Welcome to Budapest, where you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your contemporary Emerald Cruises Star-Ship, before enjoying plenty of free time to explore the Hungarian capital at your leisure. 

This evening, enjoy an authentic Hungarian folklore show on board, followed by a traditional dinner. 

EmeraldPLUS
Traditional Hungarian folklore show on board

Please book your flight to arrive into Budapest prior to 05:00 PM.

Architecture from across the centuries shines a light on the history of the Hungarian capital. Originally two separate cities, Buda to the west and Pest to the east offer incredibly different views on the culture of one of the liveliest cities in Eastern Europe. Today, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the city during a guided tour, including Heroes’ Square and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Andrássy Avenue and Buda Castle District. Alternatively, enjoy a hike to Gellert Hill for a postcard-worthy panorama view of the Danube banks. 

Included Excursion
Guided coach tour of Budapest

EmeraldACTIVE
Hike to Gellert Hill

This morning, relax on board as we sail to Bratislava. An ancient landscape awaits, where remarkable towers add to a skyline that perfectly encapsulates the history of the city, and preserved medieval fortifications tell tales of a turbulent past. Your local guide will take you through the heart of the city, as you soak in the sights of the lavish Episcopal Summer Palace and the neo-Renaissance façade of the Slovak National Theatre. 

If you’re feeling more active, you could instead choose to hike around the serene gardens of Bratislava Castle, which provides the perfect setting for the Shakespeare festival that occurs during the summer months. 

This afternoon, you will be invited into the home of a local family to learn more about their traditions and culture over coffee and cake. 

Included Excursion
Walking tour of Bratislava

EmeraldPLUS
Home-hosted coffee and cake with a local family

EmeraldACTIVE
Guided hike to Bratislava Castle

DiscoverMORE
Skoda tour of post-Communist Bratislava (extra expense)

DiscoverMORE
Carpathian wine route (extra expense)

Sweeping boulevards and world-famous art exhibitions welcome you to Vienna, a city which perfectly encapsulates the opulence of the Habsburg Monarchy and their ornate Baroque palaces. The Austrian capital is an art-lover's dream, and your guided tour will include a visit to the Kunsthistorisches Museum, the largest art museum in the country and one of the most important museums worldwide.  

If you’re feeling more active, then you may opt to explore on two wheels instead, cycling along the riverbanks before touching on Danube Island and Prater, the famous Viennese amusement park, home to the traditional 19th-century Ferris wheel. 

Included Excursion
Vienna art tour with a visit to the Kunsthistorisches Museum

EmeraldACTIVE
Guided bike tour in Vienna

DiscoverMORE
Viennese evening concert (extra expense)

This morning, enjoy a guided tour of Göttweig Abbey, a true treasure overlooking the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Wachau Valley. Visible from great distance, it’s one of Austria's most important Benedictine abbeys and attracts visitors from all over the world and provides epic panorama views.  

Afterwards, your Star-Ship will sail through the fascinating Wachau Valley, part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Wachau Cultural Landscape, and on to Dürnstein.  

Alternatively, embark on a guided bike tourin the Wachau reagion, passing terraced vineyards, castles and ruins along the way, before arriving where your Star-Ship is docked in Dürnstein. 

In the afternoon we arrive in Dürnstein; a small town nestled in the heart of the Wachau wine region. You'll have the chance to hike to the medieval ruins of Dürnstein Castle, the site where King Richard I was held prisoner following his return from the Third Crusade, and part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Wachau Cultural Landscape, a place peppered with natural lookout points that highlight the beauty of the region.  

Included Excursion
Guided tour of Göttweig Abbey

EmeraldACTIVE
Guided hike to Dürnstein Castle

EmeraldACTIVE
Guided bike tour along the Danube 

After a morning of sailing along the Danube, we will take you into the heart of Passau. Nicknamed the Dreiflüssestadt, meaning the ‘the city of three rivers’, it’s situated at the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers.  

Your included guided tour of Passau will unveil its noteworthy Gothic and Baroque architecture. If you're feeling active, you could join a bike tour along the River Inn, one of the three rivers converging in Passau. 

After your tour, enjoy some free time to explore Passau at your leisure, before spending an evening sailing blissfully towards Regensburg. 

Included Excursion
Guided tour of Passau

EmeraldACTIVE
Guided bike tour along the River Inn 

DiscoverMORE
Excursion to the Bavarian Forest (extra expense)

This morning, we arrive in Regensburg, a city built on the site of an ancient Roman fort. Your guided walking tour of Regensburg will showcase its UNESCO World Heritage-listed medieval centre, where narrow cobbled lanes and tall façades help to define the character of this enchanting Bavarian city. We will stop for a local Bavarian sausage tasting so you get a real feel of the daily life in Regensburg. 

Alternatively, you could join a bike tour to the Walhalla monument, which towers high above the slopes of the Danube. From here, you can enjoy a fascinating view of the surrounding landscape and the river.  
This evening, enjoy a traditional Bavarian band performance on board. 

EmeraldPLUS
Walking tour of Regensburg with Bavarian sausage tasting

EmeraldPLUS
Traditional Bavarian band performance on board

EmeraldACTIVE
Guided bike tour to the Walhalla monument

This morning after breakfast, you'll be transferred from your Emerald Cruises Star-Ship to Germany's enchanting Bavaria region and Nuremberg, your home for the next two nights. Then embark on a fascinating sightseeing tour of this historic city. After your guided tour, you'll have time to explore Nuremberg at leisure, passing the city's charming, half-timbered houses that were beautifully reconstructed following World War II.

Included Excursion
Guided tour of Nuremberg

After breakfast, you'll be transferred to Munich, the Bavarian capital, where you'll enjoy a one-night hotel stay. In this lively city, you'll visit key landmarks, including the former site of the Olympic Games, Nymphenburg Palace, Maximilianstrasse and the Parliament, as well as the National Theatre and Munich’s Residenz. During a guided walking tour, stroll the Marienplatz Square at the heart of the Old Town and witness the famous Glockenspiel. After the city tour, feel free to explore Munich further at your own pace.

Included Excursion
Guided tour of Munich

DiscoverMORE
Tastes of Bavaria (extra expense)

This morning after breakfast, it’s time to bid a fond farewell to your fellow guests and magical Bavaria and transfer to the airport for your onward flight.

This itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons such as high and low water. As such, the cruise may operate altered from that stated above. Please refer to our terms and conditions for further information.

Please note: Preview itinerary subject to change.