Italy, Greece, Croatia & Turkey cruise addition 23 Days Day 1. Arrive Budapest Arrive in the Hungarian capital where your luxury Travelmarvel river ship awaits in the heart of the city. Enjoy a Captain s Welcome Reception and set off on a twilight cruise. Meals: -/-/D Day 2. Budapest Today, enjoy views of one of the Danube s most enchanting riverside cities. See the city through the expert eyes of your local guide as you explore Matthias Church, the Fisherman s Bastion, Heroes Square, Buda Castle and the Houses of Parliament. Learn all about the city s colourful history as you discover its undeniable charm and beauty. This evening, enjoy a Welcome Gala Dinner on board. Day 3. Vienna Drive around Vienna s Ringstrasse, housing numerous monumental buildings including the Vienna State Opera and the Museum of Fine Arts. Home to a range of striking architecture, classical music and a vibrant café culture, join an enthralling walking and coach tour of Austria s celebrated capital. Be treated to an insider s view of its best-loved landmarks, including St Stephen s Cathedral, Graben, Hofburg Palace and the Albertina. Like a Local - take a tour through Naschmarkt and sample some local delicacies. Day 4. Vienna With the day at leisure, you may like to further explore Vienna s Hofburg area - home to the Imperial Treasury, the Spanish Riding School and much more. Day 5. Dürnstein, Melk Cruise to the quaint town of Dürnstein, where you can walk over cobbled streets past 16th-century town houses and taverns. The town is dominated by the hilltop ruins of the castle where King Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned in 1192. Later, dock in Melk and join a local guide for a tour through magnificent Melk Abbey, an active Benedictine monastery since 1089 that sits majestically atop a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube River.
Day 6. Linz, Passau, Vilshofen Visit the town of Linz and take in the city s sights on a guided walk. A Taste of Bavaria - enjoy your very own Oktoberfest in Vilshofen. Sample local beer and Bavarian snacks, accompanied by traditional folk music, song and dance. Day 7. Regensburg Continue to cruise along the Danube to the enchanting medieval town of Regensburg, located in the southern region of the Bavarian Forest. Here, a guided tour tells of the medieval city s journey through the ages. Day 8. Nuremberg Glide over the Main-Danube Canal, crossing Europe s Continental Divide through the canal s series of stair-step locks. Nuremberg played a pivotal role for the Nazis during World War II. Continue to the site of Hitler s infamous Nuremberg rallies, held annually from 1927 to 1938. You ll learn about the city and indeed the era during a fascinating World War II tour where you will learn about the Zeppelin Field and the Palace of Justice. Day 9. Bamberg One of the few German cities that wasn t destroyed during World War II, World Heritage-listed Bamberg beckons this morning. You ll gain great insight during a locally guided tour of the beautiful city centre. Day 10. Würzburg Verdant hills and rich vineyards sit on the edge of Würzburg, while the Main River is a prominent feature of this stunning city. The architectural beauty that further defines Würzburg is on show today as you visit Würzburg Residence, a palace with a grand staircase, chapel and salon. Here, a walk through Würzburg Court Garden is a delight, with its terraced gardens and water basin.
Day 11. Wertheim Like a Local - be greeted by the friendly locals of Wertheim and learn about their culture, as you are welcomed into their homes for coffee and cake. See this beautifully evocative town perfectly positioned on the confluence of the Tauber and Main rivers. Return to your ship and enjoy an onboard demonstration of the art of glass blowing, as you glide along the Main River. As the sun sets, watch the glittering lights of medieval towns glide past as you cruise through the night. Day 12. Rüdesheim, Rhine Gorge In Rüdesheim, the Winzerexpress mini-train will take you through town to Siegfried s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum. Continue cruising to a true highlight of the holiday - the wonder of Rhine Gorge, considered by locals to be the most beautiful section of the Rhine River. Watch in delight as steep slopes covered in vineyards, dotted with ancient castles drift past. Enjoy dinner this evening as your journey continues into the night. Day 13. Bonn, Drachenburg Castle Arrive in Bonn, a picturesque city on the banks of the Rhine River. One of Germany s oldest cities, it was discovered in the first-century BC as a Roman settlement. Like a Local - ride a scenic funicular train to the hilltops and enjoy a visit to the majestic 19th-century Drachenburg Castle, a highly favoured local treasure. Step off the ship and perhaps take a stroll with your Cruise Director to explore Bonn s charming streets filled with history. Cruise through Cologne and see the magnificent Cathedral situated on the river bank. Day 14. Amsterdam Clustered by historic houses and studded with low bridges, Amsterdam s network of 17th-century canals lends the city its nickname The Venice of the North. Upon arrival into Amsterdam, you ll be docked in the heart of the city. Board a glass-top boat and glide past the city s impressive waterside facades. Back on land, enjoy some free time to explore the wondrous architecture before re-boarding your ship to enjoy a Captain s Farewell Dinner.
