You have been dreaming about it for a long time and can now make this exceptional trip that is the cruise on the Danube a reality. . Many proposals, each more enchanting than the other, are available to you. As a result, you no longer know which cruise to choose. Here are some tips that can shed more light on you before choosing your destination. We will give you some examples of cruises and information to go with them.
The “Beautiful Blue Danube well deserves the name given to it by Johann Strauss when he composed this famous Viennese waltz known throughout the world. This river, the second in Europe, has a length of nearly 3,000 km and mainly crosses the center of Europe to its extreme west. Many river cruise companies offer you dream trips if you want to know its history and that of the capitals and cities it passes through.
Before embarking on a ship in Budapest, we strongly advise you to visit this wonderful capital made up of two cities:Buda and Pest cut in two by the Danube. Take the funicular and reach the Var district, the magnificent old town at every corner. Take the opportunity to learn more about its history by going to the historical museum and its other magnificent monuments along the river and in the more modern city of Pest.
When you book your ticket, choose an outside cabin so as not to miss all the superb landscapes that will be offered to you throughout your trip. Once you board, set up your things quietly. In principle, you arrive on board at the end of the afternoon. You will then sail towards Bratislava , a city with a unique charm located in Slovakia. This capital is surrounded by the mountains of the Little Carpathians and lush vineyards. You can visit the pedestrianized old town of the 18th century, very lively for its many cafes in the evening. Also admire the castle perched on top of the hill overlooking the city.
On the third day you leave for the romantic capital of Austria what is the city of Vienna. You then have enough time to visit it, as your boat does not leave until the fourth evening to give you time to see the museum city, birthplace of Mozart, Beethoven, Freud, Klimt to name a few. You can visit the Imperial Palaces such as Schönbrunn Palace which was the summer residence of the Habsburgs and other magnificent historic buildings where the beautiful Empress Sissi stayed. When you return to your cabin, your head will already be full of dreams and wonderful memories.
On the fourth day, you will be in Melk, still in Austria, and will be able to admire its incredible Benedictine abbey overlooking the Danube in the natural setting of the Wachau. Be sure to take an organized outing to discover the Wachau Valley to Krems and stop at Dürnstein, the town where Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned.
After sailing for five nights, on day six you will arrive in Passau, Germany. This city in Bavaria at the three rivers is located at the confluence of the Danube. You can go to the Citadel Veste Oberhaus , see St. Stephen's Cathedral and its gigantic organ, its town hall with its 14th century facade and its museums before ending this trip. For this trip with full board, count a little more than €1,100 per person in autumn or spring.
There are also cruises on the Danube offered by tour operators over longer periods such as for a week and departing from Paris. They also include the flight, but for the same visits, an amount of around €2,200 per person must be counted. You don't have to worry about getting directly to the boat. This is a more practical choice, but also more expensive. The cities mentioned above are the most interesting to see and are the most proposed, but it also depends on your budget. The boats are almost all equipped with outside cabins and carry on average two hundred passengers . On the other hand, there are several bridges concerning the cabins.
When you choose your cabin, you have the choice of selecting it on the main deck, on the middle deck or on the upper deck depending on the architecture of the ship. You can then prefer a cabin with two separate beds or a large bed . Each cabin is equipped with a bathroom, a shower, private toilets and linen is provided. All the cabins of a boat sailing in fresh water are spacious. You also have satellite TV, Internet, radio and a safe. You also have the panoramic view from every outside cabin, whichever deck you choose.
For this type of cruise, full board with drinks included is very interesting and advantageous. You can thus eat on board the boat and walk around outside meals. You will also attend the gala evening, a welcome cocktail is offered to you. Administrative fees, port taxes and on-board entertainment are also included in the price of your stay so as not to have any surprises and unforeseen additional costs . Only your purchases abroad will add to your budget. Be sure to see if repatriation cancellation insurance is included in your trip, if not, do not hesitate to take out one or check with your credit card insurance if you have one.
A cruise on the Danube is a great adventure. In addition, you stay in Europe , so you need a valid identity card. So have a good cruise and enjoy the dream landscapes that you will also encounter outside of your stops in cities and capitals.
