Is this the most romantic journey in Europe?
Romance flows with the Danube as it navigates abbeys and fortresses, castles and palaces, mountains and moonlit promenades and Unesco World Heritage sites in some of Europe’s most timeless cities.
Here’s our pick of the most romantic spots to explore during a Danube river cruise:
Budapest, Hungary
Dubbed the Paris of the East, Budapest romances the hardest of hearts every evening, when illuminations twinkle along the Danube. Take a tour by night to see the neo-gothic Parliament building, 14th-century Buda Castle and iconic Chain Bridge reflected, mighty and regal, in the rippling black water.
By day, explore the fairytale Unesco sites that make up Buda (the cobbled and hilly side of the river) and Pest (the boulevarded flat). On Castle Hill, Gothic arches and Baroque townhouses stand silhouetted against a glistening panorama of the city.
Down the hill, a romantic must-see is art nouveau Gellert Baths, which have mineral-rich spring water pools up to 36 degrees Celsius and enchanting architecture – all pillars, balustrades and domed glass ceiling.
More information: budapestinfo.hu
Bratislava, Slovakia
The Danube’s most regal city, Bratislava hosted the coronations of countless kings and queens between the 1500s and 1800s – the most famous of them Maria Theresa in 1741.
Little wonder then that the tangled old town, featuring red-roofed palaces and towers, is like a scene from a fairytale. It is most romantically viewed at sunset from the lofty heights of the 9th-century bone-white castle, which perches on a leafy ledge and gazes across the old city to the Soviet-era blocks on the opposite bank of the Danube.
In fine weather, recline with your loved one on Magio beach beside the Danube for a great view back up at the castle.
More information: visitbratislava.com
Vienna, Austria
The Austrian capital is as romantic as cities come, with its baroque architecture, coffee houses and riverside promenades to stroll by moonlight. Be romanced by the gloriously sprawling Hofburg Palace, for centuries home to the Habsburg dynasty, or the Spanish Riding School, where powerful Lipizzan stallions rear, fly and dance.
Locals like to snuggle up over opera, pulling up chairs on the promenade to watch live outdoor screen broadcasts from inside the Opera House, while Gustav Klimt’s smoochy masterpiece The Kiss, in Belvedere art gallery, is another for the lovers. And if all else fails, what could be more romantic than sharing a slice of rich, chocolatey Sacher-Torte? The Austrian speciality was created here in 1832.
More information: wien.info
Krems an der Donau, Austria
With its cobbled 18th-century core, churches and russet-roofed houses flanked against a tapestry of terraced vineyards, Krems, in the Unesco-listed Wachau wine region, is picture-perfect for hand-in-hand strolling or cycling. The bike path beside the Danube is regarded as one of the most photogenic in Europe.
But also take time to slow up and sup a regional Grüner Veltliner. Equally lovely is G?ttweig, a palatial working Benedictine abbey with vineyards along the Danube, ceiling frescoes and layers of burgundy-and-gold onion domes.
There’s also the Arts Mile, with a caricature museum and Kunsthalle, which has regular exhibitions of work by world-famous artists.
More information: krems.info
Passau, Germany
Straddling the Inn, Ilz and Danube rivers, where its colourful baroque townhouses ripple in waves of red rooves towards rolling green hills, Passau occupies a charming setting. It is dubbed the Venice on the Danube, thanks to its Italian ambiance and narrow streets.
Spend time strolling the leafy riverside promenades and cobbled marketplaces or hunker down in ornate St. Stephen’s Cathedral for a concert on Europe’s largest church organ – it has an impressive 17,000 pipes. The views from Veste Oberhaus fortress, perched on a mound high above the city, are sweetly romantic.
More information: tourism.passau.de
Regensburg, Germany
Regensburg is a charming cobweb of courtyards, towers and 13th and 14th-century spires, and with a well-preserved history dating back 2,000 years, it is now Unesco listed. It lays claim to some of Bavaria’s finest architectural gems – among them the 16-arched 12th-century Steinerne Brücke, which is the oldest surviving bridge over the Danube.
The bijou city is particularly romantic to explore during the festive season: its Christmas market on the courtyard of Thurn und Taxis Palace, which features higgledy-piggledy stalls around a twinkling Christmas tree, has been described as one of the loveliest in Germany.
More information: tourismus.regensburg.de