river cruise vessel and meet your crew at an evening welcome reception.
NOTE: Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm.
Day 2: Amsterdam
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
There is no better way to see Amsterdam than by CANAL BOAT, cruising through the elegant grachten lined with stately homes dating back to Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.” There’s free time this afternoon to enjoy the city before bidding tot ziens (farewell) to Holland and setting sail for Germany.
Day 3: Cologne, Germany
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Today, enjoy peaceful morning cruising before reaching Cologne. One of Germany’s largest cities and capital of the Rhineland, Cologne straddles both sides of the Rhine, and is known for its soaring, twin-steepled gothic cathedral. Choose between a GUIDED CITY WALK or a JEWISH HERITAGE WALK. Later, during free time, perhaps look in on the Romano-Germanic Museum, home to a large collection of artifacts from the Roman settlement on which modern Cologne is built—a must for history buffs! Be sure to try a Kölsch pale lager, locally brewed in Cologne for over a hundred years!
Day 4: Rhine Gorge–Rüdesheim
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
The dramatic RHINE GORGE is the most beautiful stretch of river. Here, ancient castles stand sentry on lofty cliffs rising 400 feet above the waters. Cruise past the legendary rock of the Lorelei, where enchanted siren song lured unwitting sailors to their doom, before arriving in Rüdesheim, the quintessential Rhine Valley wine town. Visit SIEGFRIED’S MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM, where you’ll see and hear a large collection of self-playing calliopes and music boxes from the 18th to the early 20th centuries; and enjoy a SPECIAL TREAT.
Day 5: Main River Village
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
On the banks of the Main River you find cultural gems of small towns, many of them tucked away behind defensive walls and towered gates. With half-timbered houses, narrow streets, and medieval town centers, these picturesque Bavarian villages are a photographer’s delight. Join your Local Guide to experience one of these towns on a GUIDED WALK.
Day 6: Würzburg
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Surrounded by verdant hillside vineyards, Würzburg, the “Pearl of the Romantic Road,” makes an immediate impression with imposing Marienberg Fortress perched above town and the 15th-century Alte Mainbrucke (Old Main Bridge). On your GUIDED SIGHTSEEING TOUR, visit the magnificent baroque BISHOP’S RESIDENZ, home to the largest ceiling fresco ever painted. This afternoon you are free to explore on your own, or perhaps join an optional excursion to medieval Rothenburg.
Day 7: Bamberg
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Enjoy a leisurely morning on board as you cruise gently along the Main River. This afternoon, explore medieval Bamberg, former residence of one of Germany’s most powerful imperial dynasties. Your GUIDED WALKING TOUR takes in its historic center, including the great 13th-century Romanesque cathedral and the fascinating Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall)—built on an island in the middle of the Regnitz River when the bishop refused to give the townspeople land for a town hall! Wander the town’s serpentine streets with their charming houses and 18th-century mansions.
Day 8: Nuremberg
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Although 90% of Nuremberg’s Old Town suffered extensive damage during WWII, much of it has been restored to its former glory as the unofficial capital of the Holy Roman Empire. This morning, choose either a GUIDED SIGHTSEEING TOUR and marvel at this thousand-year-old city’s medieval fortifications, extraordinary gothic churches, and the Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle), or join a more specialized NUREMBERG RALLY GROUNDS tour. During free time, be sure to try some tasty Lebkuchen and make a wish at the beautiful fountain in the Hauptmarkt (main square). Legend says your wish will come true if you turn its gold ring three times. Before dinner, we’ll introduce you to some of Germany’s FAMOUS BEERS.
Day 9: Regensburg
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Dating back to the time of the Celts around 500 BC, Regensburg is one of Germany’s best preserved medieval cities. Architectural highlights of your GUIDED WALK this morning include the Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall), built in the 13th century, and Porta Pretoria, gates to an ancient Roman fort built in 179 AD. In the Middle Ages, many mansions were built with high towers to emphasize the status and wealth of their owners, and many still remain today. Grab a beer and enjoy an included SNACK at the Historische Wurstküche (Old Sausage Kitchen), one of Germany’s oldest restaurants. Bask in the vibrant atmosphere and take in the remarkable views along the river.
Day 10: Linz, Austria–Grein
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
This morning your LOCAL GUIDE will acquaint you with Linz, Austria’s third-largest city and an important river port. See the 13th-century Hauptplatz, Austria’s largest medieval square, and the Trinity Column, built in 1723 as thanks for the city escaping the ravages of the plague, war, and fire. Maybe wander around the old castle grounds and take in the beautiful views of the river, or visit the neo-gothic New Cathedral, the largest church in Austria, with capacity for 20,000 visitors. In the late afternoon, arrive in the attractive country resort of Grein, nestled at the foot of a bluff in the shadow of its castle. Join a Local Guide for a GUIDED WALK and take pictures of the turreted houses on the main square. Its castle is the oldest residential castle in Austria, and its THEATER—built in 1791—is Austria’s oldest theater. Alternatively, you might like to join a full-day optional excursion to Salzburg or to medieval Český Krumlov in the Czech Republic, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rejoin your ship in the late afternoon in Grein.
Day 11: Dürnstein–Vienna
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
This morning, cruise through the picturesque Wachau Valley before arriving in Dürnstein. Standing on the banks of the Danube, the magnificent baroque Stiftskirche with its blue façade is without a doubt the landmark of this small town which lies in the heart of the Wachau wine region. A Local Guide will take you on a WALKING TOUR and tell you the tale of England’s King Richard the Lionheart, who was imprisoned in the castle whose ruins still stand above the town. This evening, arrive in Vienna, where an optional concert is available tonight.
Day 12: Vienna
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Once the center of the mighty Habsburg Empire, Austria’s magical capital on the blue Danube is a showcase of gilded architecture. This is home to the lavish Hofburg Imperial Palace complex with its Vienna Boys’ Choir and dazzling Lipizzaner stallions; the neo-renaissance Vienna Opera House; and awe-inspiring St. Stephen’s Cathedral—plus, countless other sights you’ll see on your GUIDED TOUR. Shop in the delightful pedestrian Kärntnerstrasse, and be sure to take a break and enjoy a piece of decadent Sachertorte or Apfelstrudel in one of the classic Viennese coffee houses, historic institutions that helped shape Viennese culture!
Day 13: Vienna (Disembarkation)
Meals: Breakfast
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
DAY 1: VBT Bicycling tour begins / Budapest guided walk / Embark ship / Warm-up ride
At 9:30 a.m., meet your private VBT walking tour guide in the hotel lobby. Please be checked out of your room and dressed ready to walk. Join up with your local guide for a walking tour through the city’s highlights. Enjoy your first lunch on board, after arriving at the dock in Budapest at approximately 1:00 p.m. to board your Emerald Cruises ship.
Your cabin may not be ready for you until 3:00 p.m. However, you are welcome to relax in the ship’s common areas or explore more of Budapest.
Later, meet your trip leaders and fellow travelers on board for an introduction to the week, followed by a safety and bike-fitting session. After the introduction meeting, get acquainted with your bike and with riding on bike paths and in bike lanes on a warm-up ride along the Danube River. A welcome dinner in the ship’s Reflections Restaurant and traditional Hungarian folklore performances are in store this evening.
Today’s Ride Choices
Afternoon: Budapest Warm-up — 6 km (4 miles)
What to Expect:
Your warm-up ride follows paved, dedicated bike lanes alongside vehicular traffic on both banks of the Danube, with spectacular views of the city. Your ride ends at the ship. As you ride, get acquainted with your bicycle, route notes, Ride with GPS, and the locals. Check your brakes and play with shifting your full range of gears.
Cumulative Distance Range: 6 km (4 miles)
Included Meals: Lunch, Dinner
DAY 2: Szentendre / Vác
Spin through the lush outskirts of Buda to Szentendre, a delightful artists’ community. Upon arrival in Szentendre, you’ll have some free time to browse the galleries and shops and to discover its narrow Baroque streets. Afterward, you will learn how to prepare goulash and strudel before lunch at a popular restaurant. Then continue to Vác, the capital of the Danube Bend.
Admire views of the Baroque town center and the river during the ferry crossing. In Vác, we invite you first to visit an exciting and famous local exhibition. Afterward, you have some time at leisure before your small group rejoins the ship in Vác.
On your return to the ship, enjoy the captain’s welcome cocktail and dinner. With its regional specialties, tonight’s meal completes the day’s Hungarian theme!
Today’s Ride Choices
Morning: Budapest to Szentendre — 20 km (12 miles)
Afternoon: Szentendre to Vác ferry — 15 km (9 miles)
What to Expect:
Today’s biking is on a flat, paved bike path along the Danube. The first part of the morning ride is in a relatively quiet, urban environment, while the second part is on a designated bike path away from the traffic. After lunch, an optional ride continues on country roads with some traffic to the Vác ferry. VBT offers a support vehicle from Szentendre.
Cumulative Distance Range: 20 – 35 km (12 – 21 miles)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 3: Bratislava / Donau-Auen National Park / Hainburg
Awake this morning in Bratislava, the riverside capital of Slovakia and the only capital to border two other nations. After breakfast, disembark for an orientation walking tour with your trip leader. You’ll find an unusual mix of 20th-century Communist-era architecture, Baroque palaces, medieval spires, and the narrowest house in Europe—all overlooked from a hillside by the rectangular white castle and watchtowers of Bratislava Castle.
Mid-morning, you pedal out of town, crossing the Danube by way of the “UFO” bridge, and traverse the forests and meadows of Danube-Auen National Park, one of the largest remaining floodplains of the Danube. Arrive in Hainburg, a small town on the Austrian bank, where Joseph Haydn studied music as a young boy. After a delicious lunch in a local restaurant, arrive at Schloss Hof, the “hunting lodge” of Prince Eugene of Savoy. A guided visit introduces the lodge and the estate. You’re invited to roam the splendid gardens and castle.
Mid-afternoon, travel back to Slovakia and to your waiting ship. Alternatively, you can choose to cycle back along the other side of the river, though the small village of Devin, famous for its castle.
Back in Bratislava, enjoy some leisure time before dinner and a late departure for Vienna.
Today’s Ride Choices
Morning: Bratislava to Schloss Hof — 34 km (21 miles)
Afternoon: Schloss Hof to Bratislava — 20 km (13 miles)
What to Expect:
Today’s ride features a combination of bike paths and town streets. While both Slovakia and Austria offer bike paths, we would like to make you aware that the paths in Slovakia are slightly less well-maintained. The afternoon option is partly along a busy country road.
Cumulative Distance Range: 34 – 54 km (21 – 34 miles)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 4: Ride along the Donauinsel / Explore Vienna
Your ship is in Vienna from very early this morning until very late tonight, so you will have a convenient base from which to explore Austria’s glorious capital.
Vienna is renowned as one of Europe’s most cycle-friendly cities, so you can make use of its abundant bike paths and bike lanes. This morning, our small group will enjoy a private walking tour of Vienna with the help of an experienced local tour guide.
After lunch on board, your bike ride leads to the edge of the city and along the Donauinsel, or Danube Island, a 13-mile (21 km) strip where scenic vistas and quiet riding add to your Vienna discoveries.
Or explore Vienna on your own, pursuing your own whims and interests in the city of Strauss, Beethoven, and Mahler. The gracious boulevards of Vienna are awash in culture and elegance. Head to the Ringstrasse, the circular avenue that replaced the city’s demolished medieval wall, to marvel at the breathtaking architecture from the gleaming Imperial Palace and St. Stephen’s Cathedral to the famed Vienna State Opera. And be sure to take a break in one of the city’s famed coffee houses to experience Viennese café culture firsthand.
This evening, you are invited to join the Viennese Evening Concert excursion, featuring the music of Strauss and Mozart. This private event is available only to those on our ship.
Today’s Ride Choices
Afternoon: Vienna and Danube Island — 20 km (12 miles)
What to Expect:
The afternoon ride is a relaxing and easy loop ride through the edge of the city and on Danube Island, a car-free recreational paradise.
Cumulative Distance Range: 20 km (12 miles)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 5: Dürnstein / Cycle through the Wachau Valley / Melk
Your ship is moored in Krems, Austria, when you awake. The town and its surroundings are a center of Wachau wine production. From here, you begin to cycle toward Dürnstein. Admire its stunning powder-blue bell tower soaring above red roofs. A cliffside castle, which once held Richard the Lionheart captive, watches over the scenic town.
