The Blue Danube

The Danube  River, over 1,700 miles long, is the second longest river in Europe, after the Volga  in Russia. It flows through much of Central and Southeastern Europe from the Black Forest in Germany into the Black Sea.

The Danube was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today is the river running through the largest number of countries in the world (10; the Nile is second with 9). The largest cities on the river are Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade and Bratislava, all of which are the capitals of their respective countries.

Along the “river of kings” you find medieval castles and Gothic cathedrals, charming riverside villages, the Imperial treasures of the Habsburgs, lush Wachau valley vineyards and the music of Mozart and other masters. 

From Prague to Budapest, castles of all descriptions have watched over the landscape from their royal perches for centuries. This 12-day journey featured a 7-night Danube cruise, a private dinner in Lobkowicz Palace, a stroll in Medieval Regensburg, Baroque Salzburg and charming Bratislava. We visited historic Cathedrals in many cities and atop Budapest’s Castle Hill. We also visited the very room were Mozart was born and explored Vienna’s opulent Schönbrunn Palace. Of special note, we celebrated our 30th wedding Anniversary with an exclusive evening of Imperial entertainment the Palais Pallavicini, a private palace in Vienna. It was definitely a cruise to remember.

Getting there was a story in itself. Traveling through the Covid era, as you know, has presented challenges. We were actually in Indonesia in the early days of Covid in March of 2020. At that time, there were no vaccine or mask requirements, although we wore masks and disinfected surfaces like obsessive, compulsive scullery maids. Since then, I have been on dive trips to the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Belize and Costa Rica. In addition, Robin and I enjoyed a fantastic cruise on one of Princess’ newest ships which accepted only one half of the usual passenger list, due to Covid. I have posted these on social media, but have not posted on Bobamala.com since 2019. Welcome Back!

Preparation for this trip required that you be fully Vaxed and Boosted and show a negative PCR Covid test 72 hrs prior to arrival in the Czech Republic. Just last week, masks were required on all flights and airports. After all of these precautions, including masking at the hotels, on the ship and coaches and even on the streets in Germany and Austria, Covid testing prior to our return home to the US rendered some amazing results. I’ll detail the findings later.

We chose Tauck Tours for the Danube Trip as they are top-rated for this itinerary. Their representative met us at the Prague airport in Czechia and whisked us to the Prague Marriott Hotel in the heart of the city near Old town Square. We were traveling with our neighbors and friends Tony and Annie, who were also enticed by the itinerary. Now settled into our rooms, we relaxed a bit and then walked a few blocks along the cobblestone streets for dinner at the Cafe Imperial, which has been the most famous and most popular “Grand Cafe House” and restaurant in Prague for the past 100 years. It was once frequented by the writer Franz Kafka, composer Leos Janacek and many other eminent guests.

Original Art Noveau ceramic wall tiling and mosaic ceiling from 1914 were breathtaking and crowned by large street windows. The service was professional and attentive even when Robin asked for her aperitif, “Pussy Food” . . . a unique combination of orange juice, lime juice and pomegranate syrup. It was presented in a cocktail glass, so it’s not what you might think!

The Cafe Imperial menu boasts traditional Czech cuisine with a modern twist, complemented by international items. Signature dishes such as Braised Veal Cheeks, Braised Shank of Lamb or Imperial Cake will make you return for more.

We began the River Cruise early this evening with a Tauck Exclusive – a royal welcoming reception, tour and dinner at 16th-century Lobkowicz Palace at Prague Castle. We were immersed in an evening of classical cultural treasures – music and art played an important role in the aristocratic world of the Lobkowicz family.

The following day, we started the exploration of Prague with a walking tour through Prague’s ethereal Old Town, including a visit to the city’s poignant Jewish sites in the historic Jewish Quarter. The Jewish community in Prague can trace its origins all the way back to the late 10th century, but to call its history tumultuous would be an understatement. Some 1,500 Jewish citizens of Prague were massacred in April of 1389 , in one of the most horrific examples of Bohemian anti-Semitism in Medieval times, but by the 18th century, the Czech capital was home to more Jews than anywhere else on the planet.

Now home to a poignant memorial to the lives lost during the Holocaust is the Pinkas Synagogue, the second-oldest in the city. All of the walls are taken up with names of 78,000 Holocaust victims, giving their names, date of birth and date of death or transportation to the concentration camps. The memorial is the longest epitaph in the world, but the total list of victims is much longer.

Our tour continued past the Old Town Square. The Astronomical Clock located in the Old Town Hall was first installed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest clock still in operation. The clock shows the relative positions of the Sun, Moon, Earth and Zodiac constellations. It also tells time, date and a little theater every hour for its viewers every hour on the hour.

