viking.com | 37
S U M M E R I S S U E 2 9
Krems
Vienna
Budapest
GERMANY
AUSTRIA
HUNGARY
Passau
DANUBE
Prague
CZECH REPUBLIC
DANUBE
Linz
Salzburg
Munich
Bratislava
SLOVAKIA
–
Cruise
••
O vernight in Por t
D A N U B E WA LT Z
Budapest to Passau or in reverse
8 DAYS | 4 COUNTRIES | 6 GUIDED TOURS
VIEW
VOYAGE
If you are considering your first river cruise, the Danube is a great
place to star t. It honestly has something for ever yone, whether it is
the dramatic sights of Budapest, the culture of Vienna or perhaps
wine tasting in the famous Wachau Valley. I loved and appreciated
the histor y of this par t of the world and it was incredible to learn
how the countries and cities I visited have changed and been
influenced so dramatically over the years.
I knew I'd like river cruising, but it has exceeded my expectations
and has opened up a new world of destinations I'd like to visit. I
don't know what my next adventure will be, but the fact it could be
sailing through Vietnam along the Mekong or embracing ancient
Egypt on the Nile or perhaps even enjoying the local cuisine and
wine in Por tugal's Douro region has me filled with excitement.
Doesn't it all sound so alluring?
I often say that cruising has something for everyone. In my view, there
is a ship and an itinerary to suit you, no matter who you are, and river
cruising opens up a whole new world of destinations. River is perfect
for those who don't necessarily want to share space with a lot of
people and, in particular, those who love city breaks. Personally, I've
never been a huge fan of city getaways, mostly because I'm restless
and like to explore multiple places so, actually, river cruising, for me, is
the perfect way to see the cities of the world.
It's also a great way to immerse yourself in a culture and elevate
your experience of many different destinations without ever having
to pack or unpack between each new place or face the uncer tainty
of what your hotel will be like when you turn up. While I can see
how this principle has been translated to Viking ocean cruises, it's a
hugely effective par t of river cruising and a real selling point.
Clockwise from left:
Passau, Germany
Passau Hilltop, Germany
Budapest, Hungary
Vienna, Austria
