The Blue Danube with a 4-day Munich / Oberammergau Extension
13 days / 12 nights
Departure Dates: May 11, June 1, June 15, August 24 and September 7
The Blue Danube river cruise, combined with Tauck's 4-day Munich / Oberammergau Extension, is a perfect combination of river cruise and land touring ithrough the heart of Europe. Discover the significant role that the "River of Kings" has played in 2,000 years of European culture throughout Hungary, Austria and Germany, then spend four days in Bavaria highlighted by a performance of the Passion Play in Oberammergau – featuring premier seating, the best available!
Note: Tauck's 12-day The Blue Danube ends in Prague; guests combining the above cruise departures with the 4-day Munich / Oberammergau Extension will end on Day 10 in Regensburg and transfer to Munich for the start of the Munich / Oberammergau / Extension. There will be a $500 per person credit for the remaining two days of The Blue Danube.
Day 1 - Begin your adventure in Budapest
Tour starts at 6:00 p.m. at InterContinental Budapest. A transfer is included from Budapest's Ferihegy Airport to the InterContinental Budapest. Meet your fellow travelers and Tauck Directors at the welcome reception and dinner to kick off one of Tauck's most popular Danube River cruises.
Meals: Dinner
Lodging: InterContinental Budapest, Hungary
Day 2 - Discover the landmarks of Pest
Budapest is split into the sections of Buda and Pest by the Danube River. Explore the Pest side of the city, including Heroes' Square, bounded by some of the finest architectural works in Hungary. Enjoy a special visit to the opulent State Opera House, opened in 1884, with its royal boxes, gilded vaulted ceiling, exquisite murals and three-ton chandelier. View the Parliament building, a Neo-Gothic masterpiece; and stroll Váci Utca, a fashionable promenade.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: InterContinental Budapest, Hungary
• Day 3 - Explore Buda and embark your riverboat
On the Buda side, head up to Castle Hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site overlooking the Danube and the city, on a walking tour. See Fishermen's Bastion, with its Neo-Romanesque design, and admire the stained glass windows and centuries of history in the 14th-century, late-Gothic Matthias Church. Board the riverboat this afternoon to launch your most enjoyable of Danube River cruises. Note: Matthias Church may be closed on some departures due to services.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
• Day 4 - Baroque in Bratislava
The first port of call is Bratislava, capital of Slovakia. Bring your passport for a guided walking tour of this ancient city, on which you'll view several Baroque palaces, the Opera House, Slovak Philharmonic Hall and St. Martin's Cathedral, and visit the 13th-century Old Town Hall. Sample some regional fare in a local coffeehouse prior to returning to the riverboat. After setting off for magical Vienna to continue one of our popular Danube River cruises, enjoy a performance by talented Slovakian musicians and dancers aboard ship this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
• Day 5 - Music and more in Imperial Vienna
Arrive in remarkable Vienna, Austria, the picture of "Old World Europe;" get an overview on a morning sightseeing tour of this historic city that includes the Ringstrasse, the Opera House, City Hall and Parliament. Then choose a tour of Schönbrunn Palace, built to rival Versailles, or a tour of the Imperial Silver Room inside the Hofburg. Tonight, indulge in the royal treatment at a very special private Imperial Viennese evening in a traditional palace, which features a gala dinner and live Viennese music.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
• Day 6 - Explore Vienna and journey to Dürnstein
Pursue your own interests this morning in Vienna - which boasts a rich architectural legacy from its centuries as the capital of the Habsburgs' empire, plus over a hundred museums - and then return to the riverboat. Your discovery of the Danube River cruises past castles and abbeys to medieval Dürnstein, where you'll arrive late this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
• Day 7 - Picturesque Dürnstein and Wachau Valley cruise
Take a walking tour amidst Dürnstein's lovely cobblestone streets, 16th-century houses, and former Augustinian monastery with our local guide today. High above this village sit the ruins of the castle fortress where England's King Richard the Lionhearted was held for ransom during the Crusades; during some free time, you may want to walk up to the ruins and take in magnificent views of the river and the town. Attend a wine tasting at a local winery before resuming your cruise through the Wachau Valley, Austria's lush wine-growing region, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its well-preserved medieval landscapes. Local Austrian musicians entertain you aboard ship tonight.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
• Day 8 - Salzburg sights or relax in Linz
Choose to enjoy the city of Linz, Austria, or take a full-day excursion to beautiful old Salzburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with lovely Baroque architecture, and the hometown of 18th-century Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The day trip includes enchanting Mirabell Gardens, a visit to Mozart's birthplace, and a guided walking tour through the historic district, rich in ornate church towers and grand palaces.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
• Day 9 - Spend the day in Passau and cruise the Danube
Dock in the German town of Passau; take a walking tour through the cobblestone streets of this picturesque riverside town renowned for its four-story Baroque houses, exquisite stained glass and scores of churches. See the Altes Rathaus, the old town hall with 15th-century origins, murals on the façade and a glockenspiel in the tower. Return to the riverboat for lunch as you cruise past idyllic German landscapes to Regensburg. Tonight, celebrate this most enjoyable of Danube River cruises with the Captain's gala farewell reception and dinner aboard the riverboat.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
Day 10 - A taste of Bavaria in Muenchen
Disembark your riverboat in Regensburg, and travel to Munich. Munich / Oberammergau Extension begins at 6:00 PM at the Bayerischer Hof. You'll have some time to explore one of Germany's most popular cities on your own this afternoon. Please join your Tauck Director this evening for welcome drinks followed by dinner featuring traditional Bavarian fare at the Spatenhaus, adjacent to Munich's opera house.
Meals: Dinner
Lodging: Bayerischer Hof, Munich, Germany
Day 11 - Discover Munich and the Oberammergau Passion Play
Following a city tour of historic Munich with your local guide, set off across the Bavarian Alps to the little village of Oberammergau, whose residents have joined together to produce their world-renowned Passion Play (Passionsspiele) once every decade for nearly 400 years! After lunch at your five-star, chalet-style boutique hotel in the heart of the village, you'll head over to Oberammergau's specially built Passion Play theater to attend a performance of this once-in-a-lifetime event in Tauck's premier seating in Section 1A - the best available. Tauck provides you with an English libretto to enhance your enjoyment of the performance (presented in German), which begins in the afternoon and resumes after a dinner break - during which you'll dine at the Hotel Maximilian.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Hotel Maximilian, Oberammergau, Germany
Day 12 - King Ludwig's Linderhof and more of Munich
Bavaria's flamboyant 19th-century ruler, King Ludwig II, patterned Linderhof Palace - his "royal villa" outside Munich - after French King Louis XIV's grandiose Palace of Versailles. You'll definitely see the resemblance today as you depart Oberammergau and travel to Linderhof to tour this opulent palace, complete with its grand staircase, Hall of Mirrors and magnificent gardens. Later, return to Munich to spend the afternoon and evening pursuing what interests you most in this colorful city, with suggestions from your Tauck Director.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Bayerischer Hof, Munich, Germany
Day 13 - Your Oberammergau Extension concludes
Oberammergau Extension ends in Munich. Bid Munich and Bavaria goodbye as your Munich / Oberammergau Extension concludes with a transfer from the Bayerischer Hof to Munich Airport. Allow 2 1/2 hours for flight check-in.
Meals: Breakfast
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