Torgau (Germany Saxony)

Torgau is an Elbe River cruise port and town in Germany's Saxony state (Nordsachsen district) with population around 20,000. The town is best-known worldwide as the place where the USSR (Soviet Union/Russia) and USA troops first met on April 25, 1945 (at the end of WW2 /1939-45).

The settlement was established by the Slavs (as Turguo) around a wooden castle (under the current Hartenstein Castle). The town started to develop in the 10th-century AD (as part of the Holy Roman Empire / 800-1808) around the stone-built Hartenfels Castle (Germany's largest fully-preserved Renaissance castle). The town also developed as a market town (since early-12th-century) benefitting from its strategic location on the trade route between Leipzig and Frankfurt-Oder that crossed the river east of Torgau. During the Seven Years War (1756-63), in the Battle of Torgau (Nov 3, 1760) Prussia defeated Austria. After Wiener Kongress (1814-15, in Vienna) in 1815 Torgau became part of Prussia.

As cruise port, Rothenburg is regularly included in the schedule of Viking River Cruises - the world's largest river cruise company by fleet (vessel number) and passenger capacity. In 2019, the riverport was included in the schedules of Viking's Elbe riverboats (patented Viking Longship-class inland cruisers) Astrild and Beyla. Other major European cruise companies with itineraries visiting Torgau included Phoenix Reisen (ship Saxonia).

Next tables show the Torgau-inclusive itineraries as riverport sequences and lowest prices per person (based on double occupancy).

(Viking) 5-day itinerary between homeports Decin and Lutherstadt Wittenberg, prices from ~USD 4000 pp

(Phoenix Reisen) 12-day itinerary from homeport Potsdam, prices from ~USD 2400 pp