Day 1 - Saturday - Sep 28, 2024
Arrive in Vienna and transfer to your hotel.
Day 2 - Sunday - Sep 29, 2024
The "City of Waltzes" offers a treasure trove of gems just waiting to be discovered on your city tour. See the majestic Opera House and the former Imperial Palace of the Habsburgs before concluding in Vienna's historic city center. (B)
Day 3 - Monday - Sep 30, 2024
Transfer from Vienna by motorcoach to Budapest where you'll be taken on a city tour. Visit the UNESCO-listed Castle Hill district, Fisherman's Bastion, St. Stephen's Basilica, and Chain Bridge. (B,D)
Board the ship for your Gems of Southeast Europe cruise. (D)
Day 4 - Tuesday - Oct 1, 2024
Enjoy a scenic morning cruise to Mohacs. You'll then visit Pecs, founded more than 2,000 years ago by the Romans. Visit the UNESCO-designated Christian Necropolis; St. Peter's Basilica, the city's main Catholic cathedral along with its catacombs; and Szechