Grand Tour: A Taste of Italy & The Blue Danube River Cruise

Day 1 - Lecce

Day 2 - Lecce

Day 3 - Otranto

Arrive: Wed 15 September 2027 / Depart: Wed 15 September 2027

Day 4 - Alberobello, Italy

Arrive: Thu 16 September 2027 / Depart: Thu 16 September 2027

Day 5 - Matera

Day 6 - Bari

Arrive: Sat 18 September 2027 / Depart: Sat 18 September 2027

Day 7 - At Sea

Day 8 - Budapest

Arrive: Mon 20 September 2027 / Depart: Mon 20 September 2027

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 9 - Esztergom, Hungary

Arrive: Tue 21 September 2027 / Depart: Tue 21 September 2027

Esztergom is a city in northern Hungary, 46 kilometres northwest of the capital Budapest. It lies in Komárom-Esztergom county, on the right bank of the river Danube, which forms the border with Slovakia there.

Day 10 - Bratislava

Arrive: Wed 22 September 2027 / Depart: Wed 22 September 2027

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 11 - Durnstein

Arrive: Thu 23 September 2027 / Depart: Thu 23 September 2027

Dürnstein is a small town on the Danube river in the Krems-Land district, in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It is one of the most-visited tourist destinations in the Wachau region and also a well-known wine growing area.

Day 11 - Melk

Arrive: Thu 23 September 2027 / Depart: Thu 23 September 2027

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 12 - Salzburg

Arrive: Fri 24 September 2027 / Depart: Fri 24 September 2027

Salzburg is an Austrian city on the border of Germany, with views of the Eastern Alps. The city is divided by the Salzach River, with medieval and baroque buildings of the pedestrian Altstadt (Old City) on its left bank, facing the 19th-century Neustadt (New City) on its right. The Altstadt birthplace of famed composer Mozart is preserved as a museum displaying his childhood instruments

Day 12 - Linz (Salzburg)

Arrive: Fri 24 September 2027 / Depart: Fri 24 September 2027

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 13 - Vienna

Arrive: Sat 25 September 2027 / Depart: Sat 25 September 2027

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. In the MuseumsQuartier district, historic and contemporary buildings display works by Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt and other artists.

Day 14 - Budapest

Arrive: Sun 26 September 2027

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 15 - Budapest

Depart: Mon 27 September 2027

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. ?