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 "Our Danube river cruise started with a two night stay in Prague, at a hotel that was within a few blocks of the Old Town Square. The famous astrological clock from the 15th century is located by the Old Town Square, which chimes on the hour and has moving parts, including a skeleton with an hour glass. The architecture in Prague is stunning – it is known as the city with a hundred spires. We crossed the Charles Bridge to tour “Lesser Town”, the Wallenstein Garden, Church of St. Nicholas, Gothic Cathedral of St. Vitus, and Prague Castle. We also toured the old Jewish area in Prague.
"On Day 3 we departed for the Danube River where we visited the German medieval town of Regensburg. There was a summer festival underway during our visit. We enjoyed a guided walking tour of the town and a tour of the Thurn und Taxis palace. For lunch, we ate sausages at the Historic Sausage Kitchen, which traces its roots back to the 12th Century.
"Our next stop was at the historic town of Passau, the city of three rivers, where we toured the town.
"Cesky Krumlov, or “Czechs in a crooked meadow”, was the destination the following day, back in the Czech Republic. Our walking tour of this medieval town included a tour of Krumlov Castle. Then we had a private lunch at the Winter Riding School, where 18th-century aristocrats exercised their horses during inclement weather.
"We arrived in Grein the next day, the site of the Greinburg Castle and the Grein Theater. Afterwards, we cruised in the Wachau Valley, a gorgeous setting of monasteries, fairy-tale castles, and rolling vineyards.
"The following day we arrived in Durnstein, where we toured the town. Doug hiked up to Kuenringerburg Castle with a handful of other intrepid souls, so that he could view the site where King Richard the Lionheart was once kept captive.
"Our last stop on the Danube was Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, where we toured the historic area.
"The last two days of our tour were spent in Vienna, where we toured the Ringstrasse around the old city and visited the Fine Arts Museum. Our farewell dinner was at the Palais Pallavicini, a beautiful palace where Mozart performed in the same room where we dined. We enjoyed ballet performances by two dancers from the Vienna Ballet and music by players from the Vienna Symphony.
"Our tour was with Tauck River Cruising. It was a phenomenal trip."
-- Sandy Beck, from a July 8, 2015 e-mail
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