Which Christmas markets can I visit during the tour?

One of the highlights of this itinerary is the opportunity to experience Europe during the magical Christmas season. As you sail along the Danube, you'll visit historic European cities beautifully decorated for the holidays, where Christmas markets come alive with festive lights, seasonal music, and local traditions. Each destination offers easy access to charming town squares filled with Christmas stalls, regional treats, handcrafted gifts, and a wonderfully festive atmosphere. From grand city centres to smaller historic towns, every stop feels Christmassy, making this cruise a delightful and immersive way to experience Europe at Christmas.

Are you able to let me know what there would be available to do in the cities we visit / spend the day at on this tour. I'm concerned given the tour dates are over the holiday period things would be closed and there wouldn't be much to see.

Are you able to provide details regarding the excursion that are available to purchase on board. I've seen reference to these in reviews but haven't been able to find any information.

From

US $1,465 per person

Danube Christmas Dream 2026

6 days

•

Start and end in Passau

4.0

145 traveler reviews

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From

US $1,465 per person

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Booking needs min. 2 travelers

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

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Plan your adventure:

Operator: A-ROSA
River Cruise: Scenic waterways and effortless exploration
Group Tour: Join a group and forge lifelong friendships
Fully Guided: An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Low Intensity: Travelers can expect some light physical activities
Guided in English: Other languages on request: German
Group Size 15 - 242
All Ages Welcome

Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Itinerary

Day 1
Passau
Meals
Lunch (Comprehensive lunch buffet with live-cooking stations), Dinner (Comprehensive dinner buffet with live-cooking stations), Snack (Embarkation snack), Tea and Coffee (Daily tea and coffee time)
Included Activities
- English-speaking travel and hotel management
Optional Activities
- Explore Passau city center
- Try regional cuisine including 'Dreiflüsseforelle' (three-river trout) and 'Dreiflüsseschnitte' (three-river cake)
Landmarks
Passau (Confluence of Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers)
Day 2
Bratislava
Meals
Dinner (Comprehensive dinner buffet with live-cooking stations), Beverage (Tea, coffee and coffee specialities, water, soft drinks, sparkling wine, beer and wine selection)
Day 3
Bratislava
Meals
Breakfast (Comprehensive breakfast buffet with live-cooking stations), Lunch (Comprehensive lunch buffet with live-cooking stations), Dinner (Comprehensive dinner buffet with live-cooking stations), Beverage (Tea, coffee and coffee specialities, water, soft drinks, sparkling wine, beer and wine selection)
Day 4
Vienna
Meals
Breakfast (Comprehensive breakfast buffet with live-cooking stations), Lunch (Comprehensive lunch buffet with live-cooking stations), Dinner (Comprehensive dinner buffet with live-cooking stations), Beverage (Tea, coffee and coffee specialities, water, soft drinks, sparkling wine, beer and wine selection)
Optional Activities
- Visit the Hofburg Palace
- Ride on the Riesenrad Ferris Wheel
- Visit traditional coffee houses
- Sample Wiener schnitzel and Sachertorte
Landmarks
Hofburg Palace
Riesenrad Ferris Wheel
Day 5
Melk
Meals
Breakfast (Comprehensive breakfast buffet with live-cooking stations), Lunch (Comprehensive lunch buffet with live-cooking stations), Dinner (Comprehensive dinner buffet with live-cooking stations)
Included Activities
- Visit Melk Benedictine Monastery
- Explore Melk Old Town
- View Wachau Valley
Landmarks
Melk Abbey
Wachau Valley
Day 6
Passau
Meals
Breakfast (Comprehensive breakfast buffet with live-cooking stations), Tea and Coffee (Daily tea and coffee time)
Included Activities
- English-speaking travel and hotel management
Optional Activities
- Explore Passau city center
- Try regional cuisine including 'Dreiflüsseforelle' (three-river trout) and 'Dreiflüsseschnitte' (three-river cake)
Landmarks
Passau (Confluence of Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers)

Landmarks
Passau (Confluence of Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers)

Landmarks
Hofburg Palace
Riesenrad Ferris Wheel

Landmarks
Melk Abbey
Wachau Valley

Landmarks
Passau (Confluence of Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers)

What's Included

Expand All

Accommodation
Guide
Meals
Additional Services
Transport

What's Not Included

Flights
Insurance
Optional
Additional Services

Operated by

A-ROSA

(145 reviews)

Number of tours

182

Age Range

2 to 99 years old

Response time

within 2 days

Response rate

72%

A city break sounds good. But a succession of cities sounds even better. And...

