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Danube from the Black Sea to Germany
Day 1 - Bucharest (Romania)
Arrive in Bucharest and transfer to the hotel for an overnight stay. 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.
Day 2 - Bucharest
Take a guided tour of the Romanian capital city of Bucharest with its tree-lined boulevards and Arc de Triomphe which honours 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 this afternoon. Enjoy a dinner on board then attend an on-board lecture to learn about the Danube Delta. Evening and overnight cruise to St Gheorge. (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. Evening and overnight cruise to Harsova. (B, L, D)
Day 4 - Harsova
Perhaps start the day with a morning stretch with your Avalon Adventure Host. Join a guided tour to Constanta, the most important commercial centre in Romania, situated on the Black Sea. Visit the Natural History and Archaeological Museum to discover the history of early Romanian cultures. Afternoon and overnight cruise to Rousse. (B, L, D)
Day 5 - Rousse (Bulgaria)
Join a guided sightseeing tour of Bulgaria’s largest inland port and visit its impressive Holy Trinity Church, or join a jog through the park with your Avalon Adventure Host. Sail to Svistov or 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, 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. Evening and overnight cruise to Vidin. (B, L, D)
Day 6 - Vidin
Take a guided sightseeing tour in Vidin before joining a guided tour to Belogradchik to see the remarkable rock formations on the western slopes of the Balkan Mountains, sculpted by 200 million years of natural elements. This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board with a Bulgarian folklore show. Evening and overnight cruise to Donji Milanovac. (B, L, D)
Day 7 - Donji Milanovac (Serbia)
Before lunch on board, you’ll sail through the spectacular and narrow Iron Gates Gorge that forms 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 artefacts, 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. Afternoon and overnight cruise to Belgrade. (B, L, D)
Day 8 - Belgrade
Join a guided sightseeing Tour of Belgrade, where the Danube and Sava Rivers converge, and see the city’s many fascinating sites, including Saint Sava - one of the world’s largest Orthodox churches. You may choose to spend free time in Belgrade exploring Knez Mihailova Street, Belgrade’s central pedestrian thoroughfare with many lively cafés, shops, and cultural spots. Afternoon and overnight cruise to Novi Sad. (B, L, D)
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. (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. Evening and overnight cruise to Budapest. (B, L, D)
Day 11 - Budapest
Hike up to a magnificent viewpoint in Budapest with your Adventure Host, enjoy a Guided City Sightseeing, including the iconic Heroes’ Square, or visit the Royal Palace of Gödöllö, one of the favorite retreats of Sissi. Take in the beauty of Budapest while enjoying a free afternoon exploring such famous sights as the Chain Bridge. Get to know the city’s cafés and pubs, or take a hike through the hills above the Danube. (B, L, D)
Day 12 - Budapest
Visit the Adventure Centre for today’s activities with your Adventure Host. This afternoon choose among a wide selection of Optional Guided Excursions or take a free day to explore, with time to take photographs on the Royal Palace grounds in this treasure trove of historical architecture. Try Budapest’s famous thermal bath spas, then dine in a garden or rooftop eatery. (B, L, D)
Day 13 - Bratislava (Slovakia)
Enjoy a lecture about European Royal dynasties, follow your Avalon Adventure Host on a hike to lofty Bratislava Castle, or take a Guided City Walk, including the quaint streets of Old Town, Town Hall, and the site of royal coronations at fantastic St. Martin’s Cathedral. Enjoy some free time in the village of Hainburg or take a Guided Optional Excursion to discover the natural beauties of this area. (B, L, D)
Day 14 - Vienna (Austria)
Explore Vienna's Danube Island by bike with your Adventure Host, or explore the Habsburg empire with a morning Guided City Tour of Vienna’s gilded landmarks. See the Imperial Palace complex—Winter residence of the Imperial Family, the iconic Vienna Opera House and stunning St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Take a guided tour to Schönbrunn Palace – the former imperial summer and vast gardens with a history spanning 300 years of the Habsburg monarchy. Spend free time strolling in the Kärntnerstrasse—the most famous shopping avenue in central Vienna, or take a bike ride to a local café for Sachertorte or Apfelstrudel. Later this evening, you may choose to attend an Optional Excursion to a Royal Waltz Concert. (B, L, D)
Day 15 - Dürnstein - Wachau Valley - Melk
Join a guided walk, and hear the legendary tale of King Richard the Lionheart who was imprisoned in the castle during the Crusades, or join a guided hike up to the castle ruins to take in the spectacular view of the village, Danube, and the Wachau Valley below. Later, stretch out on the Sky Deck as you sail through the Wachau Valley past vineyards, castles and charming villages on your way to Melk. This afternoon, learn more about sweet Austrian pastry. A workshop in a local bakery with an expert chef will let you create your own, pastry, fill it and enjoy it as well, OR visit the Arstetten Castle, once owned by the Habsburg family and nowadays it is a property of the Hohenbergs, the family of Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, assassinated in 1914. Take a Guided Tour of Melk’s magnificent Benedictine Abbey to marvel at its frescoed ceilings, statues, incredible library, and ornate pipe organ. Enjoy the flavors of the Wachau Valley at a Wine Tasting on board. (B, L, D)
Day 16 - Linz
Take a Guided Walk through the city’s historic and beautiful sites along the shore of the Danube and see Hauptplatz—Austria’s largest medieval square—and the towering white-marble Trinity Column. Take a full day excursion among the picturesque mountain lakes and romantic villages beloved by the Habsburgs. Borrow a bicycle with a picnic from ship, or hike the nature trails to Pöstlingberg for a bird’s-eye view of Linz and the Danube. (B, L, D)
Day 17 - Schlögen Oxbow - Passau (Germany)
This morning, cruise through the Schlögen Oxbow, a particularly beautiful horseshoe-shaped bend of the river. Enjoy a lecture about European Royal dynasties, join your Avalon Adventure Host for Hiking from Oberhaus along a trail down to the valley and along Ilz River, or take a Guided City Walk into Passau, the beautiful “City of Three Rivers. (B, L, D)
Day 18 - Deggendorf
Disembark ship. (B)
For navigational reasons the Captain of the ship reserves the right to modify the cruise itinerary. Key: B - Breakfast, L - Lunch, D - Dinner