Christmastime on the Danube with 2 Nights in Prague (Westbound)

Visitors come to Vienna with high expectations of lavish palaces, ornamental parks, cakes piled high with whipped cream and the strain of Strauss waltzes. They're rarely disappointed; this is a city that trades on its glorious past, revelling in its heyday, when Gustav Mahler was conducting the Vienna Philharmonic, Sigmund Freud was inventing psychoanalysis and the coffee houses were abuzz with the banter of middle-class intellectuals.

Yet, as much as it lives in the past, Vienna has hauled itself into the present with elegance and style. Visitors will discover a compact but diverse, multicultural city, with a thriving art and design scene, some truly fabulous shopping, superb contemporary art collections, and acres of gorgeous parks and gardens. Here, you'll find a happy devotion to the good life, whether it's sipping a cocktail at one of the hip bars on the Danube Canal or the gemutlichkeit (the Austrian term for "cosiness") of tasting wines grown on the hills around the city in a traditional pub garden in the village of Grinzing.

Because most of the big attractions are around or inside the Ringstrasse, the circular boulevard that encloses the first district, or city centre, Vienna is easy to explore. In fact, you could spend days in the first district alone, shopping on the elegant Karntnerstrasse, exploring St. Stephen's Cathedral and countless other Baroque churches, devoting time to galleries and museums and immersing yourself in the famous coffee culture.

The many river cruise lines that call on the city provide a mere snapshot of this thriving centre of European culture with little deviation from the very well-trodden tourist trail. But Vienna caters to a diverse range of interests, and the good news is that if you come back for more, or want to explore it alone, the city is a snap to navigate independently.

Visitors come to Vienna with high expectations of lavish palaces, ornamental parks, cakes piled high with whipped cream and the strain of Strauss waltzes. They're rarely disappointed; this is a city that trades on its glorious past, revelling in its heyday, when Gustav Mahler was conducting the Vienna Philharmonic, Sigmund Freud was inventing psychoanalysis and the coffee houses were abuzz with the banter of middle-class intellectuals.

Yet, as much as it lives in the past, Vienna has hauled itself into the present with elegance and style. Visitors will discover a compact but diverse, multicultural city, with a thriving art and design scene, some truly fabulous shopping, superb contemporary art collections, and acres of gorgeous parks and gardens. Here, you'll find a happy devotion to the good life, whether it's sipping a cocktail at one of the hip bars on the Danube Canal or the gemutlichkeit (the Austrian term for "cosiness") of tasting wines grown on the hills around the city in a traditional pub garden in the village of Grinzing.

Because most of the big attractions are around or inside the Ringstrasse, the circular boulevard that encloses the first district, or city centre, Vienna is easy to explore. In fact, you could spend days in the first district alone, shopping on the elegant Karntnerstrasse, exploring St. Stephen's Cathedral and countless other Baroque churches, devoting time to galleries and museums and immersing yourself in the famous coffee culture.

The many river cruise lines that call on the city provide a mere snapshot of this thriving centre of European culture with little deviation from the very well-trodden tourist trail. But Vienna caters to a diverse range of interests, and the good news is that if you come back for more, or want to explore it alone, the city is a snap to navigate independently.

Home of the oldest residential castle in Austria, Greinburg, which dates back to 1488. The views from the castle down to Grein village are breathtaking. 

Arriving in Passau for the first time, you could be forgiven for thinking you'd landed in Italy instead of Germany. The city has a very Italian atmosphere that's led to its nickname, Venice on the Danube. And indeed, Passau was part of the Roman Empire for more than 400 years. When most of the city was destroyed by fire in 1662, it was rebuilt in Italian Baroque style, reflected in the vast cathedral, churches, squares and former homes of wealthy merchants. Today, as you stroll through the pretty streets, you'll notice a plethora of pizza and pasta restaurants rubbing shoulders with eateries that serve up hearty German fare.

While Passau has an undeniably touristy feel, it's a very attractive destination boasting a legacy of wealth built on the salt trade and, during Renaissance times, the crafting of knives and sword blades. The city occupies a unique location on the confluence of the rivers Danube, Inn and Ilz in south-eastern Germany, close to the Austrian border, and so it's also known as the City of Three Rivers. But the rivers haven't always been the city's friends: Passau has repeatedly been flooded by Alpine water swept along the Inn. High watermarks on the side of the town hall bear witness to the flooding; the highest date back to 1501, 1595 and 1954, the latter marked at more than 10m (32 feet).

Packed on a thin strip of land, Passau is easy to get around -- a major plus for visitors -- thanks to its small size. Beyond the long riverside promenade walk, lined with lookalike souvenir shops and some decent eateries, lies the picture-postcard old town, with traffic-free narrow streets made for meandering and many of the main sights. The sightseeing high spot, in more ways than one, is St. Stephen's cathedral, high up in the Old Town, home to the world's largest cathedral organ. Dominating the Danube side, opposite the dock, is the Veste Oberhaus fortress, which is now a multiple-choice castle containing a museum, youth hostel and restaurant.

Typically, riverboats dock in Passau after breakfast for a morning sightseeing tour, and passengers can opt to return for lunch back onboard or stay in town and have a meal independently in one of the many restaurants. River cruisers are then allowed free time to explore on their own before sailing in the late afternoon.

