(bell chimes) - I'm Lynn Elmhirst.

I'm a travel journalist with a deep passion for sailing the high seas.

My most cherished travel experiences have been by water, the spectacular scenery, fascinating ships, and maritime traditions you can only experience when you cruise.

When the whole world went into dry dock, I bided my time by diving into my library of footage to relive some of my favorite travel memories of the World's Greatest Cruises.

(foghorn blows and waves crashing) (upbeat music begins) - Today on "World's Greatest Cruises," a Danube river cruise.

We're sailing along this ancient and popular river route among 160 guests and 50 crew members onboard the AmaCerto.

The European Union's longest river flows nearly 1800 miles west to east, unique among major European waterways that usually flow north south.

The Danube flows through more countries than any other river in the world.

From the Black Forest to the Black Sea.

We sail just a portion of the Danube through Germany, Austria, and Hungary on a cultural quest in Central Europe.

Our river cruise brings the culture of the region to life.

Local performers and local cuisine on the ship give us a taste of what's in store for us on shore.

The ship also gives us the best eats in the house to be a witness to the Danube's storied past as the region's main transportation thoroughfare and how its cliffs and riverbanks served as strategic vantage points for centuries.

In ports of call, AmaWaterways shore excursions give our cameras behind the scenes access to keepers of cultural flames and local experts.

- This is serious music now.

(laughs) - [Lynn] The culture doesn't just live in the past, I also get hands-on at a 'Museum of the Future' and I try my hand at some of the astonishing skills of real-life 'Hungarian Cowboys'.

(lasso whipping) (foghorn blows) (lighthearted music begins) - We greet the Danube and the AmaCerto at the scenic German town of Vilshofen, but before sail away AmaWaterways already has one shore excursion planned and we are fortunate to get to go behind the scenes.

This is a very special occasion, not only have we got an invitation to see inside this beautiful Abbey, we're also going to get a chance to meet the Abbot himself and he's going to give us a demonstration of their very famous organ.

(slow organ music) - The organ music resounds through the Benedictine Abbey's church.

and if you're thinking this is a little bit more modern than you expected, it was founded in the year 1904 and incorporates both art nouveau style of the period, with aspects of new Baroque.

Like my fellow AmaCerto guests, I'm spellbound.

- Abbot Rhabanus, thank you for having us in your church, and thank you for letting me see this organ.

This is an amazing organ!

- (chuckles) Yes, it is.

Ya.

- It's a work of art and lots of pedals and buttons.

I'm quite excited to give them a try!

(both laughing) So it's not so old, but it's very important, why is that?

- The organ is from 2001.

And for us Benedictine the liturgy and the prayers we sing are supported by the organ.

- I see.

And this organ, tell me about the organ.

It's so big - there are three parts?

And-- - Yes, this three parts organ is a symbol for the Holy Trinity because we are here in the Abbey Church of the Holy Trinity.

And at the gallery, there's the main organ, with all these stops here belong to the main organ, and these stops here belong to the two choir organs.

- I see.

- And you can play all three organs together - From here?

- Yes, from here.

This is, in this area, I think, one of the best organs we have.

It is built near Bonne, from Cliess is the firm who built this organ and Cliess is very famous in Germany.

I think this is our "yaguar".

(laughs) - Your jaguar car.

- Merceedes, our Merceedes.

- Yes, this is the...

Your racing organ.

(laughs) - Yes, it is.

There's so many different stops, so many possibilities.

For an echo, for example, there's the main organ here, but two choir organs, you can have a lot of possibilities to express and to interpret Bach, or Purcell, or other composers.

- I'm a little fascinated, my German is not good, but I see two buttons over here, one says "rain" and the other says "thunder".

- Thunder, oh yes.

I can show you put, press the button down.

- Which one can I press?

- Ah, you can start with rain.

- Start with rain, okay.

So it's down.

(rainfall showers) - You can hear it?

- That's amazing!

So that's the sound effect.

- It's inside the organ.

- So why would you have rain as a sound effect of the organ?

- Oh, I think this was a special idea of the builder of the organ.

- Ah!

- And if you put down the other button, you will have the-- - "Thunder?"

So now it's like the wrath of God.

- Yeah.

- Is it coming down on us?

(both laughing) Oh, that is very wrath of God.

(both laughs) God sounds angry now.

(laughs) - It seems it's a part of your education.

(laughs) - Yes, that's right.

So you would add music to the rain and the thunder?

- Yeah.

- Yes?

- Do you like some music?

- Yes, sure.

(light organ music) The music is very light for such heavy thunder.

(laughs) - We could put more together and to combine.

It's possible to combine these two organs.

(inspiring organ music) - Ah.

This is serious music now.

(laughs) (inspiring organ music) Bravo.

