Cruise the Heart of Europe - MS Oscar Wilde - 15 Days - River Cruises

15 Days - River Cruises

Sail through the breathtaking scenery along the Rhine and Danube to visit some of Europe’s most popular capital cities, stopping at the picturesque medieval towns and villages along the way. Experience a variety of medieval towns and imperial cities, from quintessential Bamberg to classical Vienna, and through the dramatic scenery of the Rhine Gorge. This fifteen-day river cruise takes you on a journey from Cologne in the heart of the Rhine Valley to Budapest on the banks of the Danube. Travelling through Germany along the Rhine, we stop in historic Koblenz and Boppard and marvel at the stunning Rhine Gorge on our way to Rüdesheim, a town famous for its Riesling wine. We join the Main River, stopping in Mainz, Miltenberg, Würzburg and the medieval town of Bamberg before reaching our halfway point, the Bavarian city of Nuremberg. From here, we pass through the Main-Danube canal to the picturesque Danube, stopping at Regensburg and Passau. Over the next five days, we sail through Austria, stopping in Melk and Vienna, home of Strauss, where we tour the city and visit the Spanish riding school. And our journey ends in Hungary, with a guided tour of Budapest. See all summer river cruises

Highlights

Enjoy guided tours of some of the most captivating capital cities of Europe including Budapest, Vienna and Bratislava, with free time to explore.
Explore the Bavarian city of Regensburg, learning all about this historic city that was once the most north westerly point of the Roman Empire.
Discover Bamberg, one of Europe's prettiest towns, exploring Little Venice and the town hall that sits on an island in the middle of the river.
Enjoy a walking tour of Würzburg, where you'll visit the impressive Marienburg Fortress and the magnificent Residenz, a famous Baroque palace.
Cruise along the Rhine to Koblenz and Boppard then through the spectacular Rhine Gorge to Rüdesheim, for a guided tour of this beautiful city.

Inclusions

Prices are per person, based on two people sharing a twin cabin with a limited number of sole occupancy cabins available on all decks, at the relevant supplement. The price includes:
All meals on board - from dinner on your day of arrival until breakfast on your final day - including welcome cocktails, the Chef's signature dinner and the Captain's dinner.
Complimentary on-board tea and coffee
All visits and excursions as mentioned
Airport transfers
Coach travel as mentioned
Travel to and from port of embarkation
The services of a Riviera Travel cruise director and concierge

1

On a striking rocky bluff above the town of Melk is the enormous Benedictine Abbey, which we visit this morning. This extraordinary building was originally a castle that was subsequently bequeathed to the Benedictine order during the 11th century and has been a monastery ever since. Reconstructed in full Baroque style during the 18th century, the Abbey has many fine rooms and a stupendous library with 100,000 priceless volumes, including some intricate illuminated manuscripts. As lunch is served we cruise downstream through the delightfully picturesque Wachau Valley before approaching our next destination: Vienna, the city of Strauss. To celebrate Vienna’s wonderful legacy we have arranged a recital on board by a quartet of talented classical musicians. Listening to this exquisite music while in the city of its creation makes a wonderful finale to the day. The main event this evening is the ‘Captain’s Dinner’, the chef’s delicious selection of specialities from the countries and regions we’ve visited during our cruise. Afterwards, perhaps retire for a digestif in the bar to reflect on all the wonderful sights you’ve seen and the people you’ve met on this unforgettable river cruise through the heart of Europe.

2

You rise refreshed in this breathtakingly beautiful imperial capital that straddles the great Danube River, and we have a whole day to enjoy it. Dominated by its castle, Budapest has been called ‘Little Paris of Middle Europe’ and, with its truly magnificent skyline of soaring spires and grand domes, it’s not hard to see why. It’s renowned for the bewitching blend of monuments reflecting Hungary’s national culture and those of the foreign powers that have dominated most of the city’s history. Today Budapest is a collage of Roman ruins, Turkish baths from the Ottoman Empire, palatial buildings, Baroque churches and sensational Art Nouveau architecture and design – all wrapped up in a wonderful atmosphere enhanced by the unique sound of Hungary’s music and language. You’ll really get to know this beguiling city on our guided tour of the main sights, such as the iconic Parliament Building, a huge neo-Gothic building that dominates the river bank with its striking central dome and multitude of soaring spires. You have the rest of the day free to explore at your leisure, and culturally you’re spoilt for choice with the city’s array of fine museums and art galleries. Alternatively you might want to wander the ancient streets of the Castle District while you enjoy panoramic views of the city, stroll down elegant Andrassy Avenue or visit the spectacular Central Market Hall, where you can find everything from traditional foods to handicrafts.

Cruise Overview

Click here to take a virtual tour of the MS Oscar Wilde It is extremely difficult to convey just how extraordinary this outstanding ship really is and exactly what distinguishes it from similar vessels. It would be very easy to just say ‘luxurious’ but it’s much more than that; we have deliberately avoided the current trend for a minimalist style where you could be anywhere in the world, creating instead a unique yet exquisite blend of understated taste, style and elegance at the highest level. Immediately striking is just how exceptionally spacious this new vessel is as you enter a gleaming, richly coloured marble-floored lobby flooded with natural light from a stunning atrium above. Moving inside, exceptional creativity from Europe’s finest design studio has produced a superbly balanced masterpiece of onboard style, utilising sustainable rich hardwoods, gleaming brass and polished copper, sparkling glass and intricate wrought iron. The ship is beautifully illuminated throughout – including the exterior and imaginatively furnished with harmonious colour schemes, all designed to create the serene atmosphere reflective of the golden age of cruising which time after time you tell us you adore. The restaurant rivals the finest on shore establishments taking fine dining to another level complemented by delicate European porcelain, gleaming glassware and the intuitive service in which the Swiss excel. This superb vessel carries 44 in-house trained crew members serving just 167 guests (similar size vessels may carry well over 190 passengers) giving the ratio which our experience proves is concurrent with our first class service levels. Furthermore your suite will easily exceed your expectations for not only will you enjoy the most discerning décor, so too the ship’s dimensions afford the ultimate in space and comfort - a minimum 17 square metres (183 square feet), with upgrades available to ‘Superior’ and ‘Deluxe’ accommodation.