The largest medieval city in Germany and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2006, Regensburg was founded in 179 A.D. by the Romans. It eventually became the second-richest city in the Holy Roman Empire, prized for its trade of "White Gold," otherwise known as salt. It was even once the capital of Germany until it was moved to Munich. Fortunately, most of the city was spared destruction during World War II. With Romanesque and Gothic structures, courtyards, squares and a stone bridge, the city of roughly 150,000 residents makes you feel as if you're stepping straight into a storybook setting.

Nuremberg, located 110 miles north of Munich, is the second-largest city in Bavaria, boasting a population of 500,000. Save for its significance during World War II, it doesn't always get the spotlight it deserves. Yet, once you set foot in the walled medieval Old Town, you'll realize what a treasure the city is, especially if you can snag one of its famous Lebkuchen, Christmas gingerbread cookies dating to the 13th century. Even better: If you're there during the holidays, you can visit Christkindlemarkt, the city's world-famous Christmas market.

Nuremberg, located 110 miles north of Munich, is the second-largest city in Bavaria, boasting a population of 500,000. Save for its significance during World War II, it doesn't always get the spotlight it deserves. Yet, once you set foot in the walled medieval Old Town, you'll realize what a treasure the city is, especially if you can snag one of its famous Lebkuchen, Christmas gingerbread cookies dating to the 13th century. Even better: If you're there during the holidays, you can visit Christkindlemarkt, the city's world-famous Christmas market.

Moody, romantic, historic, mysterious: Think Franz Kafka, baroque music, medieval and Renaissance buildings, opera, small avant-garde theaters, marionettes, and the Velvet Revolution. All of these (and more) make the capital of the Czech Republic a must-do on a European river cruise. Prague serves as a transfer destination for Danube River cruises, as well as cruises that eventually hit the Main, Rhine and Moselle rivers. Passengers frequently overnight here for one day or more before journeying by bus to meet their ships. Modern-day Prague is shaped by a storied past that dates to the ninth century. Once part of the Holy Roman Empire, the city played a major role in the Protestant Reformation and the Thirty Years' War, and was later an important part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Historical figures associated with the city include the larger-than-life Bohemian Emperor Charles IV and, later, Empress Maria Theresa. The former Czechoslovakia was occupied by the Germans from 1939 to 1945. While the country suffered the hardships of World War II, Prague itself -- unlike other European capitals -- was not bombed extensively (although Americans accidentally knocked out around 100 buildings in Prague's historic center). Because so much of the city remained unscathed, architectural styles span the centuries: Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Rococo, Art Nouveau and Cubist. It's not an overstatement to say there is no other place quite like it. Liberated by Soviet troops in 1945, Czechoslovakia operated as a Soviet-style state for decades; not until the 1970s did dissident groups begin to organize against the Communist regime. But democracy was slow to take hold. It wasn't until after the famed Prague Spring uprising in 1968 and the student-led Velvet Revolution in 1989 that playwright and former political prisoner Vaclav Havel was elected president. Full, multiparty elections under a new constitution were held in 1992. One year later, the Czech Republic and Slovakia split into two nations. Today's Praha, as this city of 1.3 million is called, is firmly a tourist destination, with high quality shops, restaurants with top chefs, a historic center designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and important museums. It's not unusual to see Austrians, Germans, Russians and Americans following tour guides (with those ubiquitous raised umbrellas) through Prague Castle and the warren of cobblestone streets that make up Old Town. But that's just part of the city's present-day persona. Take a few days here before or after your cruise to dive deeper.

Moody, romantic, historic, mysterious: Think Franz Kafka, baroque music, medieval and Renaissance buildings, opera, small avant-garde theaters, marionettes, and the Velvet Revolution. All of these (and more) make the capital of the Czech Republic a must-do on a European river cruise. Prague serves as a transfer destination for Danube River cruises, as well as cruises that eventually hit the Main, Rhine and Moselle rivers. Passengers frequently overnight here for one day or more before journeying by bus to meet their ships. Modern-day Prague is shaped by a storied past that dates to the ninth century. Once part of the Holy Roman Empire, the city played a major role in the Protestant Reformation and the Thirty Years' War, and was later an important part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Historical figures associated with the city include the larger-than-life Bohemian Emperor Charles IV and, later, Empress Maria Theresa. The former Czechoslovakia was occupied by the Germans from 1939 to 1945. While the country suffered the hardships of World War II, Prague itself -- unlike other European capitals -- was not bombed extensively (although Americans accidentally knocked out around 100 buildings in Prague's historic center). Because so much of the city remained unscathed, architectural styles span the centuries: Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Rococo, Art Nouveau and Cubist. It's not an overstatement to say there is no other place quite like it. Liberated by Soviet troops in 1945, Czechoslovakia operated as a Soviet-style state for decades; not until the 1970s did dissident groups begin to organize against the Communist regime. But democracy was slow to take hold. It wasn't until after the famed Prague Spring uprising in 1968 and the student-led Velvet Revolution in 1989 that playwright and former political prisoner Vaclav Havel was elected president. Full, multiparty elections under a new constitution were held in 1992. One year later, the Czech Republic and Slovakia split into two nations. Today's Praha, as this city of 1.3 million is called, is firmly a tourist destination, with high quality shops, restaurants with top chefs, a historic center designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and important museums. It's not unusual to see Austrians, Germans, Russians and Americans following tour guides (with those ubiquitous raised umbrellas) through Prague Castle and the warren of cobblestone streets that make up Old Town. But that's just part of the city's present-day persona. Take a few days here before or after your cruise to dive deeper.