Danube Bike & River Cruise: Nuremberg to Budapest

Depart home for the Czech Republic. The particulars of your arrival overseas are detailed with your flight itinerary.

Upon arrival at the Prague 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 Prague hotel. If your VBT representative is not immediately in sight, there is a “Meeting Point Column” just outside of the Arrivals gate. Please wait there, 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 explore the city with your included 1-day Prague Transportation Pass.

VBT provides you with City Information that includes information and recommendations on what to see and do during your stay in Prague.

Accommodation: Mamaison Riverside Hotel Prague
Included Meals: Breakfast

At 9:00 a.m., meet your VBT representative in the hotel lobby to transfer to Nuremberg, Germany (approximately 3.5 hours). You will stop just before the German border to stretch your legs and perhaps purchase a coffee or water. Arrive at the dock in Nuremberg at approximately 12:30 p.m. and 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 lunch on board, served between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m., relax in the ship’s common areas, take a walk, or enjoy the nearby beer garden. Unusually, Nuremberg’s cruise dock is located four miles (5.4 km) from the city’s train station and downtown. Taxis and buses are available for those who would like to head into town to explore or enjoy a traditional German lunch of bratwurst and beer.

The ship docks are located outside the town center of Nuremberg. As the exact location of the ship may change, please call the ship on your arrival in Nuremberg for directions.

Cruise start dates of: May 22, June 5, August 30, and September 13:
MS Emerald Destiny, tele. +49 (0)152 5671 3873, [email protected]

Cruise start dates of: May 29, August 7, and October 2:
MS Emerald Dawn, tele. +49 (0)173 518 1436, [email protected]

Cruise start date of: June 16:
MS Emerald Sky, tele. +49 (0)173 518 1933, [email protected]

Cruise start date of: June 24:
MS Emerald Sun, tele. +49 (0)173 518 1432, [email protected]

Your cabin may not be ready for you until 3:00 p.m. However, you are welcome to enjoy lunch on board, served between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m., relax in the ship’s common areas, take a walk, or enjoy the nearby beer garden. Unusually, Nuremberg’s cruise dock is located four miles (5.4 km) from the city’s train station and downtown. Taxis and buses are available for those who would like to head into town to explore or enjoy a traditional German lunch of bratwurst and beer.

At 1:45 p.m., meet your trip leaders and fellow travelers on board for introductions and a safety and bike-fitting session, followed by a warm-up ride on a local bike path along the Main-Danube Canal. Later, enjoy a welcome dinner on board. The ship sails for Regensburg 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 ship. 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.

Please note regarding “Discover More” tours: Emerald Waterways offers three optional tours during your cruise, at an additional cost. Your VBT Trip Leaders will be able to answer questions about scheduling and can connect you with Emerald staff on board to make bookings. We recommend that you book as soon as practical once on board, as the tours are capacity restricted.

Tour to Salzburg
When: Day 3 (Linz), 8:00 am – 5:40 p.m.
Includes: Coach transfer, local guide
Note: Passengers doing this tour will not be able to participate in the VBT ride or the Passau walking tour.
Price: EUR 62.00 per person

Viennese Evening Concert
When: Day 5 (Vienna), 7:00 – 9:30 p.m.
Includes: Coach transfer + concert ticket + glass of sparkling wine
Price: EUR 74.00 per person

Jewish Heritage Tour
When: Day 7 (Budapest), 2:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Includes: Guided walking tour with local guide
Note: Passengers doing this tour will not be able to participate in the VBT ride.
Price: EUR 46.00 per person

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

Today’s Ride Choice:
Cumulative Distance Range: 11km (7 miles)
Afternoon
Warm-up: 11km (7 miles)

What to Expect: The ride from your ship is on a packed gravel bike path alongside the Main-Danube Canal. Get acquainted with your bicycle, route notes, Ride with GPS, and the locals. Check your brakes and play with shifting your full range of gears.

