European Sojourn

4.7/5 Based on 3 Reviews No Booking FeesDedicated Cruise Advisor
River View
$13,617
Balcony
$16,851
Suite
$26,357
* Port charges, taxes and fees included
 Cruise Length
23 Days
 Cruise Starts
Bucharest
 Cruise Finishes
Amsterdam
23 Day European Sojourn Itinerary (Viking)
Cruise Line
Viking
Ship
Ship Class
Viking Longship
Departures
Passengers
190
Crew
50
Launched
2015
Cruise Code
VKES-R

Overview

Celebrate folk traditions in Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia and Hungary. Behold the grandeur of Vienna. See castles on the Rhine. Cruise Amsterdam’s canals. These travel icons—and more—await you on a 23-day journey combining our Passage to Eastern Europe and Grand European Tour cruises. Discover eight countries in Eastern, Central and Western Europe while cruising the Danube, Main and Rhine. Enjoy a lifetime’s worth of experiences on a single voyage.

Itinerary

Arrive in Bucharest and transfer to your hotel in the heart of the city for a 1-night stay. Spend the rest of the day relaxing, or do some exploring on your own.

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and take a tour of the city. See the city's wide boulevards, the Romanian Athenaeum, the Arch of Triumph and the Palace of Parliament. Visit the outdoor Muzeul Satului, otherwise known as the Village Museum, where authentic dwellings from all regions of the country have been relocated and reassembled, including rural cottages, farmhouses and water mills. During lunch at a local restaurant, enjoy a lively folkloric performance that recalls the simple pleasures of rural life. You then proceed to Giurgiu to board your ship and enjoy a welcome dinner. (B/L/D)

After breakfast, disembark at Ruse for a full-day excursion to Bulgaria's former capital, Veliko Tarnovo. See Tsaravets Hill and the ruins of the royal castle. During free time, shop for local crafts along Samovodska Charshia. Continue your venture to Arbanasi for lunch in a local restaurant and a guided tour of the Nativity Church, with its intricate floor-to-ceiling murals and icons. Return to your ship for dinner. (B/L/D)

Arrive in the picturesque Bulgarian port of Vidin, and take an excursion to see Belogradchik Fortress, built right into the striking Belogradchik Rocks. See the fortress's amazing construction, begun in Roman times and greatly extended by Bulgarian tsars and the Ottomans, and enjoy breathtaking views. Enjoy lunch on board your ship; then you have free time to explore Vidin's city center, Orthodox churches and the ruins of the city's once-grand synagogue. We depart during dinner. (B/L/D)

This morning, enjoy scenic cruising as you travel through one of the most picturesque areas of the Lower Danube. The Iron Gate is one of Europe's most dramatic natural wonders—a spectacular narrow gorge with enormous white limestone cliffs. Arrive in Donji Milanovac where you can choose to disembark and join an optional tour, or continue to enjoy scenic sailing. Arrive in Golubac and join an included tour of the Golubac Fortress where you will admire sweeping views over the Danube. Enjoy dinner on board before departing to Belgrade. (B/L/D)

Wake up in Belgrade, capital of Serbia. Take a guided walk through the grounds of Kalemegdan Fortress, now a stately park; also see the Orthodox cathedral and stop at the Square of the Republic. Enjoy lunch on board your ship before you have free time to explore Belgrade's gracious architecture or visit one of its many museums. Dine on board your ship or experience some of Belgrade's nightlife. We depart very late this evening. (B/L/D)

Cruise along the Danube, arriving at Vukovar around noon. Disembark for an afternoon excursion to the charming Croatian city of Osijek. Inhabited since Neolithic times, this area has had several heydays under the Romans, the Ottomans and the Hapsburgs; now, Vukovar is revered for its baroque buildings, parks and monuments. Return on board for dinner. (B/L/D)

Sail into Hungary this morning, arriving in Kalocsa after lunch. Take a guided city tour followed by a short organ concert at St. Joseph Church. Then, you are treated to a performance of traditional Puszta horsemanship. Return to the ship and enjoy a festive dinner on board as we depart for Budapest. (B/L/D)

Arrive in Budapest, capital of Hungary. Situated along the Danube, it combines the once separate towns of hilly Buda and cosmopolitan Pest into a city rich with history. Your guided tour shows you both sides, starting with Pest's National Opera House and historic Heroes' Square. In Buda, walk along Castle Hill to Fisherman's Bastion and Matthias Church. Take some free time to explore before returning on board for a traditional Hungarian dinner. (B/L/D)

