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Travel & Leisure
A romantic cruise down beautiful Blue Danube
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THE River Danube runs through much of eastern and central Europe and is one of the most popular rivers in the world for a river cruise. It’s up there with the Nile (although the experience is incomparable). e Danube is large and navigable, the longest river in Europe proper (excluding the Volga of Russia). It ows from Germany’s Black Forest (aka the Schwarzwald) and nally empties into the Black Sea.
It has long been an important river, for hundreds of years it was the frontier of the Roman Empire. It passes through some of Europe’s most stunning cities like Vienna and Budapest ... and there are many great reasons to visit Budapest!
Always the best time to visit Europe is in the summer as well as late spring and early autumn. e only reason to visit in the winter would be if you were going skiing in the Swiz Alps or to see the Northern Lights in the far north. e Danube runs through 10 countries, with e Nile next with nine. It is 1,770 miles or 2,850km long.
It ows through four capital cities, predictably some of the most beautiful cities to see in the world. And so if you take a cruise down the Danube you can see old city after wonderful city. e capital cities along its banks include Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade and Bratislava, capital of Slovakia
Other countries it passes through include Germany, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine. Other cities are linked to the Danube by their tributaries including Bucharest and Munich. ere are numerous other non-capital European cities lining its banks including Novi Sad in Serbia, Drobeta-Turnu Severin of Romania, Linz in Austria, Passau in Germany, and many more.
For thousands of years, the Danube has been the traditional trade route deep into Europe and a highway for travel. at is why cities in Europe are traditionally built on navigable rivers.
It is possible to navigate all the way through Europe from the Black Sea to the North Sea via the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal.
Take a cruise down the Danube and you will nd much more than European cities. You will nd a host of national parks, river wildlife, scores of castles and forti cations, and much more.
Some of the greatest tourist attractions along the Danube are the Wachau Valley in Austria, the Iron Gate in Serbia and Romania, the Danube Delta in Romania, the Naturpark Obere Donau in Germany, and more.
Onne of the best ways to see the Danube and Central Europe is with a leisure cruise down the river. It is possible to nd some ships going all the way from the Danube Delta as it empties into the Black Sea to Passau in Germany.
At peak season some 70 cruise liners are meandering up and down the river. ere are numerous tour companies to choose from. One example of a Danube River cruise is one from Budapest to Regensburg with Viking River Cruises. With this cruise, you will visit Budapest’s Castle District and cross the famous Chain Bridge. Explore monasteries in Austria, spend two days in jaw-dropping Vienna, and visit various medieval towns.
* See https://www. vikingrivercruises.com
Budapest by night ...on the River Danube
BY FIONN DAVENPORT
QATAR Tourism and Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) UK & Ireland have announced a new partnership. e agreement is designed to enhance Qatar’s brand awareness across the region and with CLIA’s wider community of cruise lines, travel agents and stakeholders.
As part of the partnership, Qatar Tourism will be one of the main headline sponsors of the CLIA Selling Cruise Day on November 4, 2021 in Southampton and will also sponsor the annual CLIA Cruise Forum in December 2021.
An extensive tourism development is under way in Qatar as the country works to diversify and build upon its o erings and broaden its appeal for visitors ahead of and beyond the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and achieve its long term goal of becoming a world-class destination and welcome more than six million visitors a year by 2030.
As of 12 July 2021, Qatar re-opened its borders to fully vaccinated international travellers by vaccines approved for use by the Ministry of Public Health.
Andy Harmer, CLIA UK & Ireland Managing Director, said: “We’re very excited to welcome Qatar Tourism to the CLIA family.
“ eir support for the trade is a clear indication they are looking to build positive cruise momentum.
“ e region was proving increasingly popular with cruisers and we’re all looking forward to seeing ships start visiting the exceptional facilities of the Doha port and its surroundings again.”
Chief Operating O cer of Qatar Tourism, Berthold Trenkel, said: “As Qatar has re-opened its borders, we are looking forward to welcoming back cruise travellers from around the globe.
“Qatar is a fantastic destination for every type of traveller.
“It is the safest and one of the most cosmopolitan destinations in the Middle East, rich in art, culture and tradition.
“With a range of assets including world class hotels, restaurants, stunning beaches and a bustling atmosphere, we o er the best of the Middle East all in one place.
“Adventure-seekers can enjoy the thrill of dune bashing across the desert, cultural enthusiasts can explore our world-famous museums and galleries, and there is a variety of ne dining options serving local and international cuisine to suit all tastes. Qatar de es expectations.”
In 2019/2020, Qatar welcomed 207,000 cruise visitors to Doha. With the Doha port undergoing a multi-millionpound refurbishment recently, the destination has set its sights on meeting and exceeding this
New partnership will promote Qatar as destination for Irish
number moving forward in the 2021/2022 season, starting November.
