About the trip
Uncover the strong musical heritage of the Danube River on our enthralling cruise. Visit the beautiful Schonbrunn Palace, where a young Mozart discovered his great talent, and delve into the spirit of ‘The Sound of Music’ on a guided city tour of Salzburg.
Journeying along the Danube, we will begin our river cruise in Budapest. Admire the astounding architecture, and explore this splendid city on our optional excursion to discover all of its best sights. Take in the Hungarian Parliament building, St Stephen’s Basilica, Vajdahunyad Castle and Heroes’ Square, and much more.
Onwards to Esztergom, the former capital of Hungary, where we have free time to explore this historical city. It will then be time to make our way to Slovakia as we dock in Bratislava, spending the morning and early afternoon exploring. We cruise to Vienna over our evening meal - admire the views from the ship’s picture windows.
The next day is spent in vibrant Vienna, known for its excellent cultural attractions and musical history. Some of the finest classical musicians have lived and worked here, earning Vienna the nickname the ‘City of Music’. Musicians including Schubert, Strauss, Haydn, Brahms and Beethoven all have ties to Vienna. Visit the stunning Schonbrunn Palace on our included excursion. Later you have a choice of optional excursions, a guided city tour, fiaker carriage ride or evening Mozart and Strauss concert.
After our time in Vienna, we sail onwards to Durnstein, located in a famous wine-growing region of Austria. It is also part of the Wachau Valley, which we will explore with our optional scenic drive, visiting Durnstein, Krems and Spitz to take in the natural beauty of these towns.
We continue our river cruise and make our way to Melk, overlooked by the beautiful and imposing Melk Abbey. After our time here, we journey onwards to Linz, a city with a wonderful selection of cultural sights. We include a visit to Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart, featured in the much-loved film, ‘The Sound of Music’.
From Linz, we sail to Passau overnight, where it will then be time to disembark the fantastic MS Serenade 2 after a thrilling river cruise.
Trip highlights
- Discover breath-taking Budapest, the Hungarian capital
- Explore Vienna and the beautiful Schonbrunn Palace
- Visit Salzburg and see sights associated with ‘The Sound of Music’
- Enjoy on board classical music entertainment on one evening
MS Serenade 2
The stunning MS Serenade 2 offers a truly unique cruising experience. This beautiful and sleek ship has been designed to create a luxurious, modern and spacious atmosphere on board. A real highlight of the Serenade 2 is the superbly designed Forward Observation Lounge where you can sit back and relax enjoying stunning views along the river. We’re sure that once you have experienced the magic of the Serenade 2 you will be back next year!
Allow us to welcome you on board our newest addition to the Shearings river cruise family, the MS Serenade 2. Inaugurated in 2007, this beautiful ship really is at the cutting edge of design, guaranteeing the most comfortable possible surroundings for her passengers. The cabins on board the Serenade 2 are amongst the very best and the largest of any river cruise vessel. They feature hotel style beds (not berths or bunks) and a well-appointed bathroom, with WC, bath and separate shower. All cabins feature a flat screen TV, phone, mini-fridge, tea/coffee making facilities, safe and hairdryer, plus floor-to-ceiling sliding French windows on the upper two decks.
Day One - UK to Liege
Day Two - Liege to Regensburg Area
Day Three - Regensburg Area to Budapest
Day Four - Budapest to Esztergom
Day Five - Esztergom to Bratislava
Day Six - Bratislava to Vienna
Day Seven - Vienna
Day Eight - Vienna to Durnstein
Day Nine - Durnstein - Melk - Linz
Day Ten - Linz to Passau
Day Eleven - Passau to Liege
Day Twelve - Liege to UK
Agent for Shearings , ABTA protected tour operator, ABTA V6468. Prices are from prices, per person based on 2 adults sharing a Beethoven Cabin for on the 12 days A Danube Symphony river cruise on a full board basis . Price includes coach travel departing on 07 July 2019. Details are correct at the time of print and are subject to change and limited availability. Price shown includes all advertised savings and the inclusions as shown. Operator terms & conditions apply. Holiday code RRATASA. Simply use promo code ISO923 when booking to generate the saving. Book by 11 June 2019.