HIGHLIGHTS
- Cruise with a solo traveller group
- 14 nights on board Avalon Illumination
- All meals on board from dinner on your day of arrival through to breakfast on your day of departure
- English-speaking crew and knowledgeable local guides
- Complimentary on-board tea and coffee
- Complimentary on-board Wi-Fi
- Services of the ship’s onboard cruise director and concierge
DAY 1 Sunday 8 August 2027
Budapest, Hungary (Embarkation)
Welcome to Hungary. Your ship is ready for boarding.
Flights into Budapest must arrive by 3.30pm. Guests must be on board by 5pm. The day is yours to relax and enjoy the city, with time for photographs, cafés and confections.
Overnight docking in Budapest.
Meals: D
DAY 2 Monday 9 August 2027
Budapest, Hungary
The Pearl of the Danube.
Visit the Adventure Center for today's activities with your Adventure Host.
ACTIVE - Hike up to a magnificent viewpoint in Budapest with your Adventure Host.
or
CLASSIC - Enjoy a guided city sightseeing tour, including the iconic Heroes' Square.
This afternoon, enjoy Budapest on your own. Indulge in a piece of cream cake in one of the many cafés, or consider a scenic hike above the Danube.
Overnight cruise to Bratislava.
Meals: B,L,D
DAY 3 Tuesday 10 August 2027
Bratislava, Slovakia
Castles, Vineyards and Cosmopolitan Culture.
ACTIVE - Follow your Adventure Host on a short hike to lofty Bratislava Castle.
or
CLASSIC - Join a guided walking tour of Old Town's cobblestone streets to Town Hall. Visit the Gothic halls of St Martin's Cathedral, Hungary's centuries-old coronation church.
Alternatively, in your free time take a bicycle and a picnic from the ship to explore the local sights along the Danube.
Later, enjoy live entertainment onboard.
Overnight cruise to Vienna.
Meals: B,L,D
DAY 4, Wednesday 11 August 2027
Vienna, Austria
Royal Collections and Amusing Attractions.
ACTIVE - Explore Vienna's Danube Island by bike with your Adventure Host.
or
CLASSIC - Explore the Habsburg Empire with a morning guided city tour of Vienna's gilded landmarks. See the Imperial Palace complex, the winter residence of the Imperial Family, the iconic Vienna Opera House, and stunning St Stephen's Cathedral.
or
CLASSIC - Enjoy a guided visit to the House of Strauss and an interactive journey through Vienna's illustrious past through an immersive audio-visual experience. After the tour, enjoy a coffee and homemade cake.
Consider a tram ride to Vienna's Prater amusement park or to one of the many museums nearby.
Overnight cruise to Dürnstein.
Meals: B,L,D
Optional Excursions
- Schönbrunn Palace. Visit the summer home of the Habsburg empire.
- Royal Waltz Concert. An evening concert in an elegant hall.
DAY 5, Thursday 12 August 2027
Dürnstein, Wachau Valley and Melk, Austria
A King's Ransom and Castle Ruins.
ACTIVE - Take a hike with your Adventure Host up to the castle ruins for a spectacular view of the village, the Danube and the Wachau Valley below.
or
CLASSIC - Join a guided walk and hear the legendary tale of King Richard the Lionheart, who was imprisoned in the castle above the village during the Crusades.
Later, stretch out on the Sky Deck as you sail through the Wachau Valley past vineyards, castles and charming villages on your way to Melk.
Melk: Frescoes Above and Vineyards Below
ACTIVE - Join your Adventure Host for a walk along the Danube River and around Melk.
or
CLASSIC - Take a guided tour of the frescoed ceilings, statues, incredible library and ornate pipe organ of Melk's Benedictine Abbey.
DISCOVERY - Enjoy a wine tasting onboard as you prepare to sail to Passau.
Overnight cruise to Passau.
Meals: B,L,D
DAY 6, Friday 13 August 2027
Passau, Germany
Where the Danube, Inn and Ilz Rivers Meet.
Visit the Adventure Center for today's activities with your Adventure Host.
ACTIVE - Join your Adventure Host for a hike down to the valley and along the Ilz River.
or
CLASSIC - Join an afternoon guided city walk to learn more about this beautiful City of Three Rivers.
Alternatively, join a full-day guided excursion to Salzburg, the city of Mozart, or to the picturesque Bohemian town of Cesky Krumlov.
Overnight cruise to Regensburg.
Meals: B,L,D
DAY 7, Saturday 14 August 2027
Regensburg, Germany
Bavaria's Medieval Miracle.
ACTIVE - Explore Walhalla by bike with your Adventure Host.
or
CLASSIC - Explore Regensburg's rich Jewish history with a guided tour of the Old Jewish Quarter, synagogue and museum, uncovering centuries of culture, resilience and heritage in this UNESCO city.
or
CLASSIC - Join a guided city walk and see Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) and Porta Pretoria, built in 179AD as the entrance to the Castra Regina fortress.
Spend a free afternoon exploring Regensburg on foot or by bike through its charming streets.
This evening, enjoy live entertainment after dinner as you cruise toward Roth.
Overnight cruise to Roth.
Meals: B,L,D
Optional Excursions
- Benedictine Monastery, Weltenburg. Visit Bavaria's oldest monastery.
DAY 8, Sunday 15 August 2027
Roth. Excursion to Nuremberg, Germany
Legends and History Lessons.
CLASSIC - Enjoy an onboard lecture about the Main-Danube Canal, linking these two rivers to make a vital connection enabling navigation between the North and Black Seas.
CLASSIC - Enjoy a guided sightseeing tour of the Bavarian town of Roth, with its half-timbered houses, market square and 1535 hunting lodge, Schloss Ratibor.
or
CLASSIC - Choose a guided tour of Nuremberg's medieval architecture, gilded fountain, Gothic cathedral and Kaiserburg Castle.
or
CLASSIC - Join a guided tour of the historic Nuremberg Rally Grounds, used by the Third Reich.
Tonight, relax onboard with live entertainment as you sail to Bamberg.
Overnight cruise to Bamberg.
Meals: B,L,D
DAY 9, Monday 16 August 2027
Bamberg, Germany
The City of Seven Hills.
CLASSIC - Take a guided walking tour of the former home to imperial dynasties, and see its Romanesque cathedral, Old Town Hall and seven hills crowned with churches.
DISCOVERY - Attend an onboard lecture to learn about European history and culture.
Overnight cruise to Würzburg.
Meals: B,L,D
DAY 10, Tuesday 17 August 2027
Würzburg, Germany
A Perfect Day in the Pearl of the Romantic Road.
ACTIVE - Enjoy an easy bike ride along the river with your Adventure Host.
or
CLASSIC - Take a guided sightseeing tour of Würzburg with its Old Main Bridge, towering fortress and baroque Bishop's Residenz, home to the largest known ceiling fresco.
This afternoon, enjoy leisurely sailing.
Overnight cruise to Miltenberg.
Meals: B,L,D
DAY 11, Wednesday 18 August 2027
Miltenberg, Germany
Beauty on the Main River.
Join your Adventure Host for today's special activities.
ACTIVE - Discover Miltenberg by bike with your Adventure Host.
or
CLASSIC - Join a guided walking tour of Miltenberg, a showcase of medieval half-timber homes and home to Germany's oldest inn.
Later, enjoy onboard entertainment as you cruise to Rüdesheim.
Overnight cruise to Rüdesheim.
Meals: B,L,D
DAY 12, Thursday 19 August 2027
Rüdesheim, Rhine Gorge, Germany
Eat, Drink and Be Merry in Wine Country.
ACTIVE - Enjoy a hike with your Adventure Host through the picturesque vineyards of Rüdesheim, followed by a tasting of authentic Rüdesheimer coffee.
or
DISCOVERY - Take a guided visit to the historic 18th-century wooden-barrel cellar of Johannisberg Castle and enjoy a delicious wine tasting.
or
CLASSIC - Tour the incredible Mechanical Music Museum for a one-of-a-kind instrumental experience, and enjoy a tasting of authentic Rüdesheimer coffee.
This afternoon, cruise through the dramatic Rhine Gorge and see the famous rock of the Lorelei, where mythological sirens lured ill-fated sailors to shore.
DISCOVERY - Enjoy a remarkable classical music concert in a lovely baroque venue at Engers Castle, home to the Villa Musica Rhineland-Palatinate National Foundation, one of Germany's largest music institutions.
Overnight cruise to Cologne.
Meals: B,L,D
DAY 13, Friday 20 August 2027
Cologne, Germany
Prost! Celebrate in the Rhineland.
Ask about today's energising or relaxing Adventure Host activities.
ACTIVE - Enjoy a bike ride like the locals in Cologne with your Adventure Host.
or
CLASSIC - Join a guided walking tour of Cologne's important Jewish heritage sites.
or
CLASSIC - Take a guided city walk of Cologne. Explore the Old City and see its soaring twin-steepled Gothic cathedral.
Spend free time over a glass of Kölsch pale lager, locally brewed for over 100 years.
Afternoon and overnight cruise to Amsterdam.
Meals: B,L,D
DAY 14, Saturday 21 August 2027
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Colourful Canals of Amsterdam.
ACTIVE - Start your day joining your Adventure Host on an early morning walk in Amsterdam.
or
CLASSIC - Discover the true beauty of Amsterdam with an off-the-beaten-path guided walking tour through its cobblestone streets.
or
CLASSIC - Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam with a guided canal cruise past the stately homes of Amsterdam's Golden Age.
Spend free time on your own to explore the colourful cafés, galleries, bridges and canals of Amsterdam.
Overnight docking in Amsterdam.
Meals: B,L,D
Optional Excursions
- Zaanse Schans. See historic windmills and charming Dutch houses.
DAY 15, Sunday 22 August 2027
Amsterdam (Disembarkation)
Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning.
Meals: B
