river cruises Archives - Pacific Northwest Explorer

Passau, Germany

by Alan K. Lee

The Danube River cruise that my wife and I took in 2022 ended in Passau, Germany. If you’ve never heard of Passau, join the crowd. I certainly never had, and I didn’t have any expectations of it being more than just the place where we disembarked the Viking “longship” that we had been cruising the river on. But Passau was a pleasant surprise.

Passau is located in Lower Bavaria in the southeastern corner of Germany, on the Austrian border. It’s a small city with a population of about 50,000. It’s known as the “city of three rivers,” as the River Inn and the River Ilz both flow into the Danube in Passau.

The last day of our cruise was spent entirely in Passau. In the morning, we took a guided walking tour of Passau. The medieval center of Passau is full of cobblestone streets and narrow alleys, but it’s a small area constrained by the Danube and the River Inn. You don’t have to wander far to reach one of the rivers, and once you reach a riverbank, the views open up to the hills surrounding the town. And the hills provide great views of the city.

The River Inn and the hilltop Wallfahrtskirche Mariahilf

After lunch, my wife and I climbed the 300+ steps up to the Wallfahrtskirche Mariahilf, a baroque church south of the River Inn, where there is a great view of the city.

Later, my wife hiked up to Vestre Oberhaus, a 13^th century fortress overlooking the city on the north side of the Danube (while I took a nap in our stateroom).

We finished our day with a walk to the park at the end of the peninsula with two of the friends we made on the cruise.

Like most European cities, Passau has a long history, dating all the way back to the 2^nd century BC. But the city was almost completely destroyed in a fire in 1662 and most of the older structures in Passau are baroque style buildings dating to the late 17^th century.

The Dom St. Stephan, with its three green onion domes, is the most prominent building in Passau. The cathedral is noted for its huge pipe organ, one of the largest in the world. We didn’t get to experience the pipe organ, but the cathedral is magnificent.

Passau served as a relaxing and fitting end to a great week. We got a taste of some of the great central European cities like Budapest and Vienna. We also visited places like Bratislava that we would never have seen had we not taken the cruise. And we saw some magnificent scenery, visited a well-preserved medieval village in Czechia, and toured a 900-year-old monastery and many churches and cathedrals.

My wife and I have now done two river cruises in Europe, and I would recommend either a Rhine River or a Danube River cruise as a good introduction to Europe. (Several river cruise lines combine the two into a grand tour that takes you from Amsterdam to Budapest). There are disadvantages to river cruises, of course, mainly that you never stay in one place long enough to really get to know it. But a river cruise gives you at least a taste of many places in a short time. If you are interested in learning more, check out my River Cruising post and any of the posts on the cities of the Rhine and Danube that you can find links to by clicking on Beyond the Northwest on the main page of this blog.

Posted May 20, 2024

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Wachau Gorge, Austria

by Alan K. Lee

In 2022, my wife and I had the pleasure of taking a river cruise on the Danube, beginning in Budapest, Hungary and ending in Passau, Germany. Along the way, we toured Bratislava, Slovakia, spent a day exploring Vienna, Austria, and visited several other smaller cities and towns on the Danube. Most of the actual sailing took place at night, but we spent one beautiful afternoon cruising through the fabulous Wachau Gorge between the towns of Krems and Melk in northern Austria.

The Wachau Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (listed as the Wachau Cultural Landscape), known for its medieval history and architecture, but also for its modern-day vineyards and wineries and its riverine landscape. The Wachau Gorge is bookended by the town of Krems and the hilltop Gottweig Abbey and the town of Melk and the spectacular Melk Abbey on the south bank of the Danube.

Our day started with an early morning arrival in Krems and a morning tour of Gottweig Abbey a few miles south of the town.

Gottweig Abbey was founded in 1083 and has been continuously occupied for more than 900 years. The current structure was built in the 18^th century. (Viking River Cruises is the only cruise line that tours Gottweig Abbey, but also the only one that does not tour the larger Melk Abbey at the upstream end of the gorge).

Upstream of Krems, the valley narrows and the roughly 25 miles between Krems and Melk feature steeper slopes bordering both sides of the river with the occasional castle looming above the riverside towns. The town of Dunstein, seen in the featured photo at the top of this post, is particularly beautiful.

Most of the north shore of this stretch of the Danube is part of a nature park (Naturpark Jauerling Wachau) and is largely wild, managed to protect wildlife habitat and the natural environment. It’s also spectacularly beautiful.

Late that afternoon, we sailed past the town of Melk and the huge, and hugely popular, Melk Abbey. Like Gottweig Abbey, the original Melk Abbey was founded nearly a thousand years ago (in 1089) and has been continuously occupied ever since. The current structure dates from 1702. I would have loved to tour the abbey, but with several river cruise ships already docked there, I understand why Viking skips it.

Upstream of Melk, we spent the evening hours cruising the Wachau Valley, an agricultural area with many small riverside towns and vineyards.

The following morning found us in Linz, Austria. We didn’t see much of Linz because we took an all-day trip to the beautiful and well-preserved medieval village of Cesky Krumlov, Czechia. Then it was on to our final destination on the cruise, Passau, Germany.

After the cruise, we extended our trip to Salzburg, Austria and Munich, Germany. One of the advantages of river cruising is that you get to see a lot of places in a short amount of time. But one of the disadvantages is that you don’t spend much time in any one place. We were able to spend several days in Salzburg, though, and several more in Munich and the Bavarian Alps, through a relatively inexpensive addition to our cruise offered by Viking. Several of the friends we made on the cruise took a different extension (also booked through Viking) to Prague.

The two river cruises that my wife and I have taken (the other was on the Rhine) were both very enjoyable, hassle-free experiences (except for all of the Covid-19 tests that we had to take during our Danube cruise, but that is now in the past tense). Both featured an immersion into medieval history, beautiful riverside cities and villages, and beautiful stretches of natural habitat that is rare in Europe. I can personally recommend both cruises, and river cruising in general. If you’re interested in river cruises or are just curious, check out my European River Cruises post for more information and advice.

Posted April 15, 2024.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Vienna, Austria

Vienna, Austria is a city steeped in history going back to at least 500 BCE when the Celts first settled in the area. It was later occupied by the Romans, was the capital of the Habsburg Empire, and then the de facto capital (according to Wikipedia) of the Holy Roman Empire. Vienna is also the spiritual home of classical music. Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Haydn, Schubert, Mahler, and many others lived and worked in Vienna, and many of the most acclaimed classical music works were composed and first performed there.

There’s so much to take in that Vienna cannot be fully appreciated on only a short visit. And my wife and I had only one full day to absorb as much of the city as we could on our 2022 Danube River cruise. But it was a memorable day.

Unlike Budapest and Bratislava, the historical center of the city does not lie directly on the Danube. We had to take Vienna’s subway system from the riverfront to the medieval center, which lessened the sense of going back-in-time that we have felt in exploring some of the other ancient European cities that we’ve visited. But the old city is truly magnificent. It is home to some of the most spectacular medieval architecture that can be found anywhere in Europe.

St. Steven’s Cathedral, Hofburg Palace, the Vienna State Opera House, the Albertina art museum, Maria Theresa Plaza, the Kunst Historical Museum, Mozart’s residence, and many other museums and places of interest are all within a half mile radius of each other in the historic center.

Belvedere Palace and Schonbrunn Palace, two of the more spectacular examples of Vienna’s medieval architecture, are a little farther afield and weren’t on our walking tour but are must-see attractions if you have more time than we did.

On our walking tour we chanced upon students of the Spanish Riding School exercising some of the famous Lipizzaner Stallions in the Burggarten park adjacent to the Hofburg Palace.

Besides being the cultural and historic center of Austria, Vienna is a modern city of two million people that has been ranked several times as the world’s most livable city, so there is much more to explore than just the medieval center.

Vienna is also a city of many beautiful parks and natural areas. After our walking tour of the medieval center, we crossed the Danube and spend some time in a beautiful park on a long, narrow, tree lined island between the main channel of the Danube and the Neue Donau side channel.

We likely will never return to Vienna – too many places we haven’t seen, and too little time left in our lives – but it’s one of the places that I would to return to if I ever check off all of my bucket list destinations. I left Vienna feeling like I didn’t get more than a tiny taste of what it has to offer. If you have a desire to visit Vienna, check out Visiting Vienna’s Guide To Vienna webpage to begin your planning. And plan to spend at least three or four days there. There is just too much there to see in a day or two.

And if you do go to Vienna, visit Budapest, too. And include Salzburg on your itinerary, as well. You won’t regret adding either of those cities to your trip.

Posted April 4, 2024 by Alan K. Lee

All photos ©Alan K. Lee, except as noted

Bern and Basel, Switzerland

When travelers think of Swiss cities, Bern and Basel probably don’t come immediately to mind. In fact, Rick Steves’ Switzerland guide book doesn’t even mention Basel. And even though Bern is the capital of Switzerland, it is not nearly as well known as Geneva, Zurich, and Lucerne. But both Bern and Basel have charming and interesting medieval city centers and are well worth exploring.

Basel is located on the Rhine River where the borders of Switzerland, Germany, and France meet. The city center straddles the river, and the city’s suburbs spill into both Germany and France. Bern is located on the Aare River midway between Geneva and Zurich, about 40 miles as the crow flies south of Basel .

BASEL

When my wife and I did a Rhine River cruise a number of years ago, Basel wasn’t really on our agenda. It was just the place where the cruise ended, where we would spend the night before extending our trip to the Lauterbrunnen Valley in the Berner Oberland section of Switzerland.

Since our guide book didn’t cover Basel at all, we didn’t know quite what to expect. But, after disembarking the ship in the morning and taking a taxi to our hotel, we took advantage of having the rest of the day to explore the city.

We first headed to the Museum of Contemporary Art, part of the Kunstmuseum. On the way there we discovered an old section of the city (the St. Alban District) that is as picturesque and has all of the charm of the other medieval city centers we’ve visited, but with few tourists and no crowds.

After touring the museum, we spent the rest of the day sampling Swiss cuisine and exploring more of the city center, including Basel Cathedral (Basel Minster) and the Basel Town Hall (Rathaus), which has been the seat of government for 500 years. All in all, Basel was a delightful surprise, and a fitting end to our Rhine River cruise.

I later learned that Basel is considered by many to be the cultural heart of Switzerland. The Kunstmuseum (linked above), which opened in 1661, is the oldest public art museum in the world. The Museum of Contemprary Art is also the oldest contemporary art museum in Europe. And the and the University of Basel, founded in 1460, is the oldest university in Switzerland. Clearly, there is a lot of history here.

BERN

Bern also wasn’t really on our radar before the trip. After our stay in the Lauterbrunnen Valley, it was an overnight stop on our way back to Amsterdam and our flight home. But we had booked a hotel room in the old medieval city center, and had the afternoon and evening to explore the old town.

We wandered our way through the medieval center and down to the Aare River at the point of the peninsula that the old city is located on. The Aare is strikingly beautiful, colored turquoise blue by the glacial silt it carries. We lingered along river for a while before crossing the relatively new (built in 1840) high bridge (Nydeggbrucke) on our way to a couple of cold beers at the Altes Tramsdepot, a restaurant and pub housed in what was once a transit center.

The restaurant and the viewpoint next to it provide a good view of the river and the old city. And below, along the river, you can sometimes see brown bears, which are the symbol of Bern, in the Bear Park (Barenpark). The bears were not out and about when we were there, though.

Just downstream of the Nydeggbrucke, the older Untertorbrucke is a good vantage point to photograph the river and the high bridge. The current Untertorbrucke was constructed in 1489 to replace a wooden bridge built in 1256.

Back in the medieval city center (all of which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site), we visited the Bern Cathedral (Bern Minster) and the Swiss Assembly building (the Bundeshaus). On the grounds of the Bundeshaus we found a rock garden with rocks from places around the world that have Switzerland in their name or are somehow associated with Switzerland. The Wallowa Mountains in Oregon are often referred to as the “Switzerland of America,” and, sure enough, one of the rocks in the rock garden came from Joseph, Oregon.

The following morning we boarded a train for an all day journey back to Amsterdam, where we spent a few more days before flying back to Portland. The Rhine River cruise, our foray into Switzerland, and our exploration of Amsterdam were all quite incredible experiences. I just wish that we had been able to spend more time in Switzerland, including Bern and Basel. They are both very interesting cities and we barely scratched the surface of what is there for the visitor. I hope to return someday, and I think that most travelers will find even a brief visit to Bern or Basel as worthwhile as we did.

Originally posted February 27, 2021 by Alan K. Lee. Updated and reposted February 9, 2024.

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Cesky Krumlov

by Alan K. Lee

Czesky Krumlov is a small city in the Czech Republic about 85 miles south of Prague on the Vltava River. The old town section of the city, with its well preserved Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture and a castle complex that towers over the city, is one of the top tourist destinations in the country, drawing more than a million visitors a year.

You’ll see a lot of superlatives in descriptions of Czesky Krumlov: romantic, charming, magical, fairytale-like, enchanted, and so forth. If that sounds a bit Disneyesque, the town does have a bit of a theme park vibe. But it’s undoubtedly beautiful and the old town is ancient and authentic. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992.

You’ll also see Czesky Krumlov described as unbearably touristy. Many of the comments I read on tourist forums recommended spending the night in the city so that you can see the city in the evening after the tour buses have left and in the morning before they arrive. My wife and I were there in early June, a little before peak season. There certainly were many other tourists there, but I wouldn’t call it unbearably crowded. And the beauty of the city and its undeniable charms would have trumped the detrimental aspects of any crowds, anyway, in my opinion.

The Cesky Krumlov Castle complex , with its Baroque Theater (one of only two remaining in Europe that are open to the public), is probably the biggest tourist draw. There are four different tours of the castle that you can take, all lasting from 45 minutes to an hour with adult admission prices of 180 to 280 Czech Korunas ($7 to $12 at current exchange rates).

Another top attraction is the 15th century Church of St. Vitus in the historic old town area.

Floating the Vltava River through town is another popular activity.

For my money, the best part of our visit was simply wandering around the historic center, walking the cobblestone streets and taking in the wonderful architecture, the beauty of the Vltava River that meanders around and through the town, and finding some of the charming and quirky things that set Czesky Krumlov apart. The old town area is car free and pedestrian friendly.

We didn’t do any of the castle tours or tour the Castle Garden. But our tour guide gave us a good deal of information about the town and its history, and we had plenty of time to just wander around the old town on our own. And that was enough to make it well worth the long bus ride from Linz.

Guided walking tours are available for about $40-50 per person, but you don’t need a tour guide to enjoy the sights. We spent only one afternoon in Czesky Krumlov (we were among those hordes that arrived on tourist buses), so we hardly experienced all of its charms. The only regret we had about our visit was that we didn’t have more time to spend there.

Everyone visiting Prague and/or Vienna (or doing a Danube River cruise) should consider adding Cesky Krumlov to their itinerary. It is an absolutely beautiful city and a wonderful place to visit. The guide books and reviews were right, too – you should spend the night there, if you can, and give yourself plenty of time to fully explore this fascinating town. More information about Cesky Krumlov can be found here.

My wife and I visited Cesky Krumlov as part of a Danube River cruise that we took earlier this year (2022) on Viking River Cruises. If you’re interested in more information about river cruising, check out the Viking website and our river cruising post.

Posted October 26, 2022

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Bratislava

by Alan K. Lee

Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia, but it is less known and less visited than its neighboring country’s capitals, Prague, Vienna, and Budapest. You won’t find many guide books devoted solely to Bratislava. Prague, Vienna, and Budapest are all great cities and there are a multitude of reasons to visit them. But Bratislava has its own charms, and anyone traveling to the region should consider adding it to their itinerary.

Bratislava lies on the Danube River, between Budapest and Vienna. It’s a mere 35 miles from Vienna, and about 100 from Budapest – a short hop by train or car (or in our case, by boat) from either. My wife and I were fortunate to have visited all three cities on a Danube River cruise last spring.

We spent less than 24 hours in Bratislava, so we didn’t get to know the city well, but saw enough of it to think that another day or two (or more) wouldn’t have been wasted.

Our day in Bratislava began with a bus tour that took us through parts of the city and up to Bratislava Castle, 290 feet above the river. The first castle on the site was built around 1000 AD and was remodeled, expanded, and rebuilt a number of times. In 1811 the castle burned and lay in ruins for 150 years. The present castle dates only to the 1960s, but looks and feels much older. The ruins of Devin Castle, another important historic site, lie about seven miles west of the city center..

After the castle tour, we did a guided walking tour of the old town area along the river. Among the highlights of the old town are St. Martin’s Cathedral, the old Slovak National Theater building, Michael’s Gate, and the historic Hlavne namestie (town square).

Roland Fountain (aka Maximilian’s Fountain)

The Bratislava area has a long and varied history, like many central European cities. The region was part of the Roman Empire from the first to the fourth century AD. After Roman rule ended, what is now Bratislava became part of the first Slavic nation. In the 10th century, it became part of the Hungarian Empire, then became part of the Hapsburg Empire in the 16th century. During the reign of Queen Maria Theresa in the 18th century Bratislava flourished, and was the capital and largest city in Hungary.

In the 19th and 20th centuries Bratislava’s influence waned, becoming a sleepy regional center of no great significance during the Soviet era. But Bratislava today is a vibrant, modern city with a diverse population and a surprisingly Western European vibe.

Neighboring Vienna is internationally recognized as a center of classical music and culture, but Bratislava has its own deeply rooted history of arts and culture. Mozart gave a concert in Bratislava at the age of six, and Franz Liszt’s career began (at nine years of age) with a concert in Bratislava. And Hayden, Beethoven, and many other prominent composers performed or conducted concerts in Bratislava in the 19th century. Today, there are a number of music festivals in Bratislava throughout the year, and the Slovak National Theater has been staging performances for more than a century. (The old Slovak National Theater building is the featured photo at the top of this article).

