Dnieper River Cruise - Yalta, Ukraine DAY 6 Yalta. (Mon.) Yalta Leisure Time & Optional Tours. Your day is free to explore Yalta at your own pace, or you may choose to join one or both of today’s optional tours. This morning’s optional tour is of beautiful Alupka Palace. Designed by English architects in 1828, the palace is an unusual combination of Scottish castle and Arabian fantasy set in an exotic park. Your palace tour reveals fascinating architecture, paintings, sculptures, and … [Read more...]
Yalta and the 1945 Yalta Conference
November 12, 2009 by
Dnieper River Cruise - Yalta, Ukraine DAY 5 Yalta. (Sun.)Included Yalta Tour. Disembark after breakfast for your Yalta city tour. Travel along the Lenin Embankment and to the Alexander Cathedral. During your tour, you also visit the White Palace in Livadia, a former summer palace of Czar Nicholas II and site where Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt met in 1945 and determined the shape of post-World War II Europe. Your guided tour takes you through the official halls and private apartments of the … [Read more...]
Sevastopol – a City of Naval Glory
November 12, 2009 by
Dnieper River Cruise - Sevastopol, Ukraine DAY 4 Sevastopol & Bakhchisarai. (Sat.) Included Bakhchisarai Excursion. Join this morning’s coach excursion to Bakhchisarai, the former capital of the Crimean Peninsula during Ottoman rule. Here, you visit the ornate Khan Palace, a complex including the lovely Fountain of Tears, harems, mosques and other buildings. It is a striking example of Tartar-Muslim architecture.Sevastopol Leisure Time & Optional Tour. Return to your ship for lunch … [Read more...]
Sevastopol and the Khan's Palace
November 12, 2009 by
Dnieper River Cruise - Sevastopol, Ukraine DAY 3 - Sevastopol (Fri.) Scenic Cruising. Spend the morning cruising the Black Sea, arriving in Sevastopol after lunch. Included Sevastopol Tour. Upon arrival, disembark for a tour of Sevastopol. Once the base of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet, it is Ukraine’s largest commercial fishing and shipping port. Make a stop at the hilltop St. Vladimir Cathedral, the Admiral Nakhimov Memorial and Prince Pier. Until recently, the city was closed to all who did … [Read more...]
Odessa – "Pearl of the Black Sea"
November 11, 2009 by
Dnieper River Cruise - Odessa, Ukraine DAY 2 - Odessa. (Thur.) Included City Tour. After breakfast, begin your tour of Odessa known as the “Pearl of the Black Sea.” It is one of the region’s most beautiful cities with wonderful beaches, shady parks and tree-lined boulevards. Travel by coach through the old part of town and enjoy a walking tour of the historic city centre with its many splendid classical buildings. You will see the Uspenski Cathedral and the Potemkin Steps, with its 192 … [Read more...]
Arriving in Odessa and Airport Transfer
November 11, 2009 by
Dnieper River Cruise - Odessa, Ukraine DAY 1 - Odessa (Wed.) Arrival in Odessa. If Viking River Cruises arranged your transfer, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your river cruise ship. Because the crew will be preparing cabins for arriving passengers, you can relax in the ship’s lounge or explore Odessa on your own. You will be given access to your cabin as soon as it becomes available, usually by 3 p.m. If you arrive during lunchtime (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.), some light … [Read more...]
Lorelei Rock and the Lorelei Siren
June 15, 2009 by
Of legends, forklores and the Rhine Siren: The Rhine river is steeped in myths, sagas, legends, forklore and fairytales and the many castles along the Rhine hold tales of historical and political events, medieval battles, military conflicts and knights brandishing swords. The Lorelei Legend One legend that you'll hear most about on a Rhine river cruise is that of the Lorelei Rock. The legend is as old as time itself and tells of Lorelei, a beautiful young maiden who committed suicide … [Read more...]
Amsterdam to Budapest river cruise + Gallipoli Dawn Service
June 5, 2009 by
Gallipoli Dawn Service River Cruise: The ANZAC Day dawn service at Gallipoli has become a very popular event and each year the crowds at Gallipoli get bigger and bigger. Whereas in the past, it was the older generation who were interested in participating in this special remembrance ceremony, these days more and more younger people are interested to be part of it as well. Younger travellers from Australia especially are timing their Europe trip to coincide with attendance at the Gallipoli … [Read more...]
River Boat – Latest Developments
June 4, 2009 by
River Cruising gets Better and Better: In his recent update on riverboats, Tony's assessment was that Scenic Tours had taken the lead over other river cruise operators with regard to the size and features of their new riverboat staterooms. Until recent times, a stateroom with a French balcony was the best you could get as far as a balcony was concerned. Scenic Tours now offer 3.85 metre long outside balconies on four of their vessels: the Scenic Emerald, Sapphire, Ruby, and Diamond, … [Read more...]
River cruises – Regensburg Wurstkuchl
May 7, 2009 by
Regensburg's historic Wurstkuchl: On any Danube river cruises, you'll most certainly hear about "Wurstkuchl" in Regensburg, a tavern famous for its bratwurst. Your river boat will stop near the Old Stone Bridge, thought to be the eighth wonder of the world when it was built. As you disembark from your boat, all you have to do is follow your nose to the tavern. The "Wurstkuchl" in Regensburg is Germany's oldest bratwurst tavern still in existence. It was established shortly after 1146 … [Read more...]