most of your dining is done onboard unless your excursion is longer and provides a meal or you opt to eat in the ports. The facade was built with sandstone a material easy to transport centuries ago that kind of soaks up the dirty fumes; this makes cleaning it a chore since sandstone is too fragile to power wash. The fact that it survived the war relatively unscathed makes it a place that stands pretty much true to its original design. In the booklet that Viking sends out before your cruise, it shows where the boat should be. Wertheim Castle Hike this demanding activity is a hike to the top to Wertheim Castle that offers sweeping views of the city below. Its home to several international organizations, including OPEC. You can book them right in your MyVikingJourney account online, including the free ones, and you will be set to go, cruise information Viking will send out luggage tags and a book with all your cruise info in it well before the cruise starts. One thing that I really loved about the dining on board this Viking cruise was the consistency in dining times, knowing what to expect and the always changing regional menus. Today the church is used by appointment for baptisms, weddings, and funerals. Everyone on board our cruise was watching Downton Abbey. Viking was kind enough to put the entire series on the TV for everyone to binge watch during their trip. We ate ours as a takeout meal as we strolled over the bridge on our way to Alte Linde, an outdoor beer garden. Our tour guide explained the political system of the Middle Ages and beyond, the hierarchy of the Holy Roman Empires nobles, as well as the crime and punishment protocols. A major force in German history, it is probably best known for its Christmas markets and its place in World War II history. Some of its more famous guests were Napoleon Bonapart and Elvis Presley. The church is both Gothic and Baroque in design. (Sounds good, right? Wurzburg Residenz and Walk (included tour) this is an included tour of the former residence of the Wurzburg prince-bishop. I brought band-aids, Tylenol, Motrin, antibiotic cream, etc, binoculars for looking at high perched castles along the rivers and birds, bring a book or something to entertain yourself at night or on longer days cruising, ornaments from Kathe Wohlfahrt (found in some of the Germany ports). Chef mixes it up so you get to try a variety of breads and rolls, occasional nightly entertainment (music, glass blowing, etc), Day 1: Embark in Budapest, Hungary boarding and overnight, Day 3: Vienna, Austria arrive in the evening, Day 4: Vienna, Austria full day in port, Day 5: Scenic cruising Wachau Valley AND Melk, Austria, Day 8: Main-Danube Canal AND Nuremburg, Germany, Day 11: Wertheim, Germany AND Scenic Cruising: Main River, Spessart, Day 12: Middle Rhine Scenic Cruising AND Koblenz, Germany, Day 14: Scenic cruising Waal and Merwede AND Kinderdijk, The Netherlands, Day 15: Disembark in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You turn this back in when you get back. Grand European Tour 2025 - Budapest to Amsterdam - Viking River Cruises Viking's Most Popular River Cruise - The Grand European Tour You can even take in the pyramids in Egypt on Viking's 12 day Pharaohs & Pyramids cruise. We had been spoiled by all the delightful towns on our river journey south. Schloss Mespelbrunn Modern Aristocracy Tour. You may have heard that Amsterdam is now considered overrun with tourists. Near the end of the tour, you come to a balcony of sorts that overlooks the unfinished Congress Hall (resembling a coliseum) that Hitler had planned to use for his efforts. Taste your way through a culinary tour of Budapest. But once you walk into the Cologne Cathedral, you see the beauty of the architecture and the artwork. A lot of people talked about their day and the excursions they went on or self exploration. While each day brings a great new adventure on this Viking Grand European Tour, you will have downtime each day to relax and get ready for the next day. Everyone on board was very friendly, staff included. We had a very nice time. I am a big fan of river cruising. Some say the Hungarian Parliament was built to impress visitors from Vienna, 150 miles away. King Matthias ordered changes to the structure and held two of his marriages here. Of the optional ones (i.e. The altar is adorned by a large painting of Mary, its patron saint. The rooms look awesome and the meals look even better. Wow, your cruise is right around the corner, Glenn! With this itinerary you are essentially getting two cruises in one as you experience both a Danube River Cruise and a Rhine River Cruise. Their main income is derived from timber, tourism, and wine. Barcelona to Venice Ocean Cruise Overview | Viking Ocean Available 24/7 are two coffee and tea stations outside of the lounge. The one we met was in charge of tourism, and one of the things he oversees is their Instagram feed. To ensure you remember all the great experiences on your cruise, take lots of pictures and create a photo book of your journey when you return home. You can do a couple days in Budapest exploration on your own or in part with the cruise. River