This exciting new vacation introduces you to Salzburg and its surrounding area, and people and places along the Danube from Budapest to Linz and to Salzburg, in the most active, engaged and fun ways imaginable. Start your vacation in Hungary’s capital city where you board your Avalon ship and head for Visegrad. The choice is always yours: attend a medieval knights’ tournament in Visegrad; take a jogging tour around Vienna, or visit the city when it first awakes; meet with a local produce grower in the Wachau Valley, or paddle a canoe; be introduced to a count in his castle; bike to an ancient border defense near Mauthausen or visit World War II’s largest concentration camp; taste locally produced cheese and beer brewed by Trappist monks near Linz, or hike along an old smugglers’ route. Say goodbye to your ship and crew in Linz and drive via the Austrian Lake district, to Salzburg for two nights. Enjoy a guided walk of the city, or if you prefer, a self-guided hike. We take you for a day to the Salzkammergut area where a variety of optional excursions are available: visit Emperor Franz Josef’s imperial villa in Bad Ischl, or choose from a variety of sporting options. You might even decide to join an excursion up a mountain to an ice cave! Transfer to Munich for the last night of this memorable vacation.

City Highlights

Cruise: deluxe 7-night cruise in an outside stateroom with Avalon’s exclusive Comfort Collection BedsSMDay 1 Budapest: welcome to HungaryDay 2 Budapest (Embarkation)–Scenic Cruising Around Danube Bend–Visegrád: choice of walking tour with language lesson, guided bike tour, or city sightseeing tour; onboard welcome reception; scenic cruising around the Danube BendDay 3 Visegrád: in Visegrád, choice of medieval knights tournament or guided hiking in Danube-Ipoly National ParkDays 4 & 5 Vienna: choice of bike tour, jogging tour, encounter with area business people, or city sightseeing tour with visit of Belvedere Palace to see Klimt’s Kiss; choice of early riser walking tour with breakfast at a Viennese café and entrance to Habsburg private art collection at the Museum of Fine Arts; Habsburg collection entrance with time in the Italian & Dutch Masters Gallery; or Habsburg collection entrance with Military Museum visitDay 6 Krems–Wachau Valley & Strudengau Scenic Cruising–Grein: choice of canoe tour down the Danube; bike tour from Krems to Spitz with sightseeing in Dürnstein and chance to sample local specialties; Wine World Experience with tasting; or local encounter showcasing regional products with included snack and beverage; scenic cruising through Wachau Valley, Strudengau, and past Melk Abbey; visit Greinburg or Clam castle in GreinDay 7 Grein–Mauthausen–Linz: guided walk in Grein, visit the historical theater; in Mauthausen, choice of visit to St. Florian Monastery, guided tour of Mauthausen Concentration Camp, or guided bike tour; onboard tasting of local specialtiesDay 8 Engelhartszell–Schlögen Oxbow Scenic Cruising–Linz: choice of visit to Engelszell Abbey to tour its brewery, enjoy a tasting, and explore its sensory garden, or guided hiking tour to retrace the WWII smugglers route; choice of scenic cruising around the Schlögen Oxbow or guided hike on the Danube Trail; onboard gala farewell dinnerDay 9 Linz (Disembarkation)–Salzburg: transfer to Salzburg; choice of bike ride to Hellbrunn Palace, or guided walk of Salzburg including some of the Sound of Music sites, or self-guided hikeDay 10 Salzburg. Excursion to Salzkammergut area: free morning in Salzburg, or travel to Salzkammergut; choice of mountain hike up the Siriuskogel, or guided walk of Bad Ischl including the Imperial VillaDay 11 Salzburg–Munich: afternoon transfer to Munich by motorcoachDay 12 Munich: your vacation ends this morning

Notes

In the event of water level problems or any problems of a technical nature, it may be necessary to operate the itinerary by motorcoach or to alter the program.Included visits and special features are subject to change. If a change becomes necessary, a substitute will be offered.Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); the responsibility for obtaining a visa rests with the traveler.Departure June 9 is offered as an exclusive President’s Cruise, including special features at no additional cost. Join the President of Avalon Waterways on an incredible cruise, with exclusive highlights including a special excursion and a President’s Gala Dinner that is sure to please!

PRODUCT_LINE: AVALON-WBLM-2018