Rising in Germany’s Black Forest in Germany, the Danube winds its way through ten counties and four capital cities – Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and Belgrade – before ending its epic 1,770-mile journey in the Black Sea.

It is almost a river of two halves, with popular week-long trips from Passau to Budapest being a perfect choice for first-timers and the lesser-known reaches of the Danube Delta an ideal option to attract clients on a return visit to the iconic river.

Expert view

Amadeus River Cruises executive vice-president Marcus Leskovar says: "The Danube has so much to offer to first time cruisers and experienced travellers to Europe alike.

"There are seven-night itineraries and programmes encompassing the essentials, like Passau, the beautiful Wachau Valley in Austria with Melk and Dürnstein, Bratislava and of course, the capital cities of the former Austro-Hungarian empire; Vienna and Budapest.

However, the Danube continues to amaze south of Budapest, flowing through the Balkans and exploring enchanting and mysterious countries on the way to the Danube Delta, a UNESCO world heritage site and the third largest diversified biosphere on the planet.

"Cruises along that route are usually one way due to the great distance travelled but offer great opportunities to add a visit to Bucharest and Transylvania in Romania before or after the cruise."