As with most ancient European cities, religion has played a central role in both Bratislava’s history and culture. Every major city that we’ve visited in Europe has a central cathedral and Bratislava is no different. St. Martin’s Cathedral may not be as large or grand as some others, but it has a significant place in the history of the region, politically and culturally as well as spiritually. The cathedral was completed in 1452, and from 1563 to 1830 it was the coronation site for the crowning of eleven kings of Hungary. It was also the site of the first performance of Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis in 1830 and Franz Liszt conducted his Coronation Mass in St. Martin’s in 1883.

There is much for the visitor to see and do in Bratislava, the vast majority of which we did not have time to take in. But I’m glad that we were able to see at least a portion of this small but interesting and historic city.

Posted September 14, 2022

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Budapest, Hungary

by Alan K. Lee

Budapest, Hungary was one of the highlights of the Danube River cruise that my wife and I took in 2022. I knew very little about Budapest or any of that part of Europe before our visit, and it had never been very high on my bucket list of travel destinations. But some friends had visited Budapest a few years ago and liked the city, and for a variety of reasons my wife and I decided a river cruise would be a good way to ease back into international travel. So, we took the plunge and booked the cruise when Europe was reopening to foreign visitors and it looked like the pandemic was waning. (For more on river cruising in general, see the link at the end of this post).

Among the many things that I found out on our visit is that Budapest is a truly ancient city. The area was originally settled by Celtic tribes more than 2000 years ago. The Romans established the city of Aquincum near the site of present day Budapest around 100 AD, and the area has been home to many different peoples over the past two milleniums, including Bulgarians, Magyars, and Ottoman Turks, who ruled the area for 150 years. After the Turks were driven out of Budapest in 1686, it became part of the Hapsburg Empire.

What is now Budapest was originally three cities, Buda and Obuda (Old Buda) on the west side of the Danube River, and Pest (pronounced “pesht”) on the east side. In 1849 the first bridge (the Chain Bridge) across the Danube was completed linking Buda and Pest. The three cities merged in 1873, creating the city of Budapest as we know it today.

One of the other things that I discovered is that the city’s long history and the many, diverse cultures that have contributed to the city’s growth over the centuries gives Budapest a unique character, unlike any of the other European cities that we’ve visited. And while it has a long history rooted in Eastern Europe, Budapest today has as much of a modern Western European vibe as it does an ancient Eastern European one.

View of the Hungarian Parliament from Castle Hill

Another thing that I discovered is that Budapest is much bigger than I anticipated. The metropolitan area has a population of over three million, making it the second largest city on the Danube River. Only Vienna is larger. There is simply no way to experience all that Budapest has to offer in one short visit. We had only one evening and the following day to explore the city.

On our first evening there, we walked across the Liberty Bridge and did some exploring along the waterfront of the Buda side of the river. After crossing back to the Pest side, we briefly explored that side of the river before returning to the Viking “longship” that we would call home for the next week. We were pretty significantly jet lagged by that time, and called it a night after having dinner on the ship.

We were up early the next morning. Before breakfast we did some more exploring on the Pest side, including the huge Central Market. We were there early, though, and most of the market stalls were not yet open. That was followed by a guided tour that took us through Pest on a motor coach, then to Castle Hill on the Buda side of the river.

After a guided walking tour of Castle Hill we had some time to explore on our own. We didn’t have time to visit the Hungarian National Gallery, the Royal Palace, or the Castle Museum. But we were able to take in the magnificent architecture of the Matthias Church and the sweeping views of the city from the Fisherman’s Bastion, as well as the many splendid statues and other structures that adorn Castle Hill. It wouldn’t be hard to spend most or all of a day on Castle Hill. It is definitely one of the top attractions in Budapest.

That afternoon we crossed the Liberty Bridge again and climbed to the Citadella and Liberty Monument on the summit of Gellert Hill (Gellert-Hegy). Unfortunately, both the Citadella and the Liberty Monument were undergoing renovations and were fenced off. But there were good views of the city and climbing the hill was a nice workout. Afterwards we took a different trail down to the river and crossed the Elizabeth Bridge to Pest where we had a couple of very refreshing beers at a local pub. (The prices listed were in Hungary’s official currency, the Forint, so I had no idea what those beers cost until I got my credit card statement. The two pints came to about $3.50 each.)

One of the advantages of a river cruise is that you get to see a lot of places and get at least a taste of the local history and culture. But the down side is that you don’t stay long enough in any one place to even begin to see everything worth seeing. That was certainly the case with our time in Budapest. It’s a magnificent city and I would love to come back when we have more time to explore its sights and dive into the culture a little more.

Visiting one of the city’s famous thermal baths is one of the many things that we didn’t have time to do. There are over a hundred thermal and mineral springs in Budapest and dozens of bath houses. I also wish we could have visited the Roman ruins of Aquincum. And I’d like to have spent more time on Castle Hill and explored more of the Pest side – City Park, Parliament, the Basilica of St. Steven, the Great Synagogue, and more. The list goes on. Unfortunately, we had to move on.

Our ship departed after sunset. Many of the buildings along the river front, the bridges, the Royal Palace, the Parliament Buildings, and Castle Hill were all lit up. It was a striking and very beautiful sight. Quite a nice way to leave the city. Hopefully, we will be back some day.

Viking Longship “Kadlin” docked on the Pest side of the Danube

If you’ve never done a river cruise, but think you might like to, click here for more information on river cruising in general, and during the pandemic in particular. And look for future posts on this site about other places we visited on our cruise.

Posted July 15, 2022

All photos © Alan K. Lee

River Cruising

by Alan K. Lee

My first experience with river cruising came on a Rhine River cruise that my wife and I did in 2015. That was one of the most stress-free, relaxing vacations we’ve ever taken, and we fell in love with Europe on that trip. In 2018 we did an independent tour of Tuscany and Cinque Terra in Italy, and we were in the beginning stage of planning another independent trip, this time to Portugal and Spain, when the Covid-19 pandemic put all our travel plans on hold. We did no traveling at all in 2020, except for one trip to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, and very little in 2021. But toward the end of 2021 it looked like the pandemic was waning, and countries in Europe were reopening, so we began thinking about another trip across the Atlantic.

