Riverside Mozart: River Cruise on the Danube
Crossing four countries, the Riverside cruise line has created a captivating river cruise in search of the old powerful Empires: Austria, Hungary, Germany, and Slovakia.
“Highlights of the Danube” is an 8-day journey that will take guests to visit picturesque villages and monumental cities, discovering nature among vineyards and orchards.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DANUBE
Embarkation is scheduled in Budapest aboard the Riverside Mozart, a ship that sets new standards with only suites, the smallest of which measures 20 square meters. No other river cruise ship offers such spaciousness, a favorable crew-to-guest ratio, and excellent service.
After spending the night along the Danube, the journey reaches Bratislava, the capital and largest city of Slovakia. Surrounded by vineyards and the Little Carpathians, it features forested trails perfect for hiking. The 18th-century old town is primarily pedestrian. Just outside the city are the ruins of Devin Castle, dating back to the 9th century, once a sentinel and an important trade route between Austria and Slovakia.
Castello Devin – Bratislava
On the third day of the journey, the cruise arrives in Austria in the town of Tulln an der Donau, greeted by the Tulln Gardens, one of the best botanical gardens in Europe with plants, beautiful flowers, water features, and ponds. Here, guests can admire the unspoiled Austrian countryside and one of the world’s largest wineries, Gobelsburg Castle, where monks have been making wine since the 12th century.
Castello Gobelsburg
Leaving the Austrian countryside, the next day brings the incomparable capital Vienna, rich in history and the city of music. St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the opulent Vienna State Opera, and Hofburg Palace, with its treasures and one of the largest collections dedicated to the Holy Roman Empire and Austrian heritage, are the highlights of the visit.
No visit to the Wachau Valley is complete without a stop at Austria’s most beautiful abbey, making Melk a true gem of baroque architecture. After Melk, the afternoon includes a stop in Ybbs with the enchanting Artstetten Castle, still home to the descendants of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
Castello Artstetten
Postlingberg Hill
Two days will be spent in Linz with its historic center and Feichtiger Palace with its famous Glockenspiel. From Linz, excursions can be organized to Pöstlingberg Hill (a hill overlooking the Danube) or to the Bohemian region of the Czech Republic with the enchanting town of “Fairytale Cesky Krumlov.” The river cruise will end in Passau, a charming German town known as Dreiflüssestadt (“the city of three rivers”) due to the confluence of the Inn and Ilz rivers with the Danube.
The Riverside Mozart cruise ship offers king-size beds, luxurious materials, elegant marble bathrooms, and soft colors inspired by nature and the shades of the Danube. Life on board will be marked by excursions, dinners in the four onboard restaurants with various culinary experiences and new creations by the chefs, as well as wellness activities (gym, lap pool, sauna, and jogging track). Available dates for this “Highlights of the Danube” itinerary are June 30, September 12, or October 17, 2024.
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