The Iconic Cruise on the Danube

The word Danube is very much an integral part of Europe’s past and present. This international waterway is Europe’s second longest and the longest in the European Union. It passes through ten countries and four capital cities. In many ways, it forms the life line of most of these countries. From a tourism perspective, this iconic river offers a windfall of attractions through pristine nature, medieval history, bustling cities, vibrant landscapes and much more.


A great way to enjoy this river is to indulge in deluxe river cruises that offer the perfect getaway for families and couples alike. Since this river passes through ten countries, the tourist can choose from a variety of cruise itineraries that span from simple week long itineraries across Central Europe or multi-week long itineraries that run across Central and Eastern Europe. whether you are interested in war-torn villages and towns of Eastern Europe or the imperial cities of Central Europe, the Danube offers a lot of avenues.


A lot of people have also known to couple Danube cruises with cycling or walking tours as it offers a different perspective while visiting vineyards, ancient cities and villages, castles, palaces and more. While some prefer this different experience, the others prefer a traditional cruise experience. Either way, the Danube doesn’t fail to surprise you.


One can look to start at Budapest, Vienna, Bratislava or Belgrade, the four capital cities on the Danube for easy access. One can also go deeper into the Danube delta if bird watching and rural life are of interest. If time does not limit you, then you can take a cruise across the length of the entire river. Traditionally, tourists pick up a small loop to explore on this mighty river. This enables them to make it a well rounded holiday that offers relaxation, access to popular sights, great food and a rich cruise.


If you are planning a cruise on the Danube, either plan early or book last minute to catch crazy deals. And while booking remember to keep these places in mind – Iron Gate – the narrow gorge between Serbia and Bulgaria, cliff top town of Veliko Tarnavo in Bulgaria, Kalocsa – one of the oldest towns of Hungary, the spectacular city of Budapest, the Slovakian capital of Bratislava, Vienna, the Wachau wine region, the confluece at Passau and Regensburg – one of Germany’s best preserved medieval cities. I am sure you will end up loving your iconic Danube cruise experience.

Courtesy: The images in this post have been borrowed from wikipedia.org under the Creative Commons license. Each photograph has been linked to the respective image page on wikipedia.