Tour / Price Includes:
- Roundtrip airfare from Mpls/St. Paul
(See: Add-On Fares /
Upgrade Options)
- 7 nights aboard Viking Europe in river-view
stateroom, double occupancy
- Daily breakfast [B], 6 lunches [L] and 7
dinners [D] including Welcome Dinner and
Captain’s Farewell Dinner
- City sightseeing in Budapest, Vienna and
Passau
- Visits and admission fees to: Belvedere
Palace, St. Stephan’s Cathedral, Benedictine
Abbey at Melk, Weltenburg Abbey, and
Elizabeth and St. James Church.
- Transfers from airport to dock and from
dock to airport
- Luggage handling at hotels for 1 suitcase
- Flight bag
- Document holder
- Comprehensive information kit
All prices and taxes subject to change in the event of rising fuel
costs, security fees, and other surcharges beyond our control.
Daily Itinerary
Day 1 Sat., Oct 25 - Mpls/St. Paul - Budapest
Depart Mpls/St. Paul on your transatlantic flight or request
space from your home city upon registration.
Day 2 Sun., Oct 26 - Budapest
Arrive to Budapest. Transfer from the airport to your ship: Viking
Europe. After boarding, you have free time to visit both sides of
Hungary’s vibrant capital city, traditional “Buda” and modern
“Pest” which are divided by the Danube. [D]
Day 3 Mon., Oct 27 - Budapest
Begin the morning with a tour through the Pest side of the city.
Journey along famous Andrássy Boulevard and see the
National Opera House, Parliament Building, Chain Bridge and
Heroes’ Square. Cross the Danube to tour the Buda side
where you’ll see the famous Castle District, Fishermen’s
Bastion and Matthias Church, and views of the city below.
Return to your ship for lunch and cruise through the night.
[B,L,D]
Day 4 Tue., Oct 28 - Vienna
Arrive in Vienna just after breakfast for your half-day city tour.
Visit the baroque Belvedere Palace. The two palaces located
on Belvedere grounds were constructed for Prince Eugene of
Savoy by J.L. von Hildebrandt, a famous baroque architect.
Ride along the beautiful Ringstrasse, with sights including the
Opera House, Stadtpark and Hofburg Theater. You then visit St.
Stephan’s Cathedral, one of Vienna’s most famous sights. The
cathedral, built in 1147 A.D., has two impressive features which
set it apart from other cathedrals built in the Middle Ages, the
tower which measures 136 meters tall and its ornately patterned
and colorful roof. Return to your ship for lunch. The afternoon
is free for shopping along the Kärtnerstrasse, Vienna’s most
famous shopping street or taking an excursion to Schönbrunn
Palace, home of Maria Theresa and the Hapsburgs’ summer
residence. Dinner is served on board and there is an optional
evening concert. [B,L,D]
Day 5 Wed., Oct 29 - Melk & Linz
Join a guided tour through the ornate interior of the Benedictine
Abbey at Melk. As one of the largest baroque monasteries in
Europe, this baroque gem of architecture might well be
mistaken for a palace. Since the 12th century, a school has
been connected with the monastery, and valuable manuscripts
have been collected and created in the library. After visiting the
abbey, return to your ship for lunch onboard and an afternoon
cruise along the Danube. Cruise through dinner and arrive this
evening in Linz. The evening is free for you to enjoy this quaint
town in the center of Austria’s wine-producing region. [B,L,D]
Day 6 Thu., Oct 30 - Passau
Arrive mid-morning in Passau. Learn about the city’s turbulent
history as you take a guided walk along the town’s narrow streets
through the Old Town and past traditional patrician houses. In
addition to surviving floods since the 16th century, Passau’s Old
Town has also withstood Romans, Charlemagne’s troops, the
crusaders, Turks and Napoleon’s legions. See the Oberhaus
Fortress and visit baroque St. Stephan’s Cathedral. Inside,
enjoy a special concert played on the 17,000-pipe organ. Lunch
aboard, then return to the city for further exploration. Depart
during dinner; cruise through the night. [B,L,D]
Day 7 Fri., Oct 31 - Regensburg - Kelheim
After breakfast, take a walking tour through the scenic town
of Regensburg, one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval
cities. See the 12th century Old Stone Bridge and St. Peter’s
Cathedral. Free time before returning to your ship for lunch
and afternoon cruising. Arrive mid-afternoon in Kelheim and
embark on a ferryboat ride to explore the Danube Gorge’s
dramatic scenery and spectacular 400-foot chalk cliffs. Then
visit the renowned Weltenburg Abbey, famous for its dark ale,
brewed by monks since 1050. Evening departure and dinner
aboard. [B,L,D]
Day 8 Sat., Nov 1 - Main Danube Canal - Nuremberg
Early this morning, sail through the Main-Danube Canal, an
engineering marvel stretching 106 miles from Bamberg on
the Main to Kelheim on the Danube. Begun as
Charlemagne’s dream in 793, it was completed in 1992 with
16 locks that raise the water level 1,332 feet, enabling river
travel from the North Sea to the Black Sea. Arrive during
breakfast in Nuremberg, Bavaria’s second largest city. Ride
to Zeppelin Grounds, the Main Railway Station and the
Palace of Justice. Visit Elizabeth and St. James Church and
end with a walk from the castle grounds past the Albrecht
Dürer House and Main Market Square. Or, join an optional
WWII history tour to the Documentation Center Museum.
Lunch aboard; evening is free and your ship remains docked
overnight. [B,L,D]
Day 9 Sun., Nov 2 - Nuremberg
After breakfast, disembark and transfer to airport for return
flight. Longer stays may be requested upon registration for
an additional charge. Inquire about independent pre- and
post-tour extensions for Budapest or Prague. [B]