The beautiful blue Danube (Donau)

Description
Program
Details
Ship

Danube (Donau): Passau-Vienna-Budapast v.v. - Description

4 Countries and 3 beating capital cities: Vienna – Bratislava – Budapest

By bike and ship along the Danube river – a very special experience, because your “sailing hotel” is al-ways present! The impressive spectacle of nature of the “Schlögener Schlinge”, the fascinating land-scape of Wachau with its vineyards, fortresses and castles, the untouched forest-islands of the National park Donauauen and the picturesque Hungarian Danube curves alternate with the famous capital cities of Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest. The wide river flows as a silver thread through Budapest and splits the city in the hilly Buda and the flat Pest. The dome of the impressive basilica in Esztergom is already visible from a far distance. Bratislava, the former Pressburg, the capital city of Slovakia at the foot of the Small Carpathian Mountains invites you with its magnificent city centre for an extensive walk. Do you enjoy a little flirt with Vienna, the city of the Waltz? Innumerable highlights, small idyllic coffeehouses and cosy wine bars expect you.

Danube (Donau): Passau-Vienna-Budapest v.v. - Programme

Day 1 (Sun)

Passau – Engelhartszell

Individual arrival in the Bayern city of the 3 rivers. Boarding as from 5 PM. In the evening departure to Engelhartszell. You will spend the evening on board.

Day 2 (Mon)

Engelhartszell – Vienna, bike tour approx. 40 km/24 miles

Bike tour through the romantic river landscape of the Danube-curve, one of the most beautiful and origi-nal Danube areas. You will go on board in the charming village Markt Aschach. At night the ship sails to Vienna where it arrives the next morning.

Day 3 (Tue)

Vienna – Bratislava - Budapest, bike tour approx. 55 - 75 km/33-45 miles (walking city tour through Bratislava (optional)

Just before entering Vienna you will experience pure nature, wild and untamed, in the National Park Donauauen, one of the last large not cultivated river land of Europe. Bratislava, capital city of Slovakia, is the target of today, where you can explore the hidden alleys and places during an evening city walk (optional). At night the ship sails to Budapest.

Day 4 (Wed)

Budapest (rest day), city tour by bus or bicycle (optional)

In the morning you can enjoy the incredible view at the beautiful landscape of the Danube-knee, a curve in the Danube river. The moment that the ship is sailing into Budapest is overwhelming: many of the famous highlights are situated on the banks. During the city tour by bike, or in the evening by bus, you’ll learn the most of this city with it’s enchanted atmosphere. The island of Margarethen, which is close by, is very suitable for short bike tours, the market hall – the “belly of Budapest” entices with Hungarian dishes and handcrafts. In the evening you can enjoy the view of a festive lighted Budapest from deck.

Day 5 (Thu)

Budapest – Visegrad - Esztergom, bike tour approx. 24 - 57 km/14,4 - 34 miles

In the morning you will sail with the ship through the picturesque, soft slanted landscape, of the Danube-knee, also known as the Hungarian Wachau, to Visegrad. From here you can choose between two bike tours: the longer version is incl. a de-tour to the Szentendre-Island and to the baroque-city Vác. Eszter-gom is waiting for you at the end of the Danube-knee, with it’s very recognizable Basilica. The ship sets off to Vienna at night, where it will arrive the next morning.

Day 6 (Fri)

Vienna (rest day), city bike or bus tour (optional)

Discover beautiful Vienna: During a city tour by bike or by bus you will experience the most famous places of interest from up close: the imperial palace, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the Vienna State Opera on Vienna’s Ring Boulevard, Burgtheater and city hall, the multicoloured Hundertwasser-house and the Giant Ferris Wheel (“Riesenrad”) at the Prater. You can stop and rest in one of the countless small cafés. The evening will come to an atmospheric end during a waltz- and light opera concert in the Viennese Hofburg (optional).

Day 7 (Sat)

Vienna – Krems – Melk (Wachau), bike tour approx. 40 km/ 24 miles

The ship sets off to Wachau very early in the morning. The soft slanted landscape, with its dreamy vil-lages, wine terraces, fortresses, monasteries and ruins, has enchanted each and every one: for example: Dürnstein, visited by King Richard Löwenherz during the middle ages – not at all welcomed by its citizens -; Weissenkirchen (opportunity to taste wine) und Spitz - you will see some cosy wine bars along the cycle path. The Benedictine church, one of the most important baroque building in Austria, awaits you at the finish point in Melk. After a gala dinner you can have lots of amusement during a folk show on board the ship. At approx. 19:30 hrs the ship will set course for Passau.

