Christmas & New Year – Amsterdam to Budapest

Your journey begins in the picturesque city of Amsterdam. A labyrinth of narrow laneways adorned with twinkling lights, canals lined with beautifully preserved 17th century buildings and Christmas trees decorating historic squares, Amsterdam is not only pretty to wander, it’s also steeped in history, art and an undeniable festive atmosphere.

This afternoon, board your all-inclusive luxury Scenic Space-Ship and settle into your suite. Relax and raise your glass to the days ahead at this evening’s welcome reception.

Amsterdam is a treasure trove of architectural beauty. Often referred to as the Venice of the North, much of the World Heritage-listed canal system exists today as it did hundreds of years ago, lined with well-preserved canal houses and intersected by charming bridges.

Scenic Freechoice:
Explore the region on one of these Freechoice excursions:

Canal cruise: Amsterdam has more than 100 kilometres of canals and today you will see some of the prettiest sights of the city from these historical waterways on this one-hour cruise.

Walking tour of Amsterdam: Explore Amsterdam on foot, discovering the maze of canals and bridges in the city centre. Your guide will be covering history, modern lifestyle and Dutch culture. You also get to taste herring, a local delicacy not to be missed.

Excursion to Schermerhorn & Alkmaar: Step outside of Amsterdam to visit the village of Schermerhorn, home to authentic windmills dating back to the 16th century.

This afternoon we set sail towards the cosmopolitan metropolis of Cologne, Germany.

Arrive in the 2,000-year-old city of Cologne early this afternoon. Cologne suffered extensive damage during World War II but was painstakingly restored over the following decades. Set out on a walking tour of the Old Town, admiring its historic buildings, beautiful squares and the World Heritage-listed Cologne Cathedral. Then enjoy some free time to explore the city on your own.

Tonight, you may choose to join midnight mass in town.

Merry Christmas! Spend this special day admiring the spectacular scenery of the Rhine Gorge over a gourmet Christmas feast and special celebrations. Expect plenty of festive fun, frivolity and fizz.

Rüdesheim am Rhein is a town in the Rhine Valley, Germany. It’s known for winemaking, especially of Riesling wines. In the center, Drosselgasse is a lane lined with shops, taverns and restaurants. Nearby, Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet is a museum of automated musical instruments. Medieval Brömserburg Castle is home to the Rheingau Wine Museum, exhibiting wine paraphernalia from ancient times to the present.

Dock in the stunning town of Miltenberg around lunchtime. Here, your local guide will showcase the city during a walking tour through the beautiful cobblestone streets lined with historic half-timbered houses.

Afterwards, take a coach to the historic town of Wertheim, on the picturesque banks of the Main and Tauber rivers. Enjoy an orientation tour of Wertheim before reboarding your Space-Ship.

Cruise into Würzburg this morning. This Baroque city straddles the Main River in the heart of Franconian wine country. Surrounded by undulating vineyards, Würzburg is home to a World Heritage-listed palace, a dominating hilltop fortress, the 15th century Old Main Bridge, and three universities including Bavaria’s oldest.

Cruise into Bamberg this afternoon and join a guided tour to explore the World Heritage-listed Old Town. A charming Old Town Hall which occupies an island on its own, a Gothic and Romanesque-style cathedral and the Old and New Residences – an episcopal palace, a pretty ‘Little Venice’ and a 12th century castle that teeters on the highest of the seven hills – are some of the incredible places you’ll see during your guided city tour.

You will arrive in Nuremberg, Bavaria’s second-largest city, this morning. Boasting an Old Town protected by an ancient city wall, this city is dominated by one of the most significant imperial forts of the Holy Roman Empire, the 12th century Imperial Castle, which was the preferred residence of German kings.

You will arrive in Regensburg after lunch today. Set on the confluence of three rivers in Bavaria, Regensburg is a delight to explore.

Set on the confluence of the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers, Passau has been an important trading city since medieval times, particularly for salt, commonly known as ‘white gold’. Each river is distinct in colour and some days you can clearly see the green, blue and black hues where the waters meet. At the centre of the Baroque city, the 13th century Italianate Old Town is packed with tight laneways tunnels and archways, including an ‘Artist’s mile’ where old buildings are occupied by artist studios, workshops and galleries

Happy New Year! This morning, you’ll cruise through the beautiful Wachau Valley, before choosing how you’d like to spend your day.

Dürnstein is a small town on the Danube river in the Krems-Land district, in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It is one of the most-visited tourist destinations in the Wachau region and also a well-known wine growing area.

Vienna, Austria’s capital, lies in the country’s east on the Danube River. Its artistic and intellectual legacy was shaped by residents including Mozart, Beethoven and Sigmund Freud. The city is also known for its Imperial palaces, including Schönbrunn, the Habsburgs’ summer residence. In the MuseumsQuartier district, historic and contemporary buildings display works by Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt and other artists.

Welcome to Vienna, known as the City of Music, and the home of Beethoven, Mozart, Strauss and more. A city full of grandeur, Austria’s imperial capital is famous for having the world’s most beautiful boulevard, The Ringstrasse, and for the legacy of the Habsburg monarchy. Enjoy a guided tour of Vienna and discover its treasures before preparing for tonight’s exclusive Enrich event.

After an overnight stay, choose how you’d like to spend your day in Vienna.

This morning arrive in Budapest, one of Europe’s most diverse and vibrant cities. Divided by the Danube, with Buda on one side and Pest on the other, this city became united in 1873, when a newly built bridge connected the two. The city is an architectural treasure trove comprising styles from Gothic to Art Nouveau and everything in between.

t’s time to farewell your fellow guests and Scenic crew, taking with you a wealth of memories and festive cheer.

This itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons such as high and low water. As such, the cruise may operate altered from that stated above. Please refer to our terms and conditions.