Danube Bike & River Cruise: Budapest to Nuremberg

Depart home for Budapest, Hungary. The particulars of your arrival overseas are detailed with your flight itinerary.

Upon arrival at the Budapest airport, claim your luggage and clear customs. If your luggage is lost, fill out a PIR form before leaving the customs area—VBT representatives are not allowed in the customs area. Make certain your VBT luggage tags are affixed to your bag so your VBT representative can identify you as you enter the arrival hall. Your VBT representative will be holding a VBT sign and will help you transfer via taxi or van (approximately 30 minutes, depending on traffic) to your centrally located Budapest hotel. If your VBT representative is not immediately in sight, please wait, as the VBT representative may be transferring with an earlier arrival. He or she should arrive within 30 minutes.

Your hotel room may not be available until after 2:00 p.m. If you arrive early, you may store your luggage with the reception desk. The rest of the day is free to relax or begin your exploration of the city with your included 3-day Budapest Transportation Pass. VBT provides you with City Information that includes information and recommendations on what to see and do during your stay in Budapest.

Hotel: Mamaison Andrássy Hotel
Alternate Hotel: K+K Hotel Opera

At 11:00 a.m., meet your VBT trip leaders in the hotel lobby. Please be checked-out of your room and dressed ready to walk. Join up with our local guide for a walking tour through the city’s highlights. Stop for lunch along the way before arriving at the dock in Budapest at approximately 2:00 p.m. to board your Emerald Waterways ship.

Your cabin may not be ready for you until 3:00 p.m. However, you are welcome to enjoy a light buffet on board, served between 12:00 and 3:00 p.m., relax in the ship’s common areas, or explore more of Budapest.

Later, meet your trip leaders and fellow travelers onboard for an introduction to the week, followed by bike safety briefing. After a very short motor coach transfer, join a warm-up ride on the famous Margaret Island and get acquainted with your bike and with riding on bike paths and in bike lanes. A welcome dinner in the ship’s Reflections Restaurant, and traditional Hungarian folklore performances are in store this evening.

Cruise start date of: 5 July:
MS Emerald Destiny, tele. +49 (0)152 5671 3873, [email protected]

Cruise start dates of: 29 August:
MS Emerald Dawn, tele. +49 (0)173 518 1436, [email protected]

Cruise start date of: 10 August:
MS Emerald Sky, tele. +49 (0)173 518 1933, [email protected]

Cruise start dates of: 17 May, 31 May, 14 June, and 18 October:
MS Emerald Star, tele. +49 (0)173 518 1937, [email protected]

Please note regarding WiFi on board the ship: Due to the nature of the ship movements, internet access is not always available. If stable internet access is critical to you, VBT recommends that you purchase your own bundle before traveling overseas.

Please note regarding Ride with GPS: There is limited WiFi on board. If you wish to use Ride with GPS on your smartphone, VBT also recommends that you download your VBT Maps & Route Notes from a WiFi zone prior to arrival on the boat. During your vacation, you will be able to follow these route notes on your smartphone with turn-by-turn voice navigation as you ride. As always, VBT also provides our traditional printed maps and route notes during the tour.

Hotel: MS Emerald Sky/Emerald Destiny/Emerald Dawn/Emerald Star
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s Ride Choice:
Cumulative Distance Range: 12 km (8 miles)

Afternoon
Warm-Up: 12 km (8 miles)

What to Expect: A short motor coach ride will take you to the Margaret Island, where we begin our warm-up ride, away from urban traffic. Then we continue on paved, dedicated bike lanes riding alongside vehicular traffic, on both banks of the Danube, with spectacular views of the city. We finish our warm-up ride directly at the ship. Get acquainted with your route notes, Ride with GPS, your bicycle, and the locals. Check your brakes and play with shifting your full range of gears.