Sustainability Initiatives

Reduce Carbon Emissions

Animal Welfare

Other

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

A-ROSA Ship

A-ROSA MIA
River cruise on the Danube with A-ROSA MIA Whatever you’re looking for on vacation, you will find it on board A-ROSA MIA. Whether you're… Read more
Capacity
242
Built
2003
Guests
Crew
Length
124,5 m
Width
14,4 m
Suites
Staterooms
Registry
Gross Tonnage
Electricity
Beam
Cruising Speed
max. 24 km/h
Generators
Engines
Draft
Cabin
100 outside cabins
Deck
Deck with Cabins
Country/Region
Germany, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia
Staterooms / Suites Deck Plans Dining

Reviews from other tours by A-ROSA

Tour Operator
4.0

Josephina
April 12th, 2026
5.0
Excellent, the trip greatly exceeded our expectations.
Eva-Maria
April 3rd, 2026
4.0
The only thing I missed was a lift for people with walking difficulties
Lucio
March 23rd, 2026
4.0
Great, friendly staff.

Dates & Availability

Select departure month and travellers

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Upcoming departures

Hurry, deals only available for a limited time!

Ends on 22 Apr, 2026

From Wednesday
23 Dec, 2026
To Monday
28 Dec, 2026
English, German
A-ROSA MIA
From:
US $1,465 per person
Multiple Room Types

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What our customers ask about this tour

The content in our FAQ section is subject to change.

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K
Kristina
Asked on February 7th, 2026
Which Christmas markets can I visit during the tour?
Tour Details
- A-ROSAOperator•Written February 2026
  One of the highlights of this itinerary is the opportunity to experience Europe during the magical Christmas season. As you sail along the Danube, you'll visit historic European cities beautifully decorated for the holidays, where Christmas markets come alive with festive lights, seasonal music, and local traditions.
  
  Each destination offers easy access to charming town squares filled with Christmas stalls, regional treats, handcrafted gifts, and a wonderfully festive atmosphere. From grand city centres to smaller historic towns, every stop feels Christmassy, making this cruise a delightful and immersive way to experience Europe at Christmas.
C
Carolyn
Asked on January 27th, 2026
Are you able to let me know what there would be available to do in the cities we visit / spend the day at on this tour. I'm concerned given the tour dates are over the holiday period things would be closed and there wouldn't be much to see.
Tour Details
- C
  Carolyn
  Traveler•Written January 2026
  Are you able to provide details regarding the excursion that are available to purchase on board. I've seen reference to these in reviews but haven't been able to find any information.
- C
  Carolyn
  Traveler•Written January 2026
  There have been a number of negative reviews that while advertised as a bilingual cruise, everything is only in German. Are you able to provide any further advice on this?
- C
  Carolyn
  Traveler•Written January 2026
  Are you able to please outline what additional costs maybe incurred onboard. I've seen in a review that we need to pay a fee to book a table for dinner. Are there any other charges we would not be expecting as Australians (with the exception of tipping envelopes at end of cruise)?
- C
  Carolyn
  Traveler•Written January 2026
  Do you know if there are any extra festivities given the Christmas dates (ie - special meals, decorations around ship, etc)?
- A-ROSAOperator•Written January 2026
  This is a Christmas-themed itinerary, so you need not worry about seasonal closures. You will have the opportunity to fully experience the festive sights, sounds, and atmosphere of each destination.
- A-ROSAOperator•Written January 2026
  Shore excursion pricing is expected to be released by the end of February 2026. We will be happy to share the full list with you as soon as it becomes available.
- A-ROSAOperator•Written January 2026
  This cruise operates in both English and German.
- A-ROSAOperator•Written January 2026
  In certain ports of call, local city taxes may be charged to your onboard account. These are not payable in advance.
- A-ROSAOperator•Written January 2026
  As this is a Christmas-themed departure, the sailing will indeed feature a festive ambiance throughout the cruise.

From

US $1,465 per person

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Booking needs min. 2 travelers

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:

Good to Know

Tour ID: 308623

Currency
€
Euro
Austria and Germany
Plugs & Adapters
As a traveler from USA, Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa you will need an adaptor for types C, E, F.
Type C
Slovakia
Type E
Slovakia
Type F
Slovakia
Vaccines
- These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
- Tick-borne encephalitis - Recommended for Austria.Germany.Slovakia. Ideally 6 months before travel.
- Hepatitis A - Recommended for Slovakia. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
- Hepatitis B - Recommended for Slovakia. Ideally 2 months before travel.
Visa
- Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
- Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
Payment information
- For any tour departing before June 1st, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after June 1st, 2026, a minimum payment of 40% is required to confirm your booking with A-ROSA. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 45 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
- The following cards are accepted for "A-ROSA" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
Cancellation Policy
- TourRadar can request A-ROSA to hold spaces for you for up to 48 hours without any credit card details.
- TourRadar is an authorized Agent of A-ROSA. Please familiarize yourself with the A-ROSA payment, cancellation and refund conditions.
Accessibility
Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.
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Danube Christmas Dream 2026

Itinerary

Passau

Included Activities

Optional Activities

Bratislava

Bratislava

Vienna

Optional Activities

Melk

Included Activities

Passau

Included Activities

Optional Activities

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What's Included