Through the Heart of Europe in a Viking Longship: The Romantic Danube

We recently spent a week traveling through Hungary, Austria, and Germany. We traveled from Budapest to Nuremberg, with stops  in Vienna, Melk, Passau, and Regensburg and unpacked only once.

In August we cruised aboard Viking River Cruises’ longship Njord, named for the Norse god of the wind and sea. Our voyage, called The Romantic Danube, was along some of the river’s most scenic stretches.

Part of the trip was along the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal. It  was completed in 1992 and is one of the world’s largest engineering projects. The rivers for which it is named are connected through a series of  twenty-six locks and a nearly thousand foot difference in elevation. This enables ships to navigate through the heart of Europe from the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean to the Black Sea.

We walked in the footsteps of Popes, Holy Roman Emperors, and prince-bishops from a time when politics and religion were one.

We visited places that survived floods and fire, world wars, dictators, occupiers,and genocide.

We strolled and browsed shops along the cobblestone streets of preserved and restored medieval towns.

We were overwhelmed by the gilded and jewel-encrusted splendor and finest of art and treasures inside palaces, cathedrals, and abbeys.

We explored some of the oldest and grandest cities on the Danube and were captivated by  the music of Mozart and Strauss in a Viennese palace.

Smooth sailing

People tell us that they would love to travel the world and experience these things but can’t find the time to plan or do not know where to start. Researching destinations, arranging point-to-point travel, packing and unpacking, navigating local transportation, and finding the most compelling places to see, stay and dine within a travel budget can be overwhelming. Moving from one hotel to the next, whether on your own or with a group tour, can be exhausting.

River travel is a way to travel in comfort without concern about the details of getting there. Once we boarded the ship we sat back and enjoyed the ever-changing scenery aboard our floating hotel. No need to carry along formal clothing. The dress code is casual.

All the details — airline transportation, transfers from the airport, and luggage handling —  are taken care of, from beginning to end. Excursions, aside from a few optional supplementary ones, are included for each port. Information is provided for independent exploration. And with just 95 staterooms, longships do not overwhelm a port.

An onboard concierge is available to make individual reservations or special arrangements. Tours before and after the cruise can be arranged, as well.

Along the way we dined on regional foods, beer, and wines and traditional favorites.

Local entertainers came onboard to perform.

There was commentary in the public areas of the ship when we passed significant sights. Other times we sipped wine or a cappuccino on our veranda while referring to a book Viking River Cruises sent us weeks before our trip. It identified points of interest by kilometer markings along the Danube.

Mornings, we awaked to a new port of call, ready to make the most of the day. Weather information was available throughout the ship.

Umbrellas were available for those who wanted one.

Water was provided for anyone who wanted to take some along on an excursion.

And local treats were offered when we returned to the ship.

Activity level

In some ports we opted to do everything possible. In others we enjoyed a few favorite spots or just relaxed onboard.

When we looked at our photos after returning home we were impressed by all we experienced in such a leisurely way.

Dining

Open seating means passengers can opt to meet new people or dine with familiar ones. Dine while enjoying the view through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

There is a bountiful breakfast buffet. Other dishes, like Eggs Benedict, are made to order.

Prost! Lunches and dinners include a selection of artfully presented local specialties and traditional favorites along with complimentary regional wine and beer. The lunch buffet area offered an array of foods in addition to the menu selections.

The snack station has a variety of coffees and teas Baked treats are available beginning at 6 a.m.

Early breakfast and light lunch buffets are available on the Aquavit Terrace, also the site of special treats, including afternoon tea with regional desserts. Dine behind glass or al fresco.

Hotel Manager Doris Neger noted that one of the cakes was just like the one her Austrian grandmother used to make.

One afternoon  a reception was held to honor past passengers. Linie Aquavit was served and souvenir glasses were delivered to our staterooms. This spicy Norwegian spirit matures in an oak cask under a variety of weather conditions while on a sea voyage across the globe.

Days 1 & 2

We boarded the Njord by the Chain Bridge on the cosmopolitan Pest side of Budapest, Hungary.

Since we had flown in early to explore Budapest on our own, we were among the first to board the ship. We enjoyed the lunch buffet and joined a walking tour that went to several places we had not seen on our own.

A daily briefing outlined the next day’s activities. Dinner was followed by a performance by a Gypsy violinist and Hungarian traditional dancers.

Then we joined fellow passengers on the sun deck to enjoy the moonlit night and illuminated bridges and buildings reflected in the Danube.

A Budapest city tour was offered the next morning, but since we had already taken a similar excursion we decided to take a leisurely stroll, relax in the sunroom, and simply enjoy the view from the ship.

This freedom to do as much or as little as you please is but one of the pleasures that comes with a river cruise.

We noted that the bar in the Aquavit Lounge was clinker-built in the historic style of a Viking longships and Hanseatic cogs. We experimented with the button in our bathroom that made the glass walls clear for a spacious look or opaque for privacy.

We were fascinated by the onboard buzz of activity as the staff meticulously cleaned and shined the ship while the other passengers toured the city.

Later, as Viking River Cruises’ motor coaches approached, we watched the staff line up with welcoming trays of Hungarian sausage canapés and a refreshing beverage. Our Hotel Manager, Doris, was always right there pitching in.

Activities that afternoon included a Wheelhouse Tour.

There was also a presentation on Mozart’s life and Vienna’s coffee houses, an Austrian Tea with an apple strudel demonstration, a pre-dinner welcoming toast, and a daily briefing on the next day. For those ready for more, there was music and dancing after dinner.

