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2023 Season

The Danube from the Black Sea to Germany with 2 Nights in Transylvania & 2 Nights in Prague for Wine Lovers


cruise: WODE-T2
22 Day River Cruise Bucharest to Prague
From the legend of Dracula’s castle, to the “Paris of the East” in Bucharest, you’ll embark on an odyssey of new discoveries to treasure. You’ll begin driving into the soaring Carpathian Mountains to Sinaia to visit Peles Castle. Continue to Brasov for a guided tour and a visit to Bran Castle, inspiration of legendary Romanian vampire of folklore—Dracula. In Bucharest, enjoy a tour of the capital’s boulevards, Arc de Triomphe, Royal Palace Square, and historic sites from a dramatic history.

On the second portion of your cruise, a Master of Wine will travel with you to host lectures, tastings, and tips on food-and-wine pairing. Tour the historic town of Pécs before sightseeing in the Hungarian capital of Budapest with a visit to a local wine cellar. You’ll take a guided walk through Bratislava, Slovakia before cruising to Vienna—the “City of Music.”

Enjoy guided sightseeing in Vienna’s historic Habsburg Empire—including the Imperial Palace, Vienna Opera House, and stunning St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Visit delightful Dürnstein and Melk—charming towns in the vineyard-rich Wachau Valley, where you can taste some of the local wines. Take a guided tour and hear the legendary tale of King Richard the Lionheart in Dürnstein, and tour the magnificent Benedictine Abbey high above Melk. Visit Austria’s lovely city of Linz with a tour of the city’s historic sites, then pass through the horseshoe bend of the Danube—the beautiful Schlögen Oxbow—on your way to Passau. Enjoy a guided walking tour of Germany’s “City of Three Rivers” before cruising to Vilshofen. Join us on this great adventure for exclusive views, from Romania to the Black Sea Delta to the Golden City of Prague.

About Masters of Wine
Seldom do travelers get the chance to learn about wines from a master! Avalon invites you to sail in the company of a Master of Wine (MW) who shares elite experience, unsurpassed knowledge, and personal passion for wines on board your ship. With only 450 Masters of Wine in the world, Avalon Waterways is honored to welcome a Master of Wine on board our Wine-Lovers cruises to share their rigorous training and prestigious expertise recognized globally across the wine industry. A truly exclusive experience for wine lovers!

cruise

at-a-glance


Day 1 Bucharest: Welcome to Bucharest

Day 2 Bucharest–Sinaia–Brasov: Visit Peles Castle

Day 3 Brasov: Guided tour of Brasov; guided visit of Dracula’s Bran Castle

Day 4 Brasov–Bucharest–Oltenita (Embarkation): Guided sightseeing in Bucharest; transfer to ship; onboard welcome reception

Day 5 Cernavoda. Excursion to Constanta: Guided sightseeing, visit the National History and Archaeological Museum in Constanta; wine tasting

Day 6 Rousse. Excursion to Veliko Târnovo & Arbanassi: Choice of full-day excursion, visit to Tsarevet’s Fortress in Veliko Târnovo and to the Ethnographic Museum and the Church of the Nativity in Arbanassi, or guided sightseeing in Rousse, or walk in the park with your Adventure Host

Day 7 Vidin–Belogradchik: Choice of guided sightseeing to Vidin’s fortress and see the rock formations in Belogradchik or bike with your Adventure Host

Day 8 Iron Gates–Donji Milanovac–Golubač: Cruise through the Iron Gates Gorge; choice of visit Lepenski Vir archaeological site or walk with your Adventure Host; visit to Golubač fortress

Day 9 Belgrade: Choice of guided sightseeing or walk with your Adventure Host; onboard lecture

Day 10 Novi Sad: Choice of Novi Sad guided tour or walk with your Adventure Host; choice of honey and wine tasting or hike to the Petrovaradin Fortress

Day 11 Ilok-Vukovar: Ilok guided tour with wine tasting; Vukovar guided tour

Day 12 Mohács. Excursion to Pécs: Guided tour and organ concert in Pécs or sightseeing in Mohács, visit St. Nicolas watermill

Day 13 Budapest: Choice of guided tour, see Heroes’ Square and visit a wine cellar or hike with your Adventure Host

Day 14 Budapest: Day at leisure

Day 15 Bratislava: Choice of guided sightseeing in Bratislava, visit St. Martin’s Cathedral or hike up to Bratislava Castle with your Adventure Host; onboard lecture on wine and tasting

Day 16 Vienna: Choice of guided sightseeing or bike with your Adventure Host

Day 17 Dürnstein–Wachau Valley–Ybbs. Excursion to Melk: Choice of guided walk, or hike up to the castle ruins in Dürnstein or visit a local wine cellar; cruise through the Wachau Valley; choice of guided visit of the Benedictine Abbey in Melk, Ybbs city sightseeing with Artstetten Castle visit; onboard wine and cheese tasting

Day 18 Linz: Guided sightseeing, see Hauptplatz and the Trinity Column; onboard food and wine pairing dinner

Day 19 Passau: Schlögen Oxbow scenic cruising; onboard wine and chocolate tasting; choice of guided tour or hike with your Adventure Host

Day 20 Vilshofen (Disembarkation)–Regensburg–Prague: Transfer to Regensburg, guided sightseeing; travel by motorcoach to Prague

Day 21 Prague: Guided sightseeing, see the Astronomical Clock and visit Hradčany Castle grounds

Day 22 Prague: Your vacation ends this morning

Avalon has designed included activities with a choice of experiences. We invite you to select the tours, activities, and events that interest you most, so you can experience your cruise your way. Plus, we offer independent exploration options and the use of our exclusive AvalonGO APP on most of our cruises. 

Below are 3 types of included shore excursions for you to experience.

The "Starting at" or "From" listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per person based on double occupancy and any applicable non-commissionable taxes and fees and intra-vacation flight are included in the price shown. Any included overnight stay in Canada, applicable GST/HST is also included in the price shown. International airfare, however, is not included. If price is crossed out, the new price shown includes limited-time promotional offer(s). Please review current promotions or deals for additional information.