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Active Discovery on the Danube-Eastbound
September 9–17, 2018
Price:
From: $4706.00/person based on double in a cabin with a panoramic view
Upgrades are available. Price includes cruise and gratuities. Airfare and insurance is not included
9 DAY RIVER CRUISE FROM LINZ TO BUDAPEST
Day 1 - September 9 | Arrive in Linz, Austria (Embarkation)
A European Capital of Culture, Linz, Austria’s third-largest city, welcomes you today with open arms and plenty to see and
do. Depending on your arrival time, there’s free time for shopping, exploring on your own, or joining an optional activity.
This afternoon, board the AVALON LUMINARY, and after a mandatory safety exercise, meet your friendly crew and fellow
shipmates at a WELCOME RECEPTION. (D)
Day 2 - September 10 | Engelhartszell–Schlögen Oxbow Scenic Cruising–Linz
As you slept, your ship arrived in the pretty market town of Engelhartszell near the German border. Step ashore and
CHOOSE YOUR ACTIVITY:
• Visit the stunning rococo ENGELSZELL ABBEY to tour its brewery, explore its SENSORY GARDEN—complete with
stone labyrinth, herb garden, and vineyard—and attend a TASTING of locally produced cheeses and beer brewed
by the Trappist monks, or;
• Visit a “Trout Circus”, a unique experience which will create unforgettable memories; on the way back join a short
GUIDED HIKE as you explore a little of the area of Engelhartszell.
Back on your ship, an excellent lunch of Bavarian specialties will leave you energized and ready to join an
exhilarating HIKE ALONG THE DANUBE. Fresh air and incredible vistas await as you watch the Avalon Luminary pass
through the Schlögen Oxbow, a particularly beautiful horseshoe-shaped curve of the river. In Aschach, rejoin the ship,
which returns to Linz for the night. This evening, you can mingle with the locals at a fun pub crawl! (B, L, D)
Day 3 - September 11 | Linz–Mauthausen–Grein–Spitz
Arrive this morning in Mauthausen, with evidence of human habitation dating back to the Neolithic Age. Here, we let
you place your own personal stamp on your day as you CHOOSE YOUR ACTIVITY:
• Take a GUIDED BIKE TOUR along the Limes Cycle Route and follow part of the northern border line of the Roman
Empire, which in the 2nd century AD ran from the Dutch border all the way to the Black sea;
• Visit the 9th-century ST. FLORIAN MONASTERY, an architectural rival to Melk Abbey. While exploring, you may
meet one of the monks (when available) or attend a short music recital, or;
• Join a heart-wrenching tour of MAUTHAUSEN CONCENTRATION CAMP, one of World War II’s largest and most
brutal Nazi work camps.
This afternoon, your ship passes through another breathtaking area, the Strudengau, popular among climbers and
hikers for its enticing geological formations. Dock in Grein, a pretty country resort in the shadow of its castle. The
GUIDED WALK includes a visit of the historic THEATER, the oldest in Austria still holding regular performances. Then,
visit GREINBURG or CLAM CASTLE, where you will meet the owner. After dinner, don’t miss the spectacular views as
we pass by Melk Abbey, perched high on a cliff above the river. The ship docks late tonight in Spitz. (B, L, D)