(claps) So why is it so important to have music?

I can't imagine how much it would cost to included the organ in this church, there must have been an important reason to have it.

- Music is a way to express my feelings.

So I have a feeling to be happy so I can play music which makes also other people happy or I'm suffering, and you can play (speaks in foreign language) I'm not sure what it is in English, but, in the tune you feel there's a bit sadness.

And you can express your feelings.

And I think music is also very helpful for people to open the hearts.

(upbeat music) - [Lynn] Sailing on from Germany to Austria.

There's no border to see on the river just mile after mile of quaint towns and countryside, until we arrive at our first Austrian port of call, Linz.

Founded by the Romans, a strategic trading and transportation hub on the Danube, Linz has remained that way ever since.

With so much history, you may be surprised that's not our goal here today.

The thing about traveling in Europe is you always find yourself looking at things where exciting things used to happen.

Well, today we get to visit a place where exciting things are happening right now.

- The Ars Electronica is an interactive place, a place to explore, a place to find out about many things.

Such as biotechnology, neurosciences, robotics, and also very unconventional forms of art.

We want to raise awareness of the crosstalk between technology and society.

So basically what does technology do to your daily life?

- [Staccato Piano] Another world is possible.

- The CEUS Contamnle is a multidisciplinary project of three Austrians.

A composer, an electronic engineer, and the programmer and they joined forces to make a piano speak.

[Staccato Piano] And dissuasive sanctions.

Paro, at the Robolab, is an interactive baby seal which looks very much like a toy, but might become a very important therapeutic instrument to tackle the large challenge of dementia.

- So it responds to me when I touch it.

- [Stefan] It responds to the touch, it responds to voice, and to the warmth of your body.

- Hi, hi.

(seal murmurs) Hello, hello.

- It's very real!

(laughs) - [Stefan] Yeah right, so he has already convinced you.

- He has convinced me.

So since we've got him asleep, shall we go see the next thing?

- [Stefan] Yes, of course.

- Oh!

- Don't wake him up again.

- Okay, bye!

(laughs) - What happen, I just sit, like it's like an eye exam?

- Is an eye exam, just feel as-- - Like an eye exam.

- At the ophthalmologist office.

So what I'm doing now, I'm aiming for the back of your eye.

(machine clicks) - Whew!

So that's mine?

- Right.

- That's the back of my eye?

- Precisely.

- And these are other people who did it today?

- Exactly.

So we always have this gallery, where always one basically drops out.

- I like that word.

It's like a gallery.

So it's almost bio art type of thing.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) - Sometimes on a river cruise, culture comes to you.

The Wachau Valley is a 20 mile stretch of the Danube between Linz and Vienna.

On the top deck of the AmaCerto, we have the best seats in the house for a tour of the region's famous scenic's, a UNESCO world heritage site.

It's all best viewed from the river, of course.

The Danube not only carved out its path between these steep hills as the primary transportation route for millennia, strategic points along the river were worth guarding.

Castles and fortifications still perch on top of cliffs and vantage points.

And terrace vineyards producing the Wachau's signature dry, white, gruner veltliner wines just add to the fairytale setting.

- To our dear guests, now in this time, actually it's perfect for tasting wine because, as I've told you before, harvest time for the wines here in Wachau Valley begin in September and they end exactly the 11th of November.

- Hello!

- Afternoon.

Good afternoon, good afternoon.

- Good afternoon!

- Welcome.

Look's delicious.

- There is a tradition here in the Wachau Valley where we serve onion tart and also we have a Kaiser spritzer.

- Oh!

Kaiser spritzer.

- There is a white wine with sparkling water.

- Ah!

- And edel's syrup.

- Thank you.

What kind of syrup?

- Edel's syrup.

- Oh, and it's, so is it a floral syrup?

- Yes.

- Oh, it smells beautiful.

(speaking in foreign language) - Okay.

- Thank you.

- Good (mumbles in German).

- Mm.

- I hope you'll enjoy.

- Mm oh, it's the taste of harvest, and warm.

It's a little chilly out, I'm going to admit it's a little chilly, but the wine, the warm tart, it's good to be here.

(Lynn laughs) (foghorn blows) (upbeat music) - Sailing on down river, we transition from countryside to urban views.

Vienna's only an hour by car from Wachau, but the capital of Austria feels like a whole different world.

Famous as one of the foundational cultural capitals of Europe, Vienna's also known as the City of Music.

It even has a waltz named after it.

And of course, it's opera house still holds up the traditions established during the time of Mozart.

You probably think of Vienna's elegance as an Imperial capital, but as we learn, to Vienna today than it's Baroque Imperial setting.

- First thing you have to feel is the atmosphere here.

When you stroll over this Imperial streets visit also off the beaten track the small and narrow streets where you find really nice and inviting coffee houses.

