Seven Culinary Pathways in SalzburgerLand

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While, getting an opportunity to sample local specialties and savor fine cuisine is an important part of any holiday, when you are in SalzburgerLand, you will come across a creative initiative, The Via Culinaria, which provides a true gourmet experience. SalzburgerLand, for many years, has taken pride in having the highest concentration of internationally acclaimed restaurants in all of Austria. There is no other Austrian province which can stand in comparison to such high culinary expectations as does SalzburgerLand.

Via Culinaria Indulges You in SalzburgerLand

Via Culinaria is very delightful experience where you are taken through seven different culinary pathways in SalzburgerLand to the most delicious products this region has to offer. You get the chance to indulge in these delectable dishes in various ways like you can sample them at local producers and on the farm, relish the traditional specialties- sustaining their presence through centuries- at inns, or get them served to you at internationally renowned restaurants where the culinary artistry is just incomparable.

SalzburgerLand Has Something For Everyone

The Salzburg Culinary Tour has something for everyone from gourmets to beer and schnapps aficionados. Meat eaters, sweet tooths, and cheese fans will come across constant surprises. The culinary pathways lead you to over 200 highly acclaimed, unsurpassable addresses.

The Via Culinaria is marked by indispensable components of regionality, originality, quality and authenticity. Eckart Witzigmann, famed as “Chef of the Century” by Gault Millau, is the honorary figurehead of the Via Culinaria.

The culinary pathways will be an unforgettable SalzburgerLand experience for you as it brings together the region’s best kitchens, from country inns with their traditional touch to cosmopolitan inner-city eateries, from the modern designer restaurants to a romantic lake-side terrace.

Yet another surprise to take home as you wind up your holiday in SalzburgerLand is a variety of homemade specialties offered by many of region’s award-winning chefs such as  jams, spreads, fine distilled spirits and many more.

A visit to SalzburgerLand makes a great pre or post Danube River Cruise extension. Book your holiday on our Danube River Cruise and visit SalzburgerLand to indulge in its delicious and varied dishes!

The Medieval Marksburg Castle

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Marksburg Castle is one of the principal sites of the UNESCO World Heritage Rhine Gorge and holds the distinction of being the only hill castle on the Rhine that has never been destroyed. The castle was built to protect the town of Braubach and was used mainly for protection rather than as a residence for royal families.

Marksburg Castle Stands The Test Of Time

Marksburg Castle is one of Germany’s prominent historical sites and stands as a rare example of history virtually undisturbed by the passage of time. Lived in for over 700 years, this castle has survived through the ravages of time to be one of the best examples of medieval architecture in Germany. The fortress has undergone several additions and developments over the centuries, growing into its present day shape. The only serious damage the Marksburg Castle ever suffered in hostilities occurred near the close of WWII when it was shelled from the west bank of the Rhine River.

One of the most important Rhine castles, the Marksburg Castle stands atop a hill rising above the town of Braubach on the right bank of Rhine River, upstream from its junction with the Mosel River. The unusually slender keep of the castle towers above the surrounding courts and ramparts.

Dating back to the construction of the keep in the 12th century, the fortress has been ever-changing and growing into its present shape through succeeding centuries. In the Middle Ages, the strengthening of the castle’s defenses became indispensable and urgent by improvements made to firearms. Certain significant changes were made during this period such as the huge outworks as well as the conversion of a gateway in the outer wall to a strong bastion. It was mainly due to these additional defense works that the castle could be protected from serious attacks many times. During peaceful times, Marksburg Castle was used mainly as a state prison.

You would be enthralled to visit this most original castle and the entire valley of the Loreley. This wonderful castle, home of the German Castles Association which is set up to preserve such ancient monuments, presents a host of captivating artifacts coming alive from the middle ages.

Visit Marksburg Castle on our select Rhine River Cruises!

Cruise the Wachau Valley on a Danube River Cruise

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Wachau Valley Cruise Along the Danube

Enjoy a lovely experience as you board a Danube River Cruise. The Wachau Valley of Austria is one of the most beautiful sections of the Danube River. This wonderfully scenic valley lies between the Benedictine Abbey of Melk and the lovely town of Krems. There are many charming towns, terraced vineyards, castles, and monasteries along the narrow Wachau Valley.

Due to its mild climate, the area of Wachau Valley grows the grapes and apricots used to produce white wines and apricot schnapps as well as apricot cakes and desserts, which are served in nearby restaurants. The paths along the Danube are great for biking and walking through the splendid scenery and exploring the old robber baron castles, and the legends and customs of the area.

Cities To Visit In The Wachau Valley

You will be mesmerized in the town of Melk with the sleepy and elegant atmosphere under its huge abbey. The restored Melk Abbey shining proudly over the Danube Valley is one of Europe’s most attractive sights.

Krems is renowned for being the center of the Wachau wine industry as well as one of the most beautiful towns in lower Austria. This old town is also a shopper’s wonderland. As you walk around the town, you will encounter one fantastic church after another – Piaristenkirche features an extensive collection of paintings by Martin Johann Schmidt (Kremser Schmidt); Pfarrkirche St. Viet features large ceiling frescoes and All Souls Alter by Kremser Schmidt.  In the former Dominican church, you will find a museum of history and wine of the area including sculptures, paintings and etchings from the medieval to baroque periods.

