Grand European Tour | FindPenguins

Newest first

Trip start
November 2, 2025
Grand European Tour Traveler
Budapest—first day
November 3 in Hungary ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F
I am on a “Grand European Tour” with Viking and traveling with my friends Rebecca and Sue. We left Cleveland yesterday November 2 and flew to Newark, Vienna, and finally Budapest, arriving here this morning. We will be touring Budapest for 3 days and 2 nights before boarding the ship. The Corinthian Hotel is beautiful and in a great location for exploring the city. Rebecca enjoyed the pool this afternoon while Sue and I explored our street. We met up with a Viking guide before dinner for a walking tour around our hotel. We had our first Hungarian meal at Café Vian. Rebecca and I agreed that the red wine Hungarian beef stew with dumplings was superb and Sue loved her chicken paprikash. We shared a Hungarian dessert which was a chocolate crepe filled with warm cinnamon apple filling and served with whipped cream and ice cream. It was pretty good. We are so exhausted since we’ve been up for 32 hours with no sleep.Read more
Wow! Have fun and be safe! God Bless! [Genae Greene]
11/4/25Reply
Can’t wait to see more pictures, enjoy! [Debbie Rouzzo]
11/5/25Reply
TravelerFantastic! Never been to most of these places. Have fun!
11/6/25Reply
0 likes
Grand European Tour Traveler
Budapest…second day
November 4 in Hungary ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F
The hotel breakfast today was top notch and better yet…free and served with champagne! We discovered a fun way to get around Budapest by taking a 4 hour Tuk Tuk tour. What fun! We saw the highlights of both “Buda” and “Pest” while learning about the history of the city and country. Budapest is split down the center by the Danube River. The east side is flat Pest and the west bank is hilly Buda. Pest is the commercial and administrative heart of the city and is very lively. Buda is more picturesque and tranquil with historic architecture. Our guides took us to one of the world’s first public parks called City Park. There’s a zoo at one end, a castle at the other end, and just about every activity can be found in between including thermal baths and museums. It was built when an emperor of the Holy Roman Empire wanted a public place for people to relax.

We visited “The Shoes on the Danube Bank” which is an emotional memorial that honors the victims of the Holocaust who were killed by the Hungary Arrow Cross militia, the fascist group that ruled during the reign of terror in WWII. It is a line of iron cast shoes that symbolizes and honors the Jewish people who were killed. The story behind these shoes is truly horrific.

We ended our Tuk Tuk tour at the Central Market Hall which is an iconic Neo-Gothic landmark dating back to 1897. We saw an abundance of stalls selling Hungarian paprika!

Public transportation is free for anyone over 65, so we took the tram back to our hotel.

Our night ended with a walk to the ruin bars in the Jewish quarter. These are old abandoned buildings that have been turned into bars. We decided on the popular Szimpla Kerr ruin bar for drinks and dinner. It was dark, funky and very unique with a maze of rooms and bars in it.

I’ll close with a funny story for those who know me well. Yesterday it was too warm in my room. Air conditioning is shut down in October. I asked if someone could come up and turn off the heat or show me how. Well, maintenance came up with tools and a ladder and then proceeded to open vents in the ceiling to disconnect it!Read more
TravelerGlad you took the tuk tuk tour! It is such a great way to travel the city.
11/4/25Reply
TravelerLove the market and bar pictures.
11/6/25Reply
0 likes
Grand European Tour Traveler
Budapest Day 3
November 5 in Hungary ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F
We had a free day today and decided to wander through the Jewish neighborhood. We toured the Great Synagogue which is the second biggest in the world. The interior was not designed as a typical synagogue and was very ornately decorated. We also visited their memorial garden with its weeping willow Tree of Life sculpture. Each metal leaf has the name of a Holocaust victim buried nearby. The garden also honors those who saved countless lives at great personal risk. During World War II around 2281 Jews died in the ghetto nearby and were buried in a mass grave next to the synagogue. It’s the largest mass grave in Hungary. Over 600,000 Hungarian Jews were killed during the Holocaust with 60,000 being from Budapest.

We finished the afternoon with a walk down Andrassy which is the Champs d’Elyses of Budapest before boarding our ship to begin our river cruise.

After dinner I joined a group for a night tour of Budapest on the Buda side of the city and ended the night with a glass of sparkling wine at the restaurant Felix.Read more
0 likes
Grand European Tour Traveler
2 1
Last day in Budapest
November 6 in Hungary ⋅ 🌙 43 °F
Today is our last day in Budapest. We will leave at 6:00 this evening and cruise for 24 hours to Vienna in Austria. This morning we took a panoramic tour of Pest by bus and then headed over to the Buda side of the city for a walking tour. We visited the Castle Hill District with its massive hilltop castle complex, the Fisherman’s Bastion and Our Lady which is referred to as Matthias Church. The President’s home, Sandro Palace, is also there. During World War II almost 75% of Budapest was destroyed. Since then, the Royal Palace and hilltop town have been completely rebuilt. From the top of the hill we had spectacular views of the famous Chain Bridge which was the first permanent link between the two towns that merged into becoming Budapest. Our ship is docked next to it.

Our afternoon was free so we walked across the Chain Bridge, and afterwards we relaxed on the top deck of our ship. I was so surprised to discover a shuffleboard court up there. The three of us had a great time and lots of laughs over my competitiveness!Read more
Traveler What is he cooking? Some kind of bread?
11/6/25Reply
TravelerHi! Didn’t realize you would receive this. You must be registered to get my links. Sorry…hope you don’t mind. It’s chimney bread..a sweet bread wrapped around a wooden rolling tool and put over charcoal, then dipped in cinnamon sugar.
11/7/25Reply
Traveler Pretty river.
11/6/25Reply
That all looks so amazing! What an experience you are having! [Genae Greene]
11/7/25Reply
1 like
Grand European Tour Traveler
Vienna
November 7 in Austria ⋅ 🌬 54 °F
We cruised slowly down the Danube today on our way to Vienna. We went through the largest lock in Europe early this morning and will be passing through about 60 more during our voyage. We left Hungary and passed through Slovakia before reaching Austria. We only passed by a few towns on our way to Vienna. It was a very rural quiet setting. I missed seeing the lock because I had accidentally set my alarm for 7:00 PM and woke up at 9:15! I need to get to bed before midnight!

This morning Téo Tat, our program director, gave a lecture on his life growing up in Romania. His country had changed so dramatically during three generations of his family. He gave an eye opening look at growing up in Romania during the 1980’s of Communism. Romania had become Communist after WW II when Europe was divided between the Russians and the West. Russia didn't control Romanian but greatly influenced the countries behind the Iron Curtain. All freedoms were nonexistent, and one lived in constant fear. The government owned every business and farm. People owned nothing at all and lived in constant fear. There was no freedom, no religion, no Christmas or Easter. You could trust no one. It became really bad in the late 70’s when the Communist government wanted to pay off their war debts. To do this they exported all their goods, and there was nothing left for the people. You could not find food and there were rations for many basics foods and products. They were lucky to have toilet paper. There was a revolution in 1989 and on Christmas Day 1989 Nicholas Ceausescu was tried and executed on the same day. His wife Elena was greatly hated by the Romanians for her extravagant lifestyle. At her execution they shot 138 bullets and 100 hit her. Romanian life was quite chaotic for 10 yrs until they settled into a capitalist democratic form of government and became members of the EU and NATO. The personal stories of Téo and his family from World War II to the present showed their hardships and how they endured and were still able to enjoy life. It was an amazing personal story. During his talk we passed the point in the river where the Iron Curtain ended between the then Slovakia and Austria (Slovakia used to be part of Czechoslovakia.

There was a special teatime this afternoon with an assortment of scones, pastries, and tea sandwiches followed with a presentation of Austrian coffee houses which seem to be an essential part of their culture. Coffee is served on a silver platter with a small glass of water with a spoon on top. They take their coffee very seriously and I plan on becoming a coffee drinker tomorrow to have the experience!

We docked in Vienna and had a magical evening at a concert hall to hear the Vienna Residence Ensemble. We listened to Strauss waltzes and selections from Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” while watching costumed ballet dancers and opera singers. Afterwards we took a scenic drive through an illuminated Vienna.Read more
2 likes
Grand European Tour Traveler
1
Vienna
November 8 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F
Today we took a panoramic bus and walking tour in Vienna. The Ringstrasse, Boulevard is on the site of old city walls during the mid 19th century. Inside the circle is the Hofburg Palace, elegant buildings, and grand residences. There is also within this circle the Spanish riding school with the Lippizanner horses. The Hofburg Palace was the winter home of the Habsburgs. The Habsburg’s dynasty lasted for 650 years until the end of World War I when Charles I was forced to abdicate and leave the country. It was the end of the monarchy in Austria. We also visited Saint Stephen’s Cathedral.