After a 45-minute motor coach ride northbound, we start cycling at the Baroque city of Vac. We ride along the left bank of the river and explore the scenic Danube Bend. After a picnic lunch and a ferry crossing at Szob, we roll into Visegrad, the former medieval capital of Hungary. Following a short city walk and free time, we are invited to enjoy a historical Cavalry Game in the old fortress. The ship will pick us up here, before we can join the Captain’s Welcome Cocktail and Gala. With its regional specialties, tonight’s dinner completes the day’s Hungarian theme!

Hotel: MS Emerald Sky/Emerald Destiny/Emerald Dawn/Emerald Star
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s Ride Choice:
Cumulative Distance Range: 45 km (28 miles)

Morning
Vac to Szob Ferry: 31 km (19 miles)
Afternoon
Szob Ferry to Visegrad: 14 km (9 miles)

What to Expect: We ride on paved bike paths along the International Danube bike trail, all the way to Szob. After picnic lunch, the optional ride continues on country roads with some traffic to Visegrad. VBT offers a support vehicle shuttle from the ferry.

Awake in Bratislava this morning, the riverside capital of Slovakia and the only capital to border two other nations. After breakfast, disembark for an orientation to the city on foot with your trip leader. You’ll find an unusual mix of 20th-century Communist-era architecture, Baroque palaces, medieval spires, and the narrowest house in Europe—all overlooked from a hillside by the rectangular white castle and watchtowers of the Bratislava Castle.

Mid-morning, you pedal out of town, crossing the Danube by way of the “UFO” bridge, and traverse the forests and meadows of the Danube-Auen National Park, one of the largest remaining floodplains of the Danube. Arrive in Hainburg, a small town on the Austrian bank where Joseph Haydn studied music as a young boy. After a delicious lunch in a local restaurant, arrive at Schloss Hof, the “hunting lodge” of Prince Eugene of Savoy. A guided visit introduces the lodge and the estate. You’re invited to roam the splendid gardens and castle. Mid-afternoon, transfer back to Slovakia and to our awaiting ship. You can also choose riding back on the other side of the river, though the small village of Devin, famous for its castle.

Back on board, enjoy dinner and activities this evening as the ship starts its voyage to Vienna.

Hotel: MS Emerald Sky/Emerald Destiny/Emerald Dawn/Emerald Star
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s Ride Choices:
Cumulative Distance Range: 34-54 km (21-34 miles)

Morning
Bratislava to Schloss Hof: 34 km (21 miles)
Afternoon
Schloss Hof to Bratislava: 20 km (13 miles)

What to Expect: Today’s ride features a combination of bike paths and town streets. While both Slovakia and Austria feature bike paths, we would like to make you aware that the paths in Slovakia are slightly less well-maintained. The afternoon biking is partly along a busy country road.

Our ship is in Vienna from very early this morning until very late tonight, so you will have a convenient base from which to explore Austria’s glorious capital.

Vienna is renowned as one of Europe’s most cycle-friendly cities, so you will make use of its abundant bike paths and bike lanes. From your ship, the morning ‘extra’ ride is an out and back along the Danube to the village of Klosterneuburg, known for its imposing Monastery.

After lunch on board, you ride through the edge of the city and along the Donauinsel, or Danube Island, a 13-mile-long strip where scenic vistas and quiet riding add to your Vienna discoveries. Or, explore Vienna on your own, pursuing your own whims and interests in the city of Strauss, Beethoven, and Mahler. The gracious boulevards of Vienna are awash in culture and elegance. Head to the Ringstrasse, the circular avenue that replaced the city’s demolished medieval wall, to marvel at the city’s most breathtaking architecture, from the gleaming Imperial Palace and St. Stephen’s Cathedral to the famed Vienna State Opera. And be sure to take a break in one of the city’s famed coffee houses to experience Viennese café culture firsthand.

This evening, join an optional excursion to a special Viennese Evening Concert, featuring music of Strauss and Mozart. The private event is available only to those on our ship, and transportation is included in the price. Booking details will be provided with your final documents.