There were still a lot of different and seemingly ever-changing travel restrictions from one country to the next, though. Planning a trip seemed like a pretty daunting task. So, we started thinking about an organized tour of one kind or another. I wasn’t completely sold on another river cruise at first, despite the entirely positive experience we had on our Rhine River cruise. But a river cruise does offer a good middle ground between an organized tour and independent travel, and allows you to get a taste of a variety of cities, other destinations, and often multiple countries, in a short period of time. There are down sides, of course, but since our first river cruise was such an easy and enjoyable experience, we decided maybe another river cruise would be a good way to ease back into international travel.

We ultimately decided to take the plunge and booked a Danube River cruise, despite the risks. And there were significant risks, both health-wise and financial. The risk of catching Covid-19 was still there, of course, but the cruise line’s testing and vaccination requirements (more on those later) were more strict than any of the country’s that we would be visiting. That helped ease the fear of catching Covid. The financial risk came from having to pay for the trip upfront with no guarantee that the trip would not be cancelled or that we would not be able to go because one or both of us tested positive for Covid, or some other circumstance beyond our control. And cancel-for-any-reason travel insurance is expensive, so much so that we decided to forego it.

I was considerably more concerned with the financial risk than the health risk. The cruise line promised to provide a voucher for a future trip if the trip was cancelled on their part due to Covid or other reasons. But I had read stories about cruise lines not fully living up to those promises. And if we had to cancel the trip, or failed to pass the required pre-trip Covid testing, we might lose the entire cost of the trip.

Since we had to provide proof of a negative test taken no more than 72 hours before our flight, we didn’t know until less than 48 hours before boarding our flight that the trip would actually happen. But we both tested negative, and the trip came off as planned. The photos here are from that trip.

Once on board, we were tested again for Covid, and then three more times during the voyage. Fortunately, we tested negative each time, as did all of the people we got to know on the cruise. At least four couples did test positive during the cruise, though, and were removed from the ship. And then we had to pass a sixth test before we could return the U.S. That all added a bit of stress to this trip that didn’t exist on our Rhine River cruise, but we still had a very enjoyable trip.

If you’re contemplating a river cruise, start planning well in advance of your intended departure. Cruises often sell out early, and the more desirable staterooms go quickly. Early booking also usually gets you a better price. We booked our Danube cruise six months in advance, but we still had to settle for a basic stateroom on the lowest deck (our window near the ceiling was just barely above the waterline). The better staterooms on the deck above ours were already fully booked, as were most of the more expensive suites on the top deck.

Both of our cruises were on Viking River Cruises, and both were very enjoyable and problem free. Viking is the largest river cruise line, but there are many other river cruise lines operating in Europe and elsewhere. Uniworld, Tauck, AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, and others all offer a variety of river cruises.

Viking caters to middle aged or older couples (children under 18 are not allowed on Viking cruises), and river cruise lines haven’t typically catered to families or single travelers in the past, but that is changing as cruise lines look to expand their clientele.

Itineraries, cruise length, amenities, number and type of shore excursions, and river boats sizes and number of passengers vary, both between cruise lines, and often between different cruises offered by the same line. Prices also vary between cruise lines and by seasons.

The more research you do, the more likely you will find that cruise that perfectly matches your needs and desires. The Affordable Tours website is a good place to start. It gives a good overview of the benefits of river cruising, river cruise destinations, information about most of the cruise lines, and suggestions for which lines to check out based on your preferences. Check out the cruise lines’ web sites, also. And there are other websites that provide information on river cruises, as well.

Before our 2015 Rhine River cruise, I was not sure that river cruising would be to my liking. But by the second day of that voyage I knew we had made a good decision. That cruise is easily the most relaxing trip I’ve ever taken. We simply had nothing to do except sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenery. Everything was taken care of for us. Most meals were provided, and the food was superb. That was a pleasant surprise.

Another surprise was the quality and variety of the shore tours. The Heidelberg tour, for example, was conducted by a grad student at Heidelberg University working on his doctorate in history. We got a college course worth of local history packed into a two hour tour. And the pub crawl in Cologne was almost worth the price of the whole cruise. Most of the actual cruising was done at night, so on most days we spent the majority of our time on shore. There was at least one free tour each day, and usually one or two optional, extra cost tours. And there was always time to explore on our own at each port of call.

Viking lost a lot of their staff during the pandemic downtime, and many of the crew members on our Danube cruise were new and still learning their jobs. The level of service and the quality of the meals was a notch below that of our Rhine River cruise, but still nothing to complain about. And without exception the crew members on our ship were friendly and eager to please.

Viking “longships” carry about 190 passengers. Some of the ships on other lines carry as few as 125 passengers. With relatively few other passengers and a small ship, you have plenty of opportunities and ample time to get to know your fellow travelers on a week long cruise. Meeting and getting to know people from other places and other walks of life that share your wanderlust is one of the benefits of a river cruise. Most of the people on the cruise were Americans, but the crew members came from all over Europe, and there was a surprising amount of interaction between the crew and the passengers.

River cruising is not for everyone, but my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed both of our cruises. If you think you might enjoy a river cruise, check out the various cruise lines and search out other peoples opinions. You might find a reason that will stop you from going, but if not, give it a try. You might love it.

Look for more on our Danube River cruise in future posts on this site. And if you’re interested in learning more about our Rhine River cruise, click on any of the links below.

Amsterdam and Kinderdijk

Cologne and the Middle Rhine

Heidelberg to Strasbourg

Freiberg, Colmar, and Basel

Posted July 5, 2022

All photos © Alan K. Lee

Rhine River Cruise: Freiburg, Colmar, and Basel

The final leg of our Rhine River cruise took us to Freiburg, Germany, Colmar, France, and Basel, Switzerland.

On the next to last day of our cruise, we docked at Breisach, Germany, after an overnight sail from Kehl. After breakfast a number of us boarded a bus that took us to Freiburg im Breisau. Others opted for a day long bus tour of the Black Forest.

Freiburg

Freiburg is a city of about a quarter of a million people, located on the western edge of the Black Forest, about 15 miles east of the Rhine River. It is another ancient city, founded in 1120 at the intersection of trading routes from the Mediterranean to northern Europe and from the Rhine River to the Danube.

