By the Avid Cruiser

Immortalized by Johann Strauss in the Blue Danube Waltz, the Danube winds from Germany’s Black Forest through Austria into the Balkans before dumping into the Black Sea.

The romantic river flows through six countries and meanders for nearly 1,800 miles. Some of Europe’s most fabled cities, including Regensburg, Passau, Linz, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest, are situated on the banks of the Danube, making the Danube a good choice for first-time river cruisers.

On our eight-day cruise on Uniworld’s River Empress, there were both first-timers and repeaters. Our cruise began in Budapest and ended in Passau, with an overnight on board in each city at the beginning and end of the cruise.

Ashore, Uniworld includes at least one free tour in each destination, so that passengers get an overview and introduction to the places they visit. Following is a brief overview of the destinations we visited along the Danube.

Budapest was once referred to as the Queen of the Danube, because of the city’s cultural significance at a time when Hungary was three times the size it is today.

On one side of the Danube, hilly Buda retains much of its Middle Age charm; its cobbled streets and Gothic buildings have been well preserved. On the other side of the river, Pest is the thriving city center.

River Empress was docked on the Buda side. A free ferry shuttled us between Buda and Pest.

Bratislava. Slovakia’s capital city was a capital in exile for Hungary’s kings and archbishops during Turkey’s occupation of Hungary and most of the middle Danube basin from 1526 to 1784.

Bratislava is dominated by an enormous castle that stands sentinel over the Danube. Though the castle dates back to the 9th century, it was razed in 1811 and rebuilt.

Vienna was the next stop for River Empress. After the included city tour, many passengers visited Schonbrunn Palace, the imperial summer palace of the Habsburgs, one of Europe’s principal sovereign dynasties from the 15th to the 20th centuries.

Vienna is characterized by beautiful parks, legendary Viennese coffee houses and Baroque palaces. One of the city’s most famous landmarks, Stephansdom (St. Stephen’s Cathedral) is also one of Europe’s most impressive Gothic structures.

The musically inclined will appreciate that Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss composed their greatest operas and symphonies in Austria’s capital city. The composer Schubert was born here.

An optional excursion offered by Uniworld features an evening concert, and this one is a “don’t miss” for lovers of music and culture.

River Empress called on Durnstein one morning, and Melk that afternoon, with scenic river cruising and an outdoor Bavarian buffet on the upper deck.

Using the bicycles on board, a group of us bicycled through the vineyard-rich Wacchau Valley in Durnstein.

In Melk, the included tour took us to the 900-plus-year-old Melk Abby, situated high atop granite cliffs overlooking the Danube and the village of Melk.

From Linz, on the following day, most passengers opted for the included tour to Salzburg (about two hours each way), birthplace of Mozart and the setting for the acclaimed musical, “The Sound of Music.”

Situated at the confluence of three rivers, Passau marked the end of our cruise. We overnighted on board.

The included tour featured a walking tour and an organ concert, performed on Europe’s largest pipe organ at St. Stephan’s Cathedral.

Disembarking passengers either transferred to Munich’s international airport, a 90-minute drive away, or for a post-cruise stay in Prague, about three hours by motorcoach.

Content provided by the Avid Cruiser

Content provided by the Avid Cruiser

The Scottish city of Aberdeen is known under many nicknames. Here are a couple of them: “Granite City,” “Oil Capital of Europe,” and “Energy Capital of Europe.”

One represents the past, one aptly describes today’s Aberdeen, and one tells us in which direction this city is currently heading.

“Granite city” is a remnant from past times, when Aberdeen became known for the granite quarried here. It has been estimated that six million tons of granite were excavated from the Rubislaw Quarry in the period from the late 18th century until 1971.

Throughout the centuries, granite from what is now one of the biggest man-made holes in Europe was used when constructing the terraces at Westminster Palace and the Waterloo Bridge in London. Aberdeen itself, of course, also features a number of impressive houses built in granite, such as the Aberdeen City Town House.

To view Northern Europe cruises, including cruises to Scotland, click here.