Hotel: MS Emerald Sky/Emerald Destiny/Emerald Dawn/Emerald Star
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s Ride Choices:
Cumulative Distance Range: 20 – 46 km (12 – 28 miles)

Morning
Vienna to Klosterneuburg and return: 26 km (16 miles)

Afternoon
Vienna and Danube Island: 20 km (12 miles)

What to Expect: The morning offer’s a ‘Cyclist’s Extra’ option. An out and back ride along the Danube to the village of Klosterneuburg. The ride is primarily on bike paths. The afternoon ride is a relaxing and easy loop ride through the edge of the city and on the Danube Island, a car-free recreational paradise.

Your ship is moored in Dürnstein, Austria, when you awake. The town is a center of Wachau wine production. Admire its stunning powder-blue bell tower soaring above red roofs. A cliffside castle, which once held Richard the Lionheart captive, watches over the scenic town, and you may choose to take the short hike up for the views, after breakfast.

Later this morning, cycle through what is perhaps the most beautiful stretch on the Danube, the Wachau Valley, Austria’s celebrated wine-growing region. The “Wachau Cultural Landscape” was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000. As for its physical landscape, it is blessed with lush vineyards and hillside orchards set among castle ruins, churches, and abbeys. Few places match the Wachau for its striking beauty and rich viniculture. Ride through the scenic hamlets of Spitz and Wiessenkirchen, nestled between the Danube and its rising banks.

Celebrate the ride over a lunch of Austrian specialties, when arriving in Melk. After lunch you can either do an optional loop along the river, or go for a short walk.

Then rejoin the ship in Melk, and later board a short shuttle to the spectacular Benedictine Abbey of Melk, perched on a scenic bluff. Here, a local guide introduces you to one of Europe’s largest Baroque monasteries. After touring its magnificent rooms, and strolling the gardens, we are invited for a private wine tasting before returning to the ship. Enjoy time to relax prior to dinner. This evening, you set a course for Brandstatt and Passau.

Hotel: MS Emerald Sky/Emerald Destiny/Emerald Dawn/Emerald Star
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s Ride Choices:
Cumulative Distance Range: 33 – 51 km (21 – 32 miles)

Morning
Dürnstein to Melk: 33 km (21 miles)
Afternoon
Optional loop outside Melk: 18 km (11 miles)

What to Expect: Begin biking from Dürnstein, again following the Danube Bike Path. You may extend your ride after our lunch lin Melk. Both options are mostly on paved bike paths. The path offers some short ascents. In some sections, the bike path is directly adjacent to the roadway.

Your bicycles are waiting for you in Brandstatt, where we disembark after an early breakfast to start our ride. This morning’s reel toward Schlogen passes through a beautiful forest. You follow the Danube Bike Path on a leisurely ride before entering Austria’s famous Schlögener Schlinge, where the river winds through steep, forested mountains in a series of sharp and scenic bends.

A short shuttle brings us to Passau, to join an informative walking tour with a local guide through this scenic “City of Three Rivers” at the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz..After a few unforgettable hours in Passau, we rejoin the ship in Vilshofen, north of town. We provide another biking option to the ship in the afternoon for those guests, who do not want to join a shuttle bus from Passau. As we set sail for Regensburg, join the Captain’s Gala Dinner and evening activities on board.

Hotel: MS Emerald Sky/Emerald Destiny/Emerald Dawn/Emerald Star
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s Ride Choices:
Cumulative Distance Range: 30 – 55 km (19 – 35 miles)

Morning
Brandstatt to Schlogen with a Shuttle to Passau: 30 km (19 miles)
Afternoon
Passau to Vilshofen: 25 km (16 miles)

What to Expect: Bike on the left bank, on a section of the Danube Bike Path that is mainly flat and entirely paved.

As you’ll see when you awake, Regensburg is an imposing town of red-roof houses at the convergence of the Danube and Regen rivers. Its 12th-century stone bridge features 16 arches spanning the Danube and reaching into the Old Town. Join a local guide for a walking tour, gaining insight into the town’s medieval history.

