Top 5 Viking River Cruises in Europe
Table Of Content
From the seaside village of Skagen, Denmark, sail the North Sea to Amsterdam. Experience France’s multicultural Strasbourg and Germany’s storied Black Forest before disembarking in cultured Basel. Tour highlights of the legendary Rhine River and discover Scandinavian wonders by sea. See the charming canals of Strasbourg’s Petite France, admire Cologne’s famous cathedral and explore Holland’s iconic windmills. Sail the North Sea, visit Denmark and witness Norway’s dramatic fjord landscapes and scenic cities. Combining the best parts of various Viking river cruises through Europe, each day brings ever-changing panoramas as you sail along the Dutch waterways, Rhine, Main and Danube.
Travel Trivia
Wherever you are, Viking ships dock in the heart of each city so the sights are on your doorstep. Excursions will take you to historic landmarks, such as the medieval castle of Vidin in Bulgaria and baroque treasures in Osijek, Croatia's largest river port. Another day brings, Constanta, one of Romania's oldest cities and once a seaside playground for the country's elite.
In Search of the Northern Lights
Visits to his beloved garden are part of Viking's Seine River cruise excursions, where you'll see the Japanese bridge and water garden unchanged from when he painted them. One of the most impressive attractions in Trier is the Romanesque Cathedral of Trier, built under the direction of Helena, mother of Constantine the Great after he converted to Christianity. The ancient sandstone city gate, Porta Nigra (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), is where we enjoyed hanging out. The equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I is quite stunning and a gorgeous place to walk around for photo-ops of the beautiful area. Discover the delights of Vienna as you browse the museums or enjoy a Viennese pastry. Sail the picturesque Wachau Valley, a UNESCO Site, and admire views of hillside vineyards.
Main River Cruises
Expect to be transported to a romance novel with you as the starring role in this beautiful German cruise port. The excursions of Bernkastel take you through picturesque medieval squares with skinny alleyways, half-timbered houses, and many statues. The town square features a medieval marketplace, beautiful Fountain of St. Michael, and the 1608 Rathaus (Town Hall). Many people were brought to tears during the touching war memorial excursion, according to our dinner mates aboard the ship.
Germany Cruises
You pay a deposit for the Christmas mug and can keep it as a neat souvenir. Cochem is a quintessential fairy-tale looking city and where you will see a 1,000-year-old Reichsburg (imperial) Castle, the iconic landmark of the city. Underneath, the lively Old Quarter and medieval town gate, perfect for strolling the windy streets with timber-framed houses and doing some souvenir shopping. There is an excursion that takes you to the castle with Viking, or you can walk it if you feel up to it. You’ll feel as though you’re stepping back in time once you begin walking along the cobblestone steps and view the ornate architecture and colorful buildings.
This voyage is a perfect fit for return travelers eager to explore more. Take a trip to the Serbian capital Belgrade, one of Europe's oldest cities, to visit a violin-making workshop or savor a tasty meal of local fare. The cruise also takes in Romania's capital Bucharest (pictured above), where opulent French neo-classical, Art Deco and Bauhaus buildings earned Bucharest the nickname 'Paris of the East'. Viking's European river cruise fleet includes four slightly smaller longships built to navigate France's iconic Seine River.
Viking Danube River Cruise: Cultural Highlights For First-Time Cruisers
Itineraries include the Garonne, Girande and Dordogne Rivers, all of which wind their way through rolling hills home to more than 9,000 wineries. Those produce about 700 million bottles of wine a year, so expect sips of Saint-Emilion, Medoc and Sauternes on a Viking Bordeaux river cruise. Manageable itineraries of only eight days are available, though the line does offer longer options. Viking includes excursions to the poignant Normandy beaches plus the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer.
Perched on a 300-foot promontory is Cochem Castle, the highest fortress on the Moselle which dates back more than 1,000 years. To see Cochem from another perspective you can take a guided bike tour along the riverbank or join an evening excursion celebrating the wine, music and legends of the Moselle. There's no better way to enjoy cities than on a Viking river cruise where your comfortable Longship is your floating boutique hotel. Sailing from one destination to the next at a leisurely pace, instead of traffic-filled highways you will admire an ever-changing panorama of riverside scenery. Spectacular scenery lined with fairytale castles and wine-growing villages are among the many highlights on the Rhine, making it one of the most popular destinations for a European river cruise.
Viking Opens European River Cruises Early Due to Strong Demand - Cruise Hive
Viking Opens European River Cruises Early Due to Strong Demand.
Posted: Tue, 12 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Cruises
Colleen loves sharing tips on hotels, cruises, spas, theme parks, and global lifestyle topics. When she is not traveling the world, she lives in Arizona with her husband and two kids. Birthplace of the cuckoo clock, you will find many of these time pieces for sale in the Black Forest. Be sure to step outside the Cuckoo’s Nest shop before the changing of the hour to see the life-sized cuckoo clock welcome the new hour with much mechanical fanfare. During the bus tour, a guide filled us in on the area’s famous products. We got the scoop on the locals’ love for all things schnapps and brandies.
There are even water levels recorded for Passau Germany, with data logged from many years past. Enjoy charming Bergen, a historic city full of colorful architecture and a lively atmosphere. Marvel at stunning landscapes and majestic scenery of nearby Aurlandsfjord. Take a journey along Amsterdam’s network of canals or perhaps browse one of the city’s museums. Stroll through Cologne’s Old Town and see the city’s famed Gothic cathedral, a UNESCO Site. You need to be out on deck for the most picturesque stretch of the Rhine between Bingen and Koblenz.
On this culture-rich itinerary you will travel through four contrasting countries -- the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Hungary -- and, like all Viking river cruises, only have to pack and unpack once. Viking Longships moor in the center of town making it easy to join daily excursions or take time out to explore independently. Typical 10-day cruises start and finish in the Atlantic-facing city of Porto, where famous port wine warehouses line the waterfront. Learning the secrets of port production is a highlight on Viking Douro cruises, as are the lush green landscapes that stretch all the way to the Spanish border. From there, the line offers a scenic motorcoach tour to honey-colored Salamanca, Spain's oldest university town (try to spot the tiny frog hidden in the university's facade). For the ultimate itinerary, check out Viking River Cruises' Grand European Tour.
You'll also visit Breisach, the gateway to the fabled Black Forest region which is particularly magical in wintertime. Buy an authentic cuckoo clock to take home as a souvenir and treat yourself to a slice of the region's namesake gateau made with rich chocolate and dark cherries. Here are five of our favorite Viking Rhine River cruises to help you find the perfect itinerary. Embark on an unforgettable 15-day journey on the Grand European Tour through Europe that will take you from the windmills and tulips of Amsterdam all the way Budapest. Traveling through four countries -- the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Hungary -- the epic Grand European tour is a feast for all the senses. One of the best Viking River Cruises in Europe sails Portugal's stunning Douro River.
Viking's itinerary starts in the grand Hungarian capital of Budapest, divided in half by the river. If it's your first time on the Danube take a look at Viking's eight day sailings. They cover many of the main highlights and provide the ideal excuse to come back for more. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices.
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