Enjoy a relaxing breakfast this morning as your ship sails downstream toward Regensburg. En route, you disembark in Kelheim, a small Bavarian town near the picturesque Danube Gorge, a narrow stretch lined with cliff walls.

From Kelheim, cycle along the scenic Danube banks. Following the Danube Bike Path, your scenic ride is easy and mostly car-free. This is the famous EuroVelo 6, or EV6, which traverses 10 countries and 2,270 miles (3,653 km) from the Atlantic Ocean in France to the Black Sea at Constanta. The EV6 makes a Danube cycle and river cruise of this caliber possible, as it includes the Danube Bike Path, the most popular cycling vacation destination in Europe. As you stop to enjoy a Bavarian lunch, take in the view from tables in the garden (weather permitting).

Rejoin your ship in Regensburg in the early afternoon. As you’ll see on approach, 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. Or, if you’d prefer to continue cycling, enjoy an afternoon loop ride to the famous German hall of fame, the Walhalla memorial.

A traditional local band performance on deck welcomes you back on board. There’ll be time to relax a while before the Captain’s Welcome Cocktail and Gala. With its regional specialties, tonight’s dinner completes the day’s immersion into all things Bavaria! Sail for Passau tonight.

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

Today’s Ride Choices:
Cumulative Distance Range: 25-63km (15-38 miles)
Morning
Kelheim to Pentling with Shuttle to Regensburg: 25 km (15 miles)
Kelheim to Regensburg: 39 km (24 miles)
Afternoon
Loop to Walhalla: 24 km (14 miles)

What to Expect: Today’s ride options are on the famous EuroVelo 6 bike path. The Danube is your constant companion on this scenic and easy ride downstream to Regensburg. The short option ends at your lunch stop, with a shuttle on to Regensburg to meet the ship. The afternoon 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.

Arrive in Passau during breakfast. There’ll be free time to explore its splendid Gothic and Baroque charms on your own. If you wish, you may stretch your legs with a hike to the hilltop pilgrimage church of Pauliner Kloster Mariahilf. You may access it directly from the Innstadt district via the “heavenly ladder” of 321 canopied steps. From the monastery grounds, enjoy sweeping views of Passau.

In the late morning, enjoy an informative walking tour with a local guide through this scenic “City of Three Rivers” at the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz. From here, you’ll take a scenic motorcoach ride along the Danube to Austria’s famous Schlögener Schlinge, where the river winds through steep, forested mountains in a series of sharp and scenic bends.

Enjoy lunch on the panorama terrace of a local restaurant, where your bicycle is set up and ready for this afternoon’s leisurely ride on the Danube Bike Path through a beautiful forest toward Aschach. The shorter route ends in Aschach, where you can visit the Fishermen’s Museum, or attend the famous glass blowing workshop next door. After visiting Aschach, you’ll pedal toward Ottensheim along the scenic Danube Bike Path, where you can shuttle or bike the short distance to Linz, Austria. Home of the Linzer torte, the oldest cake in the world, Linz is also an impressive repository of well-preserved medieval, neoclassical, neo-Baroque, and neo-Renaissance architecture.

Your river ship arrives in Linz late this afternoon, just as you are arriving. There’ll be time to relax in your cabin before dinner and evening activities on board.

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

Today’s Ride Choices:
Cumulative Distance Range: 26 – 56 km (16 – 35 miles)
Afternoon
Schlögen to Aschach an der Donau: 26 km (16 miles)
Aschach an der Donau to Ottensheim: 20 km (13 miles)
Ottensheim to Linz: 10 km (6 miles)

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

Your ship is moored in Melk, Austria, when you awake. After breakfast, 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, you may stroll the gardens before returning to the ship for lunch. If you want to pick up some extra mileage, you can go for a short loop along the scenic Donauradweg before lunch.

Later, 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, and pedal into Dürnstein, 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.

Rejoin your ship here late this afternoon, after tasting some local wines with the famous Wachauer Laberl cake. Later, enjoy time to relax before dinner, or perhaps join a guided hike to Dürnstein Castle. This evening, your ship charts a course for Vienna.

