Description
Do Not Miss Out on flying for FREE with VIKING for selected
2025 and 2026 Departures
For selected 2025/2026 River voyages in Europe with included flights are in Economy Class on Viking’s choice of airline and from selected major gateway cities in Australia. Deal must end 28th March 2024.
Wanting to travel in 2024?
Contact Our Customer Service team HERE to check on remaining Availability and Pricing
Embark on an unforgettable journey through the very heart of Europe with Viking Cruises, where luxury meets adventure, and every moment is a celebration of culture, history, and culinary delights.
Join us as we traverse the picturesque landscapes from Amsterdam to Budapest, or vice versa, on selected dates in 2024, 2025 and 2026. Immerse yourself in the richness of Europe's diverse tapestry.
Begin your voyage by admiring the breathtaking Rhine Valley vistas from the vantage point of a 900-year-old castle, where history whispers through the stone walls and the beauty of the landscape unfolds before your eyes. As you sail along the Rhine, Main, and Danube Rivers, you'll witness the charming windmill-dotted waterways of Holland give way to the stunning landscapes of Hungary, each bend in the river revealing a new treasure to behold.
Indulge all your senses as you sample the finest food and wine of Austria's Wachau Valley, where vineyards blanket the hillsides and culinary delights tantalize your taste buds. Delve into the rich cultural heritage of Vienna as you learn the elegant steps of the Viennese waltz, a dance that has captivated hearts for centuries. Then, lose yourself in the timeless charm of Budapest's Café Gerbeaud, where the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the sweet scent of pastries, inviting you to linger and savor every moment.
Read our latest Travel Blogs at 'Wake Up Here'
But the journey doesn't end there. Along the way, immerse yourself in engaging encounters with local artisans, historians, and experts who will enrich your understanding of the places you visit. Whether it's a guided tour through historic landmarks, a private tasting of regional delicacies, or a leisurely stroll through quaint cobblestone streets, every on-shore excursion promises to be a highlight of your adventure.
And let's not forget the unparalleled dining experiences awaiting you on board. From gourmet meals inspired by the regions we traverse to carefully curated wine pairings that enhance every dish, our culinary offerings are sure to satisfy even the most discerning palate. Sit back, relax, and let our talented chefs and attentive staff pamper you with the finest cuisine and service, ensuring that every meal is a feast to remember.
So why wait? Join us on this incredible 15-day journey spanning the best of Europe, where every moment is an opportunity to create cherished memories that will last a lifetime. With Viking Cruises, you'll unpack once and experience the wonders of Europe in unparalleled luxury and comfort. Book your adventure today and prepare to embark on the voyage of a lifetime.
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Itinerary Downloadable Itinerary
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Day 11 Day 12 Day 13 Day 14 Day 15
Australia Amsterdam
Arrive in Amsterdam, then transfer to your ship.* After boarding, the afternoon is yours to relax or explore the city on your own. If your arrival schedule permits, you may wish to visit the Rijksmuseum, or the van Gogh Museum next door.
Meals Included: Dinner
Kinderdijk, The Netherlands
This morning we sail to Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for a tour of this ingenious network of windmills and other flood management devices. You learn why the windmills were built and see how they work, plus you enter a working windmill for a tour of its mechanisms and living quarters. Return on board for lunch and an enjoyable afternoon of Dutch diversions: sample handcrafted Dutch cheeses and jenever, a distilled juniper liquor, and take in a culturally enriching presentation on the Dutch Golden Age. We cruise through the night.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cologne, Germany
Begin your day with a morning tour of Cologne, Germany’s fourth-largest city. Stroll through Old Town past St. Martin’s Church and see the Dom, Germany’s largest cathedral and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spend your free time enjoying Cologne’s atmospheric waterfront, or perhaps join an optional excursion on which you ascend to the Dom’s roof for up-close views of the cathedral’s architecture and bird’s-eye vistas of Cologne. Afterward, return on board for dinner. Alternately, you may set off on an optional excursion to explore Cologne’s spirited beer culture, sampling Kölsch, a light, crisp beer brewed only in Cologne, and enjoying a brauhaus dinner. After, return to your ship for a late-evening departure.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Koblenz, Germany
Cruise past hilltop castles along the Rhine, stopping in Koblenz to visit Marksburg Castle, the only Rhine fortress never destroyed. After your tour, continue cruising this stunning stretch of the Rhine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Be sure to keep an eye out for the Lorelei Rock, which marks the river’s narrowest point and is named after the legendary Rhine maiden who lured sailors to their demise. Lunch and dinner are served on board your ship.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Miltenberg, Germany
The morning is spent sailing along the beautiful Main River as it winds its way through the Spessart region, home of the actual Snow White. During our sail, be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to learn about the region’s glassblowing traditions during a live demonstration. After lunch, we stop in Miltenberg, known for its half-timbered houses and Germany’s oldest inn. Join our walking tour that concludes with free time for you to explore. We sail through the night.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Würzburg, Germany
This morning, you may choose to join an optional full-day excursion along Germany’s picturesque “Romantic Road” to Rothenburg, with its turreted city wall and impressive Gothic and baroque architecture. Upon returning to Würzburg, enjoy a tour of the Bishops’ Residenz, one of Germany’s largest and most ornate baroque palaces and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rejoin your ship for dinner.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Bamberg, Germany
Continue along the Main–Danube Canal this morning, arriving in Bamberg in early afternoon. Enjoy a tour of Bamberg, with its medieval city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your walking tour includes a visit to the magnificent 11th-century cathedral, reworked in late Romanesque style in the 13th century, and the picturesque city hall built on a tiny island in the middle of a river. Take some free time to enjoy Bamberg and sample some of the town’s distinctive smoke-flavored beer before returning on board.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Nuremberg, Germany
After breakfast, disembark in Nuremberg and visit the ruins of Zeppelin Field, the Nazi parade grounds of the 1930s; then see the Palace of Justice, site of the infamous Nuremberg Trials. Alternately, you may take an optional World War II tour that includes the illuminating Documentation Center Museum. After lunch, spend free time exploring Nuremberg’s Old Town. Or, join an optional tour to discover the secret network of underground bunkers where priceless art was hidden in wartime. We depart just before dinner.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Regensburg, Germany
Arrive in Regensburg midday. After lunch, tour this wonderfully preserved medieval city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including structures dating back to Roman times. Discover many 13th- and 14th-century patrician houses and see the splendid St. Peter’s Cathedral. During free time, visit the Alte Würstküche (Old Sausage Kitchen), Germany’s oldest restaurant. Alternately, you may choose to disembark this morning and drive with your guide to Munich for an optional full-day tour of this cultural and historic city, rejoining your ship in time to enjoy dinner on board before our evening departure.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Passau, Germany
Arrive this morning in Passau, at the confluence of the Inn, Ilz and Danube Rivers. Your guided walk along the town’s narrow streets takes you through Old Town and past traditional patrician houses. Admire the New Bishop’s Residence and see the impressive baroque St. Stephen’s Cathedral; its ornate interior is home to Europe’s largest church organ. Enjoy lunch on board your ship, and return to the city for further exploration on your own before departing. Alternately, set out this morning with your guide to enjoy a full-day optional tour of picturesque Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart and setting of The Sound of Music. We cruise through the night.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Melk, Austria