For us, Vienna is like the extended living room with our coffee, or a hot chocolate, or a tea, enjoying strudels, or tortes, or cakes.

Stephen's stone is the main landmark here in Vienna.

It's a really gorgeous old gothic style cathedral with a new roof made of more than 250,000 placed tiles.

This place here is the realest, perfect place to show different kinds of architecture.

We're going to see there, of course, Baroque style.

We're going to see the art nouveau style.

So many different mixes here in Vienna meeting here melting together to form a new special style of architecture.

So we are right now at Michaelerplatz.

That literally means "Michael's square".

That means we stay right in front of Michael's gate, Michael's tomb.

And in my back, there you see Kohlmarkt, yeah?

Which is one of the three pedestrian streets here in the in the city center where also the famous Stamer can be found.

- You can't go to Vienna and miss its famous pastries and confectioneries.

This former Imperial confectionary began providing delicacies to Viennese society in the 1700s.

It's most famous confection today was an Imperial favorite.

Look at all of these things.

(gasps) Look up at the ceiling.

Looks like a palace.

Candied violets.

I understand these were a favorite of the famous beautiful Empress Elizabeth.

So, I think I need to get a container just for myself.

(speaks in foreign language) Oh, to try one here, oh.

Oh, look at this.

Can you see?

Mm!

- Good in a glass of champagne, or for decoration.

(mumbles) - Of course it's good in a glass of champagne.

(laughing) - Thank you so (indistinct) - Thank you!

(light piano music) (hoofs clopping) It might be impossible to imagine another city as grand as Austria's capital, but our next port of call only about 150 miles away is Budapest, nicknamed Queen of the Danube.

Hungary's capital was literally built around the river.

Two cities - hill-covered Buda and low-lying Pest, rose on facing river banks.

Finally united only in the late 1800s when a bridge was built.

Budapest skyline has the Danube as its foreground.

Famous landmarks line the river, including the city's defining gothic revival parliament building.

The hilltop buda castle gives us a view of the monuments on the opposite riverbank in pest.

But the wonders of Budapest aren't limited to the river banks.

St. Stephen's Basilica awes with it's symmetry and scale and how tiny the brave visitors with the head for heights look way up there in the base of the dome.

We're reminded of the unique flavors of Hungary at the great market hall, where I stock up on local flavors to take home.

Paprika!

And try some famous recipes, like goulash, on the spot.

Thank you!

So this is the goulash soup.

Mm-mm.

At Budapest's position atop of vast network of underground hot springs are the largest medicinal thermal baths in Europe.

And the almost mythological Heroes Square memorializing the seven horseback chieftains believed to have led their tribes from central Asia to what's now Hungary.

It reminds us of the special place horses have in Hungarian culture.

Horses have been almost revered, as has horsemanship.

Hungary even has its own style of Hungarian cowboy.

We drove into the countryside near Budapest to meet some.

Hello!

- Hello, good morning.

- I'm Lynn, nice to meet you.

- Welcome to Lazar Equestrian Park.

Hello!

- Looks delicious, like a little scon.

- And in Hungary always serve a special brandy, - Are you joining me?

- so called pálinka.

- Are you joining me?

- Yes a little bit.

- Cheers!

Nice to meet you.

(glasses clink) - Cheers, (speaks in foreign language) .

(light upbeat music) - Mm.

Ooh, warms me up on a chilly day.

- Yep.

- [Lynn] This is a beautiful place out in the country.

Where are we, and what happens here?

- [Darazs] We are in the Lazar Equestrian Park now.

This is owned by the 13 time World Champion Lazar brothers.

They are world champions in carriage driving.

- In carriage driving.

- Yes.

- And the horses here are they all Hungarian breeds, Hungarian horses?

- [Darazs] What you see outside on the hillside, they are mainly Lipitan horses.

- [Lynn] And that's a Hungarian horse?

- [Darazs] Hungarian, but the origin is a little village from Slovenia.

- [Lynn] Oh!

- But Hungary is famous also for the lipitan horse.

In the stable, we have now 40 horses.

Half of them are the champions who are participating in the courage driving sport.

The other half are different, but it's also a Hungarian breed.

We call it no news horse.

- I know that Hungary has a long, long history with horses.

Tell me why is a horse and horse culture so important to Hungarian culture.

- If we go back to the ancient Hungarians, to the Hungarian tribes who came to the present territory of Hungary in 896, they were very famous.

Their knowledge of riding and also archery, it was the horse herders, the csikós in Hungarian.

- The colleague who was offering the pálinka here, he's a typical csikós, a horse herder.

- And what, oh, a horse herder.

Kind of like a cowboy?

- Yes, like a Hungarian cowboy.

- So a Hungarian cowboy.

- Exactly.