Staying informed and keeping in touch

The Viking Daily is delivered to the stateroom each night. This printed program includes the next day’s activities, helpful tips, and the port’s highlights and history. An additional page from the concierge serves as a guide to touring independently. In-room videos offer more information. A morning newsletter provided a synopsis of world news and events and there is in-room satellite television.The computers and free wifi throughout the ship make keeping in touch with friends and family a breeze.

Day 3: Vienna, Austria

There is much to see and do in Vienna, the capital and largest city in Austria. We filled our day with a morning city tour and the optional afternoon visit to Schönbrunn Palace, former summer residence of the Habsburg dynasty.

The evening’s optional classical concert of Mozart and Strauss music was in a Viennese palace.

After the concert, gulaschsuppe was served in the Aquavit Terrace.

Day 4: The Wachau: Krems to Melk

There was bridge commentary in the morning as we cruised the UNESCO World Heritage landscape of the Wachau Valley, which runs from Krems to Melk.

“The Wachau” is known for its terraced vineyards, picture-perfect villages, and medieval castles and ruins.

That afternoon we visited one of the most famous abbeys in Austria. A fortified Benedictine community began in Melk in 1089 when Leopold II gave his royal palace to the monks.

The 18th century baroque monastery survived the Reformation and Napoleonic and Nazi occupation. It was restored with funds from the sale of a Gutenberg Bible to Harvard.

Inside was an array of treasures.

Afterwards, an onboard German language class set the mood for what was to follow.

Bavarian beer, regional wines and liqueurs flowed as we feasted on regional specialties throughout the ship’s observation lounge, terrace, kitchen and dining room during the Taste of Austria dinner.

Pretzels, sausages, sauerkraut, schnitzels, Sacher Torte, strudels and more were served by a staff in dressed in Austrian style.

A pair of singing and strolling Bavarian musicians added to the lively atmosphere. Everyone agreed it was a highlight of the trip.

 Day 5: Southeastern Bavaria

We arrived at 9 a.m. in Passau, named “City of Three Rivers”  for its location at the confluence of the Inn, Danube, and Ilz.

and docked alongside two of Viking River Cruises other Viking Longships.

Passau  was once the largest see of the Holy Roman Empire. Italian architects hired to rebuild it in baroque style after it was destroyed by the Great Fire of 1662 created a city known as “The Venice of Bavaria”. Many towering patricians’ houses remain in this medieval center of the salt trade.

The magnificent St.Stephen’s Cathedral is renowned for its 17,000 pipe pipe organ, the largest in Europe.

We skipped lunch to explore on our own, the concierge’s page in hand.

German Tea Time was from 3:30 -4:30, followed by a 5 pm presentation on the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal, dinner, and more music and dancing.

Day 6: Regensburg

Our optional excursion to Weltenburg Abbey .

The trip included a boat ride past soaring cliffs of the Danube Narrows. A tasty german-style pretzel and award-winning dark beer from Weltenburger Kloster, one of the oldest breweries in the world.

We had lunch onboard the Viking Njord and took the afternoon tour of Regensburg. Fellow passengers who took the optional afternoon tour of the BMW factory described it in glowing terms, as well.

Regensburg, with Roman gates from 179 A.D., is the oldest city on the Danube and one of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe. We crossed the Old Stone Bridge, built between 1135 and 1146, the same one crossed by the Crusaders en route to the Holy Land. It led us to Alte Wurstküch, the “Old Sausage Kitchen”, Germany’s oldest restaurant.

The Gothic Cathedral, completed in 1320, is known for its boys’ choir, Regensburger Domspatzen (Sparrows). Guided tours of the old Town Hall include the Imperial Hall and basement torture chamber.

Onboard, Bavarian Tea Time was followed by the Captain’s Cocktail party, a Farewell Dinner and a trivia quiz in the lounge.

Day 7 and departure day: Nuremberg

We docked at noon. The shore excursion included the medieval old town, castle tower, and the best Lebkuchen (gingerbread) shops.

It is said that if  you turn the ring on the grille of Schöner Brunnen, or the Beautiful Fountain, three times and make a wish your wish will come true.

The concierge listed two pages of places to explore independently, like the rooms and passages cut into the stone beneath the castle, a Renaissance merchant’s house, Toy Museum, healing spa, shopping areas, and the best restaurants and brewpubs for authentic German fare.

This site of Nazi party rallies is probably best known for the post-World War II Nuremberg Trials.

We had toured Nuremberg previously and took the optional World War II History Tour to the Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds.The museum is in the north wing of Hitler’s Congress Hall which, if completed, would have housed 50,000 spectators.

Moving on

In just one week we had seen the Romantic Danube’s most significant sights and treasures, savored the aroma and flavors of regional specialties, delighted in traditional and classical music where it originated, shared impressions with new friends, and basked the ever-changing view. It was time for the next group of passengers to do the same.

Color-coded luggage tags in the stateroom indicated the time for airport or post-trip transfers. Luggage was picked up in the morning and delivered curbside to coaches or taxis.  With fewer than 200 passengers on a longship, disembarkation is a breeze.

Breakfast was served from 3 a.m. through 9 am to accommodate the range of flight departures and post-cruise travel plans. Those remaining in Nuremberg were invited to remain in the public areas of the ship and enjoy for lunch onboard.

Many passengers extended their time in Nuremberg or traveled by coach to Prague with Viking River Cruises. The staff reserved a taxi to get us to the rail station and we were off on our next adventure.

 

story by Linda Fasteson

photography by Roger Fasteson

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