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See Bucharest’s 3,000-room Palace of Parliament. Make banitsa bread with a home cook in Vidin. Explore Belgrade’s Ottoman and European treasures, including 6th-century Kalemegdan Fortress. View the Danube’s towering Iron Gate. Visit a Croatian family’s Osijek home. Witness Hungary’s daredevil Puszta horsemen. Behold Budapest’s grandeur. Once hidden behind the Iron Curtain, the eastern Danube still has secrets to reveal on this enriching cruise tour.
Arrive in Bucharest and transfer to your hotel in the heart of the city for a 1-night stay. Spend the rest of the day relaxing, or do some exploring on your own.
After breakfast, disembark at Russe for a full-day excursion to Bulgaria’s former capital, Veliko Tarnovo. See Tsaravets Hill and the ruins of the royal castle. During free time, shop for local crafts along Samovodska Charshia. Continue your venture to Arbanasi for lunch in a local restaurant and a guided tour of the Nativity Church, with its intricate floor-to-ceiling murals and icons. Return to your ship for dinner. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Arrive in the picturesque Bulgarian port of Vidin, and take an excursion to see Belogradchik Fortress, built right into the striking Belogradchik Rocks. See the fortress’s amazing construction, begun in Roman times and greatly extended by Bulgarian tsars and the Ottomans, and enjoy breathtaking views. Enjoy lunch on board your ship; then you have free time to explore Vidin’s city center, Orthodox churches and the ruins of the city’s once-grand synagogue. We depart during dinner. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
This morning, enjoy scenic cruising as you travel through one of the most picturesque areas of the Lower Danube. The Iron Gate is one of Europe’s most dramatic natural wonders—a spectacular narrow gorge with enormous white limestone cliffs. Arrive in Donji Milanovac where you can choose to disembark and join an optional tour, or continue to enjoy scenic sailing. Arrive in Golubac and join an included tour of the Golubac Fortress where you will admire sweeping views over the Danube. Enjoy dinner on board before departing to Belgrade. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Cruise along the Danube, arriving at Vukovar around noon. Disembark for an afternoon excursion to the charming Croatian city of Osijek. Inhabited since Neolithic times, this area has had several heydays under the Romans, the Ottomans and the Hapsburgs; now, Vukovar is revered for its baroque buildings, parks and monuments. Return on board for dinner. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Sail into Hungary this morning, arriving in Kalocsa after lunch. Take a guided city tour followed by a short organ concert at St. Joseph Church. Then, you are treated to a performance of traditional Puszta horsemanship. Return to the ship and enjoy a festive dinner on board as we depart for Budapest. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Disembark after breakfast and take a tour of Budapest. Begin in Pest, where you see the National Opera House and historic Heroes’ Square. Cross the Chain Bridge to Buda, where you walk along Castle Hill to Fishermen’s Bastion and Matthias Church, and visit the Grand Market. Check in to your hotel for a 2-night stay, then take the rest of the day to sightsee on your own. Explore a museum, do some shopping or relax in one of the Art Nouveau spas. (Breakfast)
Take a full day to explore Budapest on your own. Ride the city’s innovative, efficient metro; walk through the City Park or along the Pest embankment for views of the Buda Castle District; explore the Buda Castle Labyrinth; visit the Jewish Quarter and tour the beautifully restored Dohány Street Synagogue. Your Viking Host is available to help you plan your time in Budapest. (Breakfast)
After breakfast, check out of your hotel and proceed to the airport for your return flight. Or extend your journey with 2 additional nights in bustling Budapest or 3 nights in Prague, the Czech Republic’s gracious capital. (Breakfast)
Encounter Romania’s mysterious Transylvania and explore numerous castles, cathedrals and fascinating towns during this extension, featuring an overnight excursion to Brașov and tours of Peleș Castle and Dracula’s Castle. All this is included 2 hotel nights in Bucharest, 1 hotel night in Barsov, 3 breakfasts, 2 guided tours, fully escorted by Viking Tour Director and all transfers.
From: $799 | 3 Nights
Explore Hungary’s legendary capital city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover the Castle District, venture across the Danube along the Chain Bridge and indulge in some delightful local cuisine. All this is included 2 hotel nights in Budapest, 2 breakfasts, services of a Viking Host and all transfers.
From $399 | 2 Nights
Indulge yourself with a stay at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace with stunning views over the Danube. Your included tour—in an intimate group—allows you to discover more and gain tips to make the most of your stay. On your own, explore Budapest’s treasures or relax in the thermal waters at a local spa. All this is included 2 nights in Premium hotel Four Seasons Gresham Palace, 2 breakfasts, 1 small-group guided Budapest Walking Tour, Services of a Viking Host and all transfers.
From $TBC | 2 Nights
Discover the Czech Republic’s vibrant capital, the “City of a Hundred Spires.” Tour Hradčany Castle, visit the Gothic St. Vitus Cathedral and stroll along Charles Bridge. All this included 3 hotel nights in Prague, 3 breakfasts, 1 guided Prague City Tour, services of a Viking Host and all transfers.
From $799 | 3 Nights
Indulge yourself with a stay at the elegant Augustine Hotel Prague, centrally located in a beautifully restored former monastery. Your included guided tour—in an intimate group—allows you to discover more and receive personalized tips to make the most of your stay. Explore Prague’s medieval gems on your own or sample one of the city’s local brews. All this is included 3 nights in Premium hotel Augustine Prague, 3 breakfasts, 1 small-group guided Prague City Tour, services of a Viking host and all transfers.
From $999 | 3 Nights
After breakfast, check out of your hotel and take a tour of the city. See the city’s wide boulevards, the Romanian Athenaeum, the Arch of Triumph and the Palace of Parliament. Visit the outdoor Muzeul Satului, otherwise known as the Village Museum, where authentic dwellings from all regions of the country have been relocated and reassembled, including rural cottages, farmhouses and water mills. During lunch at a local restaurant, enjoy a lively folkloric performance that recalls the simple pleasures of rural life. You then proceed to Giurgiu to board your ship and enjoy a welcome dinner. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
