Detailed Itinerary

DAY 1, DEPART USA
Overnight flight to Budapest, Hungary.

DAY 2, ARRIVE IN BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
Arrive in Budapest and transfer to your hotel. The remainder of the day is free to relax or begin exploring this beautiful city.

DAY 3, BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
Your morning sightseeing tour includes historic Buda Castle and features 500-year-old Matthias Church, St. Stephen's Basilica, distinctive Fisherman's Bastion, the marvelous Royal Palace and much more. The balance of the day is at your leisure. (B)

DAY 4, BUDAPEST - EMBARKATION
Enjoy a free morning in Budapest or join an optional Puszta excursion. This afternoon transfer to your luxurious river cruise ship docked in the center of the city. Tonight, gather onboard for a Gala Welcome Dinner. Around midnight, the ship slips away from Budapest and continues to Slovakia. (B,D)

DAY 5, BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA - VIENNA, AUSTRIA
A guided afternoon tour of Bratislava reveals the city's major sights, including the Old Town Hall, the stunning Mirbach Palace and the Gothic St. Martin's Cathedral. The afternoon is free to shop or explore on your own. Perhaps, visit the 13thcentury Bratislava Castle where you'll enjoy breathtaking views overlooking three countries - Slovakia, Austria and Hungary. An eventful day is followed by an evening filled with an enchanting music performance onboard. After midnight the ship departs for Vienna. (B,L,D)

DAY 6, VIENNA
Savor the Baroque elegance of romantic Vienna during your guided sightseeing tour, including the lavish Hofburg Palace, the impressive Vienna Opera House, the majestic Ringstrasse and awe-inspiring St. Stephen's Cathedral. The afternoon is free to stroll along the Kartnerstrasse or sample Vienna's famous pastries. Tonight, explore the vibrant capital on your own or join an optional evening Mozart and Strauss concert. The ship moors overnight. ( (B,L,D)

DAY 7, DURNSTEIN - MELK
Early this morning, reach the Wachau Valley. Stop in Durnstein and marvel at the magnificent blue facade of the Baroque Stiftskirche. Above town you'll spot the ruins of the castle where Richard the Lionheart, King of England, was imprisoned in 1192. Your walking tour through medieval cobblestone streets reveals 16th-century town houses and wine taverns. Enjoy your lunch cruising to Melk, followed by a guided tour of the Benedictine Abbey, one of Europe's largest Baroque monasteries. An evening wine tasting highlights your visit to the Wachau Valley. (B,L,D)

DAY 8, LINZ - PASSAU, GERMANY
After breakfast, cruise through Upper Austria to Passau in Germany or take an optional full-day excursion to fascinating Salzburg, birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the location of the Sound of Music. In Passau the rivers Inn and Ilz join the Danube. Your city tour takes you on an exploration of this fairy tale city founded more than 2,000 years ago. (B,L,D)

DAY 9, REGENSBURG
At lunchtime, arrive in Regensburg, one of Germany's best preserved medieval cities. During your guiding tour, see the city's architectural highlights, including the Old Town Hall and the Porta Praetoria - gates to an ancient Roman fort built in 179 AD. Tonight, folklore entertainers will come onboard for your delight. (B,L,D)

DAY 10, NUREMBERG
This morning enter the Main-Danube Canal and relax during a leisurely cruise through the beautiful Altmuhl Valley. In the afternoon, you decide as you enjoy a guided tour of Nuremberg, capital of Franconia. Either choose the medieval history of Nuremberg and see the storybook 900-yearold ramparts that surround this historic city and the Imperial Castle, or join the tour centered on the modern role the city played in the 20th-century and see the Zeppelin field and the Justice Palace where the War Crimes Tribunal sat in 1946. Moor overnight in Nuremberg. (B,L,D)

DAY 11, NUREMBERG- MUNICH
Take the train to Munich, the capital of Bavaria and one of Germany's largest cities, often given the nickname "Germany's secret capital" for some free time. Your escort today will offer suggestions of to what to do while you are there and take you to lunch in the world famous Hofbrauhaus. Tonight, you will meet fellow travelers embarking from Prague. (B,L,D)

