Cruise The Danube

Leading the list of CIE’s new river cruises is The Legendary Danube, a 9-day/7-night vacation that starts in Prague and includes a 7-night cruise from Nuremberg to Budapest. Prices start at $1,499 for land only. A quick price comparison shows this is quite a discount compared to other European river cruise companies. And, with CIE, you know you won’t have to compromise on quality or service.

The itinerary, which includes all meals on board the ship, meanders through medieval Regensburg, Passau, Linz, Melk, Vienna, and ends at Budapest. Highlights of this Danube River cruise include folklore dances, lectures, theme dinners, on board music performances, and afternoon and evening piano music, as well as crossing the Continental Divide, a Benedictine Abbey Tour in Melk, the Main/Danube Canal, Wachau Valley cruise, an optional excursion to Salzburg and an optional evening concert in Vienna. Try to say that all in one breath.

A longer 12-day version of this Danube River cruise is also able from $2,074. Reverse itineraries of both cruises are also available. This is just one of the many exciting and relaxing river cruises CIE is now offering. For more information on any of their cruises visit www.cietours.com.

The Best of Austria and Germany

There is a lot to see and do in Austria, and for the first time traveler the options can be daunting. If you’re not a college student on summer break you probably don’t have months to explore and stumble across everything you’ll wish you’d seen. For the traveler that wants to see it all but doesn’t have the entire summer, a guided tour is the way to go.

Of course you want to book with a company that has a comprehensive itinerary, experienced guides and a good reputation. That’s why I recommend Trafalgar. Trafalgar’s ‘best of Austria and Germany’ tour shows you everything from the castles along the Rhine to Berlin and all the way to Frankfurt stopping to explore every point of interest along the way.

The Itinerary is unrushed, the accommodations are top of the line and Trafalgar’s guides are notable for their friendly demeanor, knowledge of tour subjects and professionalism. One tour organizer stays with you the entire trip to ensure that all your needs are met. If you want to get to know Austria and Germany, Trafalgar’s “Best of Austria and Germany” 15 day tour is a great way to do just that.

Day Trip From Freiburg

Along the southern edge of the western Black Forest, Stuttgart and the surrounding area lend themselves to day trips and meandering excursions. Taking a road trip from Freiburg to Stuttgart could take as little as two hours, but that would be missing the point of slow travel. Slow travel caters to both of the explorer’s true desires; to know one place in detail, and to never stop moving. To meet those seemingly contradictory impulses one can turn a Sunday drive into a Sunday–and–night drive.

Leaving Freiburg and heading north along the river valleys affords amazing views that will have your shutter finger itching. Trace the river valleys from the road and let yourself pull over whenever you wish. It may not be a bad idea to bring a picnic basket. Other sights worth checking out are the Uhrenmuseum (clock museum) and the world’s biggest cuckoo clock. The actual cuckoo is over one meter long. Perhaps the reason the black forest inhabitants became so proficient at creating ornate time pieces is so they can remind themselves of the passage of time, Time that seems at a standstill in a place where the serene spirits of long gone trees can yet be felt, towering tall.

Despite the classic style and medieval sentiment of much of the black forest, Stuttgart is a cosmopolitan city in every sense. Of course, there aren’t many modern cities around with castles from the year 950, but that’s what makes it Germany. Stop at the Triberger Wasserfälle–the highest waterfalls in Germany–before making your way into town and enjoying a haute cuisine dinner in the fourth largest city in Germany.