In the afternoon, we visited the Castle district including the 1,000-year-old Prague Castle’s complex of palaces, courtyards and gardens; the magnificent Gothic Cathedral of St. Vitus which is the largest and the most important temple in Prague. Apart from religious services, coronations of Czech kings and queens also took place here. The cathedral is a place of burial of several patron saints, sovereigns, noblemen and archbishops.

We were free that evening to sample the culinary pleasures of Prague at Gambero Rosso a wonderful Italian restaurant a few blocks away from the hotel. We passed on the best schnitzels, goulashes, strudels, dumplings and chose pasta and pizza instead. Wonderful!!

Regensburg

We departed Prague this morning and traveled to the quintessential Bavarian town of Regensburg, whose roots stretch back to Roman days. Here we explore this treasure-trove of history on foot enjoying the many shops and quaint narrow cobblestone streets.

Touring sure improved our appetites and since none of us speak German, our native Bavarian waitress patiently explained the menu by pointed to an item, then we all engaged in a game of charades. . . Lots of laughs and I ended up with a great local beer and Pork schnitzel. . . not what I though I ordered, but I’d do it again!

We departed Regensburg and continue on to Vilshofen, where we boarded our riverboat the MS Joy to launch our 7-night Danube cruise. At 443 feet with a shallow draft of 4 feet, she was built for river cruising. Most ships of this size carry 160 guests, but Tauck limits this to 130 for a more comfortable experience. For this trip, due to Covid and other factors, we had only 67 guests and 30 crew.

The Welcome Reception included cocktails and introduction of Captain and crew, which was followed by dinner in the spacious Dining Room. We then settled into our cabin as we embarked on our river journey. After a restful night, we admired the views from the windows of our cabin we glided along the mighty Danube . Our first port of call was Engelhartszell, a pretty town on the Danube in Upper Austria.

Engelhartszell

We visited a local private home built in 1598 and owned by the Klein family since 1743. We were greeted by the extremely engaging sisters who run the former stable and inn as a bed and breakfast. We enjoyed an informative tour and a history lesson, as well as, taste of local cake and liqueur.

We then joined a walking tour of town including 18th-century Engelhartszell Abbey. Engelszell Abbey church, built between 1754 and 1764, is an impressive church in the Rococo style, with a tower 76 meters high.

In 1925, Engelszell Abbey was occupied and re-founded as a Trappist monastery by refugee German monks. In 1939, the abbey was confiscated by the Gestapo and the community, numbering 73, evicted. Four monks were sent to Dachau Concentration Camp, while others were imprisoned elsewhere or drafted into the German Army. At the end of the war in 1945, only about a third of the previous community returned. At present, there is only one monk in residence.

After a tour of the Abbey, the gardens and an aquarium with species native to the Danube, we returned to the Ship for lunch and a leisurely meandering cruise as we sailed through the Danube Valley. An optional 26 mile Bike ride was offered this afternoon, but with 45 – 50 degree temperatures, I passed. Florida has spoiled me. If the temperature drops below 50, I don’t even go outside to get the paper!

We did attend a very special Chef’s signature dinner that evening after our arrival in Linz, the capital of Upper Austria. We sampled the fantastic menu and enjoyed the special treatment.

Salzburg

The MS Joy stayed docked in Linz as we had a full-day excursions to Salzburg (Austria). A setting for The Sound of Music, Salzburg is enticing with its Baroque architecture, painted wrought-iron signage, ornate church towers, and grand palaces. The walking tour explored Old Town and Mirabell Gardens, we then had time on our own to have lunch and tour Mozart’s Birthplace.

As you know, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (January, 1756 – December, 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical Period. Despite his short life of 35 years, his rapid pace of composition resulted in more than 800 works of virtually every genre of his time. Mozart is among the greatest composers in the history of Western music, with music admired for its “melodic beauty, its formal elegance and its richness of harmony and texture”.

We took some time to browse the museum then do some window shopping. Along the way we stopped to warm up with some cappuccino and a light lunch at an historic cafe.

Wachau Valley cruise to Dürnstein

We continued cruising through the Wachau Valley which is one of the spectacular winemaking regions of the world. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its well-preserved medieval landscapes. We docked in Dürnstein for a closer look at its 16th-century Baroque houses and 13th-century Romanesque church on a walking tour along cobblestone streets. We also saw the ruins of Kuenringerburg, a hilltop castle above the town where Richard the Lionhearted was held for ransom during the Crusades. 

Vienna

We arrived overnight in Vienna, Austria, and toured of the Hapsburgs’ Schönbrunn Palace, an architectural masterpiece and Austrian cultural treasure. It was the main summer residence of the Hapsburg rulers. The 1,441-room Rococo palace is one of the most important architectural, cultural, and historic monuments in the country. The history of the palace and its vast gardens spans over 300 years, reflecting the changing tastes, interests, and aspirations of successive Hapsburg monarchs.

We then enjoyed a walking tour of medieval Vienna. Later, nothing compared to the royal treatment and pageantry we experienced at our private Imperial Evening in the Palais Pallavicini, an opulent, private Viennese palace that played a role in the 1940s film noir classic The Third Man. Welcome cocktails and dinner precede an unforgettable spectacle of beautiful ball gowns and a musical performance celebrating the legacy of Mozart. What an incredible way to celebrate our 30th Wedding Anniversary!

Vienna sightseeing & on to Slovakia

The next day we took the “Imperial City Walk” through one of the largest Palace complexes in the world. Originally a medieval fortified castle dating from the 13th century, The Imperial Palace was continually expanded by the each Hapsburg emperor. The sprawling, asymmetric complex which extends over 240,000 m² consists of 18 wings, 19 courtyards and 2,600 rooms in which nearly 5,000 people still work and live today. Since 1279 the Hofburg area has been the documented seat of government.

Our tour continued on in medieval Vienna to St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the mother church of the Archdiocese of Vienna. The current Romanesque and Gothic form of the structure was originated in the 1368 and continued to 1433. The Cathedral’s massive south tower is its highest point and a dominant feature of the Vienna skyline. It has many outstanding features including 18 altars, icons, tombs, catacombs and crypts. The interior is truly breathtaking.

Baroque in Bratislava

We began the day with a Tauck Exclusive – a presentation by a local guide that takes you inside contemporary Slovakia and Bratislava for a look at politics, the economy, religion, the social order, preservation and emergence of the arts, and more. Then, as the weather is now improving with a glimpse of sunshine, we had a pleasant walking tour of this cobblestoned, vehicle-free city, where we saw 17 centuries of history chronicled in sites including its 13th-century Old Town Hall, Baroque Hapsburg-era palaces, the Opera House, Slovak Philharmonic Hall and St. Martin’s Cathedral.

Wheelhouse visit

After a great visit to the charming city of Bratislava, which also is an important manufacturing center, I took some time to visit the Captain in the Wheelhouse. Captain Marinescu has the latest in Navigation aids that helped him guide us the 374 miles from Vilshofen, Bavaria to Budapest, Hungary. Along the way we transited 11 locks each of which descended 36 to 65 feet. Great job Captain!

The river Cruise ended the next morning in Budapest, Hungary, which is split into the sections of Buda and Pest. We disembarked the riverboat and bid the crew farewell, then explored the city’s Buda side with a visit to the historic Covered Market and a walking tour of Castle Hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Buda, Capitol Hill and Fisherman’s Bastion

We admired the stained glass windows, the incredible detail and the centuries of history in Matthias Church and then were awed by the views from Fishermen’s Bastion with its Neo-Romanesque design. After lunch at a local café, we transferred to the city-center Ritz-Carlton hotel.

We had a seamless check-in at the Ritz-Carlton on Elizabeth Square smack dab in city center Budapest. The hotel staff greeted us warmly and we settled in and prepared to get ready for dinner.

We chose to dine at Rezkakas (Copper Rooster) a local Hungarian Restaurant which offered live traditional music, as well as, Hungarian cuisine with a modern twist. Of course, I had to go with the braised veal cheeks! The music was lively and how can you go wrong with a good veal cheek?

On the walk back to the hotel, we passed through Elizabeth Square and there it was, the Budapest Eye, the enclosed ferris wheel that serves as a city landmark. At over 200 feet high, it affords great views of the City.

Budapest is split into the sections of Buda and Pest by the Danube River. In the morning, we explored the Pest side of the city on a tour including a special visit to the opulent State Opera House, opened in 1884, with its royal boxes, gilded vaulted ceiling, exquisite murals and three-ton chandelier.

Our tour continued to City Park and Heroes’ Square, bounded by some of the finest architectural works in Hungary. The walking tour focused on the Hungarian Revolution and includes the Parliament building and the Embassy.

Budapest has acquired quite an excellent reputation for its cuisine and tonight’s special farewell dinner is at the grand Akadémia Club in the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

And so after 14 days of traveling by air, bus, boat and car we are returning to the US, but not before our required Covid testing. Of the 67 travelers about 60 were tested, as others were extending their trip elsewhere. Over 20 tested positive for Covid and had to be remain in Budapest for 5 days, or until they tested negative. Fortunately, we were the lucky ones!

We were able to complete our journey home through Munich, then Dulles and finally Tampa without a hitch. The long flights can be quite pleasant, if you are able to get assistance from the appropriate medications. We returned home with pleasant memories and an appreciation for the wonderful treasures and complex history of Central Europe. We can heartily recommend this Danube itinerary and the Tauck Tour Company.