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

Today’s Ride Choices:
Cumulative Distance Range: 33 – 51 km (21 – 32 miles)
Morning
Optional loop before lunch: 18 km (11 miles)
Afternoon
Melk to Dürnstein: 33 km (21 miles)

What to Expect: From Melk, your route follows the Danube Bike Path. You may extend your daily mileage with a loop ride before lunch. Both rides are mostly on paved, flat bike paths with a couple of short ascents. In some sections, the bike path is directly adjacent to the roadway, with traffic traveling from the opposing direction.

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 can make use of its abundant bike paths and bike lanes. This morning, you might opt for an out-and-back ride along the Danube to the village of Klosterneuburg, known for its imposing monastery.

After lunch on board, your bike ride will lead you to the edge of the city and along the Donauinsel, or Danube Island, a 13-mile (21 km) strip where scenic vistas and quiet riding add to your Vienna discoveries.

Or explore Vienna on a guided walking tour, and later on your own, pursue 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 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, you are invited to join an optional Viennese Evening Concert excursion, featuring the music of Strauss and Mozart. This 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.

Accommodation: MS Emerald Star/Emerald Sky/Emerald Destiny/Emerald Dawn
Included 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 offers a “Cyclist’s Extra” option: an out-and-back ride along the Danube to the village of Klosterneuburg, primarily on bike paths. The afternoon ride is a relaxing and easy loop ride through the edge of the city and on Danube Island, a car-free recreational paradise.

Awake this morning in Bratislava, the riverside capital of Slovakia and the only capital to border two other nations. After breakfast, disembark for an orientation walking tour 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 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 your waiting ship Alternatively, you can cycle back along the other side of the river, though the small village of Devin, famous for its castle.

Back on board, join a cocktail reception and Gala Dinner this evening as the ship starts its voyage to Budapest.

Accommodation: MS Emerald Star/Emerald Sky/Emerald Destiny/Emerald Dawn
Included 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 option is partly along a busy country road.

You will be docked in Budapest all day today and will stay overnight until disembarkation tomorrow morning, giving you ample time to explore this jewel on the Danube. After breakfast, shuttle up river (50 minutes) to start today’s ride in Danube-Ipoly National Park. Your destination is the charming town of Szentendre, a delightful artists’ community brimming with galleries and workshops. En route, you’ll stop to explore the Hungarian Open Air Museum, dedicated to the folk architecture, culture, and lifestyle of Hungary in eight regional units on 150 acres.

Continue riding at your leisure into Szentendre, where you’ll have some free time to browse the galleries and shops. Your trip leaders will introduce you to their favorite Hungarian specialties during lunch at a popular restaurant. Return to Budapest from Szentendre much faster than you got here: by way of a high-speed water taxi. If you seek time away from your bike today, you may begin your guided explorations with your choice of tours: Explore Budapest as a whole, taking in the major sites of the Buda and Pest sides of the Danube, or walk up the slopes of the right bank for up-close views of Castle Hill and the Old Town, where Fisherman’s Bastion provides magnificent views of the city and the elegant Chain Bridge that spans the river.

Back on board, enjoy a full roster of entertainment and dining to celebrate your week on the Danube with your fellow travelers. After having a farewell cocktail on the Panorama Deck, your VBT trip leaders will walk you to a small, local restaurant at the foot of Castle Hill, for a memorable farewell dinner.

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

Today’s Ride Choices:
Cumulative Distance Range: 16 km (10 miles)
Morning
Danube-Ipoly National Park to Szentendre: 16 km (10 miles)

What to Expect: Enjoy a mostly downhill ride through forest on a quiet road, ending in town along the Danube. You’ll transfer back to the ship by water taxi.

After breakfast, disembark your ship and conclude your Danube odyssey with a guided walk through the city’s highlights. You’ll be treated to lasting and up-close views of the Parliament Building and the Castle complex. Your walk concludes late this morning at the hotel, where your tour comes to an end.