cruises are very popular choices for people who like the idea of traveling to new places in the comfort of a floating hotel. Situated on the Main River in northern Bavaria, Wurzburg is known for its culture and wine (a dry white from the Silvaner grape). Home of the National Gallery and the Budapest History Museum, the Buda Castle is something to see on Castle Hill. Climb the bell tower for a far-reaching view of the town and countryside. This is a well-preserved town with a population of a little more than 10,000 that welcomes tourism. Viking - Viking Ve - Grand European Tour - Budapest to Amsterdam - 2023 If you have experiences to share from any of the cities mentioned in this post or as a passenger on the Viking Grand European Tour, feel free to share your thoughts below! Top 5 Viking River Cruises in Europe - Cruise Critic Most of your time is out in ports exploring and you want to be comfortable, especially on cobblestone and uneven terrain in older buildings. I say try everything once, twice if you like it. offers two museums, a restaurant, and a commanding view of Wurzburg. Special savings plus FREE airfare valid on select departures of Capitals of Eastern Europe; Grand European Tour; Lyon, Provence & the Rhineland; Magnificent Mekong. Therefore, I am only highlighting what we visited: Gottweig Abbey. Nowadays, its a relaxing place to spend a few hours, strolling the winding cobbled streets, admiring the half-timbered structures with intricate signs denoting a merchants trade, window shopping, stopping for a beer, or walking up to the bishops house to catch a view of the river and countryside. It is chock full of stalls with merchants selling produce, meat, candy, baked goods, and Hungarian treats. The Viking Grand European Tour river cruise offered the best of the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers. Its a very nice experience to go out into ports each day and learn about the places you visit and then have a wonderful place to come home to with cooked meals and friendly faces. You will find information on the port, what time each tour departs, places of interest in case you opt not to take tours, if there are buses provided by Viking into the city center, meal times (a few times it was different), weather, arrival and departure, if there is evening entertainment, a daily nautical term, on this day in history section, and so much more, daily printed newspaper headlines from a variety of countries, complimentary water and umbrellas during tours, motion sickness i rarely felt the boat move unless we were in locks, but even then, it was not anything like an ocean cruise. Additionally you will go to the old town for more exploration. Hi Ryan, Im so glad you found the information helpful. The staff is superior on Viking and they are going to make sure you have the best trip you could ask for. I highly recommend stepping in briefly just so you get a feel for it. One thing I dont want to leave out is how fantastic the servers are. Imagine visiting lovely cities small and large along the fabled Rhine River and Danube River. My husband, Pop, and I usually design our vacations to Europe, and we like talking about and planning what we want to see and where we want to stay beforehand. You spend a lot of time on the rivers and you can easily sit on your balcony and watch all the cute towns, castles, and so forth pass you by. Enjoy your cruise! Rothenburg is a delightful Bavarian town that carries you back to the Middle Ages. We were take to the airport in Amsterdam and Viking staff on the ground helped with our bags and checking in for our flights. In fact, there are parts that look as if theyre three-dimensional when, in fact, theyre painted in such a way as to fool the eye. In fact, the exterior is so plain, that one would expect the interior to be simple, as well. **We abandoned the tour about half way through because we saw cuckoo clocks in a window and decided to go shopping. If youre in the area, this is worth a visit and a meal. By doing this, I cut some of my time on board down in favor of seeing more of the cities. maps are often available of the cities at port with highlights that include: popular attractions, post offices, restrooms, taxi, etc. Or perhaps you will be cruising down the Mekong River through Vietnam and Cambodia on a 15-night voyage? Our guide recommended this spot on the side of the old stone bridge (today its a pedestrian bridge) that serves a sandwich with finger-sized sausages, yummy mustard, and sauerkraut. Gingerbread Making Class learn to make this delicious treat that the locals have been making since the 14th century! During your morning walking tour, experience life in a typical small German town. It was Nuremberg, of course, that was the site of the Nuremberg Trials that were held after the war. As you walk through the castle (wear good walking/hiking shoes as the terrain is uneven in spots), you can picture yourself back in time because its well-preserved. Dokumentationszentrum Reichsparteitagsgelaende. Because its so walkable, youll be able to cover several of the top spots and have time to spare for a meal and/or shopping before you