Danube River Cruises
The opening of the Main-Danube Canal in 1992 to join the Rivers Rhine and Danube created an unbroken waterway route from Amsterdam to the Black Sea. The longest river in Europe, the River Danube flows through central Europe's most historic capital cities - Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest.
Austria's capital Vienna is noted for its imposing imperial buildings - including the Hofburg Palace, Opera House and Schonbrunn Palace - and as the home of the waltz. A Vienna concert excursion is available on many river cruises.
The Slovak capital of Bratislava has ancient houses, lively public areas, and a notable sight in Bratislava Castle overlooking the Danube.
Ancient Buda faces modern Pest across the Danube to form Hungarian capital Budapest. Scenic Fishermens' Bastion and old Buda are joined by the attractive Chain Bridge to newer Pest, with its riverside Parliament building and the trappings of a modern city.
Other River Danube cruise highlights include the medieval Abbey at Melk, Durnstein where King Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned, the largest pipe-organ in Europe at Passau Cathedral, and ancient houses and buildings at Regensburg and Linz.
A popular two-week Europe river cruise is between Amsterdam and Budapest, initially on the River Rhine then the Main-Danube Canal onto the River Danube. Shorter Danube cruises usually combine the three capitals of Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest.