Vienna to Vilshofen Christmas Markets

Welcome back for the fun we had at the Christmas Markets we visited from Vienna to Vilshofen. This is a continuation of my first blog. If you missed it, here’s the link to part one of my Christmas Market cruising adventure with AmaWaterways.

But first, I often find that sometimes people don’t really understand what a river cruise is all about. They think they will be confined, or they think the food won’t be good or it will cost too much. That’s the reason I’m telling you about my experience on the Danube River. A picture is worth a 1,000 words, and here I will show you as well as tell you.

Day 4 – Vienna Christmas Markets

Last night we were in Tulln, and this morning we cruised back to Vienna. That is because today is all about seeing Vienna, the sights as well a the Christmas Markets.

We started with a walking tour of the Old Town. Then, we had a daytime visit to four of the twenty unique Christmas markets in Vienna. There’s no way to see them all in one day but we did see a good sampling. And in the evening we repeated the Rathaus Christmas market to enjoy its fabulous lights and ambiance.

This was a full day of more Christmas markets and Christmas shopping. Shopping in the Christmas Markets in Europe opens up the possibilities for unique gifts you won’t find in Macy’s.

Day 5 – CRUISING THE WACHAU VALLEY

Today we experienced a full day cruising the Wachau Valley. The first activity of day was a morning excursion in Dürnstein.

Insider tip: All excursions on AmaWaterways are included. Better yet, there are choices! Choose from a biking tour of Dürnstein, or a walking tour with wine tasting included. Gentle walkers had a mini-train. The Apricots and Sweets tour included tasting apricot products of all kinds. Those who want to sleep in had the option of late starters walking tour.

I loved the walking tour with the wine tasting. Our guide enhanced his tour with stories about Richard the Lionhearted that brought the history of the area to life. Durnstein did not have a Christmas market, but they did have so many fun shops, I didn’t even notice.

Durstein and Melk

We had a very active morning walking up to the town. Then we walked back down to the ship. We enjoyed the next pleasure. It was lunch while cruising the Wachau Valley. If you dream of old sleepy towns, ruins and vineyards along the Danube, this is what you’re dreaming about.

We were cruising while active bikers biked the distance from Durnstein to Melk. We stopped there to visit Melk Abbey. Melk Abbey is a Benedictine Abbey that is over 900 years old. One of it’s most famous treasures is the library. Their Christmas Market was not open yet, though it appeared to be ready for the weekend crowds.

Finally, back on board a lovely tasting menu dinner in The Chef’s Table. This is a specialty of AmaWaterways, held in a smaller dining room. Everyone on board dines once at The Chef’s Table.

Click on the picture below. You will see the images from this day. The day starts with Durnstein and ends with dinner at The Chef’s Table.

DAY 6 – A SIDE TRIP TO CESKY KRUMLOV

Linz, Austria was the stop for this day. In Linz there were a variety of tours to choose from:

a bike tour of the Culture Mile in Linz;

a walking tour for regular, active and gentle walkers,

a full day or half day tour to Salzburg (where the hills are alive,)

or a day trip to Cesky Krumlov in the Czechia.

I have wanted to see Cesky Krumlov for quite some time. That was our choice, and it is about an hour drive from Linz. Cesky Krumlov is another UNESCO World Heritage city. It requires a drive across the mountains. You may also need to have your passport checked at the border between Austria and the Czech Republic. We all brought our passports just in case. But there was no border/passport control today and we carried on.

Here’s a video of the sights we saw while walking through Cesky Krumlov. It was a very cold day. Click on the picture to view.

DAY 7 PASSAU AND VILSHOFEN CHRISTMAS MARKETS

A final full day cruising the Danube on the AmaCerto. First a tour of Passau with the usual options. Then, a rainy visit to the Floating Christmas Market in Vilshofen.

Click on the picture below to see some of the sights of both cities.

Before the day is done, there is packing to be done, gratuities to dispense, and last hugs with new friends.

DAY 8 DISEMBARKATION AND TRANSFER TO PRAGUE

The end of any cruise is not as fun as the beginning. It’s sad to say goodbye to friends we’ve made. It is also hard to leave the warm and friendly staff who have served us all week.

There is so much more to tell you. Amawaterways did a perfect job preparing guests for the Christmas Season. Tree decorating for one that everyone get’s involved in. Hunting for the pickle, an old German tradition that has so many origins, I don’t know which one is true. Other old traditions are followed. You leave your shoes outside the door for a special candy treat. If you had a chimney, you would leave them by it instead. And, of course, the gluhwein you can drink at each Christmas market, served in it’s own signature mug. Gluhwein mugs are one of my favorite souvenirs!

We had one more destination to visit after our cruise; Prague. For more Christmas markets click this link to read and see more about the Prague Christmas Markets.

But first, I’ll tell you how easy it is to make the transfer to Prague. We purchased the AmaWaterways transfer for the roughly 3 1/2 hour drive to Prague. But don’t worry about sitting for all that time on a motor coach. We stopped about half way to Prague in the German city of Regensburg, for yet another Christmas Market.

This included a walking tour. A knowledgeable local guide led the tour. There was also time to grab a sausage from the famous Sausage House. This allowed for stretching our feet, and picking up some last minute German souvenirs. Then we were back on the bus for the final leg of the journey.

If you missed the first three days of this fantastic cruise, don’t worry. Here’s a link to that post: Christmas Market River Cruise.

My goal was to give you a view of what river cruising is about, particularly at Christmas time. But really, any time of the year. There is so much to see and do when the river is your road to adventure.

River cruising is my specialty and a passion. There is nothing more important than matching clients with the right cruise line for them and their style of traveling. One size does not fit all. Don’t your your cruise line choice to your best friend’s opinion. Working with a travel professional is so important to take the guess work out of having a dream vacation!

As a travel advisor with over 30 years experience, I would love to assist you with planning your next vacation. To learn more about the services I provide, click here to visit the services for individuals page on my website. To be directed to my calendar and set up complimentary 30 minutes consultation, click here.