Click to Enlarge

OPTIONAL: 2 NIGHT PRE-CRUISE TOUR IN BUDAPEST

Monday, March 18 – Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Day 1: Monday, March 18

ARRIVE BUDAPEST

Arrive in Budapest International Airport and transfer to your hotel.

Overnight: Budapest Marriott Hotel or similar (2 nights)

Day 2: Tuesday, March 19

BUDAPEST

Budapest is one of Europe’s most regal and storied cities, with many of its iconic sights just off the banks of the Danube. Often described as the “Queen of the Danube,” Budapest is well-known for Fisherman’s Bastion, Buda Hill and its magnificent Hungarian Parliament building. However, this sprawling city is full of rich history and culture and offers many “hidden” treasures as you venture further past its river banks. During this excursion, your guide will take you deeper into the city to discover fascinating sites lesser-known to the average traveler. (B)

Day 3: Wednesday, March 20

DAY AT LEISURE – EMBARKATION

This morning is at leisure. Check out of the hotel midday. This afternoon board the AmaSonata to begin our Danube cruise program. (B,D)

Melodies of the Danube River Cruise

Wednesday, March 20 – Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Day 1: Wednesday, March 20

EMBARKATION – BUDAPEST, HUNGARY

Arrive in Budapest and board the AmaSonata, your luxurious river cruise ship. (D)

Day 2: Thursday, March 21

BUDAPEST

Budapest offers an unmatched combination of culture and tradition. Your city tour begins with a visit to the Great Market Hall before going to both the Buda (hilly) and the Pest (flat) sides of the river. You’ll see Heroes’ Square and Castle Hill, home to the Fisherman’s Bastion and Mattias Church. As an alternative, you can hike up to Castle Hill for breathtaking views of the city below. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Friday, March 22

VIENNA, AUSTRIA

The “City of Waltzes” offers a wealth of gems and your city tour showcases its regal splendors, including the majestic Opera House and the former Imperial Palace of the Habsburgs. Conclude your tour in Vienna’s historic city center and then visit St. Stephen’s Cathedral, or discover Vienna by bike. During the afternoon, enjoy leisure time to further explore this iconic city. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Saturday, March 23

KREMS, AUSTRIA

Discover Vienna’s lasting royal treasures on this fascinating tour as you make your way to the Imperial Treasury, which holds the glittering jewels of the Holy Roman Empire, including the Imperial Crown and the Holy Lance, as well as the Crown of the Austrian Empire. Alternatively, enjoy a guided bike tour along the Danube River to the nearby town of Klosterneuberg. Later, sail to Krems and enjoy a special wine tasting at Schloss Gobelsburg, formerly a Cistercian monastery, which is one of the oldest wineries in Austria. Visit this beautiful castle and have the opportunity to tour their cellars, learning more about the traditional methods drawn from historical wine-making practices, as well as tasting some traditional Austrian wines. (B,L,D)

(B,L,D) 

Day 5: Sunday, March 24

WEISSENKIRCHEN – GREIN

After reaching Weissenkirchen, you’ll be treated to several choices of excursions. Take a walking tour of Dürnstein before visiting the UNESCO-designated Melk Abbey. For a more culinary-focused experience, join a walking tour in Dürnstein, then enjoy a wine tasting hosted by a local vintner and sample special apricot treats from a local boutique. If you prefer a more active adventure, hike up to the fortress where Richard the Lionheart was once held or join a guided bike tour to Melk. Later in the day, sail through the Strudengau Valley to medieval Grein for an exclusive visit to the more than 500-year-old Greinburg Castle, looming regally from above. While here, enjoy a folklore show and wine reception. (B,L,D) 

Day 6: Monday, March 25

LINZ – AUSTRIAN ALP CITIES

The ship arrives in Linz where you’ll have several choices of excursions. Opt for a full-day excursion to Salzburg where you’ll tour the historic center, Mirabell Gardens, Residenz Square and the Old Market. En route to Salzburg, stop at Mondsee, home of the Basilica St. Michael. Or join a morning walking tour through the old city center of Linz and by the Mozart House; or go on a bike tour of the city’s famed “Cultural Mile” and the Danube. In the afternoon, you can also choose to visit charming Český Krumlov, located just over the Czech-Austrian border. (B,L,D) 

Day 7: Tuesday, March 26

PASSAU, GERMANY – VILSHOFEN

Discover the city of Passau in one of three ways. Enjoy a walking tour and marvel at Gothic and Italian Baroque architecture and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Alternately, choose between a guided hike up to the Veste Oberhaus fortress or a guided bike tour along the Danube River. Later, cruise to Vilshofen, where you will be treated to a festive Oktoberfest celebration— an AmaWaterways exclusive. (B,L,D) 

Day 8: Wednesday, March 27

VILSHOFEN – DISEMBARKATION

Bid farewell to Vilshofen. Prepare for your flight home, or continue on to Prague for AmaWaterways 3-night post-cruise tour of the capital of the Czech Republic. (B)

OPTIONAL: 3 NIGHT POST-CRUISE TOUR IN PRAGUE

Wednesday, March 27 – Saturday, March 30, 2024

Day 1: Wednesday, March 27

DISEMBARKATION / VILSHOFEN / REGENSBURG / PRAGUE 

Depart the ship and drive to Regensburg, one of Germany’s best preserved medieval cities, which you’ll discover on a guided walking tour. After touring Regensburg, continue on to Prague. (B)

OVERNIGHT: HOTEL PRAGUE MARRIOTT or similar (3 nights) 

Day 2: Thursday, March 28

PRAGUE

Experience the wonders of Prague and its historic city center that is a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site on your city tour or you can hike to the grand castle. See Rudolfinum and the Hundertwasser Dancing House. Visit the 1,000 year old Prague Castle and St. Vitus before walking over the romantic Charles Bridge to the Old Market Square, where you will find the capital’s famous Astronomical Clock. (B)

Day 3: Friday, March 29

PRAGUE

Beer has a long and illustrious history in the Czech Republic with the first brewery known to have existed in 993. Pilsner Urquell was created in 1842, being the first pilsner ever made, whilst Budweiser came into being in the city of Budweis. Beer is a core part of the country’s national identity, so much so the Czechs are the biggest consumers of beer in the world. The country is home to more than 100 breweries with a combination of big names and micro establishments offering a huge range of styles, so join a Czech beer tasting and discover for yourself what makes the Czech’s beer some of the very best in the world. (B) 

Day 4: Saturday, March 30

DEPART PRAGUE

Bid farewell to Prague and prepare for your flight home. (B)

PLEASE NOTE:

A reasonable degree of mobility is required for all passengers on this program. Most of the guided tours provided on your cruise are walking tours. Many historic villages in Europe are located on hilltops, where it is necessary to walk up and down hilly, cobblestone streets that may have narrow passageways. Ships docked in port are often rafted side-by-side to another river ship. Passengers are then required to ascend and descend flights of 12 or more stairs to walk up to observation deck, down to gang planks to enter or exit the rafted ships. To participate in tours and get on and off the ship, travelers must be able to walk unaccompanied.

Disabilities and Wheelchairs
Persons with a walking disability or an injury, or who require a wheelchair/scooter or other mobility device, must have another dedicated person traveling with them to assist/push etc. The ship’s crew and other cruise guests are not available to assist persons with limited mobility. On customized pre or post cruise land programs, the Expanding Horizons tour manager is authorized to remove, or ask to leave from the tour, any traveler incapable of, unwilling to, or impeding the overall movement and progress of the tour group.

Expanding Horizons reserves the right to amend the program and provide alternative arrangements without notification.