14 Night Cruise sailing from Nuremberg to Belgrade aboard River Ambassador. 2 night hotel stay pre-cruise in Prague.

Let the Danube show you the history of Europe, from the Middle Ages to the vibrant present, as you travel through six nations-Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia and Serbia-and visit legendary capital cities along the way.

Begin in beautifully preserved Prague, the millennium-old crossroads of Central Europe. Waltz through imperial Vienna, home to some of the continent's finest music, art, and architecture. Discover the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Wachau Valley, the imposing 900-year-old Baroque Melk Abbey, and Passau, with its Italian-Baroque flair. Step back in time to the Middle Ages in Regensburg. See Bratislava, where 19 Hungarian rulers were crowned; and majestic Budapest, overrun by conquerors through the centuries and now triumphantly coming into its own in the 21st century. In Belgrade discover a remarkable fusion of Habsburg, Balkan and Communist influences.

This cruise provides scenic sailing with a relaxed pace, with plenty of time to enjoy both the shipboard experience and the intriguing destinations, from small-town Croatia to bustling Belgrade.

Day 1: Prague

Make your way to your hotel. You can choose to have a low-key dinner in the hotel or venture out to see the city. Prague offers a trove of treasures to discover; your host will be happy to offer suggestions.

Day 2: Prague

Feature Excursion: Prague city tour

Founded more than 1,100 years ago, Prague is the historic capital of the Czech Republic, known as the "City of a Hundred Spires." UNESCO designated its urban heart as a World Heritage Site. We'll take you on a panoramic tour of the city's architectural highlights, from the Prague State Opera House and the National Museum to the avant-garde Dancing House. You'll cross the Vltava River and arrive in the Hradcany district around Prague Castle, where kings, emperors and presidents have had their offices for almost a millennium. Once you've entered the castle's protective walls, you will walk through Gothic St. Vitus' Cathedral and on to Vladislav Hall. Then you'll stroll through the picturesque Lesser Quarter to reach Charles Bridge, built 655 years ago. The bridge offers a stunning vista of the spires of Prague. You'll continue walking to Old Town Square, which is surrounded by many majestic buildings, including the notable Church of Our Lady before Tyn and the famous City Hall with its medieval Astronomical Clock. (BB)

Day 3: Nuremberg (embark)

You'll have the morning to explore Prague on your own. Alfons Mucha, the most celebrated of all Art Nouveau artists, came from Prague, and a museum devoted to his work is housed in Kaunicky Palace. Franz Kafka lived his entire life in Old Town Prague; you'll find a small museum full of interesting exhibits about the writer in a house in the district. Stop by the Cafe Milena, named for Kafka's one true love, for a coffee and a view of the Astronomical Clock. Or browse through the shops full of the Bohemian glass and garnet jewelry the region is noted for. In the afternoon, you'll be transferred to Nuremberg to embark on your exciting voyage along the Danube. (BB, D)

Day 4: Roth (Nuremberg), cruising the Main-Danube Canal

Featured Excursions: Nuremberg city tour OR choice of Nuremberg WWII historical tour, with Documentation Center visit

Nuremberg, the second largest city in Bavaria, attracted artists and intellectuals from all over Europe between 1200 and 1600, making it one of the cultural centers of the continent. Albrecht Dürer was probably its most famous resident during the Renaissance, and his house is now a museum. You can choose to explore the archetypal German medieval city or sites associated with its darker 20th-century history.

We will show you the medieval ramparts around the old city and take you to the Kaiserburg, where the emperors of Germany resided from 1050 to 1571. Or you can see the sites where filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl immortalized Hitler during his infamous parades and rallies, including the unfinished coliseum, Kongresshalle, and the courtroom where the Nuremberg trials took place. This afternoon your ship traverses the most impressive section of a modern marvel of engineering: the Main-Danube Canal. This masterwork, more than 100 miles long, allows ships of all shapes and sizes to readily cruise from Amsterdam to the Black Sea. (BB, L, Captain's Welcome Dinner)

Day 5: Regensburg

Featured Excursion: "2000 Years in One Hour" Regensburg walking tour

"Regensburg is so beautifully situated; this region had to attract a town," Goethe wrote in his Diary of an Italian Voyage. And attract a town it did, not just because of its beautiful location but also because ambitious and farseeing locals built a bridge over the Danube back in the 12th century. Thanks to Steinerne Brücke (Stone Bridge), Regensburg became an international trading hub, and so many of the handsome buildings from that period remain that UNESCO declared the old city center a World Heritage Site. Local guides will meet you pier-side and show you the highlights of the old town, including the Cathedral of St. Peter, whose magnificent 14th-century stained-glass windows alone are worth the walk. (BB, L, D)

Day 6: Deggendorf (Theresienthal)

Featured Excursion: Exclusive Bavarian Forest horse-drawn carriage ride and Theresienthal visit

Early this morning you'll arrive in Deggendorf, gateway to the Bavarian Forest. The Bavarian Forest, called the "green roof of Europe," is Germany's oldest national park. You get to discover it in the most traditional way imaginable, riding through the woods in a horse-drawn carriage. Keep a sharp eye out for some of the rare species that still survive in the forest as you enjoy the fresh air and sylvan atmosphere. Then you'll continue to the world-famous glass studio, Theresienthal, which has produced glassware cherished by princes for centuries. Tour the workshop to learn how glass is made and see some of the exquisite pieces produced over the years in the glass museum. You'll also have a chance to pick up some treasures of your own in the shop.

