Arrive in Budapest and board your luxurious river cruise ship. You will meet your fellow passengers at an evening Welcome Aboard Wine Toast. (D)

Your morning excursion includes sightseeing in the cities of Buda and Pest spread over both banks of the river. You will see famed Heroes’ Square and Castle Hill, home to Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church and spectacular views of the Danube. (B,L,D)

This morning, you will have a chance to savor the Baroque elegance of romantic Vienna through your choice of one of three different excursions. The first option is a panoramic tour of Vienna that guides you past the majestic Opera House, the former Imperial Palace of the Habsburg Emperors, Parliament, Town Hall and Vienna University. Afterwards, you will visit Vienna’s historic city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and see St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Graben and the world famous Spanish Riding School. The second option is a walking tour of Vienna’s hidden treasures that takes you to secret places and sights like Ankeruhr, a whimsical Art Nouveau clock. Your third option is a guided bike tour along the Danube and through the Donaupark. After dinner enjoy an excursion to a rustic wine tavern to listen to folk music and sample newly pressed locally grown wine. (B,L,D)

Spend a free morning in Vienna before enjoying a scenic cruise through the Wachau Valley en route to Krems, wine capital of this region. During your scenic cruise you will be treated to an onboard wine lecture and tasting. Later this evening, you will discover that Krems offers a rich array of wine-related history and culture. After a light buffet dinner on board, head to a Wachau winery for drinks and hors d’oeuvres. The ship overnights in Krems. (B,L,D)

After reaching the Wachau Valley early this morning, you will have three tour options: A walking tour along Dürnstein’s cobblestone streets followed by a wine tasting, a hike up to the fortress where Richard the Lionheart was once held for ransom, or an Apricots and Sweets tasting. Return to the ship and continue onwards cruising through the gorgeous scenery of the Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This afternoon you will visit the spectacular Benedictine Abbey in Melk, one of Europe’s largest and most revered monasteries and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will see jewel-encrusted crosses containing religious relics, frescoes and richly embroidered vestments, as well as the abbey’s priceless collection of medieval manuscripts. Tonight the ship arrives in Grein, where you may enjoy some free time to explore this charming town. (B,L,D)

The ship arrives this morning in Linz. Enjoy a walking tour of the second largest city in Austria or choose a guided bike tour that will show you around the Old City Center, along the Danube River, and past the ultra-modern Ars Electronica Center. Later, you will have a choice of three different excursions. The first option is an excursion to Salzburg, Mozart’s birthplace, where you will take a walking tour of the historic center made famous by "The Sound of Music.” The second option is an excursion to the Czech town of Cesky Krumlov, a wonderfully preserved medieval town nestled in the hills just over the Austrian-Czech border. The third option is a visit to the Austrian Lake District, the scenic Salzkammergut region. All three options are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Tonight, you’ll savor a fabulous Chaîne Des Rôtisseurs Dinner complete with wine pairing. (B,L,D)

Early this morning, cruise through Upper Austria to Passau in Germany, where the rivers Inn and Ilz join the Danube. Enjoy a walking tour of this 2,000-year-old city, noted for its Gothic and Italian Baroque architecture, cobblestone streets and squares like Rathaus, Domplatz and Residenzplatz, as well as St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Guests looking for a more active morning can choose between a guided bike tour along the Danube from Passau to Erlau, or a guided hike up to the Veste Oberhaus fortress overlooking Passau. This afternoon, the ship cruises to the medieval town of Vilshofen, where you will enjoy a festive Oktoberfest celebration with local beer and Bavarian folk music and dancing. (B,L,D)

This morning, disembark your ship in Vilshofen. (B)

Arrive in Budapest and transfer to your hotel.

Once the co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian empire (along with Vienna), Budapest is one of Europe’s most regal and storied cities—and many of its most iconic sights can be seen right off the banks of the Danube. Today’s tour takes you to another side of Budapest to the Jewish Quarter, where there are some real treasures. The Great Synagogue, the largest Synagogue in Europe and the second largest in the world, located in Dohány Street, represents the beating heart of this quarter. Other prominent attractions include the Holocaust Memorial, a weeping willow tree with the names of Hungarian Jews killed during the Holocaust inscribed on each leaf; and the Shoes on the Danube, a memorial to the Budapest Jews who were shot by Arrow Cross militiamen between 1944 and 1945. (B)

Check out of your hotel to board your luxurious ship. During the evening, be treated to a Welcome Aboard Wine Toast and a special Illuminations cruise around Budapest’s famed Parliament building as at night, the city virtually glitters as these landmarks are awash in lights. (B,D)

