The Danube River

About the Danube
Danube River Ports
Vienna on your Danube River Cruise

UNESCO World Heritage Sites along the Danube River

Along the Danube River and nearby you can find these amazing UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Some will be included in your river cruise itinerary, but some may require some creative travel planning by your River Cruise Artist in order to visit.  Learn more below about these UNESCO Sites and the history you can experience when you visit them. Let River Cruise Your Way take you away to the history around the Danube River.

Old Town of Regensburg With Stadtamhof

Regensburg is a medieval town near the confluence of the Main and Danube Rivers in Bavaria featuring many buildings of distinguished architecture illustrating its history as an economic trading center since the 9th century. You will find numerous historic structures still intact after 2000 years. Ancient Roman, Romanesque and Gothic styles are evident in the historic buildings. Regensburg’s historic points of interest include the old town market, city hall and the cathedral that continue to define the character of the town. The not-to-miss structures also include medieval patrician houses and towers, a large number of churches and monasteries, as well as the Old Bridge from the 12th century. Regensburg is also notable for the many relics from its rich history as one of the centers of the Holy Roman Empire. Regensburg is easily accessible by a short walk from the river port.

Historic Center of Cesky Krumlov

Beautifully situated on the banks of the Vltava river in the Czech Republic, Cesky Krumlov was built around a 13th century castle that features Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements. Cesky Krumlov is a prime example of a small central European medieval town whose architectural heritage has remained intact thanks to careful and peaceful care and restoration for centuries. Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic is a popular excursion for Danube River Cruisers with just over an hour drive from Linz, Austria or other nearby ports.

Historic Center of The City of Salzburg

The people of Salzburg, made famous with the famed Sound of Music film, have managed to preserve the rich urban fabric that was developed from the Middle Ages to the 19th century when it was a city-state ruled by a prince archbishop. The city attracted many artists even before it became better known through the works of the Italian architects responsible for the Baroque appearance of much of the center of Salzburg. This popular trading point between northern and southern Europe sparked the creative genius of Salzburg’s most famous resident, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose name will forever be associated with the city. A short drive from Danube River ports makes Salzburg a popular and memorable excursion for your river journey.

Wachau Cultural Landscape

The Wachau Valley of Austria is a stretch of the Danube River Valley between Melk and Krems. It features historically important sites such as monasteries, castles, ruins, historical towns and villages, and the famed vineyards used in the production of the region’s popular wines. The Wachau Valley was originally settled during prehistoric times and continues to this day to be a popular scenic and historically important region of Austria. This tranquil and scenic portion of your Danube River Cruise will be a favorite from your vacation. Don’t forget your camera!

Palace and Gardens of Schönbrunn

The Schönbrunn Palace in enchanting Vienna Austria has been the residence of many Habsburg emperors and their families from the 18th to the early 20th centuries. Schönbrunn was designed by the architects Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and Nicolaus Pacassi and is now a popular museum that is full of historic decorative art, furniture and artifacts from Habsburg times. The beautiful gardens of Schönbrunn Palace became the first zoo in the world in the mid-18th century. The gardens of Schönbrunn are open to the public to explore the serenity and beauty of this historic site. Make Schönbrunn Palace and it’s gardens a stop while you are in port on the Danube River in Vienna.

Historic Center of Vienna

The city of Vienna Austria was first settled by ancient Celtics and Romans who developed the current capital city of Austria into a both Medieval and Baroque city. Vienna was once the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and was critical to the enhancement of European music. Music from the great age of Viennese Classicism through the early 20th century is a highlight even today for visitors to Vienna. The historic Old Town of Vienna is rich in architecture with Baroque castles and gardens, as well as the late-19th century Ringstrasse that is lined with grand historic buildings, monuments and parks. You will not be disappointed with your visit to Vienna – be sure to spend as much time as you can in Old Town.

