Escorted Tours 2022-23 Brochure - Mercury Holidays

Europe River Cruise Day 1: UK to Vienna D Depart the UK on your scheduled flight to Vienna, where you will board your vessel and enjoy a welcome cocktail and crew presentation. This evening, cruise through the night to Melk, enjoying the moonlit scenery as you sail. Day 2: Melk and Dürnstein B/L/D Arrive early this morning for a tour of Melk, a small riverside town that has been of strategic importance to empires since the Romans and lies an hour away from Vienna. While the town offers a small but picturesque historic centre, its main draw is the 11th century monastery of Melk Abbey, perched on the hillside overlooking the town. Visit the abbey and explore its marble halls and intricate frescos. In the afternoon, sail through the Wachau Valley, possibly the most dramatic and picturesque section of the Danube characterised by forested slopes and fortresses dotting almost every bend in the river. Arrive in the wine region of Dürnstein where you’ll disembark for a tour of this charming medieval town before returning to your ship and cruising onward to Bratislava. Day 3: Bratislava B/L/D Arrive in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava and take a guided tour around this city on the banks of the Danube. Bratislava has been the countries capital since its independence in 1993 and its architecture is a trip through a millennia of European history from the medieval and gothic old town, through baroque buildings and castles commissioned by Hungarian nobles, to renaissance finery and finally, the communist era blocks the represent it’s more recent history. Cruise through the afternoon as you make your way to Kalocsa. Day 4: Kalocsa and Puszta B/L/D Trace the river’s path into Hungary and visit the prairie town of Puszta for a guided tour through the town and its sweeping grassland plains, where horse, sheep and buffalo often roam, and an impressive horse show. Return to your ship where you’ll sail through the night toward Budapest. Day 5: Budapest B/L/D Take a tour of Hungary’s sophisticated capital, with its intoxicating blend of beautiful Art Nouveau architecture, rickety trolley buses, traditional bathhouses and excellent, locally-produced wines. Cruise highlights ✔ Explore the capital cities of Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest ✔ Sail the Danube, past stunning scenery and charming riverside towns ✔ Tour the picturesque riverside town of Melk ✔ Visit the grandiose 11th century monastery of Melk Abbey ✔ Sail through the scenic Wachau valley ✔ Tour the charming medieval town of Dürnstein ✔ Explore the magnificent Schönbrunn Palace ✔ A number of optional excursions are available including guided city tours Grand Capitals of the Danube This eight-day voyage takes you along the dramatic Danube river, renowned for its magnificent landscapes and sweeping hillside vistas, as you follow this mighty waterway into three capital cities: Vienna in Austria, Bratislava in Slovakia and Hungary’s Budapest. Enjoy our guided city tours, which includes tours of Vienna Melk’s cinematic hilltop abbey. River Cruise Melk, Austria < • • • •        Vienna Bratislava Esztergom Budapest Kalocsa Melk D ü rnstein < Air Boat Austria Slovakia Hungary 12 Visit our website or call 0800 954 9329 for further details