Then, from Regensburg, cycle along the scenic Danube banks. Following the Danube Bike Path, our scenic ride continues to be easy and mostly car-free. This is the famous EuroVelo 6, or EV6, which traverses 10 countries and 2,270 miles from the Atlantic Ocean in France to the Black Sea at Constanta. The EV6 makes a bike and boat on the Danube of this caliber possible as it includes the Danube Bike Path, the most popular cycling holiday destination in Europe. Stop to enjoy a Bavarian lunch. Take in the view from tables in the garden weather-permitting.

Rejoin the ship in Kelheim, a small Bavarian town near the picturesque Danube Gorge, a narrow stretch lined with cliff walls. Lunch is onboard, as the ship sails for Nuremberg.

Hotel: MS Emerald Sky/Emerald Destiny/Emerald Dawn/Emerald Star
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s Ride Choices:
Cumulative Distance Range: 26 – 39 km (16 – 24 miles)

Morning
Regensberg to Kapfelberg with Shuttle to Kelheim: 26 km (16 miles)
Regensburg to Kelheim: 39 km (24 miles)

What to Expect: Todays ride options are on the famous EuroVelo 6 bike path. The Danube is our constant companion on this scenic and easy ride upstream to Kelheim. The short option ends at Kapfelberg, with a shuttle on to Kelheim to meet the ship. The long option is a ship-to-ship ride. Today is the only day with significant sections of packed gravel (about 60%). Almost the entire ride is on vehicle-free bike paths.

After breakfast, disembark your ship and conclude your Danube odyssey with a transfer to Prague, Capital of the Czech Republic.

Disembark after breakfast and travel by coach to Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, arriving in the early afternoon. Travel time is about 4 hours including a mandatory driver’s break of 30 minutes.

Your hotel room may not be available until after 2:00 p.m. If you arrive early, you may store your luggage with the reception desk. The rest of the day is free to relax or begin your exploration of the city with your included 1-day Prague Transportation Pass.

At the hotel, your VBT representative Barbra Zukalová will be available to provide tips to help you get around, point you to restaurants and sites that suit your interest, and help you purchase tickets for some of Prague’s many high-quality classical music venues. You may also book a walking tour of the city (at an additional cost of approximately €22-28 per person). Barbra’s schedule varies and is dependent on group members’ arrivals. Her actual schedule will be relayed to you upon your arrival at the hotel. If you wish, you may reach Barbra in advance by email at [email protected] to make guided tour reservations in Prague. In addition, VBT provides you with City Information that includes information and recommendations on what to see and do during your stay in Prague.

Hotel: Mamaison Riverside Hotel Prague
Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast*, transfer to the Prague airport (approximately 30 minutes) for your departing flight**. Please ensure that you are ready in the hotel reception area at the designated time.

Please note*: For guests with early-morning departures, breakfast at the hotel may not be available. Please check with the front desk to verify the times that breakfast is served.

Please note**: VBT recommends that you check your transfer time in your “Transfer Reminder” or with the hotel’s reception desk the night before your flight. VBT transfer times and departure points are finalized in advance and cannot be modified for individual guests. If you extend your stay beyond the scheduled program dates, return transportation to the airport will be at your own expense.

Meals: Breakfast

You are responsible for making your own way to Budapest, Hungary, to meet your trip leaders and fellow guests at 11:00 am at the Mamaison Andrassy Hotel (note that for sailings on 17 May, 31 May, and 14 June we will meet instead at the K+K Hotel Opera). Please be dressed ready to walk.

Should you arrive late, please plan to go directly to the ship, which is in port overnight and until mid-day on the following day. Please note that you cannot embark before 12:30 p.m. as the ship is being prepared for you.

The ship will be docked at Batthyany Pier, on the Buda side of the river, directly across from the Parliament building. As the exact location of the ship may change, please call the ship on your arrival in Budapest for directions.

