Intriguing views from the luxury River Countess

Former teacher and virgin cruise traveller Kameni Chetty was caught up in the beauty and elegance of a seven-day European tour, sailing from Vienna and travelling along the Danube

After many plane and train rides through Munich, Salzburg and Budapest, it seemed ideal to relax on a sedate cruise.

The liner River Countess, which sailed from Vienna on a seven-day journey along the Danube, was perfectly luxurious and anything but sedate.

We came across this ideal getaway after surfing the internet and reading travel articles.

My mom, Kalayani, and my aunts and uncles made up our group of six on the beautiful and romantic voyage along the Danube.

NON-STOP: We began in Vienna and moved to Melk in Germany, an elegant and pretty town with cobbled streets and old towers.

Passau, one of Bavaria's oldest towns and named as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, was our third port of call.

Deggendorf, where 2000 Jewish refugees lived after World War 2, and now a modern Bavarian town, was next.

Then came Regensburg, known as the "City of churches", which had a very spiritual feel to it.

A gloomy-looking Nuremberg, once known as the gingerbread capital of the world, ended the magical experience.

LOVE BOAT: It was undeniably five-star treatment on board the Countess. From scrumptious breakfast buffets - which offered perfect vanilla smoothies - to mouthwatering lunches, we certainly didn't go hungry. The breaded veal schnitzel with lemon, cranberries and Apfelstrudel sauce were a sacred experience. The best part of the cruise however was meeting a wonderful Canadian fellow traveller.

VERSATILE VIENNA: You cannot go to Vienna and not attend a Viennese concert. Listening to the music of Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss sets the romantic tone of the city.

The main shopping area is around the St Stephen's Cathedral, where you are surrounded by stores such as Dolce & Gabanna, Valentino and Gucci.

The cafés are overflowing and elegant. Some people fancy admiring the city from a horse-drawn carriage.

A fascinating toy shop, called Pinocchio, sells beautiful, hand-carved wooden toys.

The famous chocolate cake, Viennese Torte, is something to be appreciated - very decadent, and lives up to being world famous.

My curiosity about macaroons was laid to rest; they were dainty and mouthwatering.

MAGICAL MELK: Cruising to Melk and taking in the scenic Wachau Valley, we passed beautiful homes and churches nestled in the hills.

The grand Benedictine Abbey of Melk was breathtaking.

The abbey's library, said to have many secret passages, houses over 80000 books .

CLOSE CALL: We then moved on to Passau, where we visited St Stephen's Cathedral. It boasts the largest pipe organ in the world - 17000 pipes to be precise. We watched the organ recital for half an hour.

The ceiling of the cathedral is covered in grand marble carvings, which sets the ambience for the recital.

Passau was like a picture out of a fairytale story book.

From the narrow cobbled streets to the Old Town Hall, the cathedral and residence square, it is one of the most enchanting towns I have ever visited.

Sadly, the branches of Mango, Cartier and Esprit along the shopping streets of Passau were closed.

During cocktails and chatter at a bar with my Canadian friend and a local university student, we lost track of time.

The boat was set to sail in half an hour. Hand in hand, "Canada" and I sprinted along the dimly-lit cobbled streets, trying to find our way back to the boat, following unknown street names like "Gottfried Schaffer".

We finally reached the ship, ending our evening up on deck.

BREAD AND CLOCKS: In Deggendorf, we visited a privately owned farm, where a delightful family made traditional Bavarian bread.

Our tour guide urged us to sing "She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes" while we rode through the Bavarian Forest on a horse-drawn carriage.

We also visited a glass museum, which contained hand-made Bohemian glasswork. A replica glass sculpture, specially handmade for Prince William and Kate as a wedding gift, was on display.

Regensburg in Bavaria is an old-fashioned, romantic city where we walked in the cold, along the streets, regularly getting the aroma of yummy home-baked pastries.

We finally found shelter in St Peter's Cathedral, a gothic masterpiece. There was a cuckoo clock demonstration but I couldn't brave the cold any longer and headed back to the warmth of the ship.

LAST STOP: Reaching Nuremberg, we passed through the highest lock in the canal and enjoyed Fruehschoppen (brunch). We then joined the World War 2 Nazi Party Rallies tour. We visited court-room600, where the Nuremberg trial took place, and the grounds where Hitler held many of his rallies. It was indeed a haunting experience.

While the ship provided the relaxation of a holiday, the towns provided an educational and fascinating glimpse into European culture.

It was an enriching experience I would gladly repeat.