Christmas Shopper’s Paradise in
" A White Winter Wonderland"

9 Day Cruise Holiday

Vienna to Nuremberg

 

Enjoy the magic of the holiday season on this cruise through the stunning beauty of Germany and Austria’s white winter wonderland where so many Christmas traditions began. Cruise along the Danube’s enchanting scenery to visit historic towns and riverside villages and revel in the holiday spirit in this land full of festive celebration. The crisp winter air is filled with the sweet smells of Lebkuchen (a type of gingerbread), Stollen (a rich sweet bread) and Glühwein (hot mulled wine) and virtually every town boasts special seasonal markets filled with high-quality handicrafts and unique specialty items. Bring good walking shoes and room to take things home; it’s truly a shopper’s delight!

 

Day 1 U.S.A. to Vienna: Fly to Vienna, Austria’s beautiful capital.

Day 2 Vienna: A Viking River Cruises representative will arrange for transfer to your deluxe ship. Spend the afternoon and evening exploring the city at your leisure. Enjoy the Welcome Cocktail Reception and Dinner followed by a free evening to sample Vienna’s nightlife. Moor overnight.

Day 3 Vienna: Your half-day guided city tour explores this famous cosmopolitan city. Amongst the green parks and bustling boulevards, see Hofburg Palace, St. Stephen’s Cathedral and Burg Theater. Following lunch aboard, visit Vienna’s celebrated Christmas market, and the remainder of your day is free for individual sightseeing or shopping. After dinner, enjoy some free time in Vienna. Moor overnight.                                             

Day 4 Dürnstein & Melk: Cruise through the morning and stop in Dürnstein after breakfast for a guided walking tour and taste the wines from this world-famous wine-producing region. Rejoin the ship and eat lunch while enjoying the delightful scenery as you cruise the enchanting Wachau Valley. Arrive in Melk for an escorted tour to the stunning 900-year-old baroque Benedictine abbey situated high on a cliff above the Danube.  An evening departure is followed by dinner and a lecture on the history and geography of the Danube River.

Day 5 Salzburg & Passau: After breakfast, join a motorcoach tour to Salzburg of Sound of Music fame. On your walking tour through cobblestone streets, see the stately Residenz, St. Peter’s Abbey and the city’s many gothic and romanesque architectural treasures.  After lunch in a local restaurant, stroll Salzburg’s Christmas market with its scores of stalls set up like little log cabins with each booth a specialized mini-boutique.  Return to the ship in Passau, an ancient fairytale Bavarian city at the meeting point of the Danube, Ilz and Inn Rivers, for dinner and an evening Bavarian folklore performance. Moor overnight.  

  Day 6 Passau: This morning, join a walking tour of Passau, taking you through the city’s cobblestone streets and graceful arcades.  Enjoy some free time before touring the Dome, famous as the home of Europe’s largest pipe organ. Following lunch aboard, visit Passau’s Christmas market, where you shop for charming gifts, taste traditional baked goods and listen to groups of carolers. Dine onboard and enjoy an evening performance by the ship’s crew.

  Day 7 Regensburg: Arrive after breakfast in Regensburg, Germany’s best-preserved medieval city, and take a guided walk to see its medieval buildings, magnificent, twin-spired cathedral, Dom St. Peter; treasury and old stone bridge. Visit the Old Corn Market, the city’s Christmas market throughout December. Shop at the many stalls adorned with fir branches and brightly lit lanterns. After lunch aboard, the afternoon is free to further explore the city and its holiday cheer. Dinner aboard.  This evening you will be treated to a special performance before departing.

  Day 8: Nuremberg: As you sail the morning through the Main-Danube Canal, take a break from shopping and learn more about this engineering marvel during a lecture detailing its history and challenges of construction.After lunch, view half-timbered houses and charming gothic buildings on a guided tour through the historic walled city of Nuremberg. Then, visit Nuremberg’s world-famous Christmas market (“Christkindlesmarkt”).  Walk the aisles of this oldest and most beautiful of all the Christmas markets, known for its wonderful handcrafted toys and ornaments. Nuremberg’s reputation as the leader in the German toy market is nowhere more evident than in the rows of stalls featuring wooden and stuffed toys of outstanding quality. Shop to your heart’s delight, then return to your ship for dinner.  Tonight, enjoy some free time to do some late-evening exploration on your own.

  Day 9 Nuremberg to U.S.A.: After breakfast, transfer to airport for your flight home.

  (This itinerary is also available in the reverse direction.)

 

Your River Cruise Includes:

  • Outside cabin accommodations
  • All onboard meals; Welcome Dinner; Captain’s Dinner
  • Welcome Cocktail Reception
  • Daily sightseeing tours: Vienna; Dürnstein; Melk/Benedictine abbey; Passau/Organ concert; Regensburg/Spatzen-Quartett; Nuremberg; plus shopping in 5 Christmas markets
  • Old World Highlights: folkloric entertainment, lectures, theme dinners

Note: Schedule and activities are subject to change.