Cruise Specialists Blog

Luxury Cruise News & Reviews

Blog Home / Cruise Lines / AmaWaterways Cruise Reviews

A Tale Of Two Rivers: The Danube vs. The Douro

Ralph Grizzle

Hotel Sacher in Vienna is a must-see. © 2014 Ralph Grizzle
Hotel Sacher in Vienna is a must-see. © 2014 Ralph Grizzle

Vienna, Austria, sits on the Danube River like a crown jewel. The world-renowned city and the river that flows through it have been etched into the memories of many travelers and immortalized in “The Blue Danube,” a waltz by the Austrian composer Johann Strauss.

Indeed, Vienna and the villages along the Danube inspire music. Cruising along this majestic river and setting off on excursions to cities such as Salzburg, one does get the impression that the hills are alive with “The Sound of Music.” One of the highlights of any cruise along the Danube, in fact, is to take in an evening concert of music and waltz while docked overnight in Vienna.

Vienna is famous for its concerts and waltzes. © 2014 Ralph Grizzle
Vienna is famous for its concerts and waltzes. © 2014 Ralph Grizzle

I love the Danube, particularly on cruises between Budapest, Hungary, and the German cities of Nuremberg or Passau. On this gorgeous stretch of water, river cruise vessels sail past glorious palaces (the Melk Abbey, for example), hilltop castles and ruins, and the gorgeous Wachau Valley, one of my favorite regions to mix bikes and boats, as I wrote about recently here on the Cruise Specialists’ blog.

Another of my favorite rivers is about as far away from the Danube as you can get in Europe.

Put your finger on a map and drag it all the way out to the Atlantic Ocean until you reach the upper region of Portugal, where the Douro River begins in the colorful city of Porto, Portugal. As you probably know, this is the region perhaps best known for its production of Port wine, and certainly the food and wine that you’ll experience along a Douro river cruise will please your palates to no end.

Porto, Portugal, where river cruises begin and end on the Douro River. © 2014 Ralph Grizzle
Porto, Portugal, where river cruises begin and end on the Douro River. © 2014 Ralph Grizzle

But there are two other reasons that I enjoy this region so much. The first is the landscape along the river, where vineyards slope vertically from the blue sky to the river banks below. It should come as no surprise that the Douro Valley has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The scenery is absolutely stunning.

The Douro River Valley, a UNESCO Heritage region. © 2014 Ralph Grizzle
The Douro River Valley, a UNESCO Heritage region. © 2014 Ralph Grizzle

The second reason I enjoy the Douro so much resides in the people. The Portuguese are warm, friendly and inviting. Many river cruise operators use Portuguese staff, so you’re off to a good start the moment you step on board. In my experience, nearly every encounter off-the-boat was met with equally as pleasant people as on the river cruisers.

While most trips operate from Porto roundtrip, Douro river cruises typically venture all the way upriver to Vega de Terron, Spain.

 

To start planning a trip to these wonderful regions, see available European River Cruises on our website.

 

More from my site

  • Meet AmaMagna, the New AmaWaterways ShipMeet AmaMagna, the New AmaWaterways Ship
  • Three Of My Favorite AmaWaterways Cruises and Three That I Would Like To DoThree Of My Favorite AmaWaterways Cruises and Three That I Would Like To Do
  • Top 5 Highlights from My AmaWaterways Danube River CruiseTop 5 Highlights from My AmaWaterways Danube River Cruise
  • AmaWaterways: A Tailored Approach to River CruisingAmaWaterways: A Tailored Approach to River Cruising

AmaWaterways Cruise Reviews, River Cruises

SEARCH ARTICLES

Article Categories

  • Cruise Destinations
    • Africa Cruise Reviews
    • Alaska Cruise Reviews
    • Amazon Cruise Reviews
    • Antarctica Cruise Reviews
    • Arctic Cruise Reviews
    • Asia Cruise Reviews
    • Australia/New Zealand
    • Baltic Cruise Reviews
    • Canada/New England Cruise Reviews
    • Caribbean Cruise Reviews
    • Cuba Cruise Reviews
    • Europe Cruise Reviews
    • Galapagos Cruise Reviews
    • Grand Voyages
    • Hawaii Cruise Reviews
    • Iceland/Greenland
    • Mediterranean Cruise Reviews
    • Mexico Cruise Reviews
    • Panama Canal Cruise Reviews
    • Scandinavia and Northern Europe Cruise Reviews
    • South America Cruise Reviews
    • South Pacific Cruise Reviews
    • Transatlantic Cruise Reviews
    • World Cruise Reviews
  • Cruise FAQs
  • Cruise Lines
    • Abercrombie & Kent Reviews
    • AmaWaterways Cruise Reviews
    • American Cruise Line Reviews
    • American Queen Voyages Reviews
    • Aqua Expeditions Reviews
    • Atlas Ocean Voyages Reviews
    • Avalon Cruise Reviews
    • Azamara Cruise Reviews
    • Celebrity Cruise Reviews
    • Celebrity Galapagos Cruise Reviews
    • Cunard Cruise Reviews
    • Cunard World Cruise Reviews
    • Disney Cruise Reviews
    • Explora Journeys Cruise Reviews
    • Holland America Line Cruise Reviews
    • Holland America World Cruise Reviews
    • Hurtigruten Reviews
    • Lindblad/National Geographic Reviews
    • Norwegian Cruise Line Reviews
    • Oceania Cruise Reviews
    • Oceania World Cruise Reviews
    • Paul Gauguin Cruise Reviews
    • Ponant Cruise Reviews
    • Princess Cruise Reviews
    • Quark Expeditions Reviews
    • Regent Cruise Reviews
    • Regent Seven Seas Cruise
    • Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
    • Royal Caribbean Cruise Reviews
    • Scenic Eclipse Discovery Yacht Reviews
    • Scenic River Cruise Reviews
    • Seabourn Cruise Reviews
    • Seabourn Expedition Cruise Reviews
    • Silversea Cruise Reviews
    • Silversea Expedition Cruise Reviews
    • Silversea World Cruise Reviews
    • Star Clippers Cruise Reviews
    • Tauck Cruise and Tauck Land Tour Reviews
    • UnCruise Adventures Reviews
    • Uniworld River Cruise Reviews
    • Viking Cruise Reviews
    • Viking Expedition Cruise Reviews
    • Viking Ocean Cruise Reviews
    • Virgin Voyages
    • Windstar Cruise Reviews
    • Zegrahm Expeditions
  • Cruise News
  • Cruise Ports
  • Cruise Specialists Benefits
  • Expedition Cruises
  • Hosted Cruises
  • Ralph Grizzle
  • River Cruises
  • Ship Reviews
  • Solo Cruising
  • Tom Mullen
  • Tours, Trains & Resorts
    • Palace Resorts Reviews
    • Safari Reviews
    • Shore Excursions
    • Trains

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Maggie Blehert

Her ideal travel day: venturing to a new place, learning something interesting and sharing a smile.
View My Blog Posts

Steve and Wendy Bodenheimer
Cruise Specialists Voyage Hosts reporting on their round the world journeys.
View My Blog Posts

Ralph Grizzle

The Avid Cruiser. Well-traveled and insightful. Helping you make informed cruise decisions.
View My Blog Posts

FOLLOW US ON

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter