AmaWaterways wine cruises add a unique epicurean dimension to a variety of itineraries at no additional cost. Join one of these wine cruises with a special wine host and be treated to a menu of exclusive wine and culinary experiences designed to delve deeper into the wonderful flavors and tastes of Europe.
European cities transform into majestic winter wonderlands for the holiday season – and we invite you to experience all their splendor with us. In addition to our variety of daily excursions, you will also have the opportunity to visit festive Christmas Markets in select destinations and participate in nostalgic traditions.
Maximize your Christmas experience by embarking at the height of the holiday market season with daily or near-daily visits to Christmas Markets.
Get "just a taste" of the holidays in mid-November or late December with visits to one or two Christmas Markets during your river cruise.
We are pleased to offer guests the opportunity to experience Floriade in 2022 while sailing along the Rhine River and Dutch and Belgian Waterways between April 14 and October 9. Right outside Amsterdam, this rare experience calls for its visitors to “explore, touch and change” as part of their journey into Floriade – which is set to feature stunning gardens, innovative sustainable gardening exhibits, live entertainment, talk shows, souvenirs and food stalls.
We invite you to join our incredible cruise on the Rhône with a Latin Touch, featuring bilingual cruise managers, daily tours with Spanish-speaking guides, Latin-inspired music nights and other distinctive elements.
Based on the overwhelmingly positive response received from the announcement of our first-ever “Soulful Experience” on the Rhône River in 2023, we are delighted to announce four new opportunities for guests to celebrate their heritage and discover Black history and culture along the rivers with us in 2024.
Join award-winning television host and travel expert, Samantha Brown, Godmother of AmaMagna, as we cruise through four countries along the Danube River. Special events and Travel Talks are included on this exclusive sailing.
Join Chef Joanne Weir, award-winning cookbook author, restaurant owner and host of PBS television series “Plates & Places” as she hosts a special 7-night Flavors of Burgundy river cruise.
We invite you to join our incredible cruise on the Danube with a Latin Touch, featuring bilingual cruise managers, daily tours with Spanish-speaking guides, Latin-inspired music nights and other distinctive elements.
Explore the rich history of classical music along the Danube River where famous composers lived, worked and performed. Plus, be treated to a variety of live performances on this melodious journey.
Based on the overwhelmingly positive response received from the announcement of our first-ever “Soulful Experience” on the Rhône River in 2023, we are delighted to announce four new opportunities for guests to celebrate their heritage and discover Black history and culture along the rivers with us in 2025
Join award-winning television host and travel expert, Samantha Brown, Godmother of AmaMagna, as we cruise through five countries along the Danube River. Special events and Travel Talks are included on this exclusive sailing.
We invite you to join our incredible cruise on the Douro with a Latin Touch, featuring bilingual cruise managers, daily tours with Spanish-speaking guides, Latin-inspired music nights and other distinctive elements.
We invite our loyal past guests to join us once again on these special Loyalty Cruises, offering unique experiences in multiple ports, commemorative gifts, and many more surprises and delights.
Imagine if there was a way to combine luxury river cruising on the iconic Danube with the opportunity to indulge your passion and play golf. We have created the perfect package to enable you to do just that with our Exclusive Concierge Golf Program. Discover Europe, complete with award winning cuisine, incredible service and a choice of excursions in every port, as well as up to 5 rounds of golf at some of the leading championship courses on the continent.
AmaWaterways’ Exclusive Concierge Golf Program is available on select Magna on the Danube cruises sailing aboard the AmaMagna.
Hello! "I'm Kristin Karst, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of AmaWaterways and I'm passionate about river cruising. Each month, I love to share with you my thoughts, personal stories, travel tips and latest news on the people and places that help turn every mile of our guests' river cruise experience into one of their most cherished memories!"
Fringed in the forested foothills of the Balkan Mountains in northwest Bulgaria, the 7,000-person town of Belogradchik would hardly register on the world map were it not for its treasured natural landmarks and storied fortress.
Ethereal Rocks or People Cast in Stone?
The Belogradchik Rocks, named on UNESCO’s World Heritage Tentative List, were formed at the bottom of the sea as a result of geologic compression. Comprised mainly of limestone and sandstone, they are an awe-inspiring sight to behold. Reddish in color with ethereal shapes that protrude from the earth as high as 1,000 feet, the fantastical rock formations are the source of dozens of legends, with each shape corresponding to a character in a captivating story, including Adam and Eve.
There’s the legend of the madonna, in which a woman falls in love with a shepherd boy named Anton and is sent off to live in a nunnery by her father. The affair leaves her pregnant and when she gives birth, she is cast out of the nunnery by monks. Anton, riding a white horse, comes to the rescue of both mother and child. However, as the madonna is leaving the nunnery to be by his side, day turns to night and all those present are turned to stone. Similarly, the legend of the schoolgirl begins with a beautiful girl whose heart is stolen by a blacksmith. An evil schoolmaster chases the girl right into the path of a bear and they are all cast in stone, frozen in time for millions to bear witness to their fate.
A wealth of hidden hiking trails is woven through the rocks, offering breathtaking views. The geologic landmark also offers natural protection that has likely been used for millennia. In fact, the Belogradchik Rocks serve as a stunning backdrop for the Belogradchik Fortress.
A Roman Citadel with Monster Walls
Originally built as a lookout by Romans to control the road from the 1st through 3rd centuries, Belogradchik Fortress was reconstructed and expanded by Ottoman conquerors for military utilization during the 14th century. In 1850, the fortress was the site of a tragedy—the pathway by which the town’s most prominent men were led through a tunnel and beheaded during the Belogradchik Revolt. The fortress was last used for military purposes in 1885 during the Serbo-Bulgarian War.
Today, the fortress serves as a well-preserved open-air museum. Its walls are 6.5 feet thick and 40 feet high, dwarfing people who pass through its archways on their way up the path to the Belogradchik Rocks. The oldest part of the fortress, known as the Citadel, stands at the top of the hill, enveloped within the natural barrier of the rocks.
Prehistoric Paintings and Bulgarian Bubbly
Some 15 miles northwest of the Belogradchik Rocks stands Magura Cave, a veritable museum of prehistory, well-preserved and nestled beneath the ground. Here among the stalactites and stalagmites, the bones of ancient cave bears and hyenas have been discovered. But far more interesting than that are the paintings on the walls of the cave: hundreds of depictions of men and women hunting and dancing, of animals—including something akin to a giraffe—and the earliest solar calendar discovered in Europe. The paintings, derived from bat guano, date from different eras as early as the Paleolithic and offer a glimpse into a society far more advanced than initially imagined.
Because of its historical significance, Magura Cave has been recognized as a Bulgarian natural landmark. The cave’s “Bat Gallery” is also utilized by nearby Magura Winery. Sparkling wine is stored in the gallery, as the natural conditions in which it matures underground are akin to those used in the production of authentic French champagne.
Venture into the Lower Danube to explore the natural wonders of Belogradchik with our Gems of Southeast Europe and Grand Danube itineraries.