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The Blue Danube
Westbound
Tour Description:
Along the "river of kings"... medieval castles and Gothic cathedrals... charming riverside villages... the Imperial treasures of the Habsburgs... lush Wachau valley vineyards... the music of Mozart...
From Prague to Budapest, castles of all descriptions have watched over the landscape from their royal perches for centuries. On this 12-day journey featuring a 9-night Danube cruise, they remain lasting testimony to kingdoms and culture, ready to welcome you… during a private dinner in Lobkowicz Palace… an exclusive evening of Imperial entertainment at a private Vienna palace... in Baroque Salzburg and atop Budapest's Castle Hill... and exploring Vienna's Hofburg or Schönbrunn Palace. It's a Blue Danube cruise to remember!
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Dates & Pricing
| Thursday 02 Apr 26 — Monday 13 Apr 26 | Starting at $7,490 |  SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Saturday 04 Apr 26 — Wednesday 15 Apr 26 | Starting at $7,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Saturday 18 Apr 26 — Wednesday 29 Apr 26 | Starting at $7,790 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Wednesday 06 May 26 — Sunday 17 May 26 | Starting at $8,790 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Tuesday 09 Jun 26 — Saturday 20 Jun 26 | Starting at $8,790 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 12 Jun 26 — Tuesday 23 Jun 26 | Starting at $8,790 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Saturday 18 Jul 26 — Wednesday 29 Jul 26 | Starting at $6,790 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Saturday 25 Jul 26 — Wednesday 05 Aug 26 | Starting at $6,790 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Wednesday 05 Aug 26 — Sunday 16 Aug 26 | Starting at $6,790 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 10 Aug 26 — Friday 21 Aug 26 | Starting at $6,790 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 28 Aug 26 — Tuesday 08 Sep 26 | Starting at $7,790 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Tuesday 15 Sep 26 — Saturday 26 Sep 26 | Starting at $8,790 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Saturday 26 Sep 26 — Wednesday 07 Oct 26 | Starting at $8,790 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Wednesday 14 Oct 26 — Sunday 25 Oct 26 | Starting at $7,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 19 Oct 26 — Friday 30 Oct 26 | Starting at $7,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 25 Oct 26 — Thursday 05 Nov 26 | Starting at $7,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 01 Apr 27 — Monday 12 Apr 27 | Starting at $7,990 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Saturday 03 Apr 27 — Wednesday 14 Apr 27 | Starting at $7,990 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Saturday 17 Apr 27 — Wednesday 28 Apr 27 | Starting at $8,390 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Wednesday 05 May 27 — Sunday 16 May 27 | Starting at $9,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 21 May 27 — Tuesday 01 Jun 27 | Starting at $9,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 24 May 27 — Friday 04 Jun 27 | Starting at $9,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Tuesday 08 Jun 27 — Saturday 19 Jun 27 | Starting at $9,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 11 Jun 27 — Tuesday 22 Jun 27 | Starting at $9,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Saturday 17 Jul 27 — Wednesday 28 Jul 27 | Starting at $7,290 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 22 Jul 27 — Monday 02 Aug 27 | Starting at $7,290 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 02 Aug 27 — Friday 13 Aug 27 | Starting at $7,290 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 09 Aug 27 — Friday 20 Aug 27 | Starting at $7,290 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 20 Aug 27 — Tuesday 31 Aug 27 | Starting at $7,290 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Friday 27 Aug 27 — Tuesday 07 Sep 27 | Starting at $8,390 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 05 Sep 27 — Thursday 16 Sep 27 | Starting at $9,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Tuesday 14 Sep 27 — Saturday 25 Sep 27 | Starting at $9,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Thursday 23 Sep 27 — Monday 04 Oct 27 | Starting at $9,490 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 11 Oct 27 — Friday 22 Oct 27 | Starting at $8,390 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Monday 18 Oct 27 — Friday 29 Oct 27 | Starting at $7,990 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
| Sunday 24 Oct 27 — Thursday 04 Nov 27 | Starting at $7,990 | SPECIAL | Get a Quote |
Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.
Destination & Sightseeing
Destination & Sightseeing
Along the "river of kings"... medieval castles and Gothic cathedrals... charming riverside villages... the Imperial treasures of the Habsburgs... lush Wachau valley vineyards... the music of Mozart...
