Impressions Of The Danube

Samantha Oconnor, Assistant Manager of our Lymington travel agents, reports back from a Danube River cruise with Avalon Waterways.Sailing on board Avalon Impresssion, she visited beautiful cities such as Budapest and Vienna, whilst also enjoying the wonderful facilities on board the ship.

Destination: Budapest and the Danube River
Operator/Host: Avalon Waterways
Airline: Lufthansa
Accommodation
(Hotel names/Ship name): Avalon Impression, Intercontinental Budapest
Duration: 8 nights

Flights

We flew indirect but this was very easy and our luggage was transferred from each flight for us. The seats were comfortable with good legroom.

Accommodation

Avalon Impression has very spacious cabins with doors that open up so you can sit at your table and chairs and take in all the views along the river. They have a spacious bathroom with shower and a mini-bar in the room. The beds also face out to the river so you can open your curtains in the morning and look straight onto the river.

There are no tea and coffee making facilities, but you can order this to be delivered the night before by your cabin steward if needed.

What Was Included?

·        A hike to Dracula's prison with spectacular views from the top

·        Canoeing along the Danube in the Wachau valley, past the pretty village and church of Grein

·        We hired bikes and cycled around Vienna for two hours with a guide who showed us all the sights

·        Visit to Buda on one side of Budapest, which has some lovely buildings and history

·        A very sombre and sobering trip to a concentration camp in Mauthausen, where we learned a lot about what happened there during the war

Trip Highlights

The hike to Dracula's prison, through the woods, was amazing. Plus, the sights of the river from the top were very rewarding. We also visited the Count of Clam and did a tour of the castle to learn about its history.

Other highlights included Vienna and Budapest. These are very beautiful cities and well worth a visit.

Recommendations

River cruising is very relaxing as you watch the world go by and so I would definitely recommend it. There is no formal dressing up so it’s a very laid-back atmosphere. It is very quiet and peaceful on the rivers and the food is the best I have ever had.

Must see? The opera house in Vienna
Must do? Beer tasting excursion
Must try? A canoe trip in the Wachau Valley

If you’re looking fora river ruise like the one that Sam enjoyed, we can help you find the right ship and itinerary for you. For more information, drop by your local branch. We have travel agents in Bury St. Edmunds, Ipswich, Norwich, Colchester, Felixstowe and along the south coast of England.