2009 Westbound Itinerary

Click here for Eastbound.


• Indicates day of cruising

Day 1: Begin your Danube cruise in Bucharest
This memorable European tour starts at 6:00 p.m. at the Athénée Palace Hilton Bucharest. A transfer is included from Bucharest Airport to the Athénée Palace Hilton Bucharest in the heart of the city. Meet your fellow travelers and Tauck Directors at tonight's welcome reception and dinner.
Meals: Dinner
Lodging: Athénée Palace Hilton Bucharest, Romania

Day 2: Castles and monasteries in Romania
You have a choice of sightseeing in Romania today. Opt for a full day's excursion to tour Peles Castle in Sinaia, built for Romania's royal family in the 1880s. Or visit isolated Snagov Monastery – set on a tiny island in the middle of a lake, and said to be the final resting place of Vlad Tepes, the historical model for the character of Dracula. Have dinner at your hotel tonight, a Bucharest landmark since 1914.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Athénée Palace Hilton Bucharest, Romania

• Day 3: Bucharest or the Black Sea before boarding
More choices in sightseeing await on your European tour today. Before embarking your riverboat, you can choose to explore Bucharest and tour the massive People's Palace – home to the Romanian Parliament, and the world's second-largest building after the Pentagon. Or drive to the resort town of Mamaia, set at the edge of the Black Sea, and stroll along Europe's only pure-white sand beaches. Then travel to Cernavoda and board MS Swiss Emerald, MS Swiss Sapphire or the new MS Swiss Jewel to launch your lower Danube cruise.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat

• Day 4: Big day in Bulgaria
Arrive in Ruse, Bulgaria, for excursions to nearby towns. In Arbanassi, known for its richly ornamented architecture, you'll have an opportunity to meet and share local specialties with your Bulgarian contemporaries at a private, home-hosted lunch. Travel to Bulgaria's medieval capital of Veliko Turnovo, whose ancient walled fortress and castle are set atop three hills overlooking the Yantra River. Rejoin the riverboat in Svishtov, and enjoy a Bulgarian cultural performance aboard ship this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat

• Day 5: Danube cruising and Iconography Demonstration
Enjoy the views of fields and vineyards studded with medieval towns as the riverboat cruises the Danube through the continent's scenic heartland on today's portion of your European tour; attend an on-board lecture and demonstration on Iconography.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat

• Day 6: King Decebalus and the Iron Gate of the Danube
Spend a relaxing day cruising along the Bulgarian / Romanian border, enjoying great views of the Transylvanian Alps. As you cruise, keep an eye out for a kingly face carved into the Danube's rocky bank; it's a monument to the 2nd-century Dacian King Decebalus, who defended his kingdom from the invading Romans – and it's the tallest rock sculpture in Europe. Glide through Romania’s Kazan Narrows and the Iron Gate of the Danube, a spectacular two-mile-long series of gorges between the Carpathian and Balkan Mountains.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat

• Day 7: Serbia's cosmopolitan capital, Belgrade
Dock in Belgrade, Serbia's modern capital at the juncture of the Danube and Sava rivers. Sightseeing includes visits to Tito's Memorial, St. Sava Church, and Kalemegdan Fortress. Also view busy Slavija Square (once a large pool where residents hunted wild ducks!), Parliament, Republic Square and City Hall.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat

• Day 8: Discover Croatia's historic cities
Your European tour continues with your riverboat's arrival in Vukovar, Croatia. Travel overland to the fortified city of Osijek, which still has its Viennese-style mansions. Visit the ancient Tvrda Citadel, standing guard over the city, and the medieval Church of the Holy Cross. This afternoon, explore the Baroque city of Vukovar, once showcasing 18th-century mansions, but now poignantly symbolizing the effects of the 1990s war. The riverboat cruises to Hungary tonight.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat

• Day 9: Baroque treasures, horses and folkways in Hungary
Cruise to Kalocsa, Hungary – known for its folk art and its paprika – where you'll visit the beautiful Baroque Bishop’s Palace Library, housing one of the finest early collections in Europe. Visit the Equestrian Center in Solt to see Puszta horsemen demonstrating traditional skills. Ride a horse-drawn wagon back to the riverboat, and enjoy cocktails and dinner aboard ship tonight as your European tour continues to Budapest.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat

• Day 10: Explore Budapest and relax at a spa
Arrive in Budapest, Hungary's fascinating capital divided by the Danube into the distinct sections of Buda and Pest. Relax on a spa visit before taking an afternoon sightseeing tour of the city, a treasure trove of historic architecture. See Budapest highlights including Heroes' Square and Fishermen's Bastion on a sightseeing tour before your riverboat sets off for Slovakia.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat

• Day 11: Baroque in Bratislava
Dock today in Bratislava, capital of modern Slovakia and the long-ago royal seat of the kings of Hungary. On a guided walking tour 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. Your riverboat sets off for magical Vienna tonight to continue the cruise portion of your memorable European tour.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat

• Day 12: Music and more in Imperial Vienna
Welcome to Vienna, Austria; 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, attend a very special private Imperial Viennese evening at a traditional palace, which features dinner and live Viennese music.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat

• Day 13: 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 European tour then continues as you cruise past castles and abbeys to medieval Dürnstein. 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.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat

• Day 14: Picturesque Dürnstein and Wachau Valley cruise
Take a walking tour amidst Dürnstein's lovely cobblestone streets, 16th-century houses, and former Augustinian monastery. Enjoy some free time, and attend a wine tasting at a local winery. Cruise through the Wachau Valley, Austria's lush wine-growing region, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its well-preserved medieval landscapes.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat

• Day 15: 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 and the hometown of 18th-century Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The day trip includes enchanting Mirabell Gardens and a guided walking tour through the historic district, rich in ornate church towers and grand Baroque palaces.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat

• Day 16: 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 Baroque town renowned for its lovely stained glass. 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.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Cruising aboard the Riverboat

Day 17: Disembark in ancient Regensburg and on to Prague
The Danube river cruise portion of your European tour concludes when you disembark your riverboat in the well-preserved Bavarian town of Regensburg. Visit the Steinerne Brücke, a medieval stone bridge over the Danube, and the remains of the town’s Roman wall. Have lunch on your own and explore at leisure before driving to Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, known as the City of 100 Spires.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Prague Marriott Hotel, Prague, Czech Republic

Day 18: Discover the legacy of Prague
Begin your discovery of Prague – a vibrant city where ancient and modern, and east and west, converge – in the Hradcany (Castle) district today, where you'll see Prague Castle's 1,000-year-old complex of palaces, courtyards and gardens. Visit the Cathedral of St. Vitus and enjoy a Tauck-exclusive, private tour of Strahov Monastery's grand Baroque libraries. Spend the rest of the day exploring this fascinating metropolis as you please, or join us for a walking tour of Prague’s Old Town – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the celebrated Astronomical Clock and Charles Bridge – as well as historic Wenceslas Square. Tonight, cap this remarkable European tour with a festive farewell dinner at your hotel, named one of the Top 100 Best Luxury Hotels of the World.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Prague Marriott Hotel, Prague, Czech Republic

Day 19: Homeward bound
Your European tour ends in Prague, Czech Republic. A transfer is included from the Prague Marriott Hotel to Prague's Ruzyne International Airport.
Meals: Breakfast

Tauck is currently working hard to provide information regarding this tour. Please check back soon for more information.

If you have an immediate questions, please call us at 800-788-7885 or email info@tauck.com.

Did you know that you can link-up Tauck itineraries to create longer journeys? Many of these trips are in the same region, and depending upon availability you might connect with them before or after your trip. Alternatively, you might find one of these options better suited for your interests and preferences or for when you are available to travel.

You might also be interested in…..