Eastern Europe Explorer - 16 Days

An exotic tour that will take you from Vienna to the 
Black Sea (or reverse) and end in lovely Bucharest.

BACK TO RIVER CRUISES

Cruise may be available in reverse direction   

Day 1: Depart Home Gateway City to Vienna

Day 2: Arrive Vienna
Arrive in Vienna and be greeted by a cruise representative who will escort you to the ship. (Dinner)

Day 3: Vienna
Vienna is steeped in history yet on the cusp of current trends. With your panoramic city overview, travel the stately Ringstrasse, where the surrounding buildings give off a distinctive imperial air, to St. Stephen’s Cathedral, where Mozart was married in 1782, and then onto Figaro House where Mozart wrote The Marriage of Figaro. (Breakfast / Lunch / Captain’s Welcome Dinner)
Featured Excursion: Vienna City Tour

Day 4: Bratislava
Your tour of the “Coronation City of Kings” is a real treat as you discover the lively restored historical center with its beautiful shops, inviting cafes and squares that provide a vivid impression of the new Eastern Europe and its lifestyle. (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)

Day 5: Budapest
Budapest is made up of two parts—Buda, the hills, and Pest, the flat lands—and is divided by the Danube. Your city tour of the architectural dream features the UNESCO-listed Castle Hill district, the 19th-century Fisherman’s Bastion, Matthias Church and the famous 19th-century Chain Bridge. (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)
Featured Excursion: Budapest City Tour

Day 6: Budapest
After a leisurely morning enjoying Budapest on your own, or taking an optional tour to the Hungarian plains, we set sail for our next stop, Vukovar. (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)

Day 7: Vukovar (Osijek)
Our day in Croatia starts in Vukovar with the scars of the recent war still visible. We tour the University town of Osijek, a crossroad on the banks of the Drava River. Visit Tvrda, the oldest part of the town, combining Turkish defense structures and Habsburg’s Baroque churches. After your tour, you’ll enjoy a lunch in a home of local Croatians. (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)
Featured Excursion: Osijek with Home-Hosted Lunch

Day 8: Belgrade
We’ll guide you through the remarkable city of Belgrade – home to dozens of cultures throughout its 2500-year history, viewing Republic Square and the eclectic architecture of the National Museum. You’ll also travel through Belgrade’s Upscale Living Quarters, where high-ranking Communist leaders once lived. We’ll cap things off with a visit to St. Sava Cathedral, the largest active Orthodox temple in the world. (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)
Featured Excursion: Belgrade City Tour

Day 9: Belgrade and Kostolac
Near Kostolac is the archeological site at Viminacium, a former Roman outpost with wide streets, luxurious villas, extensive baths and an amphitheater, just recently opened to the public. During your exploration of the site—an exclusive for our guests—you’ll be guided by one of the local archaeologist, who will share insights about the exciting treasures that have been unearthed during the ongoing excavations. (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)
Featured Excursion: Archeological Site at Viminacium
Onboard Highlight: Exciting Local Entertainment

Day 10: Cruising the Iron Gate
Today the hero is not a castle, or an ancient river port; today, the hero is the river itself and the landscape it has created, with the help of the Carpathian and Balkan Mountains. The famous Iron Gate, a series of narrow gorges that form the grandiose gateway through the southern slopes of the Carpathian Mountains and act as a natural border between Serbia and Romania, provide one of the most dramatic natural displays of beauty in all of Europe. (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)

Day 11: Vidin and Belogradchick
Vidin is one of the oldest towns along the Bulgarian section of the Danube. To this day, the Baba Vida fortress dominates the Danube River. From Vidin, it is only a short distance to discover one of the natural wonders of Bulgaria. A fairytale stone world surrounds Belogradchik, and is made of weathered red sandstone in fantastic formations, such as Adam and Eve. (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)
Featured Excursion: Vidin and Belogradchik Rock Formations

Day 12: Rousse, Veliko Turnovo and Arbanassi
With today’s excursion to the Bulgarian towns of Veliko Turnovo and Arbanassi, you’ll discover even more of the region’s Roman heritage and one of the most picturesque towns in Bulgaria. In Veliko Turnovo, see the majestic ruins of Tzarevetz Castle. Then head for the resort town of Arbanassi, where you’ll enjoy a lunch of traditional Bulgarian cuisine and join a guided tour, featuring the 17th-century Nativity Church—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (Breakfast / Lunch / Captain’s Farewell Dinner)
Featured Excursion: Veliko Turnovo & Arbanassi

Day 13: Silistra (Varna) and Black Sea
We take a motorcoach to Varna, where we’ll visit the Archeological Museum, home to artifacts from the excavations in the Varna Acropolis, a particularly rich collection including the Gold Treasures of Varna, dating back 6000 years. Enjoy lunch in Varna before taking a cruise on the Black Sea to Balchik. While in Balchik, you’ll visit the Botanical Garden and the Summer Palace built by the Romanian Queen Maria. (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)
Featured Excursions: Black Sea Cruise and Archeological Museum

Day 14: Oltenita (Bucharest)
Transferring to your hotel in Bucharest from Oltenita, visit the Palace of the Parliament, the second largest building in the world, constructed under the regime of Nicolae Ceausescu. You’llsee an eclectic mix of modern skyscrapers,19th-century buildings, and whimsical Art Deco touches, giving you a sense of Romania’s eternal optimism. (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)

Day 15: Bucharest
Spend your last day in Bucharest enjoying the sights on your own, or taking an optional excursion to Dracula's castle. (Breakfast)

Day 16: Depart Bucharest
Transfer from hotel to the airport in Bucharest for your flight home.

Cruise Ships operating this itinerary:
River Countess or River Duchess

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