April 2025 found us traveling to a place we’ve never been before – Central Europe. We spent three days in Prague, eight days on a river cruise, and three days in Budapest. It was an almost perfect vacation, a combination of learning, eating good food, meeting new people, and even some relaxing by watching the river go by from the boat’s sundeck.

I heartily recommend Central Europe. There are mountains, rivers, towns and cities, history, and lots of cathedrals.

We spent three nights in Prague as part of an “add-on” from AmaWaterways. We stayed at the Hilton downtown, which was a typical convention hotel with a good location.

We started off with a ‘Golden City of a Hundred Spires’ tour. We were bussed to Prague Castle and continued downhill through the historic city center, the Charles Bridge and the Old Town Square astronomical clock. That afternoon Robert indulged in a Czech Beer Tasting.

That evening we went to a restaurant with typical Czech specialties and regional wine and beer. The highlight of the eventing was a the musical entertainment of traditional Czech music, an interactive folklore show and lots of dancing. Was it kind of touristy? Yes, but the band was having so much fun and so did we.

The next day was one of the highlights of the trip – a visit with a friend, a former special librarian who moved to the Czech Republic. We went to an incredible restaurant, the Imperial Cafe, near our hotel, and it was so nice to catch up on her new life abroad.

Since it was Easter season the Easter market was is full swing.

The next morning we got up bright and early and boarded to bus to Germany and a too quick tour of the old town of Regensburg. We also had lunch of sausages at Germany’s oldest sausage kitchen, on the riverbanks of the Danube. I would have loved to spend more time there but we had to get on the bus to Vilshofen to board the AmaSonata and begin the river cruise part of our trip.