After breakfast, visit the abbey at Melk, a 900-year-old Benedictine monastery featuring Austria’s finest Italian baroque architecture. Rejoin your ship; cruise through the spectacular Wachau Valley this afternoon. Before dinner, you have time to explore the time-honored town of Krems and see the Steiner Tor, the last remaining city gate, or take an optional excursion to a local winery to sample some local vintages from this famous wine-producing region.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Vienna, Austria
Today we tour the Austrian capital of Vienna. Ride along the Ringstrasse, which replaced the city walls in the mid-19th century. See some of the city’s baroque architecture, including the world-famous Opera House, St. Stephen’s Cathedral and Hofburg Palace. Return to your ship for lunch. The rest of the day is yours to further explore. As always, your Program Director can help you plan your free time. Alternately, you may choose to join an optional excursion to see the famed Lipizzaner Stallions; or, express your creativity and create a lasting keepsake at an optional art workshop inspired by the work of Gustav Klimt. After dinner, relax or enjoy an optional classical concert.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Vienna, Austria
Enjoy a day at leisure in Vienna. Perhaps see an unrivaled collection of Old Masters at the Museum of Fine Arts, or visit the Albertina. Maybe ride the Riesenrad, the world’s oldest Ferris wheel. Alternately, you may join an optional tour to Schönbrunn Palace, the “Versailles of Vienna,” or enjoy a Viennese waltz lesson as well as visiting the palace during a full-day optional excursion. A cup of coffee or tea and a slice of exquisite Sachertorte are a must for any afternoon in Vienna. Later, rejoin your ship and sail for Budapest.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Budapest, Hungary
The Danube River divides Hungary’s capital city into the once separate towns of Buda and Pest. Explore both sides, starting with Pest’s National Opera House and historic Heroes’ Square. In Buda, walk along Castle Hill to Fishermen’s Bastion and Matthias Church. Enjoy lunch on board your ship, with the rest of the day to explore on your own. Alternately, choose one of our optional excursions designed to allow you to delve deeper into the history, culture and cuisine of this fascinating city. Return to your ship for a traditional Hungarian dinner.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Budapest, Hungary
After breakfast, disembark and proceed to the airport for your return flight.* Or, extend your journey with 3 nights in Prague, Czech Republic, where you tour Old Town landmarks and Prague Castle.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Inclusions & Exclusions
Inclusions
- International Flights (This deal comes with a flight credit* that can be used with Traveldream to book your flights)
- 14 nights in a Standard River-view stateroom
- One complimentary shore excursion in every port of call
- Free Wi-Fi (connection speed may vary)
- Visits to UNESCO Sites
- Enrichment lectures & Destination Performances
- Beer, wine & soft drinks with onboard lunch & dinner
- 24-hour specialty coffees, teas & bottled water
- Port taxes & fees
- Gratuities
*Flight Credit: For 2025 and 2026 departures, there is an included Flight Credit of $3000 per couple that can be used to book your international airfares through Traveldream. Please advise on check out your departing city. *NOTE flights are released 10 months in advance. If your chosen itinerary exceeds the credit amount, you will need to pay the difference.
Accommodation: A Luxury VIKING vessel in a Riverview Stateroom
Direction of Sailing: Please note before making any further arrangements, speak with your Customer Service Consultant to confirm the direction of travel as this program operates in both directions.
Child Policy: Children are not permitted on this tour package.
Single Supplement: Call us for a quote!
Insurance: All guests must have travel insurance to participate on this tour and will be required to show this prior to departure.
Travelling on your own? Why not join the Traveldream Solo Travellers Facebook group where you can interact with other travellers.
Exclusions
- Items of a personal nature
- Transfers
- Travel Insurance
- Any visas needed
Upgrades: Please enquire with us for a quote and to confirm the availability of your preferred upgrade option onboard the ship.
Availability: The current promotion is very popular and has a very small amount of cabins available. For ALL sailings, please contact us to check availability on your preferred date.
Fitness: Level of fitness: All participants should be in good general health, able to walk reasonable distances over sometimes uneven terrain, and stand during excursions. All guests must be able to make their own way up and down stairs in case of emergency.
You must have a passport with at least 6 months validity from the time of travel
Travel Insurance: We recommend Covermore travel insurance. To quote and book, please click HERE.