Your morning excursion includes sightseeing in the cities of Buda and Pest spread over both banks of the river. You will see famed Heroes’ Square and Castle Hill, home to Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church and spectacular views of the Danube. (B,L,D)

This morning, you will have a chance to savor the Baroque elegance of romantic Vienna through your choice of one of three different excursions. The first option is a panoramic tour of Vienna that guides you past the majestic Opera House, the former Imperial Palace of the Habsburg Emperors, Parliament, Town Hall and Vienna University. Afterwards, you will visit Vienna’s historic city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and see St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Graben and the world famous Spanish Riding School. The second option is a walking tour of Vienna’s hidden treasures that takes you to secret places and sights like Ankeruhr, a whimsical Art Nouveau clock. Your third option is a guided bike tour along the Danube and through the Donaupark. After dinner enjoy an excursion to a rustic wine tavern to listen to folk music and sample newly pressed locally grown wine. (B,L,D)

Spend a free morning in Vienna before enjoying a scenic cruise through the Wachau Valley en route to Krems, wine capital of this region. During your scenic cruise you will be treated to an onboard wine lecture and tasting. Later this evening, you will discover that Krems offers a rich array of wine-related history and culture. After a light buffet dinner on board, head to a Wachau winery for drinks and hors d’oeuvres. The ship overnights in Krems. (B,L,D)

After reaching the Wachau Valley early this morning, you will have three tour options: A walking tour along Dürnstein’s cobblestone streets followed by a wine tasting, a hike up to the fortress where Richard the Lionheart was once held for ransom, or an Apricots and Sweets tasting. Return to the ship and continue onwards cruising through the gorgeous scenery of the Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This afternoon you will visit the spectacular Benedictine Abbey in Melk, one of Europe’s largest and most revered monasteries and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will see jewel-encrusted crosses containing religious relics, frescoes and richly embroidered vestments, as well as the abbey’s priceless collection of medieval manuscripts. Tonight the ship arrives in Grein, where you may enjoy some free time to explore this charming town. (B,L,D)

The ship arrives this morning in Linz. Enjoy a walking tour of the second largest city in Austria or choose a guided bike tour that will show you around the Old City Center, along the Danube River, and past the ultra-modern Ars Electronica Center. Later, you will have a choice of three different excursions. The first option is an excursion to Salzburg, Mozart’s birthplace, where you will take a walking tour of the historic center made famous by "The Sound of Music.” The second option is an excursion to the Czech town of Cesky Krumlov, a wonderfully preserved medieval town nestled in the hills just over the Austrian-Czech border. The third option is a visit to the Austrian Lake District, the scenic Salzkammergut region. All three options are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Tonight, you’ll savor a fabulous Chaîne Des Rôtisseurs Dinner complete with wine pairing. (B,L,D)

Early this morning, cruise through Upper Austria to Passau in Germany, where the rivers Inn and Ilz join the Danube. Enjoy a walking tour of this 2,000-year-old city, noted for its Gothic and Italian Baroque architecture, cobblestone streets and squares like Rathaus, Domplatz and Residenzplatz, as well as St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Guests looking for a more active morning can choose between a guided bike tour along the Danube from Passau to Erlau, or a guided hike up to the Veste Oberhaus fortress overlooking Passau. This afternoon, the ship cruises to the medieval town of Vilshofen, where you will enjoy a festive Oktoberfest celebration with local beer and Bavarian folk music and dancing. (B,L,D)

Depart the ship and drive through the countryside to Regensburg, one of Germany’s best preserved medieval cities, which you’ll discover on a guided walking tour showcasing the city’s architectural highlights, including the Old Town Hall and the Porta Praetoria. After touring Regensburg, continue your journey on to Prague. (B)

Discover Prague with a choice of a city tour or a castle hike. Both will reveal why Prague is considered one of Europe’s most attractive cities, with a historic city centre that’s recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See all the key highlights, including the National Museum, Wenceslas Square, the 1,000 year-old Prague Castle and Old Market Square, where you will find the famous Astronomical Clock. (B)

Beer has a long and illustrious history in the Czech Republic with the first brewery known to have existed in 993. Pilsner Urquell was created in 1842, being the first pilsner ever made, whilst Budweiser came into being in the city of Budweis. Beer is a core part of the country’s national identity, so much so the Czechs are the biggest consumers of beer in the world. The country is home to more than 100 breweries with a combination of big names and micro establishments offering a huge range of styles, so join a Czech beer tasting and discover for yourself what makes the Czech’s beer some of the very best in the world. (B)

Bid farewell to Prague and prepare for your homeward flight. (B)