From Prague to Budapest, castles of all descriptions have watched over the landscape from their royal perches for centuries. On this 12-day journey featuring a 9-night Danube cruise, they remain lasting testimony to kingdoms and culture, ready to welcome you… during a private dinner in Lobkowicz Palace… an exclusive evening of Imperial entertainment at a private Vienna palace... in Baroque Salzburg and atop Budapest's Castle Hill... and exploring Vienna's Hofburg or Schönbrunn Palace. It's a Blue Danube cruise to remember!
Highlights
TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – Private Imperial Evening at a palace in Vienna featuring a gala dinner and Viennese performers
TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – Private aperitif and dinner in Prague at Lobkowicz Palace, Prague Castle
TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – A private tour of Prague's Baroque libraries, Strahov Monastery
All gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors and Tauck Cruise Director
All private Tauck shore excursions – $3,532 Value
Highlights
TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – Private Imperial Evening at a palace in Vienna featuring a gala dinner and Viennese performers
TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – Private aperitif and dinner in Prague at Lobkowicz Palace, Prague Castle
TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – A private tour of Prague's Baroque libraries, Strahov Monastery
All gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors and Tauck Cruise Director
All private Tauck shore excursions – $3,532 Value
ITINERARY
ITINERARYArrive Budapest and embark
Tour begins: 5:00 PM, Budapest. A transfer is included from Budapest's Ferenc Liszt Airport or Keleti train station to your riverboat. Meet your fellow travelers and Tauck Directors, and learn about the upcoming days, ahead at a welcome toast this evening prior to your first dinner aboard ship.
Discover the landmarks & stories of Pest
Budapest is split into "Buda" and "Pest" by the Danube River. This morning, explore the Pest side of the city on a tour including City Park and Heroes' Square – bounded by some of the finest architectural works in Hungary – and 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. Later, you have a choice of walking tours that focuses in Budapest. The afternoon is free for you to pursue what interests you most. Budapest has acquired quite an excellent reputation for cuisine; tonight's special welcome cocktail reception and dinner is at the grand Akadémia Club in the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
Explore Buda
Head up to Castle Hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site overlooking the Danube on the Buda side of the city, for a choice of sightseeing. Enjoy a guided visit to the Hungarian Parliament, the third largest parliament building in the world. Afterward, embark on a themed walking tour with your local guide that focuses on sites and events involved in the 1956 Hungarian Revolution during the Cold War "Iron Curtain" era, including stops at Parliament Square, the Embassy and St. Stephen's Basilica (Bazilika). Alternatively, visit the famed Szechenyi Bath Spa. Reboard your riverboat this afternoon, and begin to cruise the Danube River, bound for Bratislava, Slovakia.
Baroque in Bratislava
Our resident expert takes you inside contemporary Slovakia and Bratislava for a look at the region's politics, economy, religion, social order, preservation and emergence of the arts. After lunch aboard the riverboat, you'll have a choice of exploring Bratislava's cobblestoned, vehicle-free historic city center on a walking tour – seeing 17 centuries of history eloquently chronicled in its 13th-century Old Town Hall, Baroque Habsburg-era palaces, the Opera House, Slovak Philharmonic Hall, and Hviezdosalv Square – or setting off on a bicycling excursion through the city's "Iron Curtain Area." Back on board the riverboat, dinner tonight introduces you to a glimpse of daily life in Slovakia with a taste of regional cuisine and an a performance by a talented troupe of Slovak dancers.
Exploring Vienna & an Imperial Evening
Your riverboat arrives this morning in Vienna, Austria, where our local guides join you for a choice city sightseeing. A drive along the Ringstrasse is followed by a choice of walking tours in Vienna complimented with samplings of the local cuisine. An afternoon at leisure lets you explore the city as you please, including outstanding museums, the historic Vienna Prater amusement park, and more.
Please Note: To preserve your sightseeing experience in Vienna and maximize our time there, we may rotate our activities on Days 5 and 6 on some departures. Your Tauck Director will advise accordingly.
A choice in Vienna and journey to Dürnstein
A choice of sightseeing this morning features a tour of the Habsburgs' Schönbrunn Palace, an architectural masterpiece and Austrian cultural treasure, or Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, one of the world's most acclaimed art museums located in a palatial building on the historic Ringstrasse. After an afternoon at leisure to explore Vienna as you wish, join us this evening, we invite you to attend our private Imperial Evening in the opulent Palais Pallavicini, a private Baroque palace in Vienna that film buffs may have spotted in the 1940s film noir classic The Third Man. Welcome cocktails and dinner precede an unforgettable evening of musical performance celebrating the legacy of the composers who made Vienna Europe's center of music during the Habsburg era. Tonight, your ship charts a course toward Durnstein.
Picturesque Dürnstein and the Wachau Valley
Wake up in Dürnstein for a closer look at its 16th-century Baroque houses and 13th-century Romanesque church on a walking tour along cobblestone streets; you may also choose to tour a local monastery followed by a wine tasting at an authentic Austrian tavern, or take a bicycle ride. Enjoy some free time in this charming riverside town, perhaps taking an invigorating climb up the steps to the ruins of Kuenringerburg, a hilltop castle above the town where Richard the Lionhearted was held for ransom during the Crusades.Back aboard, you'll continue to cruise the Danube River through the Wachau Valley, Austria's lush wine-growing region that was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its well-preserved medieval landscapes, to Linz; after the Chef's Signature dinner onboard, enjoy a show put on by members of the riverboat crew.
Salzburg sights or Cesky Krumlov
Your boat stays docked in Linz today, with a choice of how you spend your day – full-day excursions to Salzburg (Austria), or Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic, or remaining in Linz. A setting for The Sound of Music, a Salzburg walking tour explores Old Town, Mirabell Gardens, and Mozart's birthplace.; enjoy time on your own to have lunch and experience the sights as you wish. Alternatively, travel to Cesky Krumlov; graced with an incredibly well-preserved medieval heritage and charming ambiance, the town has earned its coveted designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its historic importance and physical beauty. A walking tour takes you to part of Krumlov Castle; it's worth climbing the many steps to see firsthand the medieval, Renaissance and Rococo design found inside, along with the stunning views of the town below. Return to the riverboat for dinner followed by an evening performance by the classical trio, Donau 3Klang.
Engelhartszell & cycling along the Danube
Wake up this morning in Engelhartszell, a pretty town on the Danube in Upper Austria. After a visit to a local private home (and a taste of local cake, sweets and coffee), you'll have a choice of a walking tour of town including 18th-century Engelhartszell Abbey and Danube World, through which ships navigate through the Wachau Valley (please note, there may be ongoing renovations in progress). Following lunch aboard the riverboat, you may, if you wish, join us for an optional bicycle excursion along the Danube (a fairly rigorous bike ride, for experienced cyclists only). Take in the views from the sun deck, lounge, or the windows of your outside cabin as your riverboat glides into Germany, bound tonight for your final destination, Vilshofen; enjoy a farewell toast followed by dinner onboard this evening.
Disembark Vilshofen for Regensburg & Prague
Disembark your ship in Vilshofen for a choice of excursions. One brings you to the Bavarian town of Regensburg for a walking tour led by a local guide that visits the Steinerne Brücke (a medieval stone bridge over the Danube), towering Dom St. Peter, and the remains of the town's Roman wall before venturing to Prague. Alternatively, journey to Prague for a visit to one of its hidden gems - the Strahov Monastery! Your time here also includes a short walk through Hradcany Castle, the largest ancient castle in the world. Following your excursion, enjoy a light lunch and check into your hotel in Prague, capital of the Czech Republic and the "City of 100 Spires." The remainder of the day is free; the city's many fine restaurants and cafés feature a wide range of cuisines... and some of the best schnitzels, goulashes, strudels, dumplings and beer the region has to offer.
The legacy of many centuries in Prague
Start today's exploration of Prague this morning with a choice of walking tours through Prague's ethereal Old Town, choosing between a one-hour introductory tour; a "walk through the centuries" (note: this excursion has two versions, with one being shorter and less requiring less walking); or the city's poignant Jewish sites in Josefov, the historic Jewish Quarter (ask at booking about dates that cannot visit inside the Jewish Heritage sites as they are closed Saturdays and on Jewish holidays; in those cases, alternate sightseeing will be offered). Tonight, cap a memorable trip with a truly royal evening that's another Tauck Exclusive; join us for a farewell reception, tour and dinner at 16th-century Lobkowicz Palace at Prague Castle. Immerse in an evening of classical cultural treasures – and see for yourself how music and art played an important role in the aristocratic world of the Lobkowicz family.
Journey home
Tour ends: Prague, Czech Republic. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from Andaz Prague to Praha Hlavni Nadrazi train station or Václav Havel Airport Prague. Please allow a minimum of 3 hours for check-in.
Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.