Spend tonight at your well-located hotel. VBT provides you with City Information containing recommendations on what to do during your stay in Budapest. Your included day pass for Budapest’s renowned public transportation system makes it easy to explore.

Accommodation: Mamaison Andrássy Hotel, Budapest
Alternate Hotel: Danubius Hotel Astoria, Budapest
Included Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast*, transfer to the Budapest 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.

Included Meals: Breakfast

At 9:00 a.m., meet your VBT representative in the hotel lobby to transfer to Nuremberg, Germany (approximately 3.5 hours). You will stop just before the German border to stretch your legs and perhaps purchase a coffee or water. Arrive at the dock in Nuremberg at approximately 12:30 p.m. and 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 lunch on board, served between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m., relax in the ship’s common areas, take a walk, or enjoy the nearby beer garden. Unusually, Nuremberg’s cruise dock is located four miles (5.4 km) from the city’s train station and downtown. Taxis and buses are available for those who would like to head into town to explore or enjoy a traditional German lunch of bratwurst and beer.

Cruise start dates of: May 22, June 5, August 30, and September 13:
MS Emerald Destiny, tele. +49 (0)152 5671 3873, [email protected]

Cruise start dates of: May 29, August 7, and October 2:
MS Emerald Dawn, tele. +49 (0)173 518 1436, [email protected]

Cruise start date of: June 16:
MS Emerald Sky, tele. +49 (0)173 518 1933, [email protected]

Cruise start date of: June 24:
MS Emerald Sun, tele. +49 (0)173 518 1432, [email protected]

Your cabin may not be ready for you until 3:00 p.m. However, you are welcome to enjoy lunch on board, served between 12:30 and 3:30 p.m., relax in the ship’s common areas, take a walk, or enjoy the nearby beer garden. Unusually, Nuremberg’s cruise dock is located four miles (5.4 km) from the city’s train station and downtown. Taxis and buses are available for those who would like to head into town to explore or enjoy a traditional German lunch of bratwurst and beer.

At 1:45 p.m., meet your trip leaders and fellow travelers on board for introductions and a safety and bike-fitting session, followed by a warm-up ride on a local bike path along the Main-Danube Canal. Later, enjoy a welcome dinner on board. The ship sails for Regensburg 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 ship. 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.

Please note regarding “Discover More” tours: Emerald Waterways offers three optional tours during your cruise, at an additional cost. Your VBT Trip Leaders will be able to answer questions about scheduling and can connect you with Emerald staff on board to make bookings. We recommend that you book as soon as practical once on board, as the tours are capacity restricted.

Tour to Salzburg
When: Day 3 (Linz), 8:00 am – 5:40 p.m.
Includes: Coach transfer, local guide
Note: Passengers doing this tour will not be able to participate in the VBT ride or the Passau walking tour.
Price: EUR 62.00 per person

Viennese Evening Concert
When: Day 5 (Vienna), 7:00 – 9:30 p.m.
Includes: Coach transfer + concert ticket + glass of sparkling wine
Price: EUR 74.00 per person

Jewish Heritage Tour
When: Day 7 (Budapest), 2:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Includes: Guided walking tour with local guide
Note: Passengers doing this tour will not be able to participate in the VBT ride.
Price: EUR 46.00 per person

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

Today’s Ride Choice:
Cumulative Distance Range: 11km (7 miles)
Afternoon
Warm-up: 11km (7 miles)

What to Expect: The ride from your ship is on a packed gravel bike path alongside the Main-Danube Canal. Get acquainted with your bicycle, route notes, Ride with GPS, and the locals. Check your brakes and play with shifting your full range of gears.

Enjoy a relaxing breakfast this morning as your ship sails downstream toward Regensburg. En route, you disembark in Kelheim, a small Bavarian town near the picturesque Danube Gorge, a narrow stretch lined with cliff walls.

