European Holiday Markets Cruise 9-day 7-night

Itinerary

• Day 1 (12/14) LAX or SFO - Vienna

  Depart from USA to Vienna.

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  HotelOn board
• Day 2 (12/15)

  Arrive at the Vienna airport where you will be transferred to the ship.

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  HotelCruise ship
• Day 3 (12/16) Vienna

  Featured Excursion: Vienna city tour with National Library visit and Christmas Market and classical concert in Vienna

   

  Vienna is a treasure trove of secular and sacred gems, which you will see on your panoramic city tour. Travel the stately Ringstrasse, the broad thoroughfare surrounded by the many imperial buildings and monuments that give Vienna its wedding cake-like appearance. You will see St. Stephen’s Cathedral, where Mozart was married, and then visit the Baroque State Hall of the Austrian National Library, said to be the most beautiful library room in the world. You will then have time to visit Vienna’s largest Christmas Market, which sits before Vienna’s Neo-Gothic City Hall. Enjoy an evening concert of Mozart and Strauss music in a traditional Viennese concert hall.

   

  Note: On Mondays, Mozarthaus will be substituted for the Library.

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• Day 4 (12/17) Dürnstein, cruising the scenic Wa chau Valley

  Featured Excursion: Dürnstein walking tour

  
  The tiny Baroque village of Dürnstein, which seems lost in time, is located in the center of the beautiful Wachau Valley. High above the town, you can see the ruins of the 12th-century castle where Richard the Lionheart was held prisoner. Along with the castle, Dürnstein is home to a beautiful Baroque monastery, 16th-through 18th-century townhouses, and old burgher houses - all of which you will see on your guided tour. Afterwards, cruise the scenic, UNESCO World Heritage-designated Wachau Valley with its abruptly rising hills.

  MealsB/L/Captain's Welcome Gala Dinner

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• Day 5 (12/18) Linz

  Featured Excursion: Linz walking tour and Christmas Market

   

  The Danube serves as a dividing line between the modern Linz and its old soul. During your guided walking tour, view Linz’s Alter Dom, the Old Market, and the impressive Main Square - one of Austria’s most attractive closed squares - with its Baroque Trinity Column. Also, enjoy Linz’s lively Christmas Market filled with everything from Christmas crèches - for which Linz is famous - to the ever-popular Linzer Torte.

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• Day 6 (12/19) Passau

  Featured Excursion: Passau walking tour, Christmas Market, and gingerbread-making and floral-decorating demonstrations

   

  Quaint and peaceful, Passau is a quintessential German town with Italian Baroque flair. Located at the confluence of three rivers - the Danube, Inn, and Ilz - the city is most famous for its ornate Baroque cathedral. Your walking tour takes you through the cobblestone streets of Old Town to the New Residence, the Town Hall, and the Christmas Market located near the magnificent cathedral, which is home to the largest pipe organ in Europe.

   

  At the Christmas Market, you will find unique crafts, including Bavarian-style houses and glass ornaments. You will have the opportunity to see firsthand how gingerbread is made, and then taste this famous holiday treat. You will also learn how to make beautiful holiday flower centerpieces at a floral- decorating demonstration.

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• Day 7 (12/20) Regensburg

  Featured Excursion: Regensburg walking tour and Christmas Market

   

  Lively Regensburg is home to 2,000 years of history and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your guided walking tour explores the Cathedral of St. Peter, with its magnificent stained-glass windows; the Town Hall; and the town’s famous 12th- century Stone Bridge. And what could be more satisfying as you wander the city’s romantic Christmas Market than indulging in local specialties such as dumplings with vanilla sauce.

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• Day 8 (12/21) Nuremberg

  Featured Excursion: Nuremberg city tour and Christmas Market

   

  Discover Nuremberg, a quintessential Medieval German city, on your panoramic city tour. Your tour takes you past the mighty ancient walls with 80 towers that enclose the historic city center. You will stop at Medieval Kaiserburg Castle, and then walk through the lively old quarter with its well-preserved traditional half-timbered houses. Next stop is a real treat: Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt, with over 200 wooden stalls filled with signature toys and glittering gifts. Enjoy the festive atmosphere enhanced by the delicious aromas of gingerbread and the hot mulled wine called glühwein.

  MealsB/L/Captain’s Farewell Dinner

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• Day 9 (12/22) Nuremberg - LAX or SFO

  Disembark the ship in Nuremberg and transfer to the airport for your flight home.

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  HotelHometown