Day 15. Disembark Ship, Depart Amsterdam After breakfast, disembark your river ship for the final time as you transfer to the airport for your onward flight. Day 16 Amsterdam (need flight logo) Venice (need cruise logo)- Board MSC Cruise After breakfast be transferred to the airport for your on-wards flight to Venice. Upon arrival in to Venice you will be transferred to your MSC Cruise. Located at the head of the Adriatic Sea between the mouths of the Piave and Po Rivers, an intricate web of 118 tiny islands and canals make up the enchanting city of Venice in Italy. Considered to be an extremely beautiful and romantic destination, it is not surprising that Venice has played an important role in the history of symphonic and operatic music. One must take a gondola ride along some of the over 150 canals, including the Grand Canal. Be amazed at the numerous bridges such as the Rialto bridge and absorb the glorious renaissance architecture with its panorama of superbly detailed facades. The ship departs tonight for Bari. Meals: B/-/D Day 17 Bari The ship departs tonight for Katakolon Day 18 Katakolon (Olympia) The scenic seaside Greek town of Katakolon, with a population around 3,000, is your typical small-town cruise port with delightful cafes along the waterfront, shops that sell T-shirts, hats and jewellery, and a small beach that draws swimmers and sandcastle-builders. But that s not why ships make the town a destination. They arrive because Katakolon serves as the cruise gateway to ancient Olympia, just 40 km away, the birthplace of the Olympic Games. More than 3 million people annually visit the site and its companion facility, the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, a treasure trove of pieced-together sculptures and statues that once adorned the ancient structures. The ship departs tonight for Izmir.
Day 19 Izmir Izmir is located along the outlying waters of the Gulf of Izmir by the Aegean Sea, part of Turkey s magnificent coastline which abounds in vast pristine beaches surrounded by olive groves, rocky crags and pine woods. The city comprises a range of architecturally diverse buildings that result in distinct historic neighbourhoods such as the Basmane, Alsancak and Bornova, all of which are of great interest. The beautiful marble Izmir Clock Tower surrounded by four fountains, and the Agora Open Air Museum of Izmir, with well-preserved remains of Smyrna, should not be missed. The ship departs tonight for Istanbul. Day 20 Istanbul Istanbul (Byzantium from 660 BC, Constantinople from 330 CE, and Istanbul since 1930) is the largest city in Turkey and the fifth largest city proper in the world. It has dominated the Straits of Bosphorus, in the NW of the country, for 25 centuries, and as Constantinople was the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. It was a metropolis of stunning splendour when the great capitals of Europe were mere villages and is the only metropolis in the world that is situated on two continents. The influence of Asia and Europe, the religion of Christians and Muslims, and the culture of Turks, Persians and Asians, have all found their way into the daily life of this bustling metropolis. The ship departs tonight. Day 21 At Sea Today is a full day on-board the ship. Time for you to experience everything your highly acclaimed ship has to offer! Day 22 Dubrovnik The ship arrives in Dubrovnik this morning. Dubrovnik, a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, is a prominent tourist destination. The
city joined the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1979. An outstanding feature of the Old Town of Dubrovnik is its intact city walls that run uninterrupted for 1,940m encircling the city. This complex structure, one of the most beautiful and strongest fort systems in the Mediterranean, consists of a series of forts, bastions, towers and detached forts, originally used to protect the vulnerable city. Few of Dubrovnik s Renaissance buildings survived the earthquake of 1667, but fortunately enough remain to preserve the legacy of a glorious past. The ship departs tonight for Venice Day 23 Venice Your cruise finishes in port this morning. Disembark the ship for your onward journey. Meals: B/-/-