Day 8 (Sun)

Passau

In the early afternoon (approx. 11:30 hrs) you will reach Passau, relaxed and rested. Disembarkment at 12:00 hrs; end of your tour.

Danube (Donau): Passau-Vienna-Budapest v.v. - Details

Included:

• 7 nights in a cabin with shower/toilet and air-conditioning in the booked category;
• Full board (breakfast, lunch/lunch package, dinner); coffee or snack in the afternoon;
• Bed linen and towels on board; daily cleaning of the cabin;
• Welcoming cocktail;
• 1x Gala dinner with goodbye cocktail;
• Folkloristic show;
• Daily live music;
• ALL-Inclusive on the departure dates in april and october: house wine • Rental bicycle (modern 7-gear tour bike with back-pedal brakes and pannier bag);
• 1x comprehensive maps- and info material per cabin;
• Daily bike tour instructions from tour manager;
• Tour manager.

Not included:

• Transfers to/from the ship;
• Reservation fee € 15,00 per booking/group (obligatory surcharge);
• Other transfers, entrance fees & excursions, parking fee;
• Drinks on board;
• Port and tourist taxes € 59,00 (obligated surcharge as from 12 years);
• Personal (travel) insurances;
• Gratuities (at your discretion).

Route description/disclaimer:

In the event of extreme high or low tides, the boat owners reserve the right to traverse sections of the journey by bus or, if necessary, cancel a trip at the last moment. Under such circumstances, and in accordance with the gen-eral conditions, complete payments and/or deposits already made for a trip will be fully refunded (water levels are circumstances beyond our control). These regulations also apply in the case of official notices given of lock and/or bridge repairs which were not previously made known to the owners and furthermore to any damage to the boat’s engine or driving mechanism through no fault of the owners.

Please be aware that although your boat is your “pleasure craft”, it is also a device propelled by an engine and must be permanently supervised, even during the night (to some extent, this also covers the navigation of locks and bridges which entails the necessary collapsing of the wheel house and sun deck). We advise those of our guests who are sensitive to noise to take earplugs on board. The navigation of locks is unavoidably accompanied by some form of disturbance - which is certainly the case during all the Danube trips!

Save on the way, helmet required in Slovakia:

Since 2009 cyclist require a helmet in Slovakia. We advise you to bring your own helmet. You can also buy a helmet at € 15,00 p.p. on board. (limited stock).

General information:

The bicycle tours are self-guided. All distances are “approximate distances” of recommended bicycle tours. Please note that there are only small wardrobes in the cabins. The luggage there fore often has to be kept under the beds. By that reason kits, travelling-bags and rucksacks (without frame !!) are usually handy. You should pack: good shoes (for example sport shoes), bike helmet, a warm sweater, rainwear, sun head & sun lotion.

Excursions:

The organisation of the tour offers you optional excursions, which can be booked (and paid) for on board.

A minimum number of participants is required.
The organisation / executive tour operator: SE Tours GmbH, Bremerhaven (D). The tour operator is entitled to cancel the tour if the minimum number of participants has not been reached. If the tour will not take place, all deposits/payments will be fully refunded.

My Story

The popular, traditional built middle-class ship MY STORY impresses with its friendly and informal at-mosphere. Spacious sundeck with lounge chairs and small sitting areas. The panorama restaurant and panorama lounge with bar provide plenty of room for a social gathering. Daily live music provide amuse-ment and entertainment. The 87 comfortable outside cabins (about 9 m2) all have one or two in a low angled beds - during the day a bed can be folded against the wall, a central regulated air conditioning / heating with individually controlled ventilation, shower/WC, hairdryer and satellite TV. The triple cabins have an extra bunk. Particularly suitable for families are the cabins with connecting doors. The windows can be opened only in cabins on the upper deck.

Technical details: built in 1971, length 105 m, width 11.6 m, depth 1.70 m, max speed 18 km / h, 87 ca-bins, 174 passengers max.