Content provided by the Avid Cruiser

By the Avid Cruiser

Since 2006, I’ve celebrated Christmas with friends and family in an unlikely setting — on the rivers of Europe. It’s a tradition that I have very much enjoyed and one that I plan to continue.

I love the cozy feeling of being on a vessel that transports me, and a hundred or so others, along the main arteries of Europe during this festive time of year. I enjoy bundling up to stroll historic city streets among the Christmas markets and returning to the ship to sip on hot mulled cider or, when the mood strikes, Gluhwein.

If you’re lucky, as I have been on a few Christmas cruises, snow will blanket the villages along the rivers. Last year, I trudged on powder with my family and friends through the uber-charming Rothenburg ob der Tauber. We felt like we were walking in a fairy tale. Christmas trees were decorated with red ribbons and sparkly white lights. Branches were laden with clumps of snow that had fallen from the rooftops. Icicles appeared like mini-stalactites from awnings, and under them, shop windows presented everything from wurst to gingerbread cookies, baked in Old World tradition.

Content provided by the Avid Cruiser

By the Avid Cruiser

Voted one of Sweden’s best summer cities, there are many other facets to Kalmar than that as a popular destination for vacationers.

One of the most visible of those facets is the history of this city on Sweden’s east coast. Kalmar slott (the Kalmar Castle) is a symbol that the inhabitants quite rightly take pride in. In a way, the castle epitomizes Kalmar’s entire past. Once visitors start to scratch the surface, though, they will find that there is more than the castle to experience.

It was in Kalmar that Kalmarunionen (the Kalmar Union) was signed in 1397. The union united the three kingdoms of Sweden (including Finland), Denmark and Norway. And it was here that the well-known Swedish King Gustav Vasa landed in the year 1520 after having escaped from Danish imprisonment.

One of Sweden’s oldest cities, Kalmar’s port activities date back more than 1,000 years. In the Middle Ages, the port played an important role with its strategic location on the Kalmarsund trade route. Trade with the Hanseatic League was robust, imbuing Kalmar with Germanic atmosphere.

The city center is crammed with historical sites and renovated buildings that serve as reminders of developments and events like these, and of Sweden’s era as a country of great power in the Baltic region. Many of the more newly erected buildings have also been designed so as to blend in with the older houses.

But Kalmar has also developed while, at the same time, glancing at its history. This is a contemporary city, which attracts visitors from near and far. To many Swedes, Kalmar is synonymous with vacation, beaches and summertime fun. Witness Kalmar’s tenth place in a poll that ranked the favorite destinations for Swedes in summertime.

Quite a few Swedes also associate Kalmar with Oland, Sweden’s second-largest island. Oland is possibly even more of a summer paradise than Kalmar. This is where Sweden’s Royal family spend their summers, at the Solliden Palace. Oland is connected to mainland Sweden by a bridge that starts (or ends) in Kalmar. The bridge is one of the longest in Europe.

To view cruises to Sweden & Northern Europe, click here.

Content provided by the Avid Cruiser

By the Avid Cruiser

In 2009, Uniworld launched its 10th ship in Europe, the 410-foot River Beatrice.

The River Beatrice can accommodate a greater number of passengers than many other Uniworld ships — 160 compared with between 130 and 134 on older Uniworld ships. With 15 suites and 65 staterooms, the River Beatrice also features far more suites than most other Uniworld ships.

Fully 80 percent of the staterooms feature French balconies. The only ones that don’t are the 13 staterooms on the lower Moselle deck.

Staterooms are outfitted with hotel-style beds with Egyptian cotton sheets, European comforters, terry robes, bottled water, individual air conditioning and flat-screen televisions.

The River Beatrice also features a lounge, restaurant, library, sundeck, massage services, fitness center, sauna, Jacuzzi, gift shop and elevator. Wireless Internet access is available on board the ship. Complimentary use of bicycles is a new feature being offered by Uniworld.

The River Beatrice offers the Enchanting Danube itinerary, a nine-day cruise along the Danube River through Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and Germany from Budapest to Passau.

The cruise alternates with a Passau-to-Budapest itinerary. The ship also sails on the nine-day Danube Holiday Markets cruise along the same route.

Content provided by the Avid Cruiser