Visit Durnstein by Foot in the Wachau Valley

Durnstein is yet another beautiful town in the Wachau Valley that will delight you with its traffic-free quaintness.  You can explore this attractive town only on foot.  Though it is a small town, Durnstein has lots of interesting history – the most famous being the Kuenringerburg, where Richard I of England was held captive in the 12th century. You can reach the ruined castle above the town by a 20 minute hike with great river views. The Stiftskirche (Monastic Church) has one of the finest baroque towers in Austria, covered in light blue and white.

Visits to these beautiful towns of the Wachau Valley are featured on almost all Danube River Cruises. We also offer short river cruises to these wonderful destinations. Call today to book your holiday with us!

AMA Danube River Wine Cruise

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The Danube River

The Danube River is renowned for being one of the most romantic waterways in the world. This remarkable reputation for the Danube comes from its spectacular rolling hillsides, lush vineyards, and medieval castles. No wonder the Danube has been a great attraction for musicians, artists and poets throughout the centuries. The Danube’s waterways expand for thousands of miles through Central Europe and flow eastward through Austria’s spectacular Wachau Valley, a wine region famous for its natural beauty and captivating white wines.

A Wine Cruise along The Danube River

So, give yourself a treat by getting aboard a deluxe river cruise vessel where you can enjoy the comforts of the cruise while traveling through the Danube wine regions. The “Great Capitals & Vintages of the Danube” itinerary will be a perfect choice for you. Your Danube River cruise will introduce you to many wonders both outside and inside it. Your journey begins with spending three nights in magnificent Prague and from there you transfer to Vilshofen to start your wine cruise along the Danube River. Your river cruise takes you from Vilshofen to Passau and then on to Linz, where an optional excursion to Salzburg is available.

Next, you follow the Danube River through the Wachau Valley, Austria’s most important wine region. Your cruise takes you back in time as you reach Melk, where you will visit a 900 year-old Benedictine abbey. You can visit Spitz-Grotisch vineyard here too. Your journey continues to Dürnstein, where terraced vineyards frame the historic Baroque Stiftskirche. Then cruise to the medieval town of Krems, where you will once again feel like you’ve gone back in time. The town is also known for its thriving wine culture.

While on the Danube River Cruise you will also experience an unforgettable evening at a traditional Heuriger wine tavern in the villages of Grinzing and Neurstift, a casual and enjoyable area. Here you can appreciate local and regional wines of the current year, listen to music, and relax with friends. Your wine cruise is concluded in the spectacular city of Budapest.

You’ll enjoy all the amenities included in your cruise. Your wine cruise is hosted by a renowned wine or food expert who will present three or four insightful wine-themed lectures that may also address other local specialties.

For the Danube River cruise, we have 2013 departures scheduled on April 13th; November 6th, 9th, 11th, 13th 16th and 18th.  Prices start from $2,399 per person. These cruises are great for small wine groups or organizations.  These cruises book up quickly so please contact us to book your cruise today!

The Royal Castle of Budapest

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A Site Rich in Budapest History

The Royal Castle of Budapest is the historical castle and palace complex of the Hungarian kings in Budapest. This is also known as Budapest Royal Palace. It was first completed in 1265 and has since been destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries due to wars and revolutions. The castle was declared part of the Budapest World Heritage Site in 1987.

Buda Castle was built on the southern tip of Castle Hill, bounded on the north by what is known as the Budapest Castle District, famous for its Medieval, Baroque, and 19th-century houses, churches, and public buildings. It is linked to Clark Ádám Square and the Széchenyi Chain Bridge by the Castle Hill Funicular.

The Gothic Hall of Buda Castle is one of the most significant surviving examples of secular Gothic architecture in Central Europe and a must see in Budapest. It was built by King Sigismund Luxemburg in the early 15th century as an extension of the earlier Anjou Palace.

Three interconnected barrel-vaulted rooms of the castle belong to the oldest part of the palace known as the Stephen’s Castle, which was built by Prince Stephen, Duke of Slavonia, in the 14th century. The northern room is covered by an east-west axial vault while the southern rooms have north-south axial vaults.

To the north of the barrel-vaulted rooms, there is a medieval cellar, later called Albrecht pince (Albrecht Cellar) covered with a Gothic brick barrel vault. The walls of the cellar are blackened from burning. The cellar was probably built by King Sigismund of Luxemburg as the Cisterna Regia, i.e. the great underground cistern of the palace.

Historical Museum of Budapest

The Historical Museum of Budapest is located in the southern wing of Buda Castle in Building E and covers four floors. This museum presents the history of Budapest from its beginning to the modern era. The restored part of the medieval castle, including the Royal Chapel and the rib-vaulted Gothic Hall, belongs to the exhibition. The Gothic statues of Buda Castle and a 14th-century silk tapestry decorated with the Angevin coats of arms- are the highlights of the exhibition. Small gardens have been recreated in the medieval Zwingers around the oldest parts of the building.

Our Danube River Cruises and Hungary Cruises offer excursions in Budapest. Book your trip on one of these cruises and visit the enchanting Buda Castle!