If you suffer from sea sickness
like I do, a boat ride on a river, no matter how tranquil it may be advertised
to be, may not appeal to your sensibilities. The fact that a celebrated 17th
century composer immortalised the river in question by dedicating a beautiful
piece of music to it, may shake your resolve for a second but you may still
need more convincing!
The fact is that a boat ride on
the Danube can be an altogether numinous experience. It offers a way to
experience and view Vienna in a way that is otherwise impossible. As you gently
glide across this gorgeous and iconic river, and enjoy the sights, you can wave
goodbye to your aversion to travelling on water.
And if you are one of the luckier
and more numerous people who do not suffer from this strange affliction, well
then, you can dive straight into the pleasure of this unique experience! There
are different cruises offered, and some boat rides allow you to visit Budapest
and Bratislava and get back to Vienna on the very same day by coach, or return
the next day by boat. The journey from Vienna to Budapest takes about 6 hours
by boat.
The day boat tour in Vienna, which
we took, takes about three and half to four hours. You can enjoy awe-inspiring
views of the Danube Island and Danube Tower. The tour takes you through various
parts of the city including Vienna Old Town, giving you the opportunity to see
the various facets of Vienna in a completely new way. If you have spent the
previous days exploring the city on foot, glimpsing it from this perspective
can be a special treat.
The sheer beauty of the views
makes the entire experience worthwhile. If you return at sunset, you can watch
the sun set over the city while the light glimmers and twinkles on the water,
as you drift gently on this fabled river. And if you take a more informative
tour, perhaps with some city hopping, such as the tour to Budapest, you can not
only enjoy the sights, but also learn much more about this river that has
witnessed so much of Europe’s history.
** Photo credit : www.austria.info
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