My Top Tips For A Danube Cruise

River cruises in Europe are a great way to experience a range of different countries, cities, landmarks and countryside in a relaxing and stress free manner. One of my favourite river cruises in Europe is a Danube cruise. Travelling through Hungary, Slovakia and Austria on a river cruise you can fully immerse yourself in the culture, history and splendour of this fantastic region. Below, I have listed some of my top tips for a Danube Cruise.

When to Go

One of the best times to take a Danube Cruise is between May and early June when the weather is warm and the hours of daylight are long. In July and August temperatures in the region can soar upward of 32 degrees Celsius, making for a rather unpleasant river cruising experience.

For something a little bit different, take a cruise along the Danube during the Christmas holidays. During this period, the famous seasonal Christmas markets fill the squares and at night the seasonal lights form a magical backdrop. One of the best Christmas markets is the Vienna city hall Christmas market.

What to Do

The Danube is lined with numerous spectacular baroque monasteries, castles and cathedrals. One of the most impressive cathedrals that you will pass is the basilica at Esztergom, which is the oldest cathedral in Hungary. Dominating over the Danube, this Renaissance basilica boasts one the world's largest altars and also has an abundance of gold artefacts to peruse.

A must for horticulturalists and film enthusiasts is a trip to the majestic Mirabell Gardens. The gardens were built by Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich in 1606 for his mistress and her children. Several scenes of The Sound of Music film were filmed in the Mirabell Gardens and it is a great place to spend a day exploring all it has to offer.

I would also recommend visiting the splendid Hellbrunn Palace. This early baroque palace was built between 1613 and 1619 by Markus Sittikus von Hohenems. The palace is famous for its watergames, a series of practical jokes to be performed on guests. These watergames were conceived by Markus Sittikus and include stone seats around a stone dining table through which a water conduit sprays water into the seat of guests and hidden fountains that surprise tour guests. Within the grounds there is also a zoo, a stone theatre and a small building known as the Monatschlossl.

Finally, no Danube cruise would be complete without a guided tour of Vienna, one of Austria's most striking cities and without doubt one of the finest capitals in Europe. Of particular note in Vienna is the striking multi-coloured roofed St Stephen's cathedral, the Hofburg which has the fourth largest art collection in the world and the Stadtpark and its giant Ferris wheel. A guided tour truly is the best way to explore all that this great city has to offer.

Danube cruises offer a relaxing and unique destination for a cruise holiday that exhibits the best this magical region has to offer.