Budapest Including Banks of The Danube, Buda Castle Quarter, & Andrassy Avenue

Budapest, the combined modern-day metropolis of historical Buda & Pest, is home to ancient monuments such as the Roman city of Aquincum and the Gothic castle of Buda. Budapest, on the banks of the Danube River, is one of the world’s outstanding urban landscapes and great European capitals and illustrates the great periods in the history of Hungary. Originally settled by the Celts before 1 A.D., Buda & Pest have had a rich cultural history reflective in the architecture and museums of the city. As your river cruise on the Danube arrives in Budapest you will amazed at the scenery that unfolds in front of you.

Millenary Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma & Natural Environment

The Millenary Pannonhalma Abbey is the first Abbey settled by Benedictine monks in 996 and is the oldest historical monument in Hungary. The monks of the Abbey converted the Hungarians and founded the country’s first school. It was here in 1055 the Benedictine monks wrote the first document in Hungarian language. From the time of its founding, this monastic community has promoted culture throughout central Europe. Its 1,000-year history can be seen in the succession of architectural styles of the monastic buildings (the oldest dating from 1224), which still today house a school and the monastic community. Some river cruises offer excursions to the abbey where the history will amaze you.

Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs

A group of ornately decorated tombs were constructed in the cemetery of the Roman provincial town of Sopianae in the 4th century, now known as Pécs. The tombs are richly decorated with murals that depicted biblical Christian themes. Important both structurally and architecturally, these funerary monuments were built as underground burial chambers with memorial chapels above the ground, unique for the period and region. This archeological site in Hungary contains more than 500 graves, with sixteen structures comprising the World Heritage site. As you port in Pecs be sure to take in the ancient history that awaits.

Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo

In the Roussenski Lom River valley near the Danube River, in northeast Bulgaria, a collection of rock-hewn churches, chapels, and monasteries were established near the village of Ivanovo. This is the location where early hermits dug out their cells and churches during the 12th-century. 14th-century medieval murals illustrate the incredible skill of the artists from the Tarnovo School of painting. The complex is noted for its beautiful and well-preserved medieval frescoes. The churches are inside Rusenski Lom Nature Park.

Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari

Discovered in an earthen mound near the village of Sveshtari in 1982 this 3rd-century BC Thracian tomb illustrates the fundamental structural strategies found in Thracian cult buildings. The tomb is unique in its architecture and decor with polychrome half-human, half-plant caryatids and painted murals. There are 10 female figures carved in relief on the walls of the central chamber and the decoration of the lunette in its vault are the only examples of this type found so far in the Thracian lands. It is a reminder of the culture of the Getes, a Thracian people who were in contact with the Hellenistic and Hyperborean worlds.

Srebarna Nature Preserve

The Srebarna Nature Reserve is a freshwater lake located adjacent to the Danube River. It is the home to 179 species of birds, 39 mammals, 21 reptiles and 10 fish many of which are rare or endangered. Among the most interesting bird species are the Dalmatian pelican, great egret, night heron, purple heron, glossy ibis and white spoonbill. There are several legends about the origin of the lake’s name. The first is about a khan named Srebrist, who died in the area while engaging in an unequal battle with the Pechenegs. A second legend tells about a boat full of silver (srebro in Bulgarian) along the shores of the lake. According to a third legend, which is regarded as the most plausible, the name comes from the silvery reflections on the lake’s surface during full moon.

Danube Delta

The waters of the Danube, which flow into the Black Sea, form the second-largest and best preserved of Europe’s deltas. The Danube delta hosts over 300 species of birds as well as 45 freshwater fish species in its numerous lakes and marshes. The largest part of the Danube Delta lies in Romania (Tulcea County), while its northern part, on the left bank of the Chilia arm, is situated in the Odessa Oblast of Ukraine.

Your Danube River Cruise Awaits!

Are you ready to start planning your Danube River Cruise Vacation Your Way? A River Cruise Artist at River Cruise Your Way is ready to be your vacation concierge. Contact us today at 1-800-259-7612 or use the form below and let us know when it is most convenient to call you, we will confirm via e-mail, and then reach out at the agreed upon time and date.