AmaWaterways - AmaMagna part 2

Erica is the "I" in Linz

Beginning the day with a walking tour of Linz, Austria, the 3rd largest city in the country, offers insight into its intriguing WWII history. Notably, within a 30-minute distance from Linz lies the Mauthhausen concentration camp. The old cathedral, where Hitler was baptized at the age of 9, holds historical significance. Following the Anschluss of Austria by Germany in March 1938, Hitler returned to Linz to declare the Grossdeutsches Reich from the Rathaus balcony. Concluding the tour, we visited the new cathedral, constructed in 1924, spanning approximately 1 acre and accommodating up to 20,000 individuals.

Erica & Eddie on the Český Krumlov walking tour.

Later that day, we embarked on a bus journey lasting about an hour and a half from the ship to the picturesque town of Český Krumlov in the Czech Republic. This UNESCO World Heritage site boasts the Czech Republic's second-largest castle, under state ownership since 1948.

This cruise has been notably active, leaving little room for downtime. I anticipate needing a break to recover from my vacation upon returning home!

On Wednesday morning, we reached Melk, Austria. Feeling exhausted, I opted to sleep in, while Eddie joined an excursion group for a tour of the Benedictine Abbey. After his return, we had lunch on the ship before sailing downstream to Spitz, Austria. In the afternoon, we

Erica & Eddie in Spitz, Austria

explored the charming town of Dürnstein, a short drive from Spitz, situated in the Wachau Valley renowned for its wine production. Apart from grapes, the region cultivates apricots, peaches, and plums. Indulging in Apricot Ice Cream, a rare treat for me as I'm not keen on fruit-flavored ice cream, was surprisingly delightful!

Following our Dürnstein exploration, we boarded a bus back to the ship in Spitz. Subsequently, we strolled to a restaurant where Amawaterways had arranged a wine tasting event, featuring local accordion entertainment. Eddie even ventured on a brief tour of the restaurant's wine cellars. After the tasting, we returned to the ship for dinner before embarking on an overnight voyage down the river to Vienna, Austria.