Magnificent Europe – Amsterdam to Budapest

Welcome to Amsterdam. You’ll be met on arrival and transferred you to your ship.

Amsterdam is the Netherlands’ capital, known for its artistic heritage, elaborate canal system and narrow houses with gabled facades, legacies of the city’s 17th-century Golden Age. Its Museum District houses the Van Gogh Museum, works by Rembrandt and Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum, and modern art at the Stedelijk. Cycling is key to the city’s character, and there are numerous bike paths.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE: Perhaps cruise the canals on a glass-top boat or visit the Old Amsterdam Cheese Store for a cheese tasting matched with wine. Alternatively, join a guided bike ride through the countryside to the village of Durgerdam before visiting the Street Art Museum. Guests travelling on spring departures can also visit Keukenhof Gardens, home to more than seven million flowering bulbs.

This morning will be spent cruising through Germany. Disembark in Andernach and enjoy a Signature Experience here. Andernach is a town in the district of Mayen-Koblenz, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, of about 30,000 inhabitants.

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE: Princess Heide von Hohenzollern graciously welcomes APT guests into her home, Namedy Castle, a royal escape set near the Rhine River in Germany. After wandering through the castle and its manicured gardens, you’ll attend a cocktail party, where a pianist sets the mood.

Have your camera handy to capture some of the best scenery you’ll encounter as you cruise through the Rhine Gorge. Dock in Rudesheim, where you’ll choose your activity. Rüdesheim am Rhein is a town in the Rhine Valley, Germany. It’s known for winemaking, especially of Riesling wines. In the center, Drosselgasse is a lane lined with shops, taverns and restaurants. Nearby, Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet is a museum of automated musical instruments. Medieval Brömserburg Castle is home to the Rheingau Wine Museum, exhibiting wine paraphernalia from ancient times to the present.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE: You might like to take a gondola ride or visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum. Alternatively, visit a historic wine cellar for a tasting of Rhine Valley wines.

Step ashore in Miltenberg and set out on a guided exploration. Wander through cobblestone streets and admire the town’s enchanting half-timbered houses before time at leisure. Miltenberg is a town in the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia in Bavaria, Germany. It is the seat of the like-named district and has a population of over 9,000.

Würzburg is a city in Germany’s Bavaria region. It’s known for lavish baroque and rococo architecture, particularly the 18th-century Residenz palace, with ornate rooms, a huge fresco by Venetian artist Tiepolo and an elaborate staircase. Home to numerous wine bars, cellars and wineries, Würzburg is the center of the Franconian wine country, with its distinctive bocksbeutel (bottles with flattened round shapes).

FREEDOM OF CHOICE: Seize the day and walk to the 18th-century Wurzburg Residence. Alternatively, perhaps travel to Rothenburg, or join a hike to Marienberg Fortress.

Sail to World Heritage-listed Bamberg, where you’ll join a guided exploration with a local expert. Bamberg is a town in northern Bavaria, Germany, laid out over 7 hills where the Regnitz and Main rivers meet. Its old town preserves structures from the 11th to 19th centuries including the muraled Altes Rathaus (town hall), which occupies an island in the Regnitz reached by arched bridges. The Romanesque Bamberg Cathedral, begun in the 11th century, features 4 towers and numerous stone carvings.

This morning gives you the chance to choose your sightseeing activity. This afternoon, continue cruising on the Main-Danube Canal. Having taken 32 years to construct, the canal links the North and Black seas. Nuremberg is the second-largest city of the German state of Bavaria after its capital Munich, and its 518,370 inhabitants make it the 14th-largest city in Germany.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE: Perhaps journey through Nuremberg’s World War II sites. Or join a tour focused on Nuremberg’s medieval history.

Regensburg, a Bavarian city on the Danube River in southeast Germany, is known for its well-preserved medieval core. The 12th-century Stone Bridge, a 310m-long icon with 16 arches, crosses the river to the old town. The 13th-century Regensburg Cathedral, a twin-spired Gothic landmark, is home to the Regensburger Domspatzen choir. Walhalla, a Parthenon replica just east of the city, honors illustrious Germans.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE: In Regensburg, set out on a guided tour to explore its atmospheric World Heritage-listed city centre. With a history dating back to the Roman times, this incredible city was the first capital of Bavaria. Your tour will finish with a tasting at Regensburg’s historic sausage kitchen, thought to be one of the oldest working restaurants in the world. Or you might prefer to get active and take a guided bike ride to the Walhalla memorial. This neo-classical building sits above the Danube River and houses a hall of fame that honours notable politicians, artists, sovereigns and scientists from Germany’s past.

Passau, a German city on the Austrian border, lies at the confluence of the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers. Known as the Three Rivers City, it’s overlooked by the Veste Oberhaus, a 13th-century hilltop fortress housing a city museum and observation tower. The old town below is known for its baroque architecture, including St. Stephen’s Cathedral, featuring distinctive onion-domed towers and an organ with 17,974 pipes. Salzburg is an Austrian city on the border of Germany, with views of the Eastern Alps. The city is divided by the Salzach River, with medieval and baroque buildings of the pedestrian Altstadt (Old City) on its left bank, facing the 19th-century Neustadt (New City) on its right. The Altstadt birthplace of famed composer Mozart is preserved as a museum displaying his childhood instruments

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE: Be welcomed by a Jagdhornblaser – a hunting horn blower – into a rustic, traditional restaurant on the Gaisberg mountain overlooking Salzburg. Enjoy a welcome drink as you soak in the scenery before savouring a delicious lunch, followed by a show featuring music from the classic film, ‘The Sound of Music’.

Melk is an Austrian town on the River Danube, west of Vienna. It’s known for the 11th-century Melk Abbey, a vast monastery built high above the town. Gold statuary adorns its domed Abbey Church, and the huge library houses medieval manuscripts. The Marmorsaal is a baroque hall with a ceiling fresco and red marble walls. South of Melk, gardens surround Renaissance Schallaburg Castle, which hosts cultural exhibitions. Dürnstein is a small town on the Danube river in the Krems-Land district, in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It is one of the most-visited tourist destinations in the Wachau region and also a well-known wine growing area.

Visit the statuary-adorned Melk Abbey. Then, it’s up to you how you get to the next port of call. In Dürnstein, perhaps join a hike to the medieval castle ruins.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE: Cruise through the Wachau Valley to Durnstein, where you’ll roam its cobblestoned lanes at your leisure. Or perhaps take a guided bike ride along the river from Melk to Durnstein.

Arrive in Vienna and set out on a city tour. Take in the city’s many landmarks along the Ringstrasse, as well as St Stephen’s Cathedral. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure to explore. This evening is set aside for your magical Signature Experience. Vienna, Austria’s capital, lies in the country’s east on the Danube River. Its artistic and intellectual legacy was shaped by residents including Mozart, Beethoven and Sigmund Freud. The city is also known for its Imperial palaces, including Schönbrunn, the Habsburgs’ summer residence. In the MuseumsQuartier district, historic and contemporary buildings display works by Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt and other artists.

SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE: After dinner, head to the princely family of Liechtenstein’s City Palace in the heart of Vienna, where we have arranged an exclusive cocktail party and private recital, just for you. A full orchestra will perform classical masterpieces by Mozart and Strauss, and you will be enchanted by an operatic recital.

Head out on your choice of tours, then set sail for Hungary. This evening, enjoy a Captain’s farewell dinner.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE: Perhaps visit the 1,441-room Schonbrunn Palace and its gardens. Otherwise, tick another country off your list and journey to Slovakia’s Bratislava.

Budapest, Hungary’s capital, is bisected by the River Danube. Its 19th-century Chain Bridge connects the hilly Buda district with flat Pest. A funicular runs up Castle Hill to Buda’s Old Town, where the Budapest History Museum traces city life from Roman times onward. Trinity Square is home to 13th-century Matthias Church and the turrets of the Fishermen’s Bastion, which offer sweeping views.

Choose your sightseeing option in Budapest today. The afternoon is yours at leisure to further explore.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE: Enjoy a city tour of Budapest taking in its historic monuments, including St Stephen’s Cathedral and Heroes’ Square before a visit to the Great Market Hall for some tastings of local produce. Or board a funicular to Castle Hill and walk to Fisherman’s Bastion. Alternatively, you may wish to relax in the thermal water pools at one of Budapest’s famous baths.

Sadly, the time has come to say goodbye and be transferred to the airport. Interested in extending your European holiday? Ask our Travel Advisors about our incredible range of accommodation, touring and cruise packages.