Germany/Austria/Czech Republic/Slovakia/Hungary
Sailing the Danube River Through Central Europe
Program No. 23683RJ
Sail along the Danube River from the Czech Republic to Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary to study their compelling political and cultural histories with local experts.
Itinerary
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All itineraries and excursions are subject to change. Weather and water conditions may affect the progress of the ship, and we may miss ports if it is not safe to dock. The operators reserve the right to change the content and duration of excursions without prior notice and so the cruise itinerary should always be regarded as provisional. Whenever possible, Road Scholar’s published daily schedule will indicate port arrival and departure times. Prior to departure, if there is a major change, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
11 days
10 nights
What's Included
25 meals (
9B, 7L, 9D
)
5 expert-led lectures
9 expert-led field trips
2 performances
An experienced Group Leader
9 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
In Transit to Program
Location:
In Flight
Day
2
Arrive Prague, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Location:
Prague
Meals:
D
Stay:
Vienna House Andel’s Prague
Activity Note
Hotel check in from 3:00 p.m. See your program’s “Getting There” information regarding transfers.
Afternoon:
Hotel check-in is available starting at 3:00 p.m. You may store your luggage and explore the area while you wait for your room to become available. After checking in to the hotel and getting your room, take some time to freshen up and relax before our Orientation session. Orientation: 5:30 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. This is a Road Scholar Adventures Afloat program. Port stops and field trips are subject to change as weather and river conditions could affect the progress of the vessel, making it run late and possibly miss ports if it is not safe to dock. The cruise itinerary should therefore be regarded as provisional. The time available in each port is set by the cruise line, which may mean free time in port is limited. The cruise line reserves the right change the itinerary without prior notice. When possible, the Road Scholar daily schedule indicates port arrival and departure times. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Day
3
Architecture, Old Town, Jewish District, Charles Bridge
Location:
Prague
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Vienna House Andel’s Prague
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 6 miles approximately 1/2 hour riding time. Walking up to 3 miles, approximately 3 hours; uneven sidewalks, cobblestones.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will gather in the hotel for a lecture by a local expert on architecture. We’ll then set out on a walking field trip in the Old Town with a local expert.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
We will continue to explore the Old Town and the Jewish district. We’ll then walk to the Charles Bridge area. This ancient Gothic bridge is decorated with Baroque statues. The remainder of the afternoon is free time to do what interests you most.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
4
Prague Castle, Lobkowicz Palace, Concert, Free Time
Location:
Prague
Meals:
B,L
Stay:
Vienna House Andel’s Prague
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 6 miles, approximately 1 hour riding time (depending on traffic). Walking up to 3 miles, approximately 3 hours; uneven sidewalks, cobblestones, unavoidable uneven stone stairs. Note: New safety rules and regulations for entry into Prague Castle require that we show a copy of our passports before entering.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will board a motorcoach and ride to Prague Castle, home of Bohemian kings and a textbook of Prague architecture itself. Standing tall amid the magnificent Hradcany District, or Castle District, it is rated as the largest castle complex in the world. During an expert-led exploration, we will see the interiors of St. Vitus Cathedral and privately owned Lobkowicz Palace.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
After lunch, we will enjoy a classical concert at Lobkowicz Palace. The remainder of the afternoon is free. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration.
Dinner:
On your own.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
5
Transfer to Cesky Krumlov, Transfer to Passau, Embark Ship
Location:
Danube River
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
MS Douce France
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 180 miles throughout the day, approximately 5 hours total riding time. Walking up to 2 miles, approximately 1 hour; some bad cobblestones.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will check out of the hotel, board a motorcoach, and begin our journey to Passau for embarkation. We will arrive at Cesky Krumlov, a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant in Cesky Krumlov.
Afternoon:
We will take a walk in this medieval town situated on the meander of Vltava River with its mighty castle complex erected on the rock promontory. We will then continue our transfer to Passau where we will meet the ship. After completing embarkation procedures and getting your cabin, take some time to become familiar with the ship. The ship will depart for Melk around 5:00 PM.
Dinner:
Aboard the ship.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
6
Melk Abbey, Vienna classical music
Location:
Vienna
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
MS Douce France
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach, walking up to 2 miles in 2 hours. Walking over uneven sidewalks or cobblestones.
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
This morning we will step off the ship and board a motorcoach for a field trip to Stift Melk — Melk Abbey — where a local expert will lead our exploration through one of the most famous monastic sites in the world. While the monastic community dates back more than 900 years, the magnificent Baroque ensemble we see was built from 1702-1736. We will walk through this huge complex of the Benedictine Abbey dominating the countryside, ending in the impressive library with countless medieval manuscripts. We’ll ride back to the ship after our field trip. The ship will depart for Vienna at approximately 12:00 p.m.
Lunch:
Aboard ship.
Afternoon:
Enjoy the scenery as we make our way to Vienna. In the afternoon, we will gather in the lounge with a local expert for a lecture, “The Danube- A Cultural History.” We’ll take a break and then reconvene for our next lecture entitled: “The Austro-Hungarian Empire (1867-1918).”
Dinner:
Aboard ship.
Evening:
We will be joined by a local expert and a principal flautist from the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra for a lecture on Mozart, Schubert, Strauss, and learn about the very diverse lives of three of Vienna’s best loved composers. Wolfgang Amadé Mozart — the name he called himself — achieved renown as a child prodigy, brilliant young pianist, and composer, but later struggled financially and suffered from a variety of illnesses. Franz Schubert, whom we revere today for his masterful songs, symphonies, masses, and chamber music, was relatively unrecognized outside his own circle of friends and colleagues, suffered illness, and died penniless. Johann Strauss (the Elder), however, was a leading conductor, composer of popular dance music, and one of the first international superstars of music. They will enhance the presentation with live performance of selected works by all three composers. The ship will remain docked in Vienna overnight.
Day
7
Vienna Ringstrasse, Hofburg Palace, Free Time
Location:
Danube River
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
MS Douce France
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 10 miles, approximately 1 hour riding time. Walking up to 2 miles, approximately 2 hours. Walking up to 2 miles; uneven sidewalks, cobblestones.
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
We will step off the ship and board a motorcoach for a panoramic field trip to take in the elegance of this former imperial capital. We will drive along the famous Ringstrasse and pass by the impressive palaces of the Museum Quarter, the Parliament and City Hall, beautiful Art Nouveau buildings like the Secession Building, and the underground station at Karlsplatz. We end our ride at Schwedenplatz. From there we will set out on foot with our local guide for a walk through the city center to Hofburg Palace. This palace, once the winter residence of the Habsburg family, was originally constructed in the 13th century. Over time it expanded and now has a total floor area of 300,000 square meters. We will enjoy a guided visit through the Imperial Apartments, which served as home to the monarchy until 1918. At the conclusion of this visit, we will walk towards St. Stephen’s Cathedral. From here, you may return to Schwedenplatz to board the motorcoach and return to the ship or remain in the city center to continue to explore on your own.
Lunch:
Aboard ship. You may also choose to stay on shore and dine on your own in Vienna.
Afternoon:
Free time. Take this opportunity to see and do what interests you most. Shuttle buses will be available for rides between the ship and centrally-located Schwedenplatz.
Dinner:
Aboard ship. You may also choose to stay on shore and dine on your own in Vienna.
Evening:
At leisure. The ship will depart for Bratislava at approximately 12:00 a.m.
Day
8
Bratislava, Intro to Budapest
Location:
Danube River
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
MS Douce France
Activity Note
Walking up to 2 miles, approximately 2 hours; uneven sidewalks, cobblestones.
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
After docking in Bratislava, we will step off the ship for a walking field trip in the historical city center. Bratislava became one of the youngest capital cities in Europe after the “Velvet Divorce” of the Czech and Slovakian parts of Czechoslovakia in 1993. Although new as a capital city, the history of Bratislava spans many centuries and during our walk we will see beautifully renovated historical buildings such as the Old Town Hall, Mirbach Palace, and St. Martin’s Cathedral. We will walk back to the ship after our field trip.
Lunch:
Aboard ship.
Afternoon:
As we head towards Budapest, by a local expert local expert for an introduction to Hungary and Budapest. The remainder of the afternoon is free.
Dinner:
Aboard ship.
Evening:
At leisure. The ship will arrive in Budapest around 1:00 a.m.
Day
9
Budapest
Location:
Budapest
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
MS Douce France
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 10 miles, approximately 2 hour riding time. Walking up to 2 miles, approximately 1 hour; uneven sidewalks, cobblestones.
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
Buda and Pest are two sides of the same city, divided from time immemorial by the Danube River and connected in 1849 by the Chain Bridge. We will stroll along the Danube past the Whale and board a motorcoach for a field trip to explore the Pest side of the city. During an expert-led drive with a local expert providing commentary, we will see world-renowned sites such as Andrássy Avenue with its neo-Renaissance dwellings, embassies, theaters, restaurants and cafés, and boutiques; the Hungarian State Opera; and the magnificent Parliament building.
Lunch:
Aboard ship or you can explore on your own in Budapest.
Afternoon:
This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. This would be a good time to explore the castle area on the Buda side of the river.
Dinner:
On board the ship.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for disembarkation and departure in the morning.
Day
10
Budapest, Dohány Street Synagogue
Location:
Budapest
Meals:
B,D
Stay:
Courtyard Budapest City Center by Marriott
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 10 miles, approximately 2 hour riding time. Walking up to 2 miles, approximately 1 hour; uneven sidewalks, cobblestone and in a park.
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
Today we will drive and walk along the Buda side of the city past the Castle Bazaar and then across to the Pest side to the Jewish Quarter which houses the Dohány Street Synagogue. The synagogue is the largest in Europe, built in the Moorish style. We will stop at the Great Synagogue for an expert-led visit. We'll re-board our coach and make our way to Hero's Square, a summary of the 1000-year history of Budapest in statues. The square boarders Városliget Park, or City Park, one of the oldest public parks in the world. It is home to recreational activities (seasonal boating or ice skating), museums, Széchenyi thermal bath, and Vajdahunyad Castle, originally built for the Millennial Exhibition in 1896 to display various architectural styles.
Lunch:
On your own to explore local fare in the City Park area.
Afternoon:
Continuation of our exploration of City Park. After checking into our hotel midafternoon, you'll have free time to discover the city or rest until dinner.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for departure in the morning
Day
11
Program Concludes, In Transit From Program
Location:
In Flight
Meals:
B,D
Activity Note
See your program’s “Getting There” information regarding transfers. Hotel check-out by 12:00 p.m.
Breakfast:
At the hotel depending on flight times. This concludes our program.
Morning:
If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on another rewarding program in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
Lunch:
On your own in the City Park area.
Afternoon:
In the afternoon we'll check into our hotel and then you'll have time to explore on your own or take a rest before dinner.
Dinner:
Farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for departure in the morning.
Please Note:
This program has itinerary variations on certain dates.