Itinerary
- Day 1
Prague
You'll arrive in Prague and head to your hotel to settle in. Later this evening, you'll meet the other travelers at a welcome reception that kicks off the trip.
- Day 2
Prague
This morning you'll check out Prague Castle and walk across the Charles Bridge built in 1357. After that, head to Old Town Square to see the astronomical clock from 1410. By evening, you'll sit down at Alcron Restaurant for dinner featuring local Czech food.
- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner at Alcron Restaurant, a contemporary fine dining establishment known for its use of local Czech produce with a plant-forward philosophy)
Included Activities
- Visit Prague Castle with city views
- Walk across Charles Bridge
- Explore Old Town Square and the astronomical clock
- Dinner at Alcron Restaurant
Optional Activities
- Private guided tour of Chateau Jemníšť€ with baroque architecture exploration, falconry display, and lunch
Landmarks/POIs Prague Castle Charles Bridge Old Town Square Astronomical Clock Chateau Jemníšť€ - Day 3
Prague to Berlin
You'll travel to Germany through the Dresden Elbe Valley. Stop at Volkswagen's Transparent Factory to watch electric vehicles being assembled in the modern glass-walled building. Later you'll continue on to Berlin for dinner.
Included Activities
- Visit Volkswagen Transparent Factory in Dresden
- Tour electric vehicle assembly process
Landmarks/POIs Volkswagen Transparent Factory Dresden Elbe Valley - Day 4
Berlin
Berlin's historical sites are on the agenda today. Start with the Brandenburg Gate, then head over to Checkpoint Charlie where you can visit the museum and learn about the former border crossing during the Cold War.
Included Activities
- Visit Brandenburg Gate
- Visit Checkpoint Charlie and museum
Landmarks/POIs Brandenburg Gate Checkpoint Charlie - Day 5
Berlin to Potsdam
You have morning activities to choose from, and then you'll head to Potsdam for a tour of Sanssouci Palace, which was Frederick the Great's summer residence. Your evening is free to relax after the day.
Included Activities
- Tour Sanssouci Palace
Optional Activities
- Spree River boat ride with mulled wine, passing Bellevue Palace, Reichstag, Museum Island, Berlin Cathedral and Schlossplatz City Palace
- Visit to Berlin's artist district with walking tour of Jewish heritage area
Landmarks/POIs Sanssouci Palace Bellevue Palace Reichstag Museum Island Berlin Cathedral Schlossplatz City Palace Spree River - Day 6
Berlin to Warsaw
You'll travel into Poland and arrive in Warsaw. Dinner this evening is at a traditional Polish inn where you'll have classic cuisine and listen to live folk music.
- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner at a Polish inn featuring classic cuisine alongside live folk music)
Included Activities
- Dinner at Polish inn with live folk music
- Day 7
Warsaw
Walk through Warsaw's history by visiting the World War II Jewish Ghetto site. After that, go to Lazienki Park to see birdlife around Lazienki Palace. This evening there's a concert at Fryderyk Concert Hall celebrating Frederic Chopin's compositions.
Included Activities
- Walking tour of World War II Jewish Ghetto
- Visit Łazienki Park and Łazienki Palace
- Frédéric Chopin concert performance at Fryderyk Concert Hall
Landmarks/POIs Warsaw Jewish Ghetto Łazienki Park Łazienki Palace Fryderyk Concert Hall - Day 8
Warsaw to Auschwitz to Kraków
You'll travel to Auschwitz for a guided tour of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum and the grounds. Afterward you'll head to Krakow for dinner.
Included Activities
- Tour Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum
- Walk through Auschwitz grounds
Landmarks/POIs Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum - Day 9
Kraków
Morning sightseeing options let you explore Krakow at your own pace. The evening is yours to discover local restaurants or just relax at your hotel.
Optional Activities
- Kraków walking tour including 13th-century main square, Gothic and Renaissance architecture
- Polish cooking class learning to make pierogis with local cook, includes lunch
Landmarks/POIs Kraków Main Square - Day 10
Kraków to High Tatras
You'll visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine to explore underground passageways from the 13th century. Then you'll journey through the High Tatras mountains and arrive at your historic lakeside hotel.
Included Activities
- Visit Wieliczka Salt Mine with underground passageway exploration
Landmarks/POIs Wieliczka Salt Mine High Tatras Lake Štrbské Pleso - Day 11
High Tatras
Start the day with a cheese tasting at a local organic farm. Spend the afternoon relaxing at your hotel, enjoying the spa with views of the High Tatras, or walking around the glacial lake. Later you'll gather for a farewell dinner.
- Meals
- Dinner (Farewell dinner)
Included Activities
- Cheese tasting at local organic farm
- Farewell dinner
Optional Activities
- Visit hotel spa with views of High Tatra Mountains
- Leisurely walk around Lake Štrbské Pleso
Landmarks/POIs Lake Štrbské Pleso - Day 12
High Tatras to Budapest
You'll travel to Budapest and board your luxury river cruise to start the Magnificent Europe journey.
Included Activities
- Board APT Solara or APT Ostara river ship
- Day 13
Budapest
Pick your sightseeing option this morning in Budapest. The ship departs for Vienna in the afternoon.
Optional Activities
- Budapest city tour visiting Heroes' Square and St. Stephen's Basilica
- Culinary tour of Great Market Hall exploring sausages, meats, cheeses, fruits and vegetables
- Funicular ride to Castle Hill with walk to Fisherman's Bastion
Landmarks/POIs Heroes' Square St. Stephen's Basilica Great Market Hall Castle Hill Fisherman's Bastion - Day 14
Budapest to Vienna
You'll have a relaxing morning cruise to Vienna. Once you arrive, you can see landmarks along the Ringstrasse and visit St. Stephen's Cathedral.
Included Activities
- View landmarks along Ringstrasse
- Visit St. Stephen's Cathedral
Landmarks/POIs St. Stephen's Cathedral - Day 15
Vienna
Choose a morning sightseeing activity. This evening brings a private classical concert and cocktail party at Vienna's City Palace where a full orchestra performs Mozart and Strauss with operatic singers.
Included Activities
- Cocktail party and private classical concert at Vienna's City Palace with full orchestra and operatic performance
Optional Activities
- Schönbrunn Palace tour exploring former emperor apartments and grounds
- Day trip to Bratislava, Slovakia to explore 18th-century rococo and communist era architecture including UFO bridge, Slovak Radio building and Hotel Kyjev
- Vienna culinary tour of narrow streets including traditional cafe, Viennese sausage, and famous patisserie
Landmarks/POIs Vienna's City Palace Schönbrunn Palace UFO bridge - Day 16
Melk
You'll walk through the beautiful town of Durnstein this morning. Later you'll pick an activity to reach Melk, and then visit Melk Abbey.
Included Activities
- Visit Melk Abbey
Optional Activities
- Cruise through Wachau Valley to Melk, viewing vineyards, charming villages and historic castles
- Guided bike ride from Dürnstein to Melk along Danube River through Wachau Valley
Landmarks/POIs Dürnstein Melk Abbey Wachau Valley Danube River - Day 17
Salzburg
A guided tour takes you through Salzburg. This evening you'll head to Gaisberg Mountain for a special experience where you'll meet a hunting horn blower, have a welcome drink, lunch at a traditional restaurant, and see a show with music from The Sound of Music.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch at traditional restaurant on Gaisberg Mountain overlooking Salzburg)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Salzburg
- Gaisberg Mountain lunch with welcome drink and Sound of Music show
Landmarks/POIs Salzburg Gaisberg Mountain - Day 18
Regensburg
You can personalize your day by choosing from sightseeing activities in this historic Bavarian city.
Optional Activities
- Guided tour of Regensburg's World Heritage-listed city centre with Roman history and first capital of Bavaria, finishing with tasting at historic sausage kitchen (one of oldest working restaurants in world)
- Guided bike ride to Walhalla Memorial, a neo-classical building above Danube River housing hall of fame honoring German politicians, artists, sovereigns and scientists
Landmarks/POIs Regensburg City Centre Walhalla Memorial Danube River - Day 19
Main-Danube Canal to Nuremberg
You'll cruise the Main-Danube Canal while enjoying a Bavarian beer, sausage and pretzel tasting on deck. When you arrive in Nuremberg, you can choose between World War II sites or medieval history options.
