Danube River Cruise
Culinary Experience
Culinary Host
Tara O’Brady
Food Writer
Join your Globe Danube Cruise culinary host and food writer, Tara O’Brady, as she shares her wealth of food knowledge both onboard The Scenic Opal ship and at off ship private cooking lessons, as well as at the following exclusive Globe and Mail curated culinary events listed below.
DAY ONE
Budapest, Hungary
Once you settle into your room at the five-star, storied Párisi Udvar Hotel Budapest, where you’ll step into a world of opulence where Art Nouveau elegance meets Moorish and Gothic grandeur in the heart of the city, we kick off our trip with a celebratory welcome reception hosted by our Globe journalists, and meet your fellow guests.
On day 1 and 2 of your journey, explore further the fabulous city of Budapest and Hungarian culture and enjoy independent dinners at one of their many wonderful restaurants from a curated list of recommended restaurants.
DAY TWO
Budapest, Hungary
Join Tara O’Brady and immerse yourself in Hungary’s culinary soul with the Ancestry of the Kitchen cooking class, where you’ll prepare traditional dishes while learning the stories behind them.
DAY THREE
Budapest, Hungary
Market and the Ancestry of the Kitchen culinary class photo.
On your second full day in the intriguing city of Budapest, once again you have a full day ahead of you while enjoying one of the following culinary related excursions; a vibrant market tour, where the colors, flavors, and aromas of Hungarian cuisine come alive among local vendors and traditional specialties.
Today you have a second opportunity to learn more about Hungary’s rich gastronomic traditions with the Ancestry of the Kitchen culinary class, where cooking becomes a journey through history.
Or enjoy an adventure with a wine tour and tasting just outside Budapest, where you’ll savor regional vintages in picturesque vineyard settings.
DAY THREE
Onboard the Scenic Opal Ship
Relax and unwind on the Scenic Opal, where more space per guest makes days on the water a true pleasure. Wine and dine in the Crystal Dining Room, and catch up with new found friends over a drink in the Panorama Lounge. Warm days on the water are best spent sipping a drink on the Sun (Top) Deck.
Our Globe and Mail Cruise culinary host Tara O’Brady works directly with Scenic Opal’s onboard executive chef and his team to enhance the onboard cuisine to match the level of comfort this ship provides.
DAY FOUR
Bratislava, Slovakia
On day four of your journey, you’ll have the choice of three different culinary excursions.
You’ll visit the old town of Bratislava with a stop where you’ll enjoy a wine tasting of Slovakia’s award wining wines.
Join Tara O’Brady for a hands-on culinary class that offers a delicious dive into Slovak flavours.
Or, venture beyond the city and head over the border to Austria for a wine tour and tasting at the renowned Weingut Hopler, where fine wines and vineyard scenery create an unforgettable experience.
DAY FIVE & SIX
Vienna, Austria
You’ll spend two glorious days in the stunning capital city of Austria, Vienna where you’ll have the opportunity to select a hands on culinary class or a wine tour and tasting. Tara O’Brady hosts a hands-on culinary class that brings Austrian flavors to life. The family owned cooking studio emphasizes convivial, communal cooking in a fun, inclusive setting, complete with drinks, and a family‑style meal to share
Or alternatively, enjoy a wine tour and tasting at Weingut Wieninger that introduces you to the rich winemaking tradition of Vienna’s vineyards. Weingut Wieninger is Vienna’s premier urban winery, led by Fritz Wieninger, whose family has produced biodynamic and organic wines on the Bisamberg and Nussberg hills for generations. Celebrated for reviving the Wiener Gemischter Satz DAC and crafting top-tier Grüner Veltliner, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir, their expressive terroir wines grace fine tables worldwide.
DAY SEVEN
Durnstein & Melk, Austria
Today, you have the opportunity to enjoy a wine tour and tasting at the renowned Prager winery, where the region’s signature Grüner Veltliner and Riesling are crafted with elegance and precision. Prager, famed for minimalist, stainless‑steel vinification and hand‑harvested, terroir‑driven wines—especially Smaragd and Federspiel bottlings like Achleiten and Klaus—Prager produces mineral‑rich, age‑worthy whites revered by critics and collectors alike.
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The Globe and Mail 2025 Danube River Cruise
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