“Freiburg” translates to “free town” and the city has a long history of independent minded and educated citizens. Freiburg has long been an academic and research center, and today is home to the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg and several other universities. The city has an interesting mix of old and new, provided by the city’s long and valued history and the youthful energy generated by the large university student population.

Freiburg residents have a strong environmental commitment, and Freiburg is known as an “eco city.” In 1995 the city council passed an ordinance allowing only “low energy” buildings to be constructed, and Freiburg has become home to a growing solar power industry and is a leading center of green energy research and development.

Much of Freiburg was destroyed in WWII by Allied bombing raids (and one, mistakenly, by the German Luftwaffe in 1940). The city’s cathedral, though, was spared, and the city was rebuilt along its medieval plan, so its city center retains the look and feel of a medieval town. Most of the historical center is a car-free pedestrian zone, which also adds to its medieval feel.

The city has an unusual network of street gutters with flowing water diverted from the Dreisam River. These “bachle” were originally built to provide water for livestock and for fighting fires. They are at least partly responsible for Freiburg never having had a major fire, unlike almost every other medieval town.

To the east of the historic center, Schlossberg hill rises almost 900 feet above the city. A funicular railway takes visitors part way up the hill to a restaurant with a good view of the city below. Hiking trails lead higher, to a park near the summit with an observation tower. While we didn’t have time to take the funicular and hike to the summit, we did have enough time after our guided tour to hike part way up the hill to get a good view of the city.

Freiburg is a beautiful and very interesting place, and I wish we had been able to spend more time there. But we had to return to the boat with the rest of the tour group. After lunch, we once again boarded a bus for a second excursion, this time across the Rhine to Colmar, France.

Colmar

Like Strasbourg, Colmar has changed hands between France and Germany several times over the centuries and its local culture is a mix of French and German. It’s also similar to Strasbourg in look and feel, with its half-timbered buildings and cobble stone streets. And Colmar is even older than Strasbourg, dating back to at least the early ninth century.

One of the first things we saw upon arriving in Colmar was a scaled down replica of the Statue of Liberty. It’s there because the creator of the statue, Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, hailed from Colmar. In addition to the Statue of Liberty, Bertholdi created many other large-scale sculptures and fountains, including the Lion of Belfort. The Bartholdi Museum, located in what was once the Bartholdi family home, contains scale models of the Statue of Liberty and the Lion of Belfort used in creation of those works, as well as many of Bartholdi’s other works. Other Colmar museums include the Unterlinden Museum, the Musee du Jouet (Toy Museum), and the Hansi Museum, dedicated to the works of Jean-Jacques Waltz, a native of Colmar known for his satirical works and his opposition to German control of the region.

Colmar is known for its white wines, and one of the optional tours that many of our fellow passengers took advantage of was a tour of the areas wineries and vineyards. A variety of grapes are grown in the region, including reisling, gewurtztraminer, pinot gris, and pinot blanc. Colmar and the Alsace region have been producing these wines since the early middle ages.

After our organized tour of the city, we had time to wander around the town for awhile on our own. The old town of Colmar is interesting, historic, and one of the prettier towns we visited on our cruise. Part of the old city along the Lauch River is known as Petite Venise (Little Venice). That comparison might be a little off the mark, but it is certainly picturesque. I took many photos of Little Venice and we would have lingered there longer, but, alas, once again we had to return to the ship with our fellow passengers or get left behind. One of the downsides to river cruising, I guess.

Basel

Our cruise ended the following morning in Basel, Switzerland. We rather reluctantly said goodbye to our Viking Longship and the friends we had made on the trip.

After disembarking the ship and taking a taxi to our hotel, we had the rest of the day to explore the city. Since Rick Steves’ Switzerland guide book had not a single mention of Basel, I didn’t have high expectations. But we discovered, on our way to Museum of Contemporary Art, an old section of the city (the St. Alban District) that is as picturesque and has all of the charm of the other old city centers we’ve visited, but with few tourists and no crowds.

We spent the rest of the day exploring the city center, including Basel Cathedral (Basel Munster), and the Basel Town Hall, and sampling Swiss cuisine. All in all, Basel was a delightful surprise, and a fitting end to our Rhine River cruise.

The end of our cruise wasn’t the end of our vacation, though, as we continued on to the Lauterbrunnen Valley in the Berner Oberland section of Switzerland. Look for a future post on that delightful extension of our trip.

Posted by Alan K. Lee, May 2, 2019

All photos by the author

Rhine River Cruise: Heidelberg to Strasbourg

The fourth full day of our Rhine River cruise took us to Heidelberg, Germany. Day five found us in Strasbourg, France.

After docking for the evening in Rudesheim (see my previous posts on Amsterdam and Kinderdijk, and Cologne and the Middle Rhine), our cruise ship sailed overnight to Manheim, Germany. After breakfast on board we ventured to Heidelberg by bus. First stop was Heidelberg Castle.

The road to the castle is steep and narrow and there are several hairpin turns that were definitely not built with tour busses in mind. It took a good bit of maneuvering and a bit of time, but the driver had obviously done this before and we made it up the hill without incident.

Heidelberg Castle overlooks the old city, and is largely in ruins. The first structure was built on the present site around 1300. Shortly after the first castle was built, a second was built higher up the mountainside. The second castle was destroyed by a lightning strike in 1537 and nothing remains of it today. The remaining lower castle was heavily damaged in the early 1600s during the Thirty Years War, and almost completely destroyed by the French in the late 1600s. A portion of it was restored in the late nineteenth century and the ruins of the rest of the castle were stabilized and remain in the condition they were in at the time.

Our tour guide was a graduate student working on his doctorate in history at Heidelberg University, so we got a wealth of local history during our tour, told in an entertaining and often humorous manner. The castle ruins are a treasure trove of photo opportunities, as well. I could easily have spent a full day, or more, at the castle, but had to move on with the group.

After touring the castle, we made the short trip back down to the old city. We opted for an abbreviated tour by our guide, giving us ample time to wander the city on our own. Like many of the old medieval centers in European cities, the historical center of Heidelberg is quaint, picturesque, and thoroughly charming.

