Vienna to Vilshofen Christmas Markets

Our Danube Christmas markets cruise had already taken us from Budapest to Bratislava and Vienna. We had another full day in Vienna ahead of us before continuing along the Danube to Dürnstein, Melk, Linz, Passau and Vilshofen.

One of the things I enjoy about visiting the Danube Christmas markets by river cruise is that you don’t simply travel from one city to another. The days can be very different from each other, and sometimes the time spent cruising between destinations is part of the experience.

For our second day in Vienna, Christmas markets were the main event.

Day 4 – Vienna Christmas Markets

We had spent the night in Tulln, and in the morning we cruised back to Vienna for a full day in the city.

We started with a walking tour of Vienna’s Old Town. After that, Christmas markets took center stage.

Vienna has many Christmas markets, far more than we could possibly visit in one day. We made it to four of them, which gave us a wonderful sampling of the different markets around the city.

That evening, we returned to the Christmas market at Rathausplatz. Seeing it after dark was a completely different experience, with the lights transforming the market and the square around it.

And, of course, there was shopping. Shopping at Europe’s Christmas markets opens up all kinds of possibilities for unique gifts and decorations you aren’t going to find at Macy’s.

Day 5 – CRUISING THE WACHAU VALLEY

After several days visiting Christmas markets along the Danube, today brought a change of pace as we cruised through Austria’s Wachau Valley, beginning with a morning in Dürnstein.

One of the things I appreciated about AmaWaterways was having a choice of included excursions. On our sailing, those choices ranged from biking and walking tours to wine tasting and an apricot-themed tour. There was even a mini-train option for those who preferred less walking.

I chose the walking tour with wine tasting. Our guide brought the history of Dürnstein to life with stories of Richard the Lionheart, who was imprisoned nearby in the 12th century.

Dürnstein didn’t have a Christmas market while we were there, but there were so many interesting little shops to explore that I didn’t miss it.

After a very active morning in Dürnstein, we walked back down to the ship and enjoyed lunch as we cruised through the Wachau Valley.

This is the Danube scenery people imagine: small towns along the river, hillside vineyards and castle ruins overlooking the valley. While we relaxed on board, some of the more adventurous passengers biked from Dürnstein to Melk.

Our next stop was Melk, where we visited Melk Abbey. The Benedictine abbey has stood above the Danube for centuries, and its magnificent library is one of its treasures.

The Christmas market in Melk wasn’t open yet, although everything appeared to be ready for the weekend crowds.

Back on board that evening, we had dinner at The Chef’s Table, AmaWaterways’ specialty restaurant. It’s a smaller dining room with a tasting menu, and it was a lovely way to end the day.

The video below follows our day from Dürnstein through the Wachau Valley and Melk, ending with dinner at The Chef’s Table.

DAY 6 – A SIDE TRIP TO CESKY KRUMLOV

Our ship stopped in Linz, where we had several choices for the day. We could explore Linz, travel to Salzburg or take a day trip to Český Krumlov in Czechia.

I had wanted to see Český Krumlov for quite some time, so the choice was easy for me.

About an hour and a half from Linz, Český Krumlov is a UNESCO World Heritage city with a remarkably preserved historic center. Getting there took us through the countryside and across the border from Austria into Czechia. We brought our passports with us, although there was no passport check that day.

It was a very cold day, but that didn’t keep us from exploring. The video below will take you along on our walk through Český Krumlov.

DAY 7 PASSAU AND VILSHOFEN CHRISTMAS MARKETS

Our final full day aboard the AmaCerto brought us to Passau and Vilshofen for two more stops along our Danube Christmas markets journey.

We began with a tour of Passau and had time to enjoy the city before continuing to Vilshofen. There, we visited the Floating Christmas Market. The weather wasn’t exactly cooperating, and we explored the market in the rain, but that was part of the experience.

The video below includes some of the sights from both Passau and Vilshofen on our last full day along the Danube.

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

Christmas Traditions On Board

The Christmas markets weren’t the only things that made this sailing feel festive. AmaWaterways brought Christmas traditions on board, too.

We decorated the Christmas tree together and hunted for the Christmas pickle. There are several stories about where that tradition originated, so I’m not going to try to decide which one is true!

Another tradition involved leaving our shoes outside the cabin door and finding a special candy treat waiting for us.

And then there was the glühwein. Each Christmas market seemed to have its own mug, and enjoying the warm spiced wine was part of visiting the markets. The mugs also made wonderful souvenirs. I still think they’re some of my favorites from the trip.

DAY 8 DISEMBARKATION AND TRANSFER TO PRAGUE

The end of a cruise is never as much fun as the beginning. It’s hard to say goodbye to the people you’ve met along the way and to the crew who have taken such good care of you.

But our trip wasn’t over yet. Prague was our next destination.

We had arranged the AmaWaterways transfer to Prague, a drive of about three and a half hours. Rather than spending the entire time on the motor coach, we stopped along the way in Regensburg, Germany.

There, a local guide took us on a walking tour, followed by some free time to visit another Christmas market. There was even time to stop for a sausage at Regensburg’s Historic Sausage Kitchen before we continued to Prague.

It was a nice way to break up the journey and squeeze in one more German Christmas market before the final leg of our trip.

Our Christmas market journey wasn’t quite finished. We still had Prague ahead of us, with more Christmas markets to explore.

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.

Looking back at our journey through the Danube Christmas markets, what stands out to me is the variety. One day we were walking through Vienna’s Christmas markets, the next we were cruising through the Wachau Valley, and another took us across the border to Český Krumlov. Even the transfer to Prague gave us another experience in Regensburg.

That’s one of the things I enjoy most about river cruising. The river may connect the destinations, but each day brings something different.

Next stop: Prague and its Christmas markets.