Cruise itinerary
13-Night Danube Cruise from Amsterdam
13 nights · Danube · 13 ports of call
13-night Danube cruise aboard Avalon Illumination, departing Amsterdam and calling at Cologne, Rüdesheim am Rhein, Miltenberg, Würzburg, Volkach and Bamberg and 6 more.
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- No booking fees
- 10,000+ sailings
At a glance
- Cruise line
- Avalon Waterways
- Duration
- 13 nights
- Region
- Danube · Rhine · Europe
- Departs
- Amsterdam
- Returns
- Budapest
How NestCruise works:we're advisor-led, not a booking engine. No fares are listed and there are no booking fees — tell an advisor your dates and party and they price your exact Avalon Illumination sailing, typically within 24 hours.
Where this voyage takes you
Day-by-day itinerary
- Day1
Amsterdam
The Dutch capital, laced with concentric canals and gabled merchant houses from its 17th-century golden age. Most river sailings depart from here, leaving time for the Rijksmuseum, the Anne Frank House or a stroll through the Jordaan before lines cast off.
- Rijksmuseum
- Anne Frank House
- Jordaan canals
- Day2At sea
- Day3
Cologne
A Rhineland city dominated by its twin-spired Gothic cathedral, the tallest in Germany when built. River cruises call beside the old town, where the cathedral, riverside promenade and 12 Romanesque churches sit within easy walking distance.
- Cologne Cathedral
- Old town
- Rhine promenade
- Day4
Rüdesheim am Rhein
A wine town on the Rhine in Germany's Rheingau, set among steep Riesling vineyards. Its narrow Drosselgasse lane is lined with taverns, and a cable car rises to the Niederwald monument overlooking the river gorge.
- Drosselgasse lane
- Niederwald monument
- Rheingau vineyards
- Day5
Miltenberg
A small medieval town on a bend of the Main River in Bavaria's Franconia region. Half-timbered houses line the marketplace below a hilltop castle, and the surrounding hills are planted with vineyards and forest.
- Market square
- Half-timbered houses
- Mildenburg castle
- Day6
Würzburg
A Bavarian city on the river Main, at the start of Germany's Romantic Road. The hillside Marienberg fortress overlooks the old town and the vineyards along the river, while the baroque Residenz palace anchors the centre with its grand frescoed staircase.
- Marienberg Fortress
- Würzburg Residenz
- Old Main Bridge
- Day7
Volkach
- Day8
Bamberg
A Bavarian town built across seven hills above the river Regnitz, its medieval and baroque core preserved as a whole. A painted town hall stands on an island mid-river, and the town is known for its smoked Rauchbier and many small breweries.
- Old Town Hall
- Bamberg Cathedral
- Smoked beer
- Day9
Stadt Roth
- Day10
Regensburg
A Bavarian city on the Danube with one of Germany's best-preserved medieval centres. River ships call within walking distance of the 12th-century Stone Bridge, the Gothic cathedral and a tangle of lanes lined with patrician towers.
- Stone Bridge
- Regensburg Cathedral
- Medieval old town
- Day11
Passau
A Bavarian city where the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers meet, near the Austrian border. Long a starting point for Danube cruises, its baroque old town centres on St. Stephen's Cathedral, home to one of the largest church organs in the world.
- Three rivers
- St. Stephen's Cathedral
- Baroque old town
- Day12
Melk
A small town on the Danube at the western edge of Austria's Wachau Valley, dominated by a vast Baroque abbey on a rocky ridge. Melk Abbey's gilded library and church draw river-cruise passengers passing through the wine region.
- Melk Abbey
- Abbey library
- Wachau Valley
- Day13
Vienna
Austria's imperial capital on the Danube, long the seat of the Habsburgs. River ships call within reach of Schönbrunn Palace, the Hofburg and St. Stephen's Cathedral, in a city famed for coffee houses, classical music and grand ringstrasse architecture.
- Schönbrunn Palace
- St. Stephen's Cathedral
- Coffee houses
- Day14
Budapest
Hungary's grand capital, split by the Danube into hilly Buda and flat Pest. River ships moor in the centre, within reach of the neo-Gothic Parliament, the thermal baths at Széchenyi and the panoramic ramparts of Fisherman's Bastion.
- Parliament Building
- Széchenyi Baths
- Fisherman's Bastion
Upcoming departures
- 30 May 2026
- 1 Aug 2026
- 26 Sep 2026
- 29 Jun 2027
- 22 Aug 2027
Upcoming sailings of this itinerary — a NestCruise advisor confirms current availability and your fare.
13-Night Danube Cruise from Amsterdam FAQ
Which ports does this cruise visit?
This 13-night Danube cruise calls at Amsterdam, Cologne, Rüdesheim am Rhein, Miltenberg, Würzburg, Volkach, Bamberg, Stadt Roth, Regensburg, Passau, Melk, Vienna and Budapest.
How many days are spent at sea?
1 day is spent at sea; the rest are in port.
Where does this cruise depart from?
It departs from Amsterdam and ends in Budapest.
How long is this cruise?
13 nights aboard Avalon Illumination.
When does this itinerary sail?
Upcoming departures include 30 May 2026, 1 Aug 2026, 26 Sep 2026 and 29 Jun 2027. A NestCruise advisor can confirm current availability.