Passau - Budapest - Passau: MS Swiss Crown

Plan your journey to the three-river city of Passau so that you can spend some time here. With the world's largest baroque church organ in Passau Cathedral and a charming old town, Passau is well worth a visit. Embarkation takes place between 16:00 and 17:00. Enjoy your first evening on the deck of your floating hotel on the sun deck or in the restaurant and cruise into the upper Danube valley to Engelhartszell.

In Engelhartszell you finally get on your bikes, pure cycling pleasure awaits you. The Danube cycle path takes you through the romantic river landscape of the Danube Loop, one of the most beautiful and unspoilt sections of the Danube with small villages and cosy cider taverns. In the charming market town of Aschach, you get back on board and ‘sail’ into the night.

You reach Devin by boat. From there, a narrow cycle path leads to the imposing Hof Castle with its magnificent Baroque gardens, always along the former Iron Curtain. Enjoy a piece of unspoilt nature before you reach the vibrant metropolis of Bratislava. On a trip up Castle Hill and a city tour (not included), you can discover the hidden alleyways and squares, the imposing buildings from the K & K period and all the sights of the old town.

In the early morning, you can enjoy a fantastic view of the marvellous landscape of the Danube bend. The entrance to Budapest is overwhelming: many of the famous sights of the Hungarian capital are located directly on the banks. The Parliament, the Gellert Hill, the Chain Bridge. The market hall - the ‘belly of Budapest’ - entices visitors with Hungarian specialities and handicrafts. There is so much to see! If you want to go on a cycle tour today, you can take a trip to the small artists' town of Szentendre. In the evening, visit the Jewish Quarter.

Look forward to today's cycle tour through the Danube Bend, as it is also an excursion into the history of Hungary. From the former royal seat of Visegrad, you cycle through the picturesque, gently undulating landscape of the Danube Bend - also known as the Hungarian Wachau - to Esztergom. Marvel at the mighty, magnificent basilica, the largest church in Hungary, which dominates the castle district.

Discover Vienna from its most beautiful side: during a city tour by bike or bus (not included) you will experience the most famous buildings up close: the imperial Hofburg, St. Stephen's Cathedral, the magnificent boulevard, Ringstrasse with the State Opera, Burgtheater and City Hall, the colourfully painted Hundertwasserhaus and the Giant Ferris Wheel directly in the Vienna Prater. You can relax in the countless small cafés or at a wine tavern. At night, the MS Swiss Crown continues on to the Wachau.

Look forward to the Wachau!This gentle hilly landscape between Schlögener Schlinge and Vienna, characterised by small, dreamy villages, apricot trees, wine terraces, castles, monasteries and ruins has enchanted everyone!This is pure cycling pleasure! Cosy wine taverns invite you to take a break right next to the cycle path. Through Dürnstein, which hosted King Richard the Lionheart in the Middle Ages - not entirely of his own free will - you can only push your bike through the narrow alleyways. One of the most important baroque buildings in Austria, the Benedictine Abbey of Melk, awaits you at the end of the stage.

In the morning, enjoy the peaceful tranquillity of the Danube valley and the first rays of sunshine on deck. Relaxed and rested and certainly in a good mood, you will reach Passau in the late morning, where disembarkation takes place at around 11:00 am.

The planned route is always subject to possible changes due to nautical, meteorological or organisational reasons. If, for example, a route cannot be travelled due to low water, high water, bad weather or construction work, the captain reserves the right to change the route for your safety. This is not a legally valid reason for cancelling the trip free of charge. The same applies in the event of officially ordered lock or bridge repairs or in the event of engine or propulsion damage to the ship through no fault of the captain.
As your ship usually sails to the next harbour on the same day, your time frame for your own activities and sightseeing is limited. On some bridges, the clearance height is so low that the sun deck is closed for your safety.