In the afternoon you'll have the opportunity to explore Deggendorf on your own-discover the quaint shops and intimate streets, enjoy a glass of local beer or wine, or take a stroll or bike-ride along the beautiful Danube river. (BB, L, D)

Day 7: Passau

Featured Excursion: Passau walking tour and St. Stephan's organ concert

Located at the confluence of three rivers-the Danube, Inn, and Ilz-Passau is well-known for its ornate Baroque cathedral. A walk through Passau's charming medieval alleyways will take you to Dom St. Stephan (St. Stephan's Cathedral), built in 1680 by Italian artists, who gave it Baroque and Rococo touches. At the cathedral, settle down to listen to an organ concert played on Europe's largest church organ. Following the concert, the afternoon is yours to do as you please. Definitely worth a visit is the outstanding Glasmuseum (Glass Museum) on the promenade. (BB, L, D)

Day 8: Melk, cruising the Wachau Valley

Featured Excursion: Tour of Melk Abbey

Melk is a town with a long and storied past, dominated by a 900-year-old abbey sitting high atop the granite cliffs of the Danube. Stift Melk (Melk Abbey) was one of the most important centers of learning in the Middle Ages (Umberto Eco paid tribute to Melk's significance to medieval scholarship in his novel The Name of the Rose). Local guides will take you through the abbey's Marble Hall, with its ceiling richly painted in an allegorical scene paying tribute to Emperor Charles VI; the impressive library; the Emperors' Gallery; and the awe-inspiring Baroque-era Abbey Church. After your tour of the abbey, you'll have time to explore Melk on your own.

Be sure to come up on deck as the ship cruises through the Wachau Valley, a 19-mile (30-km) stretch of the Danube that cuts through a rocky gorge in the foothills of the Bohemian Forest between Krems and Melk. This beautiful region, with steep-sided, densely wooded southern slopes and a mixture of crags and south-facing vineyards on the north side of the river, is a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscape. Dotting the banks are a series of historic small towns and winemaking communities. (BB, L, Captain's Farewell Dinner)

Day 9: Vienna

Featured Excursions: Vienna city tour and visit to the National Library OR choice of exclusive "See Vienna as the Viennese do"

The capital city of the Habsburgs is home to vast imperial palaces and countless treasures, yet it is also a lively and fun urban center. You can begin to discover this glorious city in one of two ways. Take a panoramic tour that carries you around Ringstrasse, past some of Vienna's most famous landmarks, and then sets you down at the Hofburg Palace complex, where the emperors lived. Guides will lead you through the palace grounds, stopping in to see the most beautiful library in the world, State Hall, the epitome of Baroque taste. If you'd prefer a more intimate look at the city, we will take you on a walking tour through a park popular with locals, pause for coffee and pastry at a traditional Viennese coffee house, and show you one of the best-known Art Nouveau sites in a city famous for its Art Nouveau art and architecture. (BB, L, D)

Day 10: Vienna

Today you have time to explore this amazing city on your own - there's still much to see in Vienna. Ask your Cruise Manager for suggestions - see historical sites, wander through museums, or enjoy a lingering cup of coffee at a Viennese cafe. A light buffet-style lunch will be provided onboard this afternoon. Also today, some of your fellow passengers will be leaving the ship to go home, and some new passengers will be coming onboard. Please offer them a warm welcome as you meet them during the welcome briefing. (BB, L, D)

Day 11: Vienna

Featured Excursions: Walking tour with visit to royal treasury chambers OR choice of exclusive "See Vienna as the Viennese Do"

If you opted for the panoramic tour on your first day here, you could enjoy the intimate walking tour today. Or you can come with us to see the astonishing collection of imperial treasures on display in the Hofburg Palace, which include the imperial crown and sword of the Holy Roman Emperors, the Austrian crown jewels, the 15th-century Burgundian Treasury, and one of the largest emeralds in the world. The exquisite craftsmanship of the pieces here is rivaled only by their splendor. (BB, L, D)

Day 12: Cruising the Danube River, Bratislava

Featured Excursions: Coronation city walking tour or choice of half-day at leisure in Vienna

The capital of Slovakia, Bratislava was founded in the ninth century, when it was known as Pressburg, and in 1541 it became the capital of Hungary, following the battle of Mohacs in 1526, when the Ottoman Empire succeeded in occupying Budapest and other parts of Hungary. Eleven kings and eight queens were crowned in Bratislava, as the Habsburgs took over the Hungarian monarchy and turned Slovakia into a buffer zone between Austria and the Ottoman Turks. Today the city is a thriving commercial center with a village-like atmosphere. We'll show you the rebuilt castle where the Habsburgs ruled; Mirbach Palace, a Rococo jewel built for a wealthy brewer that is now a museum; and the Primatial Palace, the 18th-century archbishop's residence where the Pressburg peace treaty was signed in 1805, in which Austria ceded a great deal of territory to Napoleon.