After lunch, we visited Schönbrunn Palace which was the summer of the Habsburgs. It started as a hunting lodge and 1569 but then the Empress Maria Theresa, who was the only female ruler of the Habsburgs, turned it into a magnificent palace that was to rival Versailles. It was so crowded there today because it was the first day of the Christmas market which was right outside the palace doors.

We ended the evening with a really good lecture on the 1000 year history of Austria,Read more
Traveler These look pretty good!
11/8/25Reply
2 likes
Grand European Tour Traveler
On the Danube
November 9 in Austria ⋅ ☁️ 45 °F
I was up early today because we were cruising up the Danube River through the Wachau Valley. It was like traveling back through time. There were terraced vineyards all along the hillsides. The views were spectacular. The sculpture of the nose in my photos symbolizes the importance of the sense of smell in wine tasting and the changing aromas of each harvest season!

Our excursion for today was in Melk where we visited the world famous Melk Abbey, a Benedictine monastery. Founded in 1089, the Baroque-style abbey was rebuilt in the beginning of 18th century. It is located on a rocky outcrop overlooking the town and the Danube River. Twenty-one monks still live there today and dedicate their lives to education and learning. An interesting side point…The Abbey sold a Gutenberg Bible for $100,00 to Yale University in 1926 because it needed money to renovate the roof. Now they have the money, but they can’t buy it back. Most of my pictures from the Abbey and church are not mine because we were not allowed to take photos. The Baroque-style church is the most extravagant and showy that I have ever seen.Read more
TravelerLoved the library at the Melk Abbey!
11/9/25Reply
TravelerThere are 12 library rooms!
11/10/25Reply
TravelerVery scenic along the river. Wow is all I can think of looking at the spiral staircase photo!
11/10/25Reply
1 like
Grand European Tour Traveler
Passau and Salzburg
November 10 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 45 °F
We arrived in Passau, Germany this morning. Passau is where the two nations of Germany and Austria meet at the confluence of three rivers…the Inn, Ilz, and Danube. We selected the daylong excursion to Salzburg, Austria for today’s excursion. This city is at the foothills of the Alps. It was the setting for “The Sound of Music”and is also the birthplace of Mozart. We took a walking tour of Old Town Salzburg. The area was filled with Baroque buildings and churches, shops, cobblestone streets, and beautiful squares. The Hohensalzburg Fortress, built in 1077, towers over the city. We walked through the Mirabel Gardens and saw the fountain where Julie Andrews and the children sang the song “Do re mi”. Sue and I quietly sang the song as we circled the fountain!

Saint Peter‘s Abbey is also located in the old town. It is the oldest Benedictine monastery with a continuous history since its start in 696 A.D. There is also a restaurant in the Abbey called Saint Peter’s Stiftskulinarium. The restaurant has been there since 803 A.D. which makes it the oldest restaurant in Europe. Historical documentation shows that Charlemagne visited there. We had lunch at the restaurant and were entertained with songs from “The Sound of Music” performed by singers dressed in Bavarian costumes.Read more
1 like
Grand European Tour Traveler
1
Regensburg, Germany
November 11 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 41 °F
We are currently sailing on the Main-Danube Canal and will be going under 400 bridges and lots of locks for the next 100 miles until we meet up with the Main River. The top deck will be closed for 4 days. They had to take down all the furniture and sun deck cover because of the low height of some of the bridges which can be as little as an inch clearance!

Regensburg is in the Bavarian state of Germany and was founded by the Romans in 179 A.D. It is the best preserved medieval city in Germany and was untouched by World War II. The city is located on the Danube where there is a stone bridge with 16 arches that dates back to the 12th century. Dom St Peter or Regensburg Cathedral is a Gothic church that has existed since 700 AD though it had to be rebuilt in 1320 due to fire. Everywhere you look in the cathedral you see spectacular stained glass windows with most from the 14th century. Throughout our walk we saw lots of architecture from the 11th to the 13th century, especially Gothic.

Sue and I fell in love with Old Town Regensburg and its cobblestone lanes, colorful buildings, architecture and many cute shops. We decided to stay there for the rest of the day. We covered almost 7 miles on foot!

Pope Benedict XVI is a famous Regensburger who became the pope in 2005.Read more
Traveler All the pictures are lovely. Finally got everything to work right hope you’re having great fun.
11/12/25Reply
1 like
Grand European Tour Traveler
Nuremberg, Germany
November 12 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 43 °F
Today we’re in Nuremberg, which is called the most German of German cities because of its rich imperial and German Romantic history. We took a walking tour. It is a medieval town that is still surrounded by 14th century walls, original gateways, and 80 original watchtowers. However, almost 90% of the old city was destroyed in World War II. Using original stone, almost all of the cities’ main buildings, castle, and old churches have been restored or rebuilt. It is here in Nuremberg that Hitler‘s rallies were held, Jewish businesses were boycotted, Jewish citizenship was outlawed, and the Nuremberg trials were held after the war. Once again, there are the Gothic churches and the traditional half timbered Bavarian houses. The city is known for its metal and toy craftsmanship.

Saint Sebold Church takes its name after an 8th century hermit and missionary and is the patron saint of Nuremberg. Saint Lorenzkirche (Saint Lawrence) built in 1250 was a Catholic Church until the Reformation in 1524 when it became one of the first Lutheran Evangelical Churches.Read more
Wow! So interesting! Enjoy! [Genae Greene]
11/13/25Reply
2 likes
Grand European Tour Traveler
Bamberg
November 13 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 45 °F
Today was spent in Bamberg, a Bavarian town known for its well-preserved structures of Baroque, Gothic and Romanesque architecture. It has a very picturesque old town that is great for wandering. There are beautiful frescoes, narrow cobblestone streets, colorful half-timbered houses, and shops. Up on the hill overlooking the city is the 11th century Cathedral of Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich II. It houses his tomb and also that of Pope Clement II.

Bamberg is also known for its raunchier which is a smoked beer that tastes like smoked salami or bacon. Sue enjoyed trying it, and Rebecca and I tasted it. It was definitely a different taste. In medieval times beer was called liquid food and even babies drank it daily for the calories. It was also drunk because the water was contaminated since everything was dumped in the streets and waters.

There were witch trials in Bamberg from 1595-1632. Five of its mayors who were all men were identified as accomplishes to witches and they were all burned at the stake! More than 1,000 innocent people lost their lives.

Afterwards we continued cruising on the Main Canal to reach the Main River.Read more
TravelerSuch interesting history!
11/13/25Reply
1 like
Grand European Tour Traveler
Würzburg
November 14 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F
Today brought us to Würzburg, a town surrounded by Franconian vineyards which are Germany’s oldest and largest vineyards. The rest of Bavaria may be all about the beer, but this city is all about wine. Our tour guide jokingly referred to the people in Bavaria as beer swilling barbarians.!

The whole town was pretty much demolished in 1945 but has been restored. However, many of the buildings in the old town have a more modern and very plain look of the 50’s-70’s.

In the 18th century, there wasn’t a Germany as we know it today. They didn’t have an identity. The area was broken into city states ruled by bishops/princes but under the Holy Roman Emperor. Being a prince-bishop meant that they not only ruled over the church but also over the government. This made them extremely powerful and very rich.

The bishops lived in the Marienberg Fortress at the top of a hill until Prince-Bishop Johann von Schönborn commissioned the Bishop’s Residenz Palace to be built. This opulent palace was completed in 1774 and rivals Versailles with its Baroque and Rococo architecture, ceiling frescoes, and mirror room. It truly took my breath away when I walked up the grand staircase and into each room. The dramatic fresco of the four continents of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America above the staircase is the largest in the world.

Most streets were dirt and gravel during medieval times. If you had cobblestones you were considered rich. They would say that you were “stone rich” which is still used today to mean that you are rich.

We ended our day on the iconic medieval Main Bridge. It is a cultural hub and pedestrian walkway. On Fridays people gather there to have a glass of Franconian wine that they purchase from the little café located on the bridge. What a great way to end the day.

Photos today can only give a glimpse of the Bishops’ Residenz. It was impossible to take photos covering the expanse of the rooms.Read more
1 like
Grand European Tour Traveler
Wertheim
November 15 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F
Today we took the little choo-choo train into town for a walking tour of Wertheim.
Wertheim is in the Franconia region of Germany and located at the confluence of the Main and Tauber rivers. The ruins of the Wertheim Castle is up on a hilltop overlooking the well-preserved medieval town. The town was spared in World War II because of heavy fog on the scheduled day of bombing.

There is a historic leaning tower called "Spitzer Turm" (Pointed Tower) near the river that was built in the 13th century. The leaning is due to 800 years of flooding. There are markers on the tower and other buildings that show just how high the water has reached over the centuries. Some markings are over 8 feet. Still today no one can live on the first floor and floors have to be tiled.

The leaning tower also served as a prison for debtors, drunkards and “quarrelsome wrenches”. Supposedly, if two women kept nagging and bickering with each other they would be locked up in the tower for several weeks. The entrance to the tower was 30 feet above the ground. The women had to climb up the ladder, and then they were lowered to the bottom of the tower with ropes. It was called the “fear hole”. All the prisoners were down there in total darkness and food and water would be lowered to them. There were no washrooms or toilets. You can only imagine how horrible it must’ve been.

Glassmaking is part of the heritage of Wertheim. This afternoon we had a demonstration of glassblowing onboard while cruising. He is the 7th generation in the family business.

I taught Sue and Rebecca how to play Bananagram, and we had a great time with lots of laughs.

Dinner was a special treat. The crew was dressed in Bavarian costumes, and a large selection of German and Austrian foods was served. The dining room was decorated like a Bavarian restaurant. We had schnapps, beer, and wine followed with just about every German starter, entree, and dessert you could possibly find on a German menu.

Our night ended with a fun game of Bingo.

The ship left Wertheim at 1:00 pm this afternoon and will arrive in Koblenrz tomorrow at 1:00 pm.Read more
1 like
Grand European Tour Traveler
Koblentz
November 16 in Germany ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F
Our ship is now on the Middle Rhine River. We’re done with the locks. There were about 67 of them. This river starts as a trickle in the Swiss Alps and is 820 miles long. We’ll be traveling around 40 miles on it, and we’re in the 530 km mile marker area. Today was all about castles, vineyards and forests along the Middle Rhine as we cruised to Koblenz. There are between 20,000–30,000 castles throughout Germany. Castles were built for war and defense. Palaces, on the other hand, are residences to showcase wealth and power. We kept warm on the top deck with mulled wine. Breathtaking views today.

We visited Koblentz, a traditional German country town, founded 2000 years ago by the Romans. It is at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. Eighty-seven percent of the town was destroyed during World War II.

We had a guest lecturer after our walking tour who shared the myths and the reality of the castles in the Rhineland.Read more
Looks amazing! I’m happy you are off exploring the world! [Genae Greene]
11/17/25Reply
1 like
Grand European Tour Traveler
Cologne
November 17 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 41 °F
Cologne (Köln) was founded by the Romans in 50 AD. There’s evidence that it was settled by a Ubii tribe as far back as 38 BC. Today it is a mix of old and new due in part to its near destruction (95%) during World War II. Luckily, the Cologne Cathedral was not destroyed but did suffer damage.

Cologne’s Gothic cathedral was begun around 1248 and took almost 7 centuries to be completed. It was constructed to house the Shrine of the Three Magi, a reliquary traditionally believed to contain the bones of the Biblical Magi. The golden sarcophagus is made of wood, covered with gold and silver, and decorated with more than a thousand jewels and beads. During the middle ages, there were over 300 churches in Cologne, and it became a place of pilgrimage. Today over 20,000 people visit the Cologne Cathedral daily.

Eau de cologne gets its name from this city where it was developed by Johann Farina in 1709. He wanted a name that sounded French and honored his hometown. It is now used as a generic name for perfumes. Farina Eau de Cologne is still sold today. The three of us bought some.Read more
1 like
Grand European Tour Traveler
Kinderdijk, The Netherlands
November 18 in the Netherlands ⋅ 🌧 41 °F
We left Cologne last night and arrived in Kinderdijk this afternoon. The weather changed and it was very cold, windy and rainy for our two hour tour. The Kinderdijk windmills are a group of 19 monumental windmills. Built in 1738 and 1740, to keep water out of the polder, it is the largest concentration of old windmills in the Netherlands. The rest of the cruise will be sailing overnight to Amsterdam for departure back home.

We’ve had the Captain’s cocktail party to celebrate our Viking journey and a farewell dinner.

Rebecca and I met Sue on the Tulip Time Cruise, and now we’ve added new friends, Bobby and Ragan. We plan on visiting them in Virginia. The Viking cruise was a great adventure, and we will take home lots of wonderful memories.Read more
Those windmills are amazing! [Genae Greene]
11/20/25Reply
0 likes

Trip end
November 19, 2025