Nothing captures the holiday season quite like the storybook towns lining Europe’s riverbanks. One of the best ways to see them is with a Christmas market-themed river cruise aboard a Viking Longship, one of the line’s most popular itineraries.
From late November to late December, more than half a dozen routes sail across six rivers and seven countries — including the one we enjoyed last year, Christmas on the Danube. All promise plenty of hot glühwein (a mulled red wine), cobblestone streets, glorious cathedrals, local holiday traditions, festive music, Nativity scenes (some even have live animals and actors), regional crafts and delectable food you will still be reminiscing about a year later.
Be prepared to indulge, spend too much money on holiday souvenirs and knitwear, push your feet to the breaking point and suffer through bone-deep cold. All of it is worth it to experience the wholesome joy that makes you feel like a kid at Christmas again.
The Route
The eight-day Christmas on the Danube visits three countries, traveling from Bavaria’s fourth-largest city, Regensburg, to Budapest, Hungary, the “Paris of the East.” (The itinerary is also offered in reverse.) Stops include Passau in Germany and Krems and Vienna in Austria. Most of the sailing happens overnight, though the ship glides past scenic stretches like the Wachau Valley and pulls into ports while the sun is still up, too.
The Ship
Our home for the week was the Viking Gullveig, named after a powerful Norse seer, which holds up to 190 guests. Embla, Jarl and Atla also sail the Danube. We appreciate Viking’s consistency in ship design and programming, which lets passengers book the best dates or itineraries that suit them best rather than holding out for a particular vessel.
These sister ships all have a library, a bar and lounge, eco-friendly hybrid engines, two dining outlets, a sun deck with solar panels, a putting green, a walking track and an herb garden. The sleek Scandinavian design also is carried through the streamlined holiday décor (expect evergreen garlands, white lights, a gingerbread house and a couple of Christmas trees).
There are 95 outside-facing staterooms — 25 Standard Staterooms, 22 French Balcony Staterooms, 39 Veranda Staterooms, seven Veranda Suites and two Explorer Suites — spread across three decks. Each 275-square-foot Veranda Suite has two full-size rooms, with a terrace off the living room and a French balcony in the bedroom, plus perks like earlier check-in, a daily fruit plate and complimentary laundry and shoe shine.
The 445-square-foot Explorer Suites come with a private wraparound balcony offering 270-degree views, coffee and tea service, a complimentary flight consultation, private arrival and departure transfers and the premium beverage package.
The Food
Breakfast, lunch and dinner (gratis wine, beer and sodas accompany the latter two meals) are served daily in both the main dining room and the Aquavit Terrace. To give the menu a sense of place, Viking incorporates local dishes and ingredients into the menus. For example, even the breakfast and lunch buffets usually feature regional cheeses. (Less adventurous diners will be happy to know that the menu of staples, including steak, salmon and Caesar salad, is available every day.)
On the night we sailed from Germany into Austria, the dining room was transformed into a festive Bavarian beer hall complete with red-and-white-checkered table linens, pretzels on hanging racks, hunks of pungent blue cheese and staff in lederhosen and dirndls. Kegs were tapped, bowls of spätzle overflowed, the smell of fresh sauerkraut filled the air and tasting platters of pickled items and cured meats were devoured. It was the overwhelming fan favorite meal of the cruise.
The festive food on land is also memorable. The holiday markets provide a smorgasbord of local street food favorites (this route in particular is teeming with sausages and cheese-filled creations like handbrot), holiday treats like warm chestnuts or gingerbread, pastries and fried goodies like quarkbällchen (dough balls usually sprinkled in sugar). Steaming mugs of glühwein are ubiquitous, but more recently, the winter markets have started pouring white wine and non-alcoholic versions. Best of all, each market creates custom collectible glühwein mugs, which make for great souvenirs.
While docked in Regensburg, save room for Historische Wurstkuchl (Historic Sausage Kitchen), among the world’s oldest continuously operating bratwurst kitchens. The cash-only spot occupies a smoky little building, less than a 10-minute walk from the ship.
Onboard Activities
The most fun evenings onboard were the ones featuring activities that stuck to the overall holiday theme, like Christmas trivia or a carol singalong. Passengers were invited to decorate a silver ball ornament and trim the lounge’s tree. The chef even led a cookie- and gingerbread-decorating experience one afternoon.
The ship also hosted a Budapest advent choir and soloists from Vienna’s ballet, who demonstrated and taught the waltz. One evening also had a delightful surprise: late-night goulash that warmed passengers returning from a Mozart and Strauss concert.
The Excursions
An included tour at every stop is one of Viking’s signatures. On this itinerary, that usually translates to a walking city tour that sets aside time for a market visit or two. In bigger cities like Vienna and Budapest, there is at least a portion of the tour that happens by bus.
Some of these tours include bonus stops. In Passau, you’ll learn about the origins of gingerbread, the traditional ways to make it and get to taste three types made by local confectionery empire Simon Confiserie. In Budapest, you duck into a church for an organ performance.
There are also several optional excursions well worth the additional fee and time, and just like on many other cruises, some happen simultaneously, making it hard to decide which to choose — especially if it’s your first time in a destination. You can take a day-long outing to Bratislava, Slovakia, to check another country off your list or go behind the scenes with Vienna’s iconic Lipizzan horses. Do a deep dive into Bavarian beer culture or visit one of Europe’s oldest seasonal markets in Nuremberg.
Our personal favorites involved a morning spent soaking in Budapest’s famous thermal waters in a bathhouse that looked like a setting for a Wes Anderson film and an hours-long rustic dinner in a family-run heuriger (wine tavern) in Vienna.
There were copious carbs, bottomless glasses of Viennese wine that would be nearly impossible to procure in the U.S. and musicians who serenaded us with folk instrumentals and songs from The Sound of Music soundtrack on an accordion and violin.
Extend Your Trip
Viking offers official pre- and post-cruise extensions that add a few days on land in places like Prague, Budapest, Croatia and Slovenia or Nuremberg, which suits travelers who want Viking to keep handling the details.
Budapest can fill extra days with museums, striking buildings and layers of history. If you skipped the thermal waters excursion while on the cruise, head to a bathhouse such as Széchenyi, where Viking’s excursion goes, or Veli Bej, once hailed as the grandest in town.
Drink and dance at a famous ruin bar like Szimpla Kert. Stock up on locally produced paprika at the neo-Gothic Central Market Hall. Take the Castle Hill Funicular up to the Buda Castle District and Fisherman’s Bastion, where you’ll find another impressive holiday market and stunning views of the Hungarian Parliament compound, the Pest side of the city and the Danube.
Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest makes an ideal home base, as it is mere steps from the disembarkation dock. The Art Nouveau gem sparkles particularly brightly with its holiday decorations and overlooks the Chain Bridge. It serves a decadent breakfast spread with apple-ginger shots, expertly caramelized pastries, housemade granola and Mangalica ham aged 18 months. It also houses one of the city’s trendiest cocktail bars and a delightful rooftop spa.
Plan Ahead
Now that we’ve got you excited for the holidays, we have to deliver the bad news: 2026 availability on these Viking cruises is extremely limited. The company even confirms that a few 2027 seasonal sailings have already sold out. However, staying flexible on your room type and location slightly improves your chances of sailing this December. But barring a holiday miracle (aka a last-minute cancellation), your best bet is to start planning next year’s Christmastime trip now.
