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Christmas Market Cruise On The Danube

 

Amadeus Brilliant
December of 2023 we embarked on a Christmas Market Cruise on the Danube.

You can view a 1 hour ( If you choose LOL)  slideshow of our trip on YouTube.


On Top Deck of Brilliant


Dec 10, 2023: Vienna, Austria - Tour Begins - Board Cruise Ship

Your tour opens in Vienna, Austria’s capital city. Board your ship and unpack once for a relaxing cruise along the Danube. Your home for the next 6 nights, this beautifully appointed vessel has all the modern amenities you could need, such as the newest technology, panoramic deck café, panorama salon and bar, exceptional service, and delicious cuisine and wine with every dinner. Celebrate with a welcome dinner on board, followed by a Christmas concert performed by the ship’s orchestra.






Dec 11, 2023: Vienna

Join a local expert and explore Vienna's architecture, including Hofburg Palace, the Vienna Opera House, the Ringstrasse, and the awe-inspiring St. Stephen's Cathedral. The afternoon is yours. Perhaps you’ll join an optional excursion to Schönbrunn Palace, the Habsburgs’ summer retreat, and visit Vienna’s most famous Christmas market.


Dec 12, 2023: Vienna - Emmersdorf - Dürnstein - Wachau Valley

Journey through the Wachau Valley, dotted with castles and hillside houses, as you cruise to the quaint town of Emmersdorf. Relax and take in the scenery before visiting Dürnstein and the 900-year-old Benedictine Melk Abbey. Take a sip of local traditions at a Glühwein Party before returning to the ship.


Dec 13, 2023: Passau, Germany

Amid the early morning light, cruise past scenic valleys and charming riverside towns to Passau, situated at the meeting point of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers. This morning, it’s your choice! Enjoy a leisurely paced guided walking tour of Passau, the 2,000-year-old fairy-tale city also known as the “City of Three Rivers” and take in its ornate Baroque architecture, the cobblestoned streets, and St. Stephen’s Cathedral, home to Europe’s largest church organ -OR- spend time at one of the largest preserved castle complexes in Europe, the Veste Oberhaus, perched high above the old town of Passau. Never conquered and never completely destroyed, the view of the city from above is breathtaking.






Here's where it became dicey. The water on the Danube got so high from snow melting we had we couldn't pass under the bridge at Passau so we had to bus there and to the next stops.
Destinations were hard to get to so they added a stops in Linz, Salzburg, Munich before we stopped at scheduled Regensburg. The last two nights had to be in hotels










Dec 14, 2023: Regensburg

With an expert guide, discover Regensburg, one of Germany's best-preserved medieval cities. See the first stone bridge built over the Danube and the Porta Praetoria – a Roman gate built in A.D. 179. Stroll through Old Town to Regensburg's charming Christmas market and marvel at the festive lights and decorations. Browse and shop at the brightly lit wooden huts holding seasonal ornaments, wooden toys, and local handicrafts. Or perhaps you’ll join an optional excursion and experience the beauty and magic of the Romantic Christmas Market at Thurn and Taxis Palace in Regensburg.