The Blue Danube 2010 (Westbound)

Day 1 - Begin your adventure in Budapest
Tour starts at 6:00 p.m. at InterContinental Budapest. A transfer is included from Budapest's Ferihegy Airport to the InterContinental Budapest. Meet your fellow travelers and Tauck Directors at the welcome reception and dinner to kick off one of Tauck's most popular Danube River cruises. (D)

Day 2 - Discover the landmarks of Pest
Budapest is split into the sections of Buda and Pest by the Danube River. Explore the Pest side of the city, including Heroes' Square, bounded by some of the finest architectural works in Hungary. Enjoy a special visit to the opulent State Opera House, opened in 1884, with its royal boxes, gilded vaulted ceiling, exquisite murals and three-ton chandelier. View the Parliament building, a Neo-Gothic masterpiece; and stroll Váci Utca, a fashionable promenade. (B)

Day 3 - Explore Buda and embark your riverboat
On the Buda side, head up to Castle Hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site overlooking the Danube and the city, on a walking tour. See Fishermen's Bastion, with its Neo-Romanesque design, and admire the stained glass windows and centuries of history in the 14th-century, late-Gothic Matthias Church. Board the riverboat this afternoon to launch your most enjoyable of Danube River cruises. Note: Matthias Church may be closed on some departures due to services. (B,L,D)

Day 4 - Baroque in Bratislava
The first port of call is Bratislava, capital of Slovakia. Bring your passport for a guided walking tour of this ancient city, on which you'll view several Baroque palaces, the Opera House, Slovak Philharmonic Hall and St. Martin's Cathedral, and visit the 13th-century Old Town Hall. Sample some regional fare in a local coffeehouse prior to returning to the riverboat. After setting off for magical Vienna to continue one of our popular Danube River cruises, enjoy a performance by talented Slovakian musicians and dancers aboard ship this evening. (B,L,D)

Day 5 - Music and more in Imperial Vienna
Arrive in remarkable Vienna, Austria, the picture of "Old World Europe;" get an overview on a morning sightseeing tour of this historic city that includes the Ringstrasse, the Opera House, City Hall and Parliament. Then choose a tour of Schönbrunn Palace, built to rival Versailles, or a tour of the Imperial Silver Room inside the Hofburg. Tonight, indulge in the royal treatment at a very special private Imperial Viennese evening in a traditional palace, which features a gala dinner and live Viennese music. (B,L,D)

Day 6 - Explore Vienna and journey to Dürnstein
Pursue your own interests this morning in Vienna - which boasts a rich architectural legacy from its centuries as the capital of the Habsburgs' empire, plus over a hundred museums - and then return to the riverboat. Your discovery of the Danube River cruises past castles and abbeys to medieval Dürnstein, where you'll arrive late this evening. (B,L,D)

Day 7 - Picturesque Dürnstein and Wachau Valley cruise
Take a walking tour amidst Dürnstein's lovely cobblestone streets, 16th-century houses, and former Augustinian monastery with our local guide today. High above this village sit the ruins of the castle fortress where England's King Richard the Lionhearted was held for ransom during the Crusades; during some free time, you may want to walk up to the ruins and take in magnificent views of the river and the town. Attend a wine tasting at a local winery before resuming your cruise through the Wachau Valley, Austria's lush wine-growing region, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its well-preserved medieval landscapes. Local Austrian musicians entertain you aboard ship tonight. (B,L,D)

Day 8 - Salzburg sights or relax in Linz
Choose to enjoy the city of Linz, Austria, or take a full-day excursion to beautiful old Salzburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with lovely Baroque architecture, and the hometown of 18th-century Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The day trip includes enchanting Mirabell Gardens, a visit to Mozart's birthplace, and a guided walking tour through the historic district, rich in ornate church towers and grand palaces. (B,L,D)

Day 9 - Spend the day in Passau and cruise the Danube
Dock in the German town of Passau; take a walking tour through the cobblestone streets of this picturesque riverside town renowned for its four-story Baroque houses, exquisite stained glass and scores of churches. See the Altes Rathaus, the old town hall with 15th-century origins, murals on the façade and a glockenspiel in the tower. Return to the riverboat for lunch as you cruise past idyllic German landscapes to Regensburg. Tonight, celebrate this most enjoyable of Danube River cruises with the Captain's gala farewell reception and dinner aboard the riverboat. (B,L,D)

Day 10 - Disembark in ancient Regensburg and on to Prague
Your Danube river cruise concludes when you disembark your riverboat in the well-preserved Bavarian town of Regensburg, which began its long life as a Roman encampment many centuries ago. On a walking tour led by your enthusiastic local guide, you'll visit the Steinerne Brücke, a medieval stone bridge over the Danube, towering Dom St. Peter, and the remains of the town's Roman wall. Have lunch on your own and explore at leisure before driving to Prague, capital of the Czech Republic and the City of 100 Spires, where your hotel has been named one of the Top 100 Best Luxury Hotels of the World. Enjoy dinner tonight at your choice of select Prague restaurants. (B,D)

Day 11 - Discover the legacy of Prague
Begin your discovery of Prague - a vibrant city where ancient and modern, and east and west, converge - in the Hradcany (Castle) district today, where you'll see Prague Castle's 1,000-year-old complex of palaces, courtyards and gardens. Visit the Cathedral of St. Vitus and enjoy a Tauck-exclusive, private tour of Strahov Monastery's grand Baroque libraries. Spend the rest of the day exploring this fascinating metropolis as you please, or join us for a walking tour of Prague's Old Town - a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the celebrated Astronomical Clock and Charles Bridge - as well as historic Wenceslas Square. (B)

Day 12 - Homeward bound
Tour ends in Prague, Czech Republic. A transfer is included from the Prague Marriott Hotel to Prague's Ruzyne International Airport. (B)

Glide past fairy-tale castles and medieval villages aboard Tauck's ms Swiss Emerald, ms Swiss Sapphire or ms Swiss Jewel on one of Tauck's popular Danube River cruises. Take in views of the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. Enjoy an Imperial evening with dinner and music in Vienna, a wine tasting in Dürnstein, and cultural entertainment aboard your riverboat. Explore Budapest, Vienna, Salzburg, and Prague, plus the castle-studded Wachau Valley, and Schönbrunn Palace. Admire frescoes, stained glass windows, and stunning architecture as you spend two nights each in Budapest and Prague in 5-star hotels, checking out remarkable bridges, cathedrals, museums, and grand Habsburg palaces.

• Gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors and Tauck Cruise Director
• All private Tauck shore excursions – $745 Value!
• Two nights each in Prague and Budapest at five-star hotels, centrally located in the heart of the cities
• Tauck Exclusive – Private Imperial Evening at a traditional palace in Vienna featuring dinner and Viennese performers
• Tauck Exclusive – A private tour of the beautiful Baroque libraries of Strahov Monastery in Prague
• Choice of a visit to the Hofburg’s Imperial Silver Room or a guided tour of Schönbrunn Palace
• A day in Mozart’s hometown of Salzburg, Austria, including a visit to Mirabell Gardens
• Evenings of traditional Slovakian entertainment and classical music aboard the riverboat
• 11 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 9 dinners. Select meals in local restaurants; wine with all dinners on the riverboat
• Service charges, taxes, porterage, airport transfers and applicable fuel surcharges

Budapest: InterContinental Budapest
A standard outside cabin onboard the ms Swiss Jewel, ms Swiss Sapphire or ms Swiss Emerald
Prague: Prague Marriott Hotel

• Munich / Oberammergau Extension
  4 days from $2,290 per person double plus applicable airfare
  Stay at the deluxe Hotel Maximilian in the heart of Oberammergau, just steps from the performance theater, for the Passion Play! Two nights in Munich include city sightseeing and a visit to King Ludwig II of Bavaria’s opulent Linderhof Palace. The Passion Play is visited on Day 2.

• Cabin upgrades are available.
• Please ask your Vacations To Go travel counselor for more details.

* The prices shown are U.S. dollars per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability. Prices quoted for land/cruise arrangements are subject to increase without notice. Once we have received your deposit, land/cruise prices are guaranteed. Whenever air-inclusive prices are displayed, these prices do not include government taxes and fees, which are additional. Air prices are subject to increase and are guaranteed only from the time that full payment is received. Air-inclusive prices include air from a major U.S. gateway; air from other U.S. airports is available at an additional cost. Sorry, we are unable to offer air from countries other than the U.S. However, for those international customers who are able to arrange their own transportation to the origination city, we are able to offer the land/cruise portion of the package, at the price quoted.