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The Danube from Romania to Budapest with 1 Night in Bucharest, 2 Nights in Transylvania & 1 Night in Budapest 2025
13 Day River Cruise Bucharest to Budapest
Tour Description:
Begin your exciting vacation with a visit to Peles Castle in Sinaia, considered one of the most beautiful in Europe. Continue with an excursion to Transylvania to enjoy guided sightseeing of Brasov and a visit to the Bran Castle of Dracula lore, believed to be the home of Romanian vampires. In Bucharest, Romania, known for its wide, tree-lined boulevards and historical treasures, enjoy guided sightseeing and see the Arc de Triomphe—built in honor of WWI soldiers—and the historical Royal Palace Square. Your Danube River cruise will take you to Bulgaria’s ancient capital of Veliko Tarnovo. Visit the Ethnographical Museum and Church of the Nativity in Arbanassi, and take pictures of Belogradchik’s rock formations and the spectacular scenery of the Iron Gates. Visit Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, and one of the oldest cities in Europe. Continue your cultural discoveries on an excursion to Pécs, Hungary, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are countless memorable moments on this fascinating river cruise through Eastern Europe, culminating in the unique energy of Budapest. A local expert introduces you to the must-see sights, such as Heroes’ Square.
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Destination & Sightseeing
Destination & Sightseeing| Day 1 Bucharest: | Welcome to Bucharest |
| Day 2 Bucharest–Sinaia–Brasov: | Visit Peles Castle |
| Day 3 Brasov: | Guided tour of Brasov; guided visit of Dracula's Bran Castle |
| Day 4 Brasov–Bucharest-Oltenita (Embarkation): | Guided sightseeing in Bucharest; transfer to ship; onboard welcome reception |
| Day 5 Rousse. Excursion to Veliko Târnovo & Arbanassi: | Choice of full-day excursion, visit to Tsarevet's Fortress in Veliko Târnovo and to the Ethnographic Museum and the Church of the Nativity in Arbanassi, or guided sightseeing in Rousse, or bike with your Adventure Host |
| Day 6 Vidin. Excursion to Belogradchik: | Guided sightseeing to Baba Vida fortress, see the rock formations in Belogradchik or bike with your Adventure Host |
| Day 7 Iron Gates–Golubač: | Scenic cruise through the Iron Gates Gorge; Guided visit of Lepenski Vir archaeological site and Golubač fortress |
| Day 8 Belgrade: | Choice of guided sightseeing or walk with your Adventure Host; onboard lecture |
| Day 9 Novi Sad: | Guided tour; choice of honey and wine tasting or hike to the Petrovaradin Fortress |
| Day 10 Ilok-Vukovar: | Ilok guided tour with wine tasting; Vukovar guided tour |
| Day 11 Mohács. Excursion to Pécs: | Choice of guided tour and organ concert in Pécs or sightseeing in Mohács, visit St. Nicolas watermill |
| Day 12 Budapest (Disembarkation): | Guided tour, see Heroes' Square |
| Day 13 Budapest: | Your vacation ends this morning |
Notes:
- In the event of technical or water level issues, it may be necessary to operate the itinerary by motorcoach or alter the program, including hotel overnight when necessary.
- Guided Tours, Optional Excursions, activities, sailing and docking schedules may be contingent on weather conditions or other issues outside of our control and could therefore be subject to change at any time.
- Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.
ITINERARY
ITINERARYDay 1
BUCHAREST, ROMANIA Welcome to Bucharest—The “Paris of the East”
The day is yours to relax and enjoy Bucharest. 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–SINAIA–BRASOV Drive into the Carpathians to Sinaia to visit Peles Castle. On the way, enjoy a local lunch. This afternoon continue to Brasov for the night
BreakfastLunch
BreakfastLunchDay 3
BRASOV Join a morning Guided Sightseeing Tour of Brasov followed by free time. In the evening enjoy a tour of Bran Castle of Dracula lore followed by dinner
Breakfast Dinner
Breakfast
DinnerDay 4
BRASOV–BUCHAREST–OLTENITA (EMBARKATION)
CLASSIC Join a Guided Excursion in Bucharest, see the Royal Palace Square—the scene of the city 's 1989 riots to overthrow the communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.