We spent an hour or so exploring the old city, then stopped at a sidewalk cafe at one of the hotels for lunch. While there, another of the couples on the cruise joined us. Fran and Victor, from Santiago, Chile, were one of the few non-American couples on the cruise. Coincidentally, Victor, who is a surgeon, had been sent to Heidelberg some time previously by the university hospital where he practiced (they had some sort of reciprocal relationship with Heidelberg University), and had stayed in the same hotel at which we were dining.

While we were touring Hedielberg, our cruise ship had sailed upstream to Speyer, where we rejoined the ship. The historical center of Speyer was only a short walk from where our ship was docked, so we had plenty of time to explore it that evening.

Speyer has a long history, dating back to its founding by the Romans in 10 BC. The Speyer Cathedral, begun in 1030, was the site of the 1526 Diet of Speyer that temporarily suspended the Edict of Worms that had banned Martin Luther in 1521. In 1529 a second Diet of Speyer essentially reinstated the Edict of Worms. Supporters of Luther then issued a Letter of Protest, and henceforth became known as Protestants.

The Altpoertel (Old Gate), one of the other major sights in Speyer, was built in the 13th century. One of the 68 original towers of the old city’s wall, the Altpoertel is one of the largest medieval city gates and towers in Germany.

That night the ship took us to Kehl, Germany while we slept. There the Rhine forms the boundary between Germany and France, and the next morning we bused across the river to the city of Strasbourg, France . Neither my wife nor I had been to France before, so this was an interesting excursion for us.

Strasbourg today is home to the European Parliament and a number of other European Union institutions. In the past, it has been part of German territory, so its culture is a mix of French and German. In fact, it has changed hands between France and Germany four times in the last 150 years. Our tour guide’s grandparents lived under both French and German rule, and had to make the transition from one to the other three separate times. France and Germany have very different legal and political structures, as well as languages, so it must have been very difficult to adapt each time the city changed from one to the other.

The historic city center of Strasbourg, the Grand Ile, is an island in the Ill River, which flows through Strasbourg before joining the Rhine. The Grand Ile has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. The Ile is full of magnificently preserved and very beautiful examples of medieval architecture, particularly the Strasbourg Cathedral, which was constructed between 1176 and 1439. Its 466 foot high north spire made the cathedral the tallest building in the world from 1647 until 1874. The cathedral is also noted for its massive (18 meter tall) and intricate astronomical clock, completed in 1843. The current clock replaced an earlier one built in the 16th century, the remains of which are preserved in the Museum of Decorative Arts.

We had a wonderful time wandering around Grand Ile on our own after the end of the organized tour, taking lots of photos, and having a leisurely lunch, dining outside at one of the many local cafes. After returning to the ship, we walked into the town of Kehl and did some further exploring.

From Kehl, the ship sailed that evening to Breisach, Germany. Our excursions on the following day took us to Freiburg, Germany and Colmar, France. Look for an upcoming post on those outings.

Posted by Alan K. Lee, April 12, 2019

All photos by and property of the author

Rhine River Cruise: Cologne and the Middle Rhine

The second and third days of our Rhine River cruise took us to Cologne, then the villages and castles of the Middle Rhine region. After leaving Kinderdijk (see my previous post) on the afternoon of our first full day of cruising, our “longship” navigated its way to the Rhine, and then upstream to Cologne overnight.

“Love locks”, Hohenzollern Bridge, Cologne

My wife and I took two guided tours on the second day of our cruise. In the morning our guide led a tour of the old historic city center. Normally that includes a tour of the cathedral, but it was Sunday, so tour groups were not allowed in. We had the afternoon to ourselves, though, so we were able to tour it independently later that day – a very impressive structure, one of the largest cathedrals in Europe.

We also spent a good bit of time that afternoon exploring the Museum Ludwig (modern art, including a large collection of Picasso’s), and the nearby Roman-Germanic Museum, which preserves a Roman villa from the third century B.C. that was unearthed during the construction of a bomb shelter in 1941. Both are adjacent to the cathedral. If you’re an art and history buff, those are two places you do not want to miss.

Cologne ( Koln) was founded by the Romans in the fist century A.D. (The Roman name for the city, Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, was shortened and became Cologne to the French and Koln to the Germans.) The city was heavily bombed during World War II, and 95% of the central city was destroyed. Only the cathedral, city hall, and a few other buildings survived. A lot of the rebuilding was done in a style to match the surviving buildings, so much of what you see when you visit looks old and historic, but is in fact less than 70 years old.

Cologne’s city hall is built on the site of the ancient Roman Praetorium, which was the seat of government of the Roman province of Germania Inferior until 475 A.D. The Praetorium was destroyed in an earthquake in the late eighth century. Cologne municipal government was formed around 1100, and the original city hall building was constructed in the mid-12th century. The current structures date from as early as 1330.

Construction of the Cologne Cathedral began in 1248. In 1478 construction was halted and the cathedral remained unfinished for another 400 years. It wasn’t until 1880 that it was completed to the original medieval plan. The cathedral was damaged by a number of bombing raids in WWII, but remained standing, and repairs were completed in 1956.

Detail of the Cologne Cathedral exterior

Our second tour in Cologne was an optional pub crawl that evening, led by a local guide. In Cologne each pub has a working agreement with one of the local breweries that produce the local brew, called kolsch. Each pub serves only one brand of kolsch, so to sample a variety of different kolsches, we visited four pubs. Kolsch is served in small seven ounce straight-sided glasses. You never have to order a refill. An empty glass is considered the order and will be refilled without your asking. A coaster placed over the top of the glass is the signal that you do not want a refill. Needless to say, we had a great time, drank our fill of good beer, and the guide managed to get all of us back to the ship before it left that night.

Spay, Germany, viewed from Marksburg Castle

The next morning found us in Koblenz. After breakfast on board, most of us boarded a bus that took us to Marksburg Castle. It’s not the prettiest castle along the Rhine (in my opinion), but it is the most intact. It is the only castle that was never attacked, so you get a better peak at what castle life was like back in the middle ages. Many of its rooms display historically accurate recreations of how they looked and functioned in medieval times. It was all very interesting, but also very crowded.

