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The Danube from the Black Sea to Budapest Itinerary
Day 1 - Bucharest (Romania)
Arrive in Bucharest, the “Paris of the East”. The day is yours to relax. Spend some free time exploring this fascinating city on your own to discover its trendy shops, cafés, museums, beautiful homes, and churches along Victory Avenue. Check-in to your hotel.
Day 2 - Bucharest - Cernavoda
Take a guided tour of the Romanian capital city of Bucharest with its tree-lined boulevards and Arc de Triomphe, honouring WWI Romanian soldiers. See the Royal Palace Square, the scene of the city’s 1989 riots to overthrow the communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. Travel to Cernavoda to board your ship. Enjoy dinner onboard. Later, attend an onboard lecture about the Danube Delta. Overnight cruising to St Gheorghe. (B,D)
Day 3 - St Gheorghe
Join a small-boat guided tour of the best preserved of Europe’s deltas, 2,200 square miles of rivers, canals, marshes, tree-fringed lakes and reed islands. Enjoy a Special Celebration to mark Kilometer “0”, the end of the Danube River’s 2,845 km journey from the source in the Black Forest to its delta into the Black Sea. Overnight cruising to Harsova. (B,L,D)
Day 4 - Harsova
Join a guided tour to Constanta, the most important commercial center in Romania, situated on the Black Sea. Visit the Natural History and Archeological Museum to discover the history of early Romanian cultures. Overnight cruising to Rousse. (B,L,D)
Day 5 - Rousse (Bulgaria) - Veliko Tarnovo - Arbanassi
Join a guided sightseeing tour of Bulgaria’s largest inland port and visit its impressive Holy Trinity Church, or go a walk through the park with your Avalon Adventure Host. Later, cruise to Svistov. Join a full-day guided tour to the former Bulgarian capital of Veliko Târnovo—with its ancient stone houses clinging to the cliffs above the Yantra River. Discover one of the oldest towns in Bulgaria (circa 4300 BC), as well as the Bulgarian Revival architecture in the 15th-century town of Arbanassi. Later, join your ship in Svistov. This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board with a Bulgarian folklore show. Overnight cruising to Vidin.
Day 6 - Vidin
Join guided sightseeing in Vidin, followed by a Guided Tour of Belogradchik. Marvel at the remarkable rock formations on the western slopes of the Balkan Mountains, sculpted by 200 million years of natural elements. Overnight cruising to Donji Milanovac.
Day 7 - Donji Milanovac - Iron Gates - Golubac
Before lunch on board, you’ll sail through the spectacular and narrow Iron Gates Gorge, forming a natural border between Serbia and Romania. Join a guided tour to Lepenski Vir, an important Mesolithic archaeological site chronicling prehistoric cultures, settlements, and art. Marvel at the ancient discoveries and artifacts, as well as the unique views the site affords of the Danube Gorge. Enjoy a brief sailing to Golubac. Visit the Fortress of Golubač, one of the best preserved medieval fortresses in Europe. You’ll hear about its tumultuous history as a border control defense in the Middle Ages, and a source of conflict between Serbia, the Habsburg Monarchy and the Ottoman Empire. Overnight cruise to Belgrade. (B,L,D)
Day 8 - Belgrade (Serbia)
Join a guided sightseeing tour of Belgrade, where the Danube and Sava Rivers converge, and see the city’s many fascinating sights, including Saint Sava, one of the world’s largest Orthodox churches. You may choose to join an optional guided biking tour or spend free time in Belgrade exploring Knez Mihailova Street, Belgrade’s central pedestrian thoroughfare with many lively cafés, shops, and cultural spots. Overnight cruising to Novi Sad.
Day 9 - Novi Sad - Ilok (Croatia)
Join a Guided Tour of Novi Sad, the second largest town in Serbia. Admire its Austro-Hungarian old town, with its baroque buildings, and ancient fortifications. Enjoy a brief cruise to Ilok while having lunch onboard. Join a Guided Tour of Ilok, with its 1,000-year-old winemaking tradition still thriving and its medieval fortress protected for its Croatian cultural heritage. Evening and overnight cruising to Mohacs. (B,L,D)
Day 10 - Mohács (Hungary)
Take a guided tour to nearby Pécs to see its 4th-century Christian underground tombs, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with fascinating murals. You’ll also enjoy an organ concert on your tour. Overnight cruising to Budapest. (B,l,D)
Day 11 - Budapest
Disembark your ship. (B)
The Captain reserves the right to modify the cruise itinerary.