At the start of your Bratislava Sightseeing and Danube River Cruise – Tour from Vienna you will be picked up from your hotel at around 0715h (07:15am) and taken to catch the public bus to Bratislava. The bus departs at about 0830h (08:30am).
The bus will take you to Bratislava, capital of the Slovak Republic, which is less than 60 km (36 miles) from Vienna. Like Budapest, the capital of Hungary, it straddles both banks of the River Danube.
When you reach Bratislava, you will meet your guide, who will take you on a leisurely walk through the Old Town. On this tour you will view all the attractions from the outside. Wander through the narrow medieval streets to St Martin’s Cathedral, nestling at the foot of the great Castle. Consecrated in 1452, this was once the coronation church for the kings of Hungary.
You will walk past handsome Renaissance town houses and along a promenade to the lovely 19th century Ganymede Fountain. Look closely to see all the depictions of aquatic animals on the fountain. Continue to the main square with its lovely buildings painted in soft pastels and cream shades. Admire the City Hall and the art nouveau houses from the beginning of the 20th century. In the middle of the square stands the 16th century Maximilian Fountain.
Walk on past numerous coffee shops and your guide will point out the celebrated Café Mayer famous for its razky, the city’s signature pastry, crescent-shaped with a tasty filling of ground walnuts or poppy seeds. Continue through the winding streets past imposing 18th century palaces to your last stop – the 'Zichy' restaurant where you will have lunch.
You will enjoy a four-course meal: a cold appetizer with cheese, chicken in cream sauce, for the main course and cake for dessert.
After lunch there will be time for you to stroll around and to shop. You could visit the Castle or sample some the delicious pastries in one of the coffee shops.
At 1430h (02:30pm), you will board an air-conditioned high speed catamaran (Twin City Liner) and travel in comfort back to Vienna along the Danube. Enjoy the views as you pass through the unspoilt Danube wetlands and the Danube Floodplains National Park. You will disembark at Schwedenplatz in Vienna at 1600h (04:00pm).