Back on the ship, we spent the afternoon cruising the Middle Rhine Valley (sometimes called the Rhine Gorge), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here the Rhine flows through a narrow valley with picturesque villages along the shore and many castles high above the river on the ridges either side.

The cruise ships travel this section of the river during the day both because it is the most scenic part of the river and because it is difficult to navigate in places. The famous Lorelei Rock is on this section of the river.

Late that afternoon we docked in Rudesheim and spent the evening exploring on our own. Rudesheim is a small, picturesque town, like many that we passed earlier in the day. It was a pleasant end to a very nice day. By this point I was fully onboard with the idea of doing more river cruising in the future. Maybe the Danube next time, perhaps.

Our cruise continued with stops in Heidelberg, then Strasbourg and Colmar, France, and a tour of Freiberg, Germany before disembarking in Basel, Switzerland. Look for future posts on the remainder of our trip.

Posted by Alan K. Lee, 3/21/19

All photos by the author

Rhine River Cruise: Amsterdam and Kinderdijk

Our Rhine River cruise began in Amsterdam and our first port of call was Kinderdijk, Netherlands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Neither are actually on the Rhine River, but a network of canals that crisscrosses The Netherlands and connects to the Rhine allowed our “longship” to sail from Amsterdam to Kinderdijk, and then on to the lower Rhine.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is a major transportation hub as well as a popular tourist destination. Many travelers headed to other places in Europe travel through Amsterdam, and many of them stay for a day or two. Many others come to Amsterdam for a variety of reasons – to visit Amsterdam’s many outstanding museums or the famous (or infamous) red light district, to tour the Anne Frank House, some to experience the liberal and tolerant culture of Amsterdam, and a few, I’m sure, come for the “coffee shops” where they can smoke marijuana in public without risk of arrest.

I came for none of those reasons, but simply because it was the embarkation point for our cruise, and because my wife wanted to visit Amsterdam. I had no real desire to see Amsterdam. But I quickly fell in love with the city. It’s crowded, noisy, and surprisingly dirty. Dam Square, the heart of Amsterdam, is filled with people elbow to elbow during the day, and filled with their left behind trash in the evening. The Nieumarkt Square, which our Airbnb rental faced, didn’t quiet down until two or three in the morning. Normally, all of that would be reason for me to dislike a place. But none of it really mattered.

There is a vibrancy and energy to the city that is a more than a little bit intoxicating. It’s a thoroughly modern city, but with a long and deep history. It is Dutch, certainly, but it is also one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world. Almost everyone in Amsterdam speaks English, but there is little about the city that is evocative of either England or America. No city in the U.S. even remotely resembles Amsterdam. And therein lies much of its appeal. It’s exotic and yet very approachable and understandable. The people are friendly. The atmosphere is relaxed. It’s easy to feel at home there. And it’s an immensely interesting place. It’s not much of an exaggeration to say that there is something for everyone there.

Getting around Amsterdam is pretty easy. Most of the major attractions are within walking distance of the Central Station. The city also has a good public transit system. But the best way to get around is probably by bicycle. There are plenty of places to rent bikes at reasonable rates, and there are dedicated bike paths everywhere. You will quickly find that Amsterdam is a city of bicycles and bike riders.

Art pervades the city, not just in the museums, but in the streets, and in the culture. Our first night’s stay was in the Art’otel Amsterdam, a boutique hotel near the main railway station (Central Station), that houses a surprisingly interesting gallery. And there are hundreds of other galleries and art museums scattered throughout the city.

The two most prominent museums, the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum are both on the Museumplein, as is the Stedilijk Museum (contemporary art and design). The Museumplein is about a mile and a half south of Central Station. That should be one of your must-see destinations. The Anne Frank House is another must see.

Museum tickets can be purchased online. Also check out the Amsterdam City Pass and I Amsterdam cards. Both offer free “skip the line” entrance to the major museums. Tickets to the Anne Frank House are available only online and are not included in either card. Also note that tickets to both the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House are time specific, so advance planning is a must.

Our Rhine River cruise began with boarding our “longship” (the Viking Mani), and dinner onboard. That was the first of many outstanding meals served on the ship – and the first of many pleasant surprises on the cruise. (See my previous post for more information on river cruises in Europe.) The ship left Amsterdam well after dark, and we arrived at Kinderdijk the following morning.

Kindedijk

The largest surviving group of ancient windmills in the world is in village of Kindedijk, Netherlands, located about 50 miles from Rotterdam in the province of South Holland. Kinderdijk was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

The entire area was once one giant peat bog. The first settlers built their homes on the local sand dunes nearly a thousand years ago. Over time, the fertile soil brought others to the area. In the 13th century district water boards were formed to coordinate the building and maintenance of the dikes and canals needed to drain areas of the bog and keep waters out of the resulting polders. But over time the soil of the polders subsided, and the Lek River level rose due to siltation.

After a disastrous flood in 1421 killed thousands of people and damaged or destroyed many of the dikes, the water districts decided a better system of water management was needed, leading to the construction of a group of stone windmills in 1738 and an additional group of wooden windmills in 1740. Of the original 20 windmills, nineteen survive and remain operational.

The name Kinderdijk means Children’s Dike. Legend has it that after the 1421 flood a cradle was discovered bobbing in the flooded fields. In the cradle were an unharmed baby and a cat. The cat was said to be jumping from side to side to keep the cradle balanced and preventing it from tipping over.

In the late 1800s steam powered pump stations began taking over the primary pumping needs. These were replaced by diesel powered stations in the early 20th century. During World War II the occupying German army commandeered all diesel supplies, so the residents had to once again rely on the windmills to keep their land dry.

Currently two large electrically powered pump stations provide the primary pumping power, but the old windmills remain operational and serve as a backup to the modern pumps. One of the old pump stations now serves as a visitor center, and two of the windmills are open to the public.

From Kinderdijk our cruise joined the lower Rhine River and proceeded on to Cologne, Germany. Look for future posts on the rest of our Rhine River cruise, including Cologne, Heidelberg, and Freiberg, Germany, the castles of the Middle Rhine, and Strasbourg and Colmar, France.

Posted by Alan K. Lee, 3/1/19

All photos by the author