Danube River Cruises

Danube River Cruises with start in Germany

What's the Best Way to See Eastern Europe?  Danube River Cruises!
For those who want an extraordinary experience Danube River Cruises are exactly what the doctor ordered.  By taking a winding cruise down the Danube River, you will be able to take in many of the spectacular Eastern European sights.  You will travel from Germany to the Black Sea, and chances are that you will find it hard to believe all of the beauty that will be lying before you.  
When looking for Danube River cruises you will want to find something that suits your needs.  Generally cruises begin somewhere near Munich, Germany.  The boarding will actually take place near the Austrian border.  You will certainly want to find a cruise that plans a stop in Melk, Austria.  There you can stop in to see the Benedictine monastery that dates back 900 years.  Additionally, while in Austria you will also want to see its capital city, Vienna.  If for no other reason, you will want to stop and take time to see the world famous Vienna Opera House. 

 

Danube River Cruises in Austria

Following Austria, most Danube River Cruises continue to follow the river into Slovakia stopping at Bratislava its capital city.  The stunning Slovak style can be seen in the beautiful Bratislava Castle.  You can also see the picturesque ruins of Devin Castle as you cruised down the river as the ruins are just off the shore. 
From there your Danube River Cruises will continue on to Hungary. 

 

Danube River Cruises in Hungary

Hungary has a great history to it, and you can certainly witness that in Budapest.  While touring Budapest spend some time visiting Parliament so that you can check out the beautiful Hungarian Crown Jewels.  If you are looking for some history, you will certainly want to make it to Buda Castle, which has parts of it, as old as the 14th century. 
One must see for any of the Danube River Cruises is the amazing Iron Gate that orders Serbia and Romania.  The Iron Gate spans an 83-mile area and is spectacular in its magnitude. 

 

Danube River Cruises meets the Black Sea

Right before the Danube River meets the Black Sea most Danube River Cruises stop at Bucharest Romania.  While in Bucharest, one of the most popular sights is The National Museum of Art of Romania.  Tourists from far and wide come to see the beautiful art within the museums walls.  You may also want to set aside some time to look at the Arcul de Triumf before your departure.  Again, this is a very popular sight that people long to see in their lifetimes. 

 

Different types of Danube River Cruises

You also need to realize that there are some very distinct differences in Danube River cruises as opposed to typical ocean cruises. For example, almost all river cruises are all inclusive, and the only thing that you are responsible for is gratuity. Be sure to check with your individual cruise line before assuming this, but it does run fairly consistently across the river cruise industry. Additionally, most of the shore excursions are free. On an ocean cruise, you would need to pay for these, but on Danube River cruises, you can take advantage of them along with the complimentary bicycles that many cruise companies offer. Perhaps the best thing about river cruises is that your ship docks right in the middle of the towns that you are visiting making it easy to go do and see everything that you want to check out.

 

Danube River Cruises see the highlights of Eastern Europe

Danube River cruises are one of the best ways to take in the sights of Eastern Europe.  In a very short amount of time, you will get to see many different places, people, and landmarks.  However, you should be sure to check out the individual itineraries of the Danube River cruises that you are looking at if you have something that you simply must see.  Not all cruises stop at all the same sights.  However, if you are simply hoping for breathtaking scenery, stunning architecture, and a sampling of the area's history you will be thrilled with your experience.