Explore Budapest on your own today. Perhaps explore the Old Town, stopping in a spice shop for piquant paprika or a boutique for folk embroidery. Visit the neoclassical Hungarian National Museum. The city's efficient metro helps you on your way. Join us on an optional excursion to the Grand Market Hall, an emporium of Hungary's rich culture. Or tour the city's Iron Curtain landmarks via Trabant, the Eastern Bloc's 'cardboard' car. Each optional excursion is designed to bring you to the heart of this historic and cosmopolitan city. Return to your ship for dinner and evening sail away. (B/L/D)

Enjoy a day of scenic cruising along the beautiful Danube toward Vienna. As we sail, perhaps join this morning's German language lesson to learn a few key words and phrases. You may also choose to attend an afternoon presentation on Viennese coffee houses. We arrive early this evening. After dinner, relax or enjoy an optional classical concert. (B/L/D)

Today we tour the Austrian capital of Vienna. Ride along the Ringstrasse, which replaced the city walls in the mid-19th century. See some of the city's baroque architecture, including the world-famous Opera House, St. Stephen's Cathedral and Hofburg Palace. Return to your ship for lunch. The rest of the day is yours to further explore. As always, your Program Director can help you plan your free time. Alternately, you may choose to join an optional excursion to see the famed Lipizzaner Stallions; or, express your creativity and create a lasting keepsake at an optional art workshop inspired by the work of Gustav Klimt. After dinner, relax or enjoy an optional classical concert. (B/L/D)

Today, visit the abbey at Melk, a 900-year-old Benedictine monastery featuring Austria's finest Italian baroque architecture. See its wonderful frescoes and admire the comprehensive collection of medieval manuscripts in its library. Rejoin your ship and cruise through dinner. (B/L/D)

Arrive this morning in Passau, at the confluence of the Inn, Ilz and Danube Rivers. Your guided walk along the town's narrow streets takes you through Old Town and past traditional patrician houses. Admire the New Bishop's Residence and see the impressive baroque St. Stephen's Cathedral; its ornate interior is home to the Europe's largest church organ. Enjoy lunch on board your ship, and return to the city for further exploration on your own. Alternately, set out this morning with your guide to enjoy a full-day optional tour of picturesque Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart and setting of The Sound of Music. We depart just before dinner and cruise through the night. (B/L/D)

Arrive in Regensburg after breakfast and tour this wonderfully preserved medieval city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including structures dating back to Roman times. Discover many 13th- and 14th-century patrician houses and see the splendid St. Peter's Cathedral. During free time, visit the Alte Würstküche (Old Sausage Kitchen), Germany's oldest restaurant. Alternately, you may choose to disembark this morning and drive with your guide to Munich for an optional full-day tour of this cultural and historic city, rejoining your ship before our evening departure. Cruise through dinner. (B/L/D)

Cruise the Main–Danube Canal this morning. Or, instead, disembark for a short drive to the center of Nuremberg and use your free time to explore until lunchtime. After lunch, venture out on a tour of the city. Visit the ruins of Zeppelin Field, the Nazi parade grounds of the 1930s, and see the Palace of Justice, site of the infamous Nuremberg Trials. See the Old Town area as you walk past the Albrecht Dürer House and Main Market Square. Alternately, you may choose to join an optional afternoon World War II tour including the illuminating Documentation Center. Dinner is served on board your ship before we depart late this evening. (B/L/D)

Sail through the morning; after lunch we visit Bamberg, with its medieval city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your walking tour includes a visit to the magnificent 11th-century cathedral, reworked in late Romanesque style in the 13th century, and the picturesque city hall built on a tiny island in the middle of a river. Take some free time to enjoy Bamberg and perhaps try some of the town's distinctive smoke-flavored beer before returning on board. (B/L/D)

Today, tour Würzburg's Bishops' Residenz, one of Germany's largest and most ornate baroque palaces and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Or, you may choose to disembark this morning to experience an optional full-day journey along Germany's picturesque 'Romantic Road' to Rothenburg, with its turreted city wall and impressive Gothic and baroque architecture. Rejoin your ship for dinner and an evening glassblowing demonstration. (B/L/D)

Wertheim is located at the confluence of the Main and Tauber Rivers. During your morning walking tour, experience life in a typical small German town. Stop in a bakery and a butcher shop, and learn about Wertheim's glassblowing tradition. Enjoy free time to explore before returning to your ship for lunch. Alternately, depart this morning on an all-day optional excursion that offers a rare glimpse into noble life, enjoying Privileged Access visits to two very different castles: Schloss Mespelbrunn and Schloss Löwenstein. (B/L/D)

Today, we cruise past hilltop castles along the Rhine; this stunning stretch of the river is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Be sure to keep an eye out for the Lorelei Rock, which marks the river's narrowest point; the rock is named after a legendary Rhine Maiden who lured sailors to their demise.

