Best of Europe

Itinerary: Berlin to Budapest

Day 1 Depart Canada. Board your overnight flight to Berlin, Germany.

Day 2 Arrival in Berlin, the new German capital. After Welcome through the tour guide and Check-In in the hotel stroll along one of Europe's most famous avenues, the Kurfuerstendamm and see the Emperor William Memorial Church, a stark reminder of the ravages of war, but also elegant shops and boutiques and enticing pavement cafés. Dinner will be served in the hotel.

Day 3 In the morning, depart for a included half-day city sightseeing tour, taking in both East and West Berlin. After seeing the modern sights of West Berlin, cross over into the former Russian Zone at Checkpoint Charlie, and view the infamous Berlin Wall, the Brandenburg Gate and the Avenue 'Unter den Linden'. Marvel at the outstanding museums and cathedrals before returning to the hotel. In the afternoon, drive the short distances to Potsdam to visit Frederick the Great's residence. Lying idyllically on the banks of the Havel is the famous Castle Sanssouci (€ 30), which houses wonderful works of art.

Day 4 Make an early start today and drive to Dresden, which suf fered terribly in the 2nd world war but which has been rebuilt in the spirit of regeneration now so prevalent in the former East Germany. Half way through - stop in Meissen. Enjoy a guided tour (€ 30) of the world's most famous porcelain factory and admire the variety of beautiful designs. Perhaps choose something to take home! Continue then to your hotel in Dresden.

Day 5 Join our included sightseeing tour of Dresden. Splendidly situated on the banks of the Elbe, the city's main attraction is the Zwinger terrace, a wonderful collection of baroque pavilions, galleries and gardens. You also pass the Semper Opera and the Church of Our Lady. Enjoy some leisure time before departing for the Czech Republic, reaching Prague in the early evening. Dinner in the hotel.

Day 6 In the morning, there is an included sightseeing tour of Prague, 'The Golden City'! Visit the magnificent castle area with St. Vitus Cathedral and stroll down Golden Lane before going on a panoramic tour of the city that Goethe called 'the jewel in the world's crown'. Spend the afternoon at leisure, perhaps visiting the fascinating Jewish quarter or browsing through some of Prague’s many excellent shops. In the evening, your tour manager will organise a visit to one of the multi-media shows for which Prague is world-renowned: 'Laterna Magica' or 'La Fantastica'.

Day 7 Leave Prague and drive through the lovely countryside of Southern Bohemia en route for ancient Nuremberg, where the vessel will be waiting to welcome you. After these first scenic impressions, the ship’s tour manager will welcome you with a cocktail before the official welcome dinner. The vessel leaves Nuremberg in the evening and sails downstream towards Regensburg.

Day 8 The ship continues east along the Danube to the lovely old town of Regensburg, where she arrives at noon. An included walking tour of the town is available this afternoon. After dinner, enjoy an included evening of Bavarian entertainment on board ship. Vessel remains moored in Regensburg until the evening.

Day 9 The vessel spends the early morning cruising east along the Danube, passing the riverside Benedictine abbey of Niederaltech and the old town of Vilshofen, before reaching Passau in the morning. After breakfast, you may like to join an included walking tour of Passau, the most easterly city in Bavaria. Another excursion possibility is to join a city sightseeing tour (€ 60) to Salzburg, Mozart’s city. Participants in this excursion will rejoin the ship in Linz in the evening. The vessel leaves Passau at forenoon and, shortly afterwards, crosses the border into the province of Upper Austria to arrive in Linz, its capital, in the early evening. The ship sails from Linz in the later evening.

Day 10 The vessel arrives in Melk/Emmersdorf in the morning. This riverside village is best known for its great Baroque abbey, which has a magnificent church and famous library with over 70,000 books. From here starts the excursion Beauties of the Wachau (€ 39). In comfortable buses you will be taken through the picturesque landscape of the Wachau to the 900-year old Baroque Benedictine abbey of Melk, where you will go on a guided tour. Depending on the time of day, there may be an opportunity to hear a short organ recital in the abbey church. Following we take you to Duernstein, idyllically situated and probably the most famous wine-growing town of the entire Wachau region, for a stroll through the town. To end a splendid day, you will be invited to sample a fine selection of local wines in Emmersdorf, before you go onboard again.

In the evening we reach Vienna, where you can join the “Sound of Vienna” (€ 40) in the evening. The Salonorchester „Old Vienna“, one of the famous interpreters of classical music, sparks off a unique firework of the most beautiful compositions from the king of waltz, Johann Strauss, and his contemporaries as well as W. A. Mozart. Excellent musicians and opera singers, magical ballet dancers present an evening full of Viennese charm and beautiful waltzes, polkas and operetta melodies on its highest level.

Day 11 Vienna is the artistic capital of Austria: home to the waltz, coffee houses, the Prater and one of the world's finest opera houses. It is the city where Marie-Antoinette grew up and where Mozart died, and for 600 years was the centre of the Hapsburg Empire. This morning you can join an included sightseeing tour of the highlights of Vienna, with a local guide.

An excursion to the magnificent Schoenbrunn Palace (€ 32) is available this afternoon. Join the excursion “Vienna at night” (€ 40). An experience, where you will absorb the magic of Vienna after dark. The Prater - Vienna’s amusement park - invites you to an unforgettable view of the city all lit up, from the top of the Giant Ferris Wheel! The tour continues with a ride along the Ringstrasse, past the beautifully illuminated historical buildings, to a traditional Austrian 'Heuriger' wine tavern in Grinzing, where you can experience Viennese hospitality at its best with music and a glass of wine. Vessel remains moored in Vienna until the next morning.

Day 12 We leave Vienna in the morning, and soon cross from Austria into Slovakia. At noon we tie up in the city of Bratislava, which celebrated its 2000th anniversary in 1991. An included city sightseeing tour of Bratislava is included this afternoon, or you may just wish to go ashore and explore the city at your own pace. Before the vessel sails from Bratislava you invited to the Captain’s Gala Dinner on board.

Day 13 The vessel moors in Budapest in the morning. This morning you may go ashore and join an included city sightseeing tour. The afternoon is at leisure, so you are free to disembark and explore the city at your own pace. The evening ends with gypsy violins playing during the harbour cruise through Budapest by night. The ship remains moored in Budapest overnight.

Day 14 Disembarkation is after breakfast. Transfer to airport for your flight home.

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