- Meals
- Snack (Bavarian beer, sausage and pretzel tasting on Daystar Deck)
Included Activities
- Bavarian beer, sausage and pretzel tasting on Daystar Deck
Optional Activities
- Discover Nuremberg's World War II sites including Reich Party Rally Grounds from 1927-1938
- Medieval history tour of Nuremberg including 900-year-old ramparts, Imperial Castle, main market square and 14th-century Gothic church
Landmarks/POIs Main-Danube Canal Reich Party Rally Grounds Nuremberg Imperial Castle - Day 20
Bamberg
You'll arrive in Bamberg, a World Heritage site and one of the few German cities not destroyed in World War II. Either take a guided walk through the Old Town to see historic churches and buildings, or relax onboard the ship.
Included Activities
- Guided exploration of Bamberg Old Town including historic churches and buildings on Regnitz River
Optional Activities
- Relax onboard the ship
Landmarks/POIs Bamberg Old Town Regnitz River - Day 21
Würzburg
Four activity options are available to explore this historic region, from palace tours to wine tasting to hiking to visiting the charming town of Rothenburg.
Optional Activities
- Visit the Würzburg Residence, an 18th-century palace of Prince-Bishops featuring intricate tapestries, gilded stucco work and ceiling frescoes by Tiepolo
- Explore walled town of Rothenburg with medieval cobblestone streets and colorful houses; optional visit to Käthe Wohlfahrt's Christmas Village with world's largest collection of German Christmas decorations
- Hike to Marienberg Fortress, Würzburg's most visible landmark with castle overlooking city
- Tastes of Franconia: guided tour of Volkacher Mainschleife wine region and famous Franconian whisky distillery with tasting paired with local bread
Landmarks/POIs Würzburg Residence Rothenburg Marienberg Fortress Volkacher Mainschleife - Day 22
Miltenberg
You'll dock in Miltenberg and choose between a guided walking tour with liqueur tasting, or visiting a local monastery with a Franciscan friar to sample homemade sausages, cheese and bread.
Optional Activities
- Guided walking tour of Miltenberg exploring remarkably preserved buildings and lively squares, followed by local liqueur tasting at one of Franconia's oldest wine cellars
- Visit local monastery overlooking Miltenberg to meet Franciscan friar, sample homemade sausages, cheese and bread, and wander gardens and vineyard
Landmarks/POIs Miltenberg - Day 23
Rüdesheim
You'll dock in Rudesheim, one of Germany's most valued cultural and historic cities. Pick from a gondola ride over vineyards, visit to a mechanical musical instrument museum, or wine cellar tasting. Afterward you'll cruise past the scenic Rhine Valley.
Optional Activities
- Gondola ride over emerald vineyards of Rhine Valley with stunning vistas, arriving at Niederwald Monument commemorating 1871 German unification
- Tour of Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum featuring collection of automated musical instruments
- Historic wine cellar tasting of Rhine Valley wines
Landmarks/POIs Niederwald Monument Rhine Valley - Day 24
Netherlands
This morning you'll have an exclusive experience at 14th-century Namedy Castle where Princess Heide von Hohenzollern welcomes you. You'll explore the rooms and grounds while having tea with classical piano music. The ship cruises toward the Netherlands this afternoon.
- Meals
- Brunch (Morning tea at Namedy Castle)
Included Activities
- Exclusive visit to Namedy Castle with private tour of 14th-century residence near Rhine River
- Morning tea at Namedy Castle with classical piano music
Landmarks/POIs Namedy Castle - Day 25
Amsterdam
You'll arrive in Amsterdam and pick your sightseeing option. This evening you'll have fresh locally sourced oysters with regional sparkling wine.
- Meals
- Dinner (Fresh locally sourced oysters with regional sparkling wine)
Included Activities
- Oysters and regional sparkling wine reception
Optional Activities
- Glass-top boat canal cruise through World Heritage-listed canals viewing unique architecture
- Regional cheese tasting featuring Edam and Gouda varieties
- Guided bike ride through countryside to Durgerdam village and Street Art Museum
- Keukenhof Gardens in spring (select spring departures) - explore 70+ acres with 7 million flowering bulbs including tulips
Landmarks/POIs Amsterdam Canals Durgerdam Street Art Museum Keukenhof Gardens - Day 26
Amsterdam Departure
Your journey ends today. After breakfast you'll say goodbye and head to the airport.