Cruise start date of: 5 July:
MS Emerald Destiny, tele. +49 (0)152 5671 3873, [email protected]

Cruise start dates of: 29 August:
MS Emerald Dawn, tele. +49 (0)173 518 1436, [email protected]

Cruise start date of: 10 August:
MS Emerald Sky, tele. +49 (0)173 518 1933, [email protected]

Cruise start dates of: 17 May, 31 May, 14 June, and 18 October:
MS Emerald Star, tele. +49 (0)173 518 1937, [email protected]

Your cabin may not be ready for you until 3:00 p.m. However, you are welcome to enjoy a light buffet on board, served between 12:00 and 3:00 p.m., relax in the ship’s common areas, or explore more of Budapest.

Later, meet your trip leaders and fellow travelers onboard for an introduction to the week, followed by bike safety briefing. After a very short motor coach transfer, join a warm-up ride on the famous Margaret Island and get acquainted with your bike and with riding on bike paths and in bike lanes. A welcome dinner in the ship’s Reflections Restaurant, and traditional Hungarian folklore performances are in store this evening.

Please note regarding WiFi on board the ship: Due to the nature of the ship movements, internet access is not always available. If stable internet access is critical to you, VBT recommends that you purchase your own bundle before traveling overseas.

Please note regarding Ride with GPS: There is limited WiFi on board. If you wish to use Ride with GPS on your smartphone, VBT also recommends that you download your VBT Maps & Route Notes from a WiFi zone prior to arrival on the boat. During your vacation, you will be able to follow these route notes on your smartphone with turn-by-turn voice navigation as you ride. As always, VBT also provides our traditional printed maps and route notes during the tour.

Hotel: MS Emerald Sky/Emerald Destiny/Emerald Dawn/Emerald Star
Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Today’s Ride Choice:
Cumulative Distance Range: 12 km (8 miles)

Afternoon
Warm-Up: 12 km (8 miles)

What to Expect: A short motor coach ride will take you to the Margaret Island, where we begin our warm-up ride, away from urban traffic. Then we continue on paved, dedicated bike lanes riding alongside vehicular traffic, on both banks of the Danube, with spectacular views of the city. We finish our warm-up ride directly at the ship. Get acquainted with your route notes, Ride with GPS, your bicycle, and the locals. Check your brakes and play with shifting your full range of gears.

After a 45-minute motor coach ride northbound, we start cycling at the Baroque city of Vac. We ride along the left bank of the river and explore the scenic Danube Bend. After a picnic lunch and a ferry crossing at Szob, we roll into Visegrad, the former medieval capital of Hungary. Following a short city walk and free time, we are invited to enjoy a historical Cavalry Game in the old fortress. The ship will pick us up here, before we can join the Captain’s Welcome Cocktail and Gala. With its regional specialties, tonight’s dinner completes the day’s Hungarian theme!

Hotel: MS Emerald Sky/Emerald Destiny/Emerald Dawn/Emerald Star
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s Ride Choice:
Cumulative Distance Range: 45 km (28 miles)

Morning
Vac to Szob Ferry: 31 km (19 miles)
Afternoon
Szob Ferry to Visegrad: 14 km (9 miles)

What to Expect: We ride on paved bike paths along the International Danube bike trail, all the way to Szob. After picnic lunch, the optional ride continues on country roads with some traffic to Visegrad. VBT offers a support vehicle shuttle from the ferry.

Awake in Bratislava this morning, the riverside capital of Slovakia and the only capital to border two other nations. After breakfast, disembark for an orientation to the city on foot with your trip leader. You’ll find an unusual mix of 20th-century Communist-era architecture, Baroque palaces, medieval spires, and the narrowest house in Europe—all overlooked from a hillside by the rectangular white castle and watchtowers of the Bratislava Castle.

Mid-morning, you pedal out of town, crossing the Danube by way of the “UFO” bridge, and traverse the forests and meadows of the Danube-Auen National Park, one of the largest remaining floodplains of the Danube. Arrive in Hainburg, a small town on the Austrian bank where Joseph Haydn studied music as a young boy. After a delicious lunch in a local restaurant, arrive at Schloss Hof, the “hunting lodge” of Prince Eugene of Savoy. A guided visit introduces the lodge and the estate. You’re invited to roam the splendid gardens and castle. Mid-afternoon, transfer back to Slovakia and to our awaiting ship. You can also choose riding back on the other side of the river, though the small village of Devin, famous for its castle.

