The ship sailed gracefully along the winding waters of the Danube toward Passau, our final Bavarian stop before we would journey onward to Austria. This charming city, known as the "City of Three Rivers," boasts a rich history that dates back to its founding in the year 1219. Nestled at the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers, Passau is steeped in cultural heritage and stunning architecture. During our exploration of this picturesque city, we visited the magnificent

This is our second river cruise, and it's also our second with AMAWATERWAYS. Our initial trip with them was on the Rhine in September 2022, traveling from Basel to Amsterdam. Now, we're spending a week on their newest and largest ship, the AMAMagna, cruising down the Danube from Vilshofen, Germany, to Budapest, Hungary, with stops in Austria and Slovakia.   The AMAMagna is significantly wider than the previous ship, and we booked one of their “junior suites,” which was just

On the first day, we took a brief hike up a hill to visit the Benedictine Abbey Schweiklberg Monastery. Burning calories is a bit more challenging when you're on a boat and focused on the next meal.

Munich boasts numerous museums, and for us, traveling is all about art and architecture. I always relish the opportunity to see both old and new masters, especially pieces we haven't encountered before. Fortunately, Munich managed to protect its art during the war. We visited the Alte Pinakothek , which houses a vast and significant collection of old masters and contemporary art. Highlights included works by Rembrandt, van Gogh, da Vinci, Raphael, Botticelli, Lippi, El Greco,

Dinner on day #1 in Munich was at The Charles Hotel at their restaurant, Sophia’s . Scotty started with white asparagus soup and I had ravioli stuffed with asparagus; it is still asparagus season. For our mains, hubs had tagliatelle with red sauce, and I had stuffed turbot. On the second day, we had dinner at Neo-brasserie Hoiz . Scotty began with the grilled Caesar salad, while I opted for the spicy fried calamari with Asian influences. Scott ventured to try an ox steak acco

When we decided to tour Germany, my goal was to gain a deeper understanding of modern Germany and to visit a concentration camp firsthand. I wanted to hear from Germans about the post-war rebuilding years and to be assured that such events would never repeat. I left feeling confident that it wouldn't happen again in Germany, though we all recognize how unpredictable our world is and that world peace isn't imminent. Interestingly, it wasn't until the '60s that Germans began to

Munich, established in 1158, serves as the capital of Bavaria, one of Germany's 16 states. Throughout its history, Munich has been a significant center for culture, politics, and economics. The city boasts numerous historic buildings, although many were destroyed by Allied bombings during WWII and have since been reconstructed, similar to other cities we've visited on our tour. We like to begin our visits to each city with a half-day tour. Once again, we chose ToursByLocals.

We stayed at The Charles Hotel , which is part of the Rocco Forte hotel chain. I believe it is one of our favorite reliable hotel groups, consistently offering elegance, great style, and excellent service. In the past, we have stayed at their hotels in Edinburgh, The Balmoral , and in Sicily, Verdura . They truly embody the 5-star experience and do it exceptionally well, earning my highest recommendation.

Spending two days in Nuremberg provided two evenings to delve into the local cuisine. The first night's dinner was at a traditional Franconian restaurant called Albrecht Duerer Stube . The setting was as authentic as imaginable, featuring timbered walls, various knick-knacks, and waitresses dressed in dirndls. Albrecht Duerer, a painter and printmaker from the late 15 th century, hailed from Nuremberg, and his former house still stands. However, you're likely more interested

The Nuremberg Trials commenced a mere six months following the conclusion of World War II, marking a pivotal moment in history where justice sought to confront the atrocities committed during the conflict. Our visit to Court Room 600, the very venue where the major trials unfolded, was an overwhelming experience. This courtroom became the stage for the prosecution of the highest-ranking Nazi leaders, who were held accountable for their roles in orchestrating the war and the s