Begin your vacation your way with a one-night stay in Amsterdam! Join us for a off-the-beaten-path guided walking tour through its cobblestone streets before embarking on your Avalon Suite Ship.

From Holland to Romania, with a host of exciting stops along the way, this river cruise vacation across Europe is truly an adventure! Amsterdam, Holland’s lively capital, is set amongst sophisticated architecture and classic squares and canals with countless museums, cafés, shops, and restaurants to explore. See the treasures of this 700-year-old city on a canal cruise along the elegant grachten. On to Germany for a guided city walk in the 2,000-year-old Cologne. Sail through the dramatic Rhine Gorge, the most beautiful view of the Rhine River where ancient castles stand on cliffs 400 feet above the water and stop in delightful Rüdesheim. There’s guided sightseeing in Würzburg, Bamberg, and Nuremberg, and you’ll sail the Main Danube Canal connecting the Main and Danube Rivers. In Melk, Austria, visit the magnificent Benedictine Abbey, then sail through the picturesque Wachau Valley. Guided sightseeing in each city introduces you to two capitals: Vienna, Austria; and Budapest, Hungary. Continue your river cruise adventure on the Lower Danube with an excursion to 2nd-century Pécs, Hungary, where you’ll visit underground burial chambers now part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stop in Serbia’s Belgrade and cruise through the dramatic Iron Gates Gorge. In Bulgaria, visit Belogradchik’s eclectic rock formations, the ancient capital of Veliko Tarnovo, and Arbanassi-with its Church of the Nativity housing an outstanding collection of frescoes. To round out this timeless European River Cruise, enjoy guided sightseeing in Bucharest, known as the "Paris of the East" and a stay in Transylvania with a visit to Dracula’s Bran Castle.

Included Features:

Day 1 Amsterdam: Welcome to Amsterdam

Day 2 Amsterdam (Embarkation): Off the beaten path walking tour; onboard welcome reception

Day 3 Amsterdam: Canal cruise

Day 4 Cologne: Choice of Cologne highlights walking tour, or Jewish Heritage walking tour or bike with your Adventure Host

Day 5 Rhine Gorge–Rüdesheim: Cruise through the scenic Rhine Gorge with breathtaking views of ancient castles, towering cliffs, and the legendary Rock of the Lorelei; choice of visit to Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum or cable-car ride to the Niederwald Monument in Rüdesheim

Day 6 Miltenberg: Guided walk

Day 7 Würzburg: Guided sightseeing, visit the Bishop’s Residenz

Day 8 Volkach: Choice of walking tour or bike with your Adventure Host

Day 9 Bamberg: Choice of guided tour, see the Old Town Hall or bike with your Adventure Host

Day 10 Roth. Excursion to Nuremberg: Choice of guided tour in Roth, or hike with your Adventure Host, or guided tour in Nuremberg, or Nuremberg Rally Grounds tour; onboard lecture

Day 11 Regensburg: Choice of guided tour or bike with your Adventure Host

Day 12 Passau–Linz: Guided tour in Passau; free time in Linz

Day 13 Melk–Wachau Valley–Vienna: Guided tour of the Benedictine Abbey in Melk or walk with your Adventure Host; scenic cruise through the Wachau Valley; free time in Vienna

Day 14 Vienna: Choice of guided tour or bike with your Adventure Host

Day 15 Budapest: Scenic cruising into Budapest; choice of guided tour, see Heroes’ Square or hike with your Adventure Host

Day 16 Budapest: Day at leisure

Day 17 Mohács. Excursion to Pécs: Choice of guided tour in Pécs, visit the underground tombs, or sightseeing in Mohács, visit St. Nicolas watermill or walk with your Adventure Host

Day 18 Ilok–Novi Sad: Ilok guided tour; choice of Novi Sad guided tour or walk with your Adventure Host

Day 19 Belgrade: Choice of guided tour or walk with your Adventure Host; onboard lecture

Day 20 Golubac–Donji Milanovac–Iron Gates: Visit to Golubac fortress; choice of visit Lepenski Vir archaeological site or walk with your Adventure Host; scenic cruise through the Iron Gates Gorge

Day 21 Vidin. Excursion to Belogradchik: Choice of guided tour in Vidin, excursion to Belogradchik, see the rock formations or walk with your Adventure Host

Day 22 Rousse–Excursion to Veliko Trnovo and Arbanassi: Choice of full-day excursion, visit to Tsarevet’s Fortress in Veliko Trnovo and to the Ethnographical Museum and the Church of the Nativity in Arbanassi, or guided sightseeing in Rousse, or walk in the park with your Adventure Host

Day 23 Oltenita (Disembarkation)–Brasov: Transfer to Bucharest, guided sightseeing

Day 24 Brasov: Brasov guided tour; visit Bran Castle

Day 25 Brasov–Sinaia–Bucharest: Visit Peles Castle

Day 26 Bucharest: Your vacation ends this morning