Back on board, enjoy dinner and activities this evening as the ship starts its voyage to Vienna.

Hotel: MS Emerald Sky/Emerald Destiny/Emerald Dawn/Emerald Star
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s Ride Choices:
Cumulative Distance Range: 34-54 km (21-34 miles)

Morning
Bratislava to Schloss Hof: 34 km (21 miles)
Afternoon
Schloss Hof to Bratislava: 20 km (13 miles)

What to Expect: Today’s ride features a combination of bike paths and town streets. While both Slovakia and Austria feature bike paths, we would like to make you aware that the paths in Slovakia are slightly less well-maintained. The afternoon biking is partly along a busy country road.

Our ship is in Vienna from very early this morning until very late tonight, so you will have a convenient base from which to explore Austria’s glorious capital.

Vienna is renowned as one of Europe’s most cycle-friendly cities, so you will make use of its abundant bike paths and bike lanes. From your ship, the morning ‘extra’ ride is an out and back along the Danube to the village of Klosterneuburg, known for its imposing Monastery.

After lunch on board, you ride through the edge of the city and along the Donauinsel, or Danube Island, a 13-mile-long strip where scenic vistas and quiet riding add to your Vienna discoveries. Or, explore Vienna on your own, pursuing your own whims and interests in the city of Strauss, Beethoven, and Mahler. The gracious boulevards of Vienna are awash in culture and elegance. Head to the Ringstrasse, the circular avenue that replaced the city’s demolished medieval wall, to marvel at the city’s most breathtaking architecture, from the gleaming Imperial Palace and St. Stephen’s Cathedral to the famed Vienna State Opera. And be sure to take a break in one of the city’s famed coffee houses to experience Viennese café culture firsthand.

This evening, join an optional excursion to a special Viennese Evening Concert, featuring music of Strauss and Mozart. The private event is available only to those on our ship, and transportation is included in the price. Booking details will be provided with your final documents.

Hotel: MS Emerald Sky/Emerald Destiny/Emerald Dawn/Emerald Star
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s Ride Choices:
Cumulative Distance Range: 20 – 46 km (12 – 28 miles)

Morning
Vienna to Klosterneuburg and return: 26 km (16 miles)

Afternoon
Vienna and Danube Island: 20 km (12 miles)

What to Expect: The morning offer’s a ‘Cyclist’s Extra’ option. An out and back ride along the Danube to the village of Klosterneuburg. The ride is primarily on bike paths. The afternoon ride is a relaxing and easy loop ride through the edge of the city and on the Danube Island, a car-free recreational paradise.

Your ship is moored in Dürnstein, Austria, when you awake. The town is a center of Wachau wine production. Admire its stunning powder-blue bell tower soaring above red roofs. A cliffside castle, which once held Richard the Lionheart captive, watches over the scenic town, and you may choose to take the short hike up for the views, after breakfast.

Later this morning, cycle through what is perhaps the most beautiful stretch on the Danube, the Wachau Valley, Austria’s celebrated wine-growing region. The “Wachau Cultural Landscape” was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000. As for its physical landscape, it is blessed with lush vineyards and hillside orchards set among castle ruins, churches, and abbeys. Few places match the Wachau for its striking beauty and rich viniculture. Ride through the scenic hamlets of Spitz and Wiessenkirchen, nestled between the Danube and its rising banks.

Celebrate the ride over a lunch of Austrian specialties, when arriving in Melk. After lunch you can either do an optional loop along the river, or go for a short walk.

Then rejoin the ship in Melk, and later board a short shuttle to the spectacular Benedictine Abbey of Melk, perched on a scenic bluff. Here, a local guide introduces you to one of Europe’s largest Baroque monasteries. After touring its magnificent rooms, and strolling the gardens, we are invited for a private wine tasting before returning to the ship. Enjoy time to relax prior to dinner. This evening, you set a course for Brandstatt and Passau.

