Budapest, Hungary’s capital, is bisected by the River Danube. Its 19th-century Chain Bridge connects the hilly Buda district with flat Pest. A funicular runs up Castle Hill to Buda’s Old Town, where the Budapest History Museum traces city life from Roman times onward. Trinity Square is home to 13th-century Matthias Church and the turrets of the Fishermen’s Bastion, which offer sweeping views
Day 2 - Budapest
Depart: Sun 22 December 2024
Budapest, Hungary’s capital, is bisected by the River Danube. Its 19th-century Chain Bridge connects the hilly Buda district with flat Pest. A funicular runs up Castle Hill to Buda’s Old Town, where the Budapest History Museum traces city life from Roman times onward. Trinity Square is home to 13th-century Matthias Church and the turrets of the Fishermen’s Bastion, which offer sweeping views
Day 3 - Bratislava
Arrive: Mon 23 December 2024/Depart: Mon 23 December 2024
Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, is set along the Danube River by the border with Austria and Hungary. It’s surrounded by vineyards and the Little Carpathian mountains, crisscrossed with forested hiking and cycling trails. The pedestrian-only, 18th-century old town is known for its lively bars and cafes. Perched atop a hill, the reconstructed Bratislava Castle overlooks old town and the Danube.
Day 3 - Vienna, Austria
Arrive: Mon 23 December 2024
Vienna, Austria’s capital, lies in the country’s east on the Danube River. Its artistic and intellectual legacy was shaped by residents including Mozart, Beethoven and Sigmund Freud. The city is also known for its Imperial palaces, including Schönbrunn, the Habsburgs’ summer residence.
Day 4 - Vienna, Austria
Depart: Tue 24 December 2024
Vienna, Austria’s capital, lies in the country’s east on the Danube River. Its artistic and intellectual legacy was shaped by residents including Mozart, Beethoven and Sigmund Freud. The city is also known for its Imperial palaces, including Schönbrunn, the Habsburgs’ summer residence.
Day 5 - Weissenkirchen
Arrive: Wed 25 December 2024/Depart: Wed 25 December 2024
Weißenkirchen in der Wachau is a town in the district of Krems-Land in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. The ferry across the Danube here is interesting in that it has no motor or sail: it is powered by rudder set against the river current, anchored to a cable above the river.
Day 5 - Wachau Valley
Arrive: Wed 25 December 2024/Depart: Wed 25 December 2024
The Wachau Valley is an Austrian region near the Danube River, west of Vienna. It’s known for its rolling hills, vineyards and fortresses. Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned in the castle above the town of Dürnstein. Highlights of nearby Gottweig Abbey include its lavish baroque church and views across the valley. Melk Abbey is a vast monastery also with an opulent baroque church.
Day 5 - Melk
Arrive: Wed 25 December 2024/Depart: Wed 25 December 2024
Melk is an Austrian town on the River Danube, west of Vienna. It’s known for the 11th-century Melk Abbey, a vast monastery built high above the town. Gold statuary adorns its domed Abbey Church, and the huge library houses medieval manuscripts. The Marmorsaal is a baroque hall with a ceiling fresco and red marble walls. South of Melk, gardens surround Renaissance Schallaburg Castle, which hosts cultural exhibitions.
Day 6 - Linz (Salzburg)
Arrive: Thu 26 December 2024/Depart: Thu 26 December 2024
Linz is a city in Upper Austria, straddling the Danube River midway between Salzburg and Vienna. Baroque buildings, including Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus) and the old cathedral or Alter Dom, ring Hauptplatz, the old town’s main square. The riverside Lentos Kunstmuseum Linz has a major modern art collection. Across the river, the striking Ars Electronica Center focuses on society, technology and life in the future.
Day 7 - Passau (Munich)
Arrive: Fri 27 December 2024/Depart: Fri 27 December 2024
Passau, a German city on the Austrian border, lies at the confluence of the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers. Known as the Three Rivers City, it's overlooked by the Veste Oberhaus, a 13th-century hilltop fortress housing a city museum and observation tower. The old town below is known for its baroque architecture, including St. Stephen's Cathedral, featuring distinctive onion-domed towers and an organ with 17,974 pipes.
Day 8 - Vilshofen
Arrive: Sat 28 December 2024/Depart: Sat 28 December 2024
Vilshofen an der Donau is a town in the German district of Passau.
AmaSonata From AmaWaterways
Introduced in 2014, the award-winning AmaSonata sings her melodious tune down Europe’s great rivers. Most accommodations have twin balconies, so you can enjoy the ever-changing scenery however you wish, along with amenities like Entertainment-On-Demand, high-speed Internet access and English-language TV stations. A soft color palette in each stateroom calms the mind for relaxation, but when you’re ready to get active, head to the fitness center or up to the Sun Deck to the heated pool. Crisp white tablecloths and napkins grace the tables in the subdued Main Dining Room, while The Chef’s Table specialty restaurant highlights its 5-star multi-course cuisine with gold-hued tones and a twinkling overhead centerpiece. With a stunning Main Lounge, tranquil library, sun-deck walking track, massage and hair salon, and gift shop, you’ll never find a dull moment—and will sing AmaSonata’s praises while sailing on board.