DAY 12, BAMBERG
Enjoy your breakfast as you cruise along and marvel at the engineering feat of the Main-Danube Canal which straddles the Franconian Alps via 16 locks. Then arrive in Bamberg and enjoy a walking tour of this medieval gem, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. There is free time before you continue your cruise, now on the Main River. (B,L,D)

DAY 13, WURZBURG
This morning arrive in Wurzburg, the capital of Lower Franconia. "The Pearl of the Romantic Road" is surrounded by sloping hills covered with vineyards. During your tour, see the major sights including the magnificent Residential Palace. This afternoon explore Wurzburg on your own, or take an optional tour to Medieval Rothenburg. A beautiful walled-city situated on the Romantic Road. (B,L,D)

DAY 14, MILTENBERG - WERTHEIM
Cruise to Miltenberg for a guided walking tour along narrow, cobble-stoned streets, seeing the gabled, half-timbered houses. This afternoon, travel by motorcoach to Wertheim for some free time to explore the town on your own. Tonight, the ship sails leaving Bavaria, Franconia and the Main River behind. (B,L,D)

DAY 15, MAINZ - HEIDELBERG - RUDESHEIM - KOBLENZ
Today, choose between a city tour in Mainz or an excursion to Heidelberg. If you decide to travel by coach to Heidelberg, you will visit the red-walled Castle, see the Great Vat, a 49,000- gallon 18th-century wine cask and beautiful views of the Neckar Valley and Heidelberg below. Take a walking tour of old Heidelberg with free time for lunch on your own, then drive to Rudesheim to rejoin your ship. If you choose to stay in Mainz, enjoy a walking tour of charming Mainz, including a visit to the Gutenberg Museum, before cruising on the Main and Rhine rivers to the wine village of Rudesheim. Enjoy a tour of Rudesheim by mini-train and visit Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum. Late this afternoon, return to the ship and cruise the most beautiful and famous part of the Rhine River and arrive in Koblenz after dinner. (B,L,D)

DAY 16, COCHEM - ZELL
After breakfast, enjoy a guided visit of Reichsburg Castle, situated above Cochem with spectacular views of the River Mosel. This afternoon continue past hillside vineyards to Zell, home of the famous "Zeller Schwarze Katz" wine. A surprising wine fest awaits you this evening. Experience the hospitality of Zell with a visit by the Mayor and Wine Queens. Enjoy a wine tasting as you are treated to a special performance by the Black Cats. (B,L,D)

DAY 17, BERNKASTEL - TRIER
Arrive in Bernkastel early this morning and explore this quaint little town on your included walking tour. Strategically located in the middle of the Mosel wine-producing region, Bernkastel boasts over 500 years of documented wine history. Then cruise on to Trier, Germany's oldest city, for a guided tour of the city's rich ancient Roman past, including the Roman Baths and the ancient Roman amphitheatre. (B,L,D)

DAY 18, TRIER, DISEMBARK - LUXEMBOURG - PARIS, FRANCE
This morning, bid farewell to your cruise ship and head to Luxembourg for a city tour of the Grand Duchy and some free time. After lunch, continue on to Paris. (B)

DAY 19, PARIS
Enjoy Paris' famous sights during this morning's guided tour. Visit Notre Dame Cathedral, pass the Louvre Museum, the commemorative Arc de Triomphe, Opera, La Madeleine, Les Champs Elysees and much more. The remainder of the day is yours to explore the many museums, galleries and other attractions that the city has to offer. (B)

DAY 20, PARIS
Enjoy a full free day to explore the most romantic city in the world. Stroll through the Jardin des Tuileries, gaze at impressionist masterpieces at the Musee D'Orsay, or visit the top of the Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 World's Fair. Paris at night sparkles with possibilities for every taste. (B)

DAY 21, PARIS
Transfer to the airport for your onward flight. (B)