Later this morning, cycle through what is perhaps the most beautiful stretch of the Danube, the Wachau Valley, Austria’s celebrated wine-growing region. The “Wachau Cultural Landscape” was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000. As for its physical landscape, it is blessed with lush vineyards and hillside orchards set among castle ruins, churches, and abbeys. Few places match the Wachau for its striking beauty and rich viniculture. Ride through the scenic hamlets of Spitz and Wiessenkirchen, nestled between the Danube and its rising banks.
On arrival in Melk, celebrate the ride over a lunch of Austrian specialties. Afterward, you can continue cycling along the river on a loop ride, or go for a short walk, maybe exploring the city’s spectacular Benedictine Abbey, one of Europe’s largest Baroque monasteries. In the afternoon, you are invited to join a private wine tasting in the city center of Melk.
Upon returning to the ship, you’ll have time to relax before dinner on board. This afternoon, the ship charts a course for Engelhartszell and Passau.
Today’s Ride Choices
Morning: Krems to Melk — 40 km (24 miles)
Afternoon: Optional loop outside Melk — 18 km (11 miles)
What to Expect:
Begin biking from Krems, again following the Danube Bike Path. You can extend your ride after lunch in Melk. Both options are mostly on paved bike paths with some short ascents. In some sections, the bike path is directly adjacent to the roadway.
Cumulative Distance Range: 40 – 58 km (24 – 35 miles)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 6: Engelhartszell / Cycle to Passau
Your bicycle is waiting for you in Engelhartszell, where you disembark after an early breakfast to start your ride. This morning’s route to Passau follows the Danube Bike Path on a leisurely ride. After leaving Austria, continue cycling before taking a short detour along the river Inn to Passau, the scenic “City of Three Rivers” at the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz. Enjoy lunch on board your river cruise ship, and join an informative walking tour with a local guide, followed by free time to explore.
Afterward, you may join an optional hike to Veste Oberhaus, Passau’s famous castle on the other side of the river. Reboard the ship late afternoon and set sail for Regensburg. Enjoy a Captain’s Gala Dinner and evening activities on board.
Today’s Ride Choices
Morning: Engelhartszell to Passau — 33 km (20 miles)
What to Expect:
Bike along the right bank, on a section of the Danube Bike Path that is mainly flat and entirely paved. You will cycle the last section in an urban environment, across the relatively quiet city center of Passau.
Cumulative Distance Range: 33 km (20 miles)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 7: Regensburg / Cycle to Kelheim / Danube Gorge and Weltenburg
As you’ll see when you awake, Regensburg is an imposing town of red-roof houses at the convergence of the Danube and Regen rivers. Its 12th-century stone bridge features 16 arches spanning the Danube and reaching into the Old Town.
After breakfast, cycle along the Danube banks to Kelheim. Following the Danube Bike Path, your scenic ride continues to be easy and mostly car-free. Pause for a typical Bavarian lunch in a small, historical restaurant.
In the afternoon board a small ship in Kelheim for a picturesque 45-minute sail through the Danube Gorge (Donaudurchbruch). Upon arrival in Weltenburg, your presence is requested at a world-famous abbey for a private visit, followed by a beer tasting. Afterward, a shuttle will take you back to the ship for dinner with live music played by a traditional Bavarian band. The ship will moor in Regensburg, where you are welcome to enjoy an evening walk in town.
Today’s Ride Choices
Morning: Regensburg to Kapfelberg — 26 km (16 miles)
Afternoon: Kapfelberg to Kelheim — 13 km (8 miles)
What to Expect:
Today’s ride options are on the famous EuroVelo 6 bike path. The Danube is your constant companion on this scenic and easy ride upstream to Kelheim. The short option ends at Kapfelberg, with a shuttle on to Kelheim to board the small ship to Weltenburg. Today is the only day with significant sections of packed gravel (about 60%). Almost the entire ride is on vehicle-free bike paths.
Cumulative Distance Range: 26 – 39 km (16 – 24 miles)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 8: Disembark / VBT Bicycling Vacation ends
After breakfast, disembark your ship and conclude your Danube odyssey.
Your trip ends at the docks in Regensburg, Germany, on the morning of disembarkation. The ship is scheduled to arrive in port the day before. You may travel from here on your own by taxi to the train station, a distance of one mile (1.8 km), which should take about 5 minutes by taxi, to board a train, which takes you directly to the Munich International Airport in one hour and 20 minutes. The ship’s staff will be happy to arrange a taxi for you.
Included Meals: Breakfast