Or, if you just haven't had enough of Vienna, you have the choice of a half-day at leisure in the city while your ship sails on to Bratislava. After seeing those last few sites or enjoying one more relaxed cup of Vienna coffee, you will take a coach and rendezvous with your ship in historic Bratislava. If you choose this option, make sure to ask the cruise manager for restaurant options in Vienna as lunch will be on your own today. (BB, L, Captain's Welcome Dinner).

Day 13: Budapest

Featured Excursions: Budapest city tour OR choice of Budapest walking discovery of national treasures

Your ship arrives in the fabled capital of Hungary this afternoon. Budapest, formerly two towns, Buda and Pest, on opposite sides of the river, began as a Roman encampment in the second century and has been controlled by Germans, Austrians, Ottomans and Communists over the centuries, all of whom have left their mark. You have your choice of ways to begin your exploration of this exciting city. Combining a panoramic motorcoach tour with an up-close look at historic sites, our Budapest city tour takes you from the Millennial Monument, erected a century ago in Heroes' Square, past locales associated with the city's once-flourishing Jewish community and St. Stephen's Basilica, and up to Castle Hill, which has been called the heart of the nation. There you'll see the interior of the magnificent St. Matthias Church before continuing to Vaci Street, where the well-heeled do their shopping and dining, and the Central Market Hall, with its stalls of fresh vegetables and meats.

Your other option shows you the architectural highlights of the city and then sets you down to see some of these national treasures on foot. You'll have an hour-long guided tour of the spectacular Hungarian Parliament Building, the seat of the Hungarian National Assembly. Afterward, you'll ride along the Danube promenade to Central Market Hall. This splendid, three-story-tall covered market hall replaced the city's overly crowded outdoor markets at the end of the 19th century. You'll notice an intoxicating variety of rich aromas and vibrant colors as you step inside-and you'll get to sample some of the delicious wares you'll find there. (BB, L, D)

Day 14: Budapest, cruising the Danube River

Spend the morning exploring Budapest on your own. Budapest is a mecca for lovers of Art Nouveau architecture, and the building housing the Franz Liszt Academy of Music is particularly worth visiting. For a reminder of the centuries when Hungary was ruled by the Ottoman Turks, take a look at the 16th-century tomb of Gül Baba (and enjoy a Turkish coffee at the adjoining coffee house). Or relax at one of the city's many wonderful spas. You might want to check out the famous Gellert Baths, built in gorgeous Art Nouveau style; or Szechenyi, whose balmy outdoor pool, fed by natural mineral springs, is tempting in any season. This afternoon your ship cruises through the Hungarian countryside toward Croatia. (BB, L, D)

Day 15: Vukovar (Osijek)

Featured Excursion: Tour of Osijek with home-hosted lunch and school visit

Morning finds the ship docking in the Croatian port of Vukovar, where you'll begin one of the most intriguing and personal adventures of this entire cruise, meeting and interacting with schoolchildren and villagers. You'll journey by motorcoach to Osijek, the largest city in eastern Croatia, and on the way, you'll experience a delightful visit to a local grade school. In Osijek, you will tour the oldest section of Osijek, Tvrda, and then enjoy a traditional Croatian lunch hosted by villagers. (BB, L, D)

Day 16: Belgrade

Featured Excursion: Belgrade city tour with walking tour of Kalemegdan fortress

One of the oldest cities in Europe, with a turbulent 2,500-year history, Belgrade has retained its vibrant character, rich in culture and eclectic architecture. The day begins with a look into the region's Roman and medieval past at Kalemegdan Fortress. To contrast Belgrade's distant past with its more recent history, you'll ride through the upscale district where high-ranking Communist leaders once lived, and past the grim Communist housing projects built for ordinary citizens on the other side of the Danube. You'll have an opportunity to photograph St. Sava Cathedral, the largest active Orthodox church in the world, with a dome that can be seen throughout the city. Finally, you'll pass the tomb and memorial of longtime Yugoslavian prime minister and president Josip Broz Tito, located at the site of his former residence in Belgrade's affluent neighborhood of Dedinje. (BB, L, Captain's Farewell Dinner)

Day 17: Belgrade (disembark)