Hotel: MS Emerald Sky/Emerald Destiny/Emerald Dawn/Emerald Star
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s Ride Choices:
Cumulative Distance Range: 33 – 51 km (21 – 32 miles)

Morning
Dürnstein to Melk: 33 km (21 miles)
Afternoon
Optional loop outside Melk: 18 km (11 miles)

What to Expect: Begin biking from Dürnstein, again following the Danube Bike Path. You may extend your ride after our lunch lin Melk. Both options are mostly on paved bike paths. The path offers some short ascents. In some sections, the bike path is directly adjacent to the roadway.

Your bicycles are waiting for you in Brandstatt, where we disembark after an early breakfast to start our ride. This morning’s reel toward Schlogen passes through a beautiful forest. You follow the Danube Bike Path on a leisurely ride before entering Austria’s famous Schlögener Schlinge, where the river winds through steep, forested mountains in a series of sharp and scenic bends.

A short shuttle brings us to Passau, to join an informative walking tour with a local guide through this scenic “City of Three Rivers” at the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz..After a few unforgettable hours in Passau, we rejoin the ship in Vilshofen, north of town. We provide another biking option to the ship in the afternoon for those guests, who do not want to join a shuttle bus from Passau. As we set sail for Regensburg, join the Captain’s Gala Dinner and evening activities on board.

Hotel: MS Emerald Sky/Emerald Destiny/Emerald Dawn/Emerald Star
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s Ride Choices:
Cumulative Distance Range: 30 – 55 km (19 – 35 miles)

Morning
Brandstatt to Schlogen with a Shuttle to Passau: 30 km (19 miles)
Afternoon
Passau to Vilshofen: 25 km (16 miles)

What to Expect: Bike on the left bank, on a section of the Danube Bike Path that is mainly flat and entirely paved.

As you’ll see when you awake, Regensburg is an imposing town of red-roof houses at the convergence of the Danube and Regen rivers. Its 12th-century stone bridge features 16 arches spanning the Danube and reaching into the Old Town. Join a local guide for a walking tour, gaining insight into the town’s medieval history.

Then, from Regensburg, cycle along the scenic Danube banks. Following the Danube Bike Path, our scenic ride continues to be easy and mostly car-free. This is the famous EuroVelo 6, or EV6, which traverses 10 countries and 2,270 miles from the Atlantic Ocean in France to the Black Sea at Constanta. The EV6 makes a bike and boat on the Danube of this caliber possible as it includes the Danube Bike Path, the most popular cycling holiday destination in Europe. Stop to enjoy a Bavarian lunch. Take in the view from tables in the garden weather-permitting.

Rejoin the ship in Kelheim, a small Bavarian town near the picturesque Danube Gorge, a narrow stretch lined with cliff walls. Lunch is onboard, as the ship sails for Nuremberg.

Hotel: MS Emerald Sky/Emerald Destiny/Emerald Dawn/Emerald Star
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s Ride Choices:
Cumulative Distance Range: 26 – 39 km (16 – 24 miles)

Morning
Regensberg to Kapfelberg with Shuttle to Kelheim: 26 km (16 miles)
Regensburg to Kelheim: 39 km (24 miles)

What to Expect: Todays ride options are on the famous EuroVelo 6 bike path. The Danube is our constant companion on this scenic and easy ride upstream to Kelheim. The short option ends at Kapfelberg, with a shuttle on to Kelheim to meet the ship. The long option is a ship-to-ship ride. Today is the only day with significant sections of packed gravel (about 60%). Almost the entire ride is on vehicle-free bike paths.

Your trip ends at the docks in Nuremberg, Germany on the morning of disembarkation. The ship is scheduled to arrive in port at 6:00 a.m. You may transfer from here on your own by taxi to the train station, a distance of 8 km, which should take about 15 minutes by taxi or to the Nuremberg airport, a distance of 15 km, which should take about 25 minutes by taxi. The ship’s staff will be happy to arrange a taxi for you. It’s recommended that you allow for the possible late arrival of the ship when planning departing flights or train travel.

Meals: Breakfast