European river cruises
Unlike sea and ocean cruises, European river cruises represent a very special type of recreation. The premise itself is very interesting. Perhaps the main reason to go on European river cruises is to explore small old towns, which are often located on the outskirts of most tourist routes, and therefore unjustly forgotten. But all the major events of the Middle Ages are associated with these places. It is highly doubtful that someone will make a trip from Vienna or Salzburg to see Wachau Valley – the winemaking region of Austria in the Alps – and the towns of Melk, Krems, Durnstein, and Linz… But aside from producing the wine with surprisingly cool and fresh aroma, this place is also has historical connections with King Richard the Lionheart and active faith and asceticism of the Benedictine monks. Here, in Melk, an incredible picturesque ancient abbey is located. Although these places are barely mentioned in guide books, they, unlike big cities, are permeated with living history and are worth seeing.
So, for example when you go on the Danube cruise, it will start in Budapest, right at the Green Bridge. By the way, another important feature of the European river cruises is that most of the stop will be in the center of towns and cities. During sea cruises, as a rule, the ship stops at a distance away. In this case your floating hotel will take you right to the place where the sightseeing tour starts. So from Budapest we are making our way to Slovakia, and then on to Austria, where besides the capital we will experience the charm of small towns, and then finally see the medieval Bavaria with its castles, bridges, Durer museum, the most delicious gingerbread in the world, mulled wine, sausages and beer. Your cruise ship usually travels between the stops at night while you sleep. After excursions if you have any desire, you can go for a walk without any fear that you will have a long way back to the ship, as it is usually the case during sea cruises; in this instance – everything is nearby.
Danube cruises usually take 7-9 days, but sometimes longer, if they start in Ishmael and cover Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia.
Beside the Danube, there are quiet, cozy and comfortable river cruises on the Thames, Seine, and Loire with its famous castles, on the Rhine through Germany and Switzerland, on the Po river in Italy with the visits to the famous cities of art – Verona, Torcello and Boretto, in Portugal on the Dora river etc.
The amenities and entertainment program on board of a river cruise ship are quite different from sea/ocean cruises. Sometimes there is a swimming pool and a bar. But that is it as far as infrastructural similarity.
All in all European river cruises get a lot of positive feedback and can definitely be recommended as a comfortable and interesting vacation choice. Although they are probably a little boring for children, adults are certain to get a lot of enjoyment and memorable impressions.
