Best European River Cruises Have you ever dreamed about a european river cruise?

Danube River Cruise: A Course in Time

October 4th, 2009 by Jason Myers

The Danube River flows through ten different countries, making it the longest river Europe. History courses thick through its veins from its beginnings in the Black Forest of Germany through to the Black Sea. As you take your Danube River Cruise, you will be sailing through an area of the world where humans existed thousands of years ago. Cultures are diverse are you travel through the myriad of civilizations that you will see.

Budapest, Hungary is located on either side of the Danube. Buda and Pest straddle the river, and you are able to enjoy the Chain Bridge, Parliament and other sites from the Danube River Cruise. Austria uses the Danube as one of its major waterways where you can see Regensburg, Linz or Vienna. Other countries you can cruise through include Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine. With this much area to cover, you can only imagine what the scenery will be like! There are many different types of cruises available.

Below are just a few of the options available to you, your family, or your corporation. Try a cruise for a day to visit a region or have a party or take a Danube River Cruise that will allow you to sail for a week or two to go on holiday and do a little sightseeing.

Eight Day Cruises sail from Passau to Budapest visiting places like Vienna and the Wachau Valley. Perhaps you would like to try a trip from Budapest to Nuremberg. With this Danube River Cruise you have the opportunity of also visiting Melk and the Danube Canal. For a unique Christmas, you can try a holiday cruise down the River. Many of the eight day cruises include meals and guided tours on land, as well as on ship.

Ten or Fifteen Day Cruises are also available to the traveler. These cruises not only include a trip on the Danube, but also offer you the opportunity to visit other waterways and countries as well. These extra opportunities include trips down the Rhine or into Holland and Slovakia. Historians would love the chance to see the Roman Empire's stomping grounds.

Private Boating is offered by many along the river's edge from Germany to the Black Sea. You are able to take a private boat throughout the entire spans of the Danube along the Romanian border, for instance. There are passport checks along the river and the boats may be subject to inspection.

Local Cruising can be done at any of the major stops along the river. You can cruise for lunch, dinner or any special occasion. Cruises are available for an hour or two, as you travel the local waterways of the Danube.

Activities that you can enjoy on your Danube River Cruise include birdwatching, remains of the Roman Empire, forests and reserves with trees hundreds and thousands of years old, villages and local life, vineyards, and fishing. There are several different habitats along the Danube which allows for a wide diversity of plant and animal life.

Ships and boats are available to cruise on from the smallest private fishing boat to the larger cruise line ships that are specifically designed for river travel. The larger cruiseliners can hold a couple hundred passengers and range in sizes of 300-500 feet. Don't miss the opportunity to explore one of the oldest and historically rich, ecologically diverse regions on the planet.