From Kelheim, cycle along the scenic Danube banks. Following the Danube Bike Path, your scenic ride is easy and mostly car-free. This is the famous EuroVelo 6, or EV6, which traverses 10 countries and 2,270 miles (3,653 km) from the Atlantic Ocean in France to the Black Sea at Constanta. The EV6 makes a Danube cycle and river cruise of this caliber possible, as it includes the Danube Bike Path, the most popular cycling vacation destination in Europe. As you stop to enjoy a Bavarian lunch, take in the view from tables in the garden (weather permitting).

Rejoin your ship in Regensburg in the early afternoon. As you’ll see on approach, 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. Or, if you’d prefer to continue cycling, enjoy an afternoon loop ride to the famous German hall of fame, the Walhalla memorial.

A traditional local band performance on deck welcomes you back on board. There’ll be time to relax a while before the Captain’s Welcome Cocktail and Gala. With its regional specialties, tonight’s dinner completes the day’s immersion into all things Bavaria! Sail for Passau tonight.

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

Today’s Ride Choices:
Cumulative Distance Range: 25-63km (15-38 miles)
Morning
Kelheim to Pentling with Shuttle to Regensburg: 25 km (15 miles)
Kelheim to Regensburg: 39 km (24 miles)
Afternoon
Loop to Walhalla: 24 km (14 miles)

What to Expect: Today’s ride options are on the famous EuroVelo 6 bike path. The Danube is your constant companion on this scenic and easy ride downstream to Regensburg. The short option ends at your lunch stop, with a shuttle on to Regensburg to meet the ship. The afternoon 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.

Arrive in Passau during breakfast. There’ll be free time to explore its splendid Gothic and Baroque charms on your own. If you wish, you may stretch your legs with a hike to the hilltop pilgrimage church of Pauliner Kloster Mariahilf. You may access it directly from the Innstadt district via the “heavenly ladder” of 321 canopied steps. From the monastery grounds, enjoy sweeping views of Passau.

In the late morning, enjoy an informative walking tour with a local guide through this scenic “City of Three Rivers” at the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz. From here, you’ll take a scenic motorcoach ride along the Danube to Austria’s famous Schlögener Schlinge, where the river winds through steep, forested mountains in a series of sharp and scenic bends.

Enjoy lunch on the panorama terrace of a local restaurant, where your bicycle is set up and ready for this afternoon’s leisurely ride on the Danube Bike Path through a beautiful forest toward Aschach. The shorter route ends in Aschach, where you can visit the Fishermen’s Museum, or attend the famous glass blowing workshop next door. After visiting Aschach, you’ll pedal toward Ottensheim along the scenic Danube Bike Path, where you can shuttle or bike the short distance to Linz, Austria. Home of the Linzer torte, the oldest cake in the world, Linz is also an impressive repository of well-preserved medieval, neoclassical, neo-Baroque, and neo-Renaissance architecture.

Your river ship arrives in Linz late this afternoon, just as you are arriving. There’ll be time to relax in your cabin before dinner and evening activities on board.

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

Today’s Ride Choices:
Cumulative Distance Range: 26 – 56 km (16 – 35 miles)
Afternoon
Schlögen to Aschach an der Donau: 26 km (16 miles)
Aschach an der Donau to Ottensheim: 20 km (13 miles)
Ottensheim to Linz: 10 km (6 miles)

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

Your ship is moored in Melk, Austria, when you awake. After breakfast, 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, you may stroll the gardens before returning to the ship for lunch. If you want to pick up some extra mileage, you can go for a short loop along the scenic Donauradweg before lunch.

Later, 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, and pedal into Dürnstein, 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.

Rejoin your ship here late this afternoon, after tasting some local wines with the famous Wachauer Laberl cake. Later, enjoy time to relax before dinner, or perhaps join a guided hike to Dürnstein Castle. This evening, your ship charts a course for Vienna.