This afternoon, we'll stop to visit Marksburg Castle, the only Rhine fortress never destroyed. Rejoin your ship in Koblenz and dine on board. (B/L/D)

Arrive in Cologne during breakfast, then disembark for a tour of Germany's fourth largest city. Stroll through Old Town past St. Martin's Church and see the Dom, Germany's largest cathedral and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spend your free time enjoying Cologne's atmospheric waterfront, or perhaps join an optional excursion on which you ascend to the Dom's roof for up-close views of the cathedral's architecture and bird's-eye vistas of Cologne. Afterward, return on board for dinner. Alternately, you may set off on an optional excursion to explore Cologne's spirited beer culture, sampling Kölsch, a light, crisp beer brewed only in Cologne, and enjoying a brauhaus dinner. After, return to your ship for a late-evening departure. (B/L/D)

We sail along the Rhine during the morning hours. Admire scenic views and enjoy a morning of enjoyable Dutch diversions: sample Dutch cheeses and jenever, a distilled juniper liquor, and take in a culturally enriching presentation on the Dutch Golden Age.

This afternoon, your ship arrives in Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Disembark for an afternoon tour of this ingenious network of windmills and other flood management devices. You learn why the windmills were built and see how they work, plus you enter a working windmill for a tour of its mechanisms and living quarters. Board your ship for departure and dinner. Arrive in Amsterdam around midnight. (B/L/D)

After breakfast, disembark and proceed to the airport for your return flight.* Or, extend your journey with 2 additional nights in Amsterdam; take time to explore the city's neighborhoods, museums and exciting nightlife. (B) * Ground transfers are included with Viking Air purchase.

Life Onboard Viking Vidar

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Trip Reviews (3) Most Recent 'European Sojourn' Reviews

4.7
AVG. RATING 4.7 / 5
3 Reviews
5 Star
67%
4 Star
33%
3 Star
2 Star
1 Star
Eastern Europe 3 , QLD, Australia, May 2023
Amazing cruise with exceptional views. A truly amazing trip from Bucharest to Amsterdam travelling with Viking. Definitely looking at other river cruises for the near future.
Fabulous trip through Europe 1 , TAS, Australia, May 2023
We have just completed a fabulous 3 week cruise from Bucharest to Amsterdam with Viking and could not be happier with the itinerary, the ship or its fantastic staff. The itinerary was packed with as much or as little as one required and there was absolutely no chance of getting bored! The included tours, particularly in the first week in Bulgaria, Serbia ...read more and Croatia were comprehensive and very enlightening. There was scope to look, in depth, at key political and historic aspects of the countries that we visited, or simply take in the views. The tour guides were tremendously informative and the cruise director on our ship, Viking Vidar, was peerless in his knowledge of the Rhine/Main/Danube Rivers and their respective histories. I feel as though I have learned so much and this was in spite of the fact that we had cruised from Bucharest to Amsterdam on a previous cruise!

The services on board the ship were excellent with no request too difficult for either the hotel or dining staff. The meals were fabulous and very well considered. We were fed really well, but we didn't roll off the ship in Amsterdam fearing exposure to rich food. There was always scope to eat "plain" food if desired and the access to fresh fruit and salads was exceptionally good.
The rooms were more than adequate. It would be really nice if the beds faced towards the side of the ship rather than along its length, but this was the only issue that we had with the room, which was excellently maintained and kept spotlessly clean and fresh whilst we were on board by our extraordinarily diligent room attendant. All up, we enjoyed a brilliant crise and we couldn't recommend Viking more highly.
A wonderful journey on the very picturesque Danube, Main and Rhine rivers with no packing up each day 2 , VIC, Australia, Sep 2022
Viking gave great service, especially the food - it was amazing. We went in early September and it was a little cool-would have liked it to be warmer but you can't control the weather. Another great life time experience. Thank you to Global Journeys and Georgie - once again.

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Note
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Viking. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from Viking. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.

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