Join your Avalon Suite Ship® this afternoon, for embarkation in Oltenita.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ROUSSE
Day 5
ROUSSE, BULGARIA. VELIKO TÂRNOVO & ARBANASSI EXCURSION Fortresses and Fountains in “Little Vienna”
ACTIVE Join a bike tour in Rousse with your Avalon Adventure Host, OR:
CLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Bulgaria’s largest inland port and visit its impressive Holy Trinity Church, OR:
CLASSIC 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 Bulgarian Revival architecture in the 15th-century town of Arbanassi.
Sail to Svistov or join your ship there if you opted for the full-day tour.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO VIDIN
BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 6
VIDIN Rocks, Ruins, and Balkan Beauty
Ask about today’s energizing or relaxing Adventure Host activities.
ACTIVE Wander and discover this town, join your Adventure Host for a bike ride, OR:
CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour of Belogradchik. See the remarkable rock formations on the slopes of the Balkan Mountains, sculpted by 200 million years of nature’s elements. Then, visit the mighty Baba Vida Fortress in nearby Vidin.
This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board with a Bulgarian folklore show.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO DONJI MILANOVAC
BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 7
IRON GATES GORGE. EXCURSION TO LEPENSKI VIR, SERBIA Ancient Artifacts and the Iron Gates
Before lunch on board, you’ll sail through the spectacular and narrow Iron Gates Gorge—forming a natural border between Serbia and Romania.
CLASSIC 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. Continue to the Fortress of Golubač, one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in Europe.
OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BELGRADE
BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 8
BELGRADE Fortresses and Folklore
Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.
ACTIVE Discover Belgrade's central walkway with your Adventure Host, OR:
CLASSIC 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.
DISCOVERY Attend an onboard Lecture to learn about the rich history, destinations, and culture of the Balkan states.
OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO NOVI SAD
BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 9
NOVI SAD A Capital of Culture
CLASSIC 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.
ACTIVE Enjoy a walking tour in Novi Sad along the narrow streets that climb slowly to the top of the hill above the city to Petrovaradin Fortress, OR:
DISCOVERY Experience the sweet life in Serbia with a visit and tasting at the Museum of Beekeeping and Živanović Wine Cellar in Sremski Karlovci.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN ILOK
BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 10
ILOK, CROATIA Croatian Heritage and Hilltop Vintages
DISCOVERY Take a walking tour of Ilok with a wine tasting in a local cellar with stories of Croatian tradition.
Enjoy a short sailing to Vukovar during lunchtime
VUKOVAR, CROATIA
The Heroic Town on the Danube
CLASSIC Enjoy a walking tour of Vukovar, the city the largest river port in Croatia.
This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board.
OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MOHÁCS
BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 11
MOHÁCS, HUNGARY. EXCURSION TO PÉCS Underground Tombs and Heavenly Music
CLASSIC Join a morning Guided Sightseeing Tour of Mohács—the quiet Danube harbor town with its historical memorial parks, statues, and distinctive churches. Tour the remarkable medieval St. Nicholas Watermill—one of only a few remaining watermills performing stone-ground grain processing, OR:
CLASSIC 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.
AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BUDAPEST
BreakfastLunch Dinner
BreakfastLunch DinnerDay 12
BUDAPEST (DISEMBARKATION) The Pearl of the Danube in the Heart of Europe
CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided Sightseeing tour of Budapest, including the iconic Heroes’ Square.
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
Day 13
BUDAPEST Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning
Breakfast
Breakfast Accommodations
Accommodations| Bucharest | Brasov | Brasov | Budapest | Budapest |
Intercontinental Athenee Palace
Superior First-Class
Hotel as shown or similar
1-3 Episcopiei Bucharest Romania
Explore Bucharest from the glorious Athenee Palace Hilton Bucharest hotel, one of the city's most sophisticated and prestigious landmarks. The hotel is conveniently located in the heart of the city and enjoys views of Revolution Square and is close to Bucharest's many local attractions.
Superior First-Class
Hotel as shown or similar
1-3 Episcopiei Bucharest Romania
Explore Bucharest from the glorious Athenee Palace Hilton Bucharest hotel, one of the city's most sophisticated and prestigious landmarks. The hotel is conveniently located in the heart of the city and enjoys views of Revolution Square and is close to Bucharest's many local attractions.
Disclaimer: Prices listed are per person, based on double occupancy, and in USD. All promotions are valid for new bookings only, capacity controlled and valid on select dates and departures. Individual Terms and Conditions will apply to all promotions. Any promotion can be withdrawn at any time without notice. Please speak with your Pavlus Travel Planner for complete vendor terms and conditions, including eligible tour and cruise dates.