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

Today’s Ride Choices:
Cumulative Distance Range: 33 – 51 km (21 – 32 miles)
Morning
Optional loop before lunch: 18 km (11 miles)
Afternoon
Melk to Dürnstein: 33 km (21 miles)

What to Expect: From Melk, your route follows the Danube Bike Path. You may extend your daily mileage with a loop ride before lunch. Both rides are mostly on paved, flat bike paths with a couple of short ascents. In some sections, the bike path is directly adjacent to the roadway, with traffic traveling from the opposing direction.

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 can make use of its abundant bike paths and bike lanes. This morning, you might opt for an out-and-back ride along the Danube to the village of Klosterneuburg, known for its imposing monastery.

After lunch on board, your bike ride will lead you to the edge of the city and along the Donauinsel, or Danube Island, a 13-mile (21 km) strip where scenic vistas and quiet riding add to your Vienna discoveries.

Or explore Vienna on a guided walking tour, and later on your own, pursue 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 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, you are invited to join an optional Viennese Evening Concert excursion, featuring the music of Strauss and Mozart. This 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.

Accommodation: MS Emerald Star/Emerald Sky/Emerald Destiny/Emerald Dawn
Included 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 offers a “Cyclist’s Extra” option: an out-and-back ride along the Danube to the village of Klosterneuburg, primarily on bike paths. The afternoon ride is a relaxing and easy loop ride through the edge of the city and on Danube Island, a car-free recreational paradise.

Awake this morning in Bratislava, the riverside capital of Slovakia and the only capital to border two other nations. After breakfast, disembark for an orientation walking tour 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 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 your waiting ship Alternatively, you can cycle back along the other side of the river, though the small village of Devin, famous for its castle.

Back on board, join a cocktail reception and Gala Dinner this evening as the ship starts its voyage to Budapest.

Accommodation: MS Emerald Star/Emerald Sky/Emerald Destiny/Emerald Dawn
Included 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 option is partly along a busy country road.

You will be docked in Budapest all day today and will stay overnight until disembarkation tomorrow morning, giving you ample time to explore this jewel on the Danube. After breakfast, shuttle up river (50 minutes) to start today’s ride in Danube-Ipoly National Park. Your destination is the charming town of Szentendre, a delightful artists’ community brimming with galleries and workshops. En route, you’ll stop to explore the Hungarian Open Air Museum, dedicated to the folk architecture, culture, and lifestyle of Hungary in eight regional units on 150 acres.

Continue riding at your leisure into Szentendre, where you’ll have some free time to browse the galleries and shops. Your trip leaders will introduce you to their favorite Hungarian specialties during lunch at a popular restaurant. Return to Budapest from Szentendre much faster than you got here: by way of a high-speed water taxi. If you seek time away from your bike today, you may begin your guided explorations with your choice of tours: Explore Budapest as a whole, taking in the major sites of the Buda and Pest sides of the Danube, or walk up the slopes of the right bank for up-close views of Castle Hill and the Old Town, where Fisherman’s Bastion provides magnificent views of the city and the elegant Chain Bridge that spans the river.

Back on board, enjoy a full roster of entertainment and dining to celebrate your week on the Danube with your fellow travelers. After having a farewell cocktail on the Panorama Deck, your VBT trip leaders will walk you to a small, local restaurant at the foot of Castle Hill, for a memorable farewell dinner.

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

Today’s Ride Choices:
Cumulative Distance Range: 16 km (10 miles)
Morning
Danube-Ipoly National Park to Szentendre: 16 km (10 miles)

What to Expect: Enjoy a mostly downhill ride through forest on a quiet road, ending in town along the Danube. You’ll transfer back to the ship by water taxi.

After breakfast, disembark your ship and conclude your Danube odyssey with a guided walk through the city’s highlights. You’ll be treated to lasting and up-close views of the Parliament Building and the Castle complex. Your walk concludes late this morning at the hotel, where your tour comes to an end.

Your tour concludes at the hotel after this morning’s city walk. The hotel will help you book a taxi at your own expense to the airport. Important: Train or air departures from Budapest prior to 1:00 p.m. are not recommended. If you depart earlier, you are responsible for your own transfer arrangements from the ship.

Included Meals: Breakfast