need to board the ship for departure. The window to sign up for excursions will open next month. We appreciated the well-planned ports of call and excursions. Several castles along the middle Rhine River hold the stories of the wealthy landowners who built fortresses for protection and exacted tolls from boats passing by. There are a couple souvenir shops on the grounds if you are looking for postcards, trinkets, stroopwafles, etc. disembarkation Viking makes this process as seamless as possible. before arriving here, we didnt order food here, although there is a full menu. Ihave been on the GET and also several times along the Danube with other Viking cruises. Thats why we liked to return to the peaceful, friendly little town of Haarlem at the end of a busy sightseeing day. Our Viking river cruise ship docked within a few minutes walk into the center of Cologne (or Kln in German), the fourth largest German city. Journey through the ages. Vineyards are planted along many south-facing hilltops a reminder of the delicious wines this area boasts for oenophiles and common folks alike. I barely felt the ship move at all when we were cruising down the river, language all staff and tour guides spoke in English, quietvox for tours in your stateroom there is a quietvox for each passenger to take on tours. During the downtime on board when you are sailing to your next port, you will go through many locks. Because its so walkable, youll be able to cover several of the top spots and have time to spare for a meal and/or shopping before you need to board the ship for departure. Enjoy your fall cruise! I think this is a fantastic way to get to know people with like minded interests and to make long lasting friendships. , an optical illusion technique that fools the eye into thinking something is three-dimensional when, in fact, it is not. 50 Launched 2012-2021 Cruise Code VKGET-R Overview Absorb the atmosphere of Budapest's Caf Gerbeaud and learn the Viennese waltz. No photography is allowed inside. Viking guests have the opportunity to tour the 900-year-old abbey (including the library, which houses 130,000 books), view a short film about life at the abbey, and admire the extensive . Unfortunately, neither of us are very artistically inclined, so our finished product was pretty amateurish, but we had fun trying. This is how they know who they are missing. This was my favorite port on the Viking Grand European Tour and we opted to take the day tour to Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Viking Egdir - Viking River Cruises Today its home to three universities; the young population makes it a happening place: there are plenty of restaurants, shops, and beer gardens. Wish us luck. Kinderdijk Windmill Village with Viking River Cruises - Cruise Maven bring a camera to capture all the wonderful memories you are going to make. Bavaria by Bike this is a demanding 2.5 hour bike tour, Passau Flightseeing soar above Passau in a private chartered plane and see the city and rivers below. because the s in Hungarian is pronounced sh) is the capital of Hungary. The buffet always had an omelette and egg station, hot meats, breads and pastries, yogurts, fresh fruits, and so much more. Im sure youll have a wonderful time on your cruise only a few short months away. Theres even a display of armor on mannequins to show the progression of defensive wear soldiers wore through the ages. In addition to the church, there is the imperial wing of the abbey with a grand staircase (with small risers, as was the custom centuries ago when women would ascend or descend stairs as if floating never allowed to show their ankles). ), We biked along a path by the windmills and stopped at a museum (Museum Windmill Blokweer) showing. Passau Walking Tour and Organ Concert (included tour) you will meet your guide for a walk through Passau and your tour ends at St. Stephens Cathedral where you will see an organ concert with Europes largest pipe organ. The well-narrated tour explains how each room was used and what life was like for the castles inhabitants. I love the design elements of the Trolley Case and found it easy to pack, carry-on, the style is very luxurious and the suitcase is sturdy. Additionally, you could get dessert everyday at lunch and it was new everyday. The Abbey has vast land holdings, including 13,000 acres of forest. This tour included a visit to the torture chamber and prison cells. You can see the Rhine River and the Moselle River. 