Danube Holiday Markets

Budapest to Passau  -  9 Days

Day 1:	Depart Home Gateway City to Budapest
Day 2:	Arrive Budapest Arrive in Budapest and be greeted by a representative who will escort you to the ship.
Day 3:	Budapest Featured Excursions: Budapest City Tour and Christmas Market Onboard Highlights: Captain's Welcome Dinner Explore Budapest with us, through the UNESCO-listed Castle Hill district, see dramatic vistas from the 19th-century Fisherman's Bastion, and the famous Chain Bridge, an early 19th-century bridge that was the first to connect Buda with Pest. And in the center of it all is the Christmas Market, where you'll get to shop for traditional Hungarian wares and delightful treats like apricot brandy and cinnamon-spiced gingerbread. (B, L, Captain's Welcome Dinner)
Day 4:	Bratislava Featured Excursions: Bratislava City Tour with Wine Tasting in 17th-Century Wine Cellar The heart and soul of Slovakia, Bratislava is full of surprises. Straddling both banks of the Danube, this vibrant city is quite the melting pot of cultures. In comparison with the other Christmas Markets you'll visit, Bratislava's very first Christmas Market was only established in 1993, but the Slovakians have quickly embraced the holiday traditions of their Austrian and Hungarian neighbors, and you'll get to embrace them as well. (B, L, D)
Day 5:	Vienna Featured Excursions: Vienna City Tour with Christmas Market and an Evening Mozart and Strauss Concert Irresistible Optional Tour: Schönbrunn Palace Vienna is as exciting as it is beautiful. It's a city steeped in history yet on the cusp of current trends. Decorative lights blanket the city and aromas of roasted chestnuts and rich Viennese coffee fill the air at this magical time of year. With your panoramic city overview, travel the stately Ringstrasse, where the surrounding buildings give off a distinctive imperial air, and see St. Stephen's Cathedral and Figaro House. Vienna's Christmas Market, sitting in front of Vienna's Baroque City Hall, is not to be missed. Later in the evening, you'll celebrate Mozart's musical genius in one of Vienna's well-known concert halls. (B, L, D)
Day 6:	Krems Featured Excursions: Göttweig Organ Recital The fairytale town of Krems is located in the lush wine-producing Wachau Valley. The town itself lies nestled among the terraced vineyards, clinging to the banks of the Danube. Its tiny hillside streets offer fine views across the Danube to the Baroque Gottweig Abbey. A special treat waiting for you is the Gottweig Organ Recital, filling the air with seasonal music. (B, L, D)
Day 7:	Linz (Salzburg) Featured Excursions: Full-day Salzburg with Walking Tour and Lunch at the Fortress Your full-day excursion in Salzburg includes visiting the famous Mirabell Gardens and the city's cathedral. You'll also take a special trip to Mozart House, where the musical genius was born and where his childhood concert violins are on display. And, of course, Salzburg has its own Christmas Market, filled with sounds of Mozart, Christmas carolers, and choral groups. (B, L, D)
Day 8:	Passau Featured Excursions: Passau Walking Tour and Christmas Market, Gingerbread Making Demonstration, and Floral Decoration Workshop Onboard Highlights: Captain's Farewell Dinner Quaint and peaceful describe Passau. Your guided walk starts in the Medieval section of Passau, and then takes you past St. Stephan's Cathedral, the New Residence, Town Hall, and to the confluence of three rivers that converge at Passau. At the Christmas Market, you'll find unique crafts, including Bavarian-style houses and glass ornaments. And as an added treat, you'll see both gingerbread making and floral decorating demonstrations. (B, L, Captain's Farewell Dinner)
Day 9:	Depart Munich Disembark the ship and transfer to the airport in Munich for your flight home.