Cruise and stay – treat yourself to the best of both worlds

By Laura Millar

Spirit of the Danube sailing in Budapest, Hungary

If you are planning a holiday and are torn between a classic city break and a relaxing river cruise there is a brilliant solution: the cruise and stay. Combining the two, it offers the best of both worlds, allowing you to spend more time enjoying the sights and sounds of the region you visit.

Saga offers cruise and stay holidays, where you can explore some of Europe’s most celebrated cities further before embarking on your all-inclusive river cruise. Options include Budapest as well as Lisbon and Vienna, where you will spend three nights enjoying bed and breakfast at carefully selected hotels before joining your cruise to set sail along one of Europe’s famous rivers.

On the river cruise itself exciting itineraries offer an alluring insight into each destination, from strolling along historic streets to sipping wine at bucolic vineyards and watching beautiful riverside scenery unspool from the top deck. An excursion is included in every port, and because you are usually moored right in the heart of things, it couldn’t be easier to start discovering the destination straight away. When you’re a little further away, a complimentary shuttle will allow you to head into the main town and explore. The on-board team have plenty of local knowledge and tips that they can share, and in selected ports you’ll even be able to borrow a free interactive map and audio headset, perfect for exploring independently.

Once on board your all-inclusive cruise, drinks and dining are included, as well as a nationwide return shared chauffeur service from your home to the airport and back, optional travel insurance and additional cancellation cover.

Whether you’re visiting as part of your city break or from a river cruise, here’s what not to miss:

Budapest

The Hungarian Parliament in Budapest

Famous sights

The Parliament Building and Danube Promenade: Admire this Neo-Gothic masterpiece on the riverfront, which is equally gorgeous by day or when illuminated by night. A visit here is included as part of the cruise and stay option.

The Hungarian State Opera House, famous for its opulent interior – with frescoes and marble staircases – not to mention the exceptional acoustics, considered among the best in the world.

Vajdahunyad Castle, located in Budapest's City Park, was build for Hungary's Millennium in 1896 and is straight from a fairy-tale, with a lake and drawbridge and featuring architectural nods to Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Romanesque styles.

Best kept secret places

The Budapest Ethnography Museum is a fascinating and important collection of cultural artifacts from across the globe – offering extraordinary storytelling often through everyday objects.

The stunning, opulent reading rooms hidden within the architecturally beautiful Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library are a treat to discover.

The Széchenyi Thermal Baths are quintessential Budapest experiences with art-nouveau interiors and healing waters.

The “Shoes on the Danube Bank" is a moving memorial to Jewish victims murdered by Arrow Cross militiamen, part of a fascist organization that ruled Hungary from October 1944 to April 1945.

What to eat and drink

Must try

Hearty Hungarian goulash, lángos (fried dough with sour cream and cheese), fisherman’s soup made with carp and paprika, seven-layer Dobos torte and pálinka (a potent fruit brandy).

Must visit

The Centrál Grand Cafe & Bar: a historic café with elegant interiors.

Rosenstein Vendeglo: a welcoming, family-run restaurant offering authentic Jewish-Hungarian dishes.

Leo Rooftop Budapest: best for rooftop cocktails with a view of the city skyline.

What to buy

Budapest is known for a variety of traditional products such as paprika, honey and local wines, which you can buy at Central Market Hall, as well as handmade lace or artisanal ceramics. Find the best examples at independent shops around the Jewish Quarter.

How to get around

The city centre is compact and highly walkable, but public transport – trams, buses and the metro – is cheap and efficient. BKK travel cards, available from one to seven days, make hopping on and off simple.

Lisbon

Calcada do Duque in Lisbon, with a view towards the Sao Jorge castle

Famous sights

Alfama and Castelo de São Jorge: also known as St George’s Castle, this 12th-century fort is perched on a hill in Lisbon’s oldest, most atmospheric district, with steep streets and sweeping river views.

Praça do Comércio: a grand waterfront square which forms the heart of Lisbon’s historic core.

Best kept secret places

The Palácio dos Marqueses de Fronteira is a private palace with stunning tilework depicting scenes including monkeys playing and intense battles.

Museu Medeiros e Almeida houses a collection of decorative arts, showcasing exquisite furniture and porcelain.

Discover ancient Roman and Phoenician ruins beneath Lisbon’s modern street, the Rua dos Correeiros.

What to eat and drink

Must try

Sweet pastel de nata (custard tart), bacalhau (salt cod), grilled sardines, seafood petiscos (small plates), prego (steak sandwich) and ginjinha (a traditional cherry liqueur).

Must visit

Hygge Kaffe: a relaxed spot for speciality coffee.

Ze da Mouraria: a traditional tasca, or simple tavern, serving home-style cooking at affordable prices.

Ginjinja das Gáveas: an old-school tavern in Bairro Alto which serves Lisbon’s famous cherry liqueur.

What to buy

Don’t leave without taking home some beautifully-packaged tinned fish (try Conserveira da Lisboa), azulejo tiles (head to the Sant’Anna showroom in Largo Barão de Quintela), local ceramics, products made from cork, and traditional wine, such as vinho verde or Douro reds.

How to get around

Part of the pleasure of exploring Lisbon is discovering its famously winding, hilly streets on foot. The metro or buses are efficient for longer distances, while the iconic Tram 28 wends its way through historic districts.

Vienna

Vienna's State Opera House

Famous sights

Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens: a grand imperial summer residence with beautiful grounds.

Belvedere Palace: set in stunning Baroque gardens, this is home to some excellent Austrian art, including Klimt’s famous painting The Kiss.

Best kept secret places

Hundertwasserhau, a quirky, colourful apartment building designed by the artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

Capuchin Crypt (Kapuzinergruft) is a fascinating historical site which serves as the final resting place of many Habsburg emperors and empresses.

What to eat and drink

Must-try

Wiener schnitzel (breaded pork or veal cutlets), apple strudel, Sacher-torte, Grüner Veltliner wine and small Viennese beer (such as Ottakringer).

Must visit

Cafe Sacher: a traditional, historic Viennese coffeehouse, said to be the birthplace of the famous chocolate-and-apricot-jam torte.

Figlmüller: in operation since 1905, it’s one of the most popular places to get Weiner schnitzel.

Reinthalers Beisl: a beisl is Austria’s answer to the gastropub, and this cosy wood-panelled spot serves up traditional food as well as local beers and wines.

What to buy and where

Take home Meinl whole bean or ground coffee, Mozartkugel chocolates (you’ll find these in many supermarkets), Austrian wool or linen goods in the Golden Quarter boutiques, Swarovski crystal, and traditional crafts like Augarten porcelain, Lobmeyr crystal and Perzy snow globes.

How to get around

How to get around: Vienna has a very walkable centre; the inner districts are compact and very charming when explored on foot. The Wiener Linien network of U-Bahn (metro), trams and buses covers the city comprehensively.

Find out more about cruise and stay holidays with Saga.