2023-2025 RIVER CRUISE AND AIR SAVINGS: Offer applies to bookings made from August 1-31, 2023. August 28, 2019 Imagine visiting lovely cities small and large along the fabled Rhine River and Danube River. Viking offers a plethora of European itineraries to choose from, but I am biased and will say this one was fantastic. Pretty places deserve to be shared with others - why not Write a Review! I packed a power bar because I have so many items that need to be charged and wanted to make sure we had plenty of outlets available, things that are not on board medical services, a store for toiletries, medications, room service, spa, laundry this service is available on board and priced very nicely! when the rooftop closes for a portion of the trip, they bring smoking to the third floor on the balcony, viking daily each night your housekeeper will leave Viking Daily in your room that includes all the information you will need to know for the next day. It was extremely easy and we had no issues at all. **Seasonally there are some great Austrian Christmas markets! Thanks for reading! Buy your tickets at the tourist information office attached to the town hall. Beer was preferred since if it went bad, you simply made another batch that would be ready in weeks. (Lollys name for it) Walk down here for a peaceful break. Nuremburg and World War Two some of the places you will visit on this tour include: Zeppelin Field, Congress Hall and Courtroom 600 where the Nuremburg Trials took place. Fabulous post! Youll be glad you did! The staff does a really great job at getting to know you and what you like/dont like which is pretty impressive since they turn the boat over twice a month. The courtroom is open to visitors when it is not being used for a trial; I was lucky enough to visit on such a day. Each evening you enjoy the company of others, dine on destination-inspired meals, are lulled to sleep in your own bed, and wake up refreshed to start another great day of exploring. Salzburg Highlights if you are interested in the movie The Sound of Music then this tour is for you! This was a city overrun by tourists. In addition, Viking did a fine job communicating with us about what we were to see each day. London, Paris & D-Day - Seine River Cruise - Cruise Overview Youll find luxury spa treatments, saunas, and massages at the baths, so do your research. Any trip to France is perfect for food and wine lovers, and one of the best Viking River Cruises in . The city is known for its 19 windmills that are from the 18th century, some of which are still lived in. in Vienna sachertorte, schnitzel and strudel, in Germany pretzels, sausage, beer, and sauerkraut, booking excursions it is said that excursions fill up before departure, and I did notice that some were full months before. When you approach the Gothic Cologne Cathedral, you are greeted with a dark facade. Over the years, wealthy citizens boasted of their wealth by building tall towers (20 of the original 60 survive) within the city. 2023-2025 RIVER CRUISE AND AIR SAVINGS: Offer applies to bookings made from August 1-31, 2023. Viking does offer more than one ship that does this itinerary and it goes both ways. Grand European tour awaits with Viking River Cruises - AAA We got the last 2 tickets for Life under Communism, and they usually don't add slots, because you can drive a Soviet era Trabant, and only a limited # of cars are available. Follow Eatlivetraveldrink on WordPress.com, deciding on an itinerary for the Viking Grand European Tour 15 day cruise, we opted to go Budapest to Amsterdam but you can go Amsterdam to Budapest as well. Nuremberg Fun Fact: This Bavarian region is known first, for its beer and second, for its wine. Because the ship has less than 200 guests on board, you get to know everyone in some way because the Viking Grand European Tour is 15 days long. The beer houses are places designed for socialization European style. Belvedere Palace is beautiful. On this three hour tour youll be able to explore the fortress and see incredible views of the city, Moselle Wine Tasting on this tour you will explore small villages and see where some of the best Rieslings in the world come from, Cologne Walking Tour (Included Tour) this tour lasts two hours and has a heavy focus on the Gothic cathedral, Bruhl UNESCO Palaces during this 4 hour tour you will explore 18th Century Residences, note you can do both the included tour and this tour as they do not overlap, Top Of Cologne this is a tour I WISH we had time for. We had been spoiled by all the delightful towns on our river journey south. We decided to take a canal boat cruise for this short visit and walk the town more. Monet painted both. We chose this route specifically because of a desire to have more time in Budapest to explore the city more in depth, choosing a room I cant stress enough that having a balcony room is the best way to go. Therefore, I am only highlighting what we visited: Gottweig Abbey. On the second day in Budapest it is a full day, so you will see options for morning, afternoon and night. Sail in the heart of Europe on Viking River Cruises Grand European Tour. Are there others that we should consider? If you are planning to book your Viking Grand European Tour 15 day cruise, look no further. You can take pictures everywhere inside except in the heavily guarded Dome Hall, where the ancient Hungarian crown is on display (and guarded around the clock). Enjoy ample time to savor Barcelona's easygoing spirit with an overnight stay. Since this is a small river cruise, there is one actual restaurant that almost everyone dines at within the same time frame. 24 Best Reasons to Take a River Cruise Viking Grand European river cruise itinerary To give you a sense of the river cruise route, here is a map of our ports of call.

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