- Perfect.

(chuckles) - I go ahead to put on the light.

- Okay.

- Ah, come in.

- Okay, thank you.

Oh, it's beautiful.

Not just trophies, but carriages.

Those are beautiful.

(gasps in awe) - There are some photos.

Here's the elder brother here, Vilmosh Williams.

He's the most successful para driver of the world; seven time world champion.

And on the other side, we have Zoltán.

He's already driving four horses.

So these are our different courage they use for the dressage driving.

- [Lynn] Right.

- And that is for the marathon driving.

- Right.

Racing, more racing.

- Which is, yes.

- [Lynn] It's so clear that Hungary really is the cradle of a lot of equestrian culture around the world.

- Yeah.

- Amazing.

So these are medals.

- So you can see here, the world championship medals.

This is the golden veep prize.

- Oh!

- Which is devoted for the individual world champions.

(upbeat music) - So the stable, I think I smell it already.

(laughs) - Yeah, it was the only building what we had in the first phase of the construction.

- Well it's the most important one for the horses, right?

- Yes, sure.

(upbeat music) This side we have the Lipitan horses, the champions.

- This side is the Lipitaners?

- Yes, you can see some prizes they were winning in different countries here.

- Oh wow.

Look at that.

"World driving championship.

Stockholm international horse show."

And I couldn't wait to try my hand at some Hungarian cowboy skills.

Oh, he's beautiful.

(laughs) What's his name?

- Betka.

- Betka.

- Betka.

- Hi.

How are you?

Wow, you're beautiful.

(upbeat music) - Hello.

- [Darazs] Good.

Uh huh.

- This is a perfect place to ride out in the beautiful countryside.

Beautiful horse, and the air is fresh.

(pats) Good boy!

But I think he's gonna show us what he's really made out of.

A couple of circles around is nothing for this guy.

Oh wow!

(charming guitar music) Oh my.

(whip cracks) - Oh!

And that doesn't bother him?

He's a pretty calm horse to take that.

Wow.

Oh, just a little stretch.

- [Darazs] Sitting, yes.

- Oh and sitting, sitting pretty.

(whip cracks) - Woo!

Are we far enough away?

(whip cracks) I'm flinching every time.

(laughs) - Seems to me very simple.

(laughs) - I'm sure it does, but I notice you probably don't wanna be around when I'm trying it.

- I cannot do it.

So it now it's your turn.

(laughs) - He's just laughing.

You don't think I can do this?

(laughs) - I do.

- I don't think I can even lift this.

- Take your hand.

(charming upbeat music) Oh, with a flick.

Oh okay.

(whip cracks) - Uh-uh!

- Oh!

(laughs) - Ah, it's not bad.

(whip cracks) (grants) - Okay, I think we have to put the sound in post.

Can we fake it?

(laughs) (whip cracks) At least I got it around and at least I didn't hit Devin or me or you or you.

(laughing) (whip cracks) - Oh!

- So it's eh - - You're smiling!

- Okay!

(laughing) (whip cracks) - Oh, okay, no.

Sounds bad though, doesn't it?

(laughs) Okay, yay!

I survived.

(laughing) We get to go riding!

The easy way, just sitting down.

(speaks in foreign language) .

- Here we go.

(chuckles) (speaks in foreign language) (Lynn kisses) It's like dashing through Hungary on a four horse open sleigh.

(laughs) Well not sleigh, there's no snow, but we are in a four horse open carriage, or coach.

In fact, the actual word horse-drawn coach comes from the name of the Hungarian village with the very first horse drawn coaches were made.

That's how much influence Hungary has had on the world's horse culture.

(light piano music) While we come by carriage up to see these beautiful horses in the field.

Horses here in these green fields, that to me, is the magic of horses.

(upbeat music) Hi, sweetie.

(laughs) And I think they wanted to talk to their friends in the carriage.

You're very curious, aren't ya?

(upbeat music) (foghorn blows) - Budapest lights made the beautiful blue Danube just once live up to that description in the Straus waltz on our farewell night on board.

With a goodbye dinner, toasting our adventures, and one last glass of champagne on deck to drink in the sights of the river.

(upbeat music) If this isn't a champagne moment I don't know what possibly could be.

Cheers!

Until next time on "World's Greatest Cruise", wishing you fair winds and following seas.

More information about "World's Greatest Cruises" and the ship and ports of call featured in today's program on our website at www.worldsgreatestcruises.com.

Next time on "World's Greatest Cruises", a North Sea Odyssey.

From Scandinavia's coastal capitals to Scotland's Highlands and islands.

We sail an epic historic Northern European seafaring route where the shores we visit are shaped by rugged folk, remote landscapes, and spectacular wilderness, some irresistibly adorable local residents and world famous cultural events.

(trumpets blows)