Budapest to Amsterdam by Riverboat (15 Days) 

     A transfer is included from Budapest's Ferihegy Airport directly to the riverboat. Tour starts at 4:00 p.m. in Budapest. Your two-week Danube, Main, and Rhine River cruise begins with dinner aboard the riverboat, featuring Hungarian cuisine. (D)

     Explore Budapest on both sides of the Danube River. Sites include Heroes’ Square, bounded by some of the finest architectural works in Hungary; the Parliament building, a Neo-Gothic masterpiece; and Fishermen’s Bastion. Enjoy some free time, and then attend the Captain’s champagne reception and dinner. (B,L,D)

     First port of call is Bratislava, capital of Slovakia, where 17 centuries of history are chronicled on a walking tour. Highlights are the Baroque palaces from the Habsburg era, St. Martin's Cathedral, the Opera House, Old Town Hall, St. Michael's Gate and Slovak Philharmonic Hall. Enjoy Slovakian entertainment back on board the riverboat, and then cruise to Vienna this evening. (B,L,D)

     Get an overview of Vienna, Austria, with a morning sightseeing tour of this historic city. Then take your choice of a tour of Schönbrunn Palace, built to rival Versailles, or a tour of the Imperial Silver Room inside the Hofburg, the Imperial Palace of the Habsburgs. Tonight, attend a private Imperial Viennese evening at a traditional palace, which features dinner and live Viennese music. (B,L,D)

     Your Rhine River cruise continues to the medieval Austrian town of Dürnstein; high above the town lie the ruins of Kuenringerburg, the castle where English King Richard the Lionhearted was held prisoner during the Crusades. Enjoy the views of castles and lush vineyards while cruising through the wine-growing Wachau Valley. Stop in Melk for a guided tour of its 900-year-old Benedictine Abbey, perched on a rocky outcrop above the river. Inside this Baroque masterpiece are fine frescoes, early manuscripts, and a high altar. (B,L,D)

     Dock in the Bavarian town of Passau on the Danube and Inn rivers, dating back to Roman times. Spend time exploring this lovely Baroque town, known for its stained glass, at your leisure; stroll the cobblestone lanes or take a bike ride into the countryside. Your Danube cruise continues to Regensburg. (B,L,D)

     Arrive in the well-preserved medieval town of Regensburg, once a campsite for the Roman legions. On a walking tour, see the Steinerne Brücke, a medieval stone bridge over the Danube; massive Dom St Peter; and Altes Rathaus, the 15th-century town hall that was once the seat of the Imperial Diet. (B,L,D)

     Your Danube, Main and Rhine River cruise transits the Main-Danube Canal, which ultimately links the North Sea with the Black Sea; the idea goes back as far as Charlemagne, but wasn't realized until the 1990s. Pass through 16 locks as the waterway traverses the mountains. In Nürnberg, visit the Hauptmarkt, famous for gingerbread and sausage, and turn the gold ring for luck at the Schöner Brunnen fountain. (B,L,D)

     Awaken in Bavaria's medieval town of Bamberg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A walking tour highlight is the town’s 13th-century cathedral with four imposing towers. (B,L,D)

     Choose either a visit to medieval Rothenburg to see its Gothic cathedrals and gabled houses, or a visit to Würzburg, where you'll view the 18th-century Residenz and the ornate Alte Mainbrücke, a bridge over the River Main. (B,L,D)

     Cruise along the River Main; travel to the ancient town of Miltenberg, enclosed by a wall with gate towers under a steep hill crowned by a castle, and featuring half-timbered houses and a charming Marktplatz. Your riverboat continues through verdant valleys. (B,L,D)

     The riverboat cruises from the Main into the Rhine today. Later, a winery visit and wine tasting await you before dinner in beautiful Rüdesheim. (B,L,D)

     Arrive in Koblenz, where you can choose a walking tour of its Old Town or a visit to medieval Marksburg Castle, which dates back to the 13th century. Your Rhine River cruise continues through the scenic Lorelei Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to Köln (Cologne). Tour the lofty Kölner Dom, elaborately decorated with pinnacles and buttresses – it is the tallest Gothic structure in the world. (B,L,D)

     Dock in Amsterdam, capital of the Netherlands, and see acclaimed art by Dutch Masters at the Rijksmuseum. Then enjoy views of medieval architecture on a canal boat cruise along Amsterdam’s 17th-century canals. Explore on your own in the afternoon, and share journey impressions at the farewell dinner. (B,L,D)

     Your Danube, Main, and Rhine River cruise ends in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Disembark in Amsterdam; a transfer is included from the riverboat to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. Allow 2 1⁄2 hours for departure flight check-in. (B)