Danube River - Christmas Markets 7 Nights • Vilshofen, Germany to Budapest, Hungary • CELEBRITY SEEKER

Cruising into Vilshofen with Celebrity River Cruises, you’ll arrive at a town where the Danube flows gently alongside tradition, art, and quiet charm. Stroll its historic streets and discover treasures like the Church of St. John the Baptist or Vilshofen Castle, each offering a glimpse into the town’s deep cultural roots. In local museums, a vibrant artistic spirit comes through in exhibitions that reflect both past and present.

Settle into a local tavern to enjoy classic Bavarian dishes or sample beers brewed with generations of care. For a slower moment, follow the riverside promenade, where panoramic views and stillness invite you to linger. Vilshofen moves at its own pace — welcoming, thoughtful, and deeply grounded in its heritage. Here, beauty is not only in the sights, but in the ease with which the town invites you to feel at home.

Your ship departs promptly at 8:00 pm, so we recommend arriving at least 2-3 hours early to smoothly navigate check-in and boarding. All ship amenities are open and ready, so kickstart your vacation with a refreshing drink or a delicious snack.

At the meeting of three rivers, Passau welcomes you with storybook charm and deep history. Baroque spires and winding lanes guide you through a town shaped by trade, tradition, and timeless beauty. Follow your own path through the city’s layered stories. Begin at St. Stephen’s Cathedral, where music from one of the world’s largest pipe organs rises into gold-trimmed arches. Then you may climb to Veste Oberhaus, the fortress above it all, for sweeping views and a glimpse into medieval life. Or simply wander, browsing artisan shops, pausing at a quiet café, letting the rhythm of Passau guide you. However you explore it, this riverside city leaves its mark gently, through the beautiful details that matter most to you.

Set along the Danube, Linz is a city where past and future speak fluently. Baroque buildings frame wide, walkable squares, while glass-walled museums pulse with light and possibility. It’s Austria’s City of Media Arts, curious, creative, and always evolving. You might step inside the Ars Electronica Center, where digital landscapes and sound installations invite you to play, question, and explore. Or drift through the minimalist halls of the Lentos Art Museum, where bold Austrian works and contemporary voices share space on white walls. At the heart of the city, Hauptplatz offers baroque beauty, local flavors, and relaxed exploration. Whether diving into digital worlds or savoring a Linzer torte in the sun, Linz reveals its character in vibrant, personal ways at your pace, in your style.

Melk is not just a destination, it’s a revelation. Atop the cliffs overlooking the Danube stands Melk Abbey, one of Europe’s great Baroque masterpieces. Inside its ornate halls, you’ll find frescoed ceilings, gilded altars, and a library filled with centuries of preserved knowledge. Feel free to step inside the Abbey with a local guide who brings its meaning to life from frescoed ceilings and gilded chapels to a library that once safeguarded an empire. As you walk, you may hear stories not just of faith, but of resilience, art, and influence that still echo across the region. Outside, you can stroll the terraced gardens or take in river views once reserved for nobility.

Sailing through Austria’s Wachau Valley with Celebrity River Cruises, the Danube carries you into a region where storybook scenery and time-honored traditions live side by side. Begin in Melk, where the grand Baroque abbey rises above the river, its gilded halls and ancient library offering both beauty and depth. From there, the Wachau World Heritage Trail invites a walk through terraced vineyards, orchards, and quiet villages that reveal the valley’s agricultural heart.

Along the way, taste the region’s flavors in simple, satisfying meals like Tafelspitz or Kaiserschmarrn, a sweet pancake dish beloved across Austria. The Wachau is more than a destination, it’s a place to breathe in fresh air, feel the land’s inviting allure, and connect with the quiet elegance that defines this stretch of the Danube. Each moment is its own reward, wrapped in stillness, color, and a sense of deep-rooted tradition.

Vienna blends imperial elegance with everyday artistry. Glide past baroque facades, lose yourself in the sound of Strauss, and the State Opera and sip coffee where Mozart once lingered. This is a city where every street feels composed and every detail tells a story. Imagine walking with a local host whose family has lived here for generations. Together, you step through palace gates, slip into a hidden atelier, or pause in a music hall where rehearsals echo through time. With space to explore by day and linger into the night, you begin to feel Vienna’s rhythm for yourself, rich and resonant at every turn and full of surprises.

A city of contrasts and charm, Bratislava sits at the crossroads of history and modern life. Wander the cobbled Old Town, where pastel façades and quiet courtyards recall emperors, composers, and revolutions. Towering above, Bratislava Castle offers sweeping views across three countries. You might begin in the Old Town with a local historian who brings centuries of change to life through the architecture alone, from coronation paths to Cold War tales. Or choose a slower pace, sipping coffee in a quiet square as street musicians echo through the alleys. With local hosts stationed at key landmarks and time to explore at your pace, Bratislava invites a rhythm of discovery, rich with insight, layered in history, and full of surprises.

Sailing into Budapest is nothing short of cinematic. As your ship glides beneath glowing bridges, Buda’s castle-topped hills rise on one side, Pest’s grand boulevards on the other. Thermal baths, centuries-old architecture, and a golden skyline welcome you to a city where history and modern life meet at the water’s edge.

Where grand boulevards meet steamy thermal baths and ruin bars buzz behind crumbling facades, Budapest is a city of contrasts best explored through local eyes. Wander castle-lined hills, cruise beneath glowing bridges, or slip into centuries-old bathhouses that still shape daily life. Follow your curiosity into the city’s artistic soul, where a local painter leads you through tucked-away galleries and hidden ateliers. Between stops, you might pass the Hungarian Parliament Building or pause for coffee in a quiet courtyard where poets once lingered, hearing stories not found in any guidebook. Then you may find yourself soaking in the healing waters of a centuries-old bathhouse. However you move through it, Budapest reveals itself not as a place to visit, but as one to feel.

Where grand boulevards meet steamy thermal baths and ruin bars buzz behind crumbling facades, Budapest is a city of contrasts best explored through local eyes. Wander castle-lined hills, cruise beneath glowing bridges, or slip into centuries-old bathhouses that still shape daily life. Follow your curiosity into the city’s artistic soul, where a local painter leads you through tucked-away galleries and hidden ateliers. Between stops, you might pass the Hungarian Parliament Building or pause for coffee in a quiet courtyard where poets once lingered, hearing stories not found in any guidebook. Then you may find yourself soaking in the healing waters of a centuries-old bathhouse. However you move through it, Budapest reveals itself not as a place to visit, but as one to feel.

Your cruise may have ended, but the adventure continues. Take advantage of the fantastic activities in the area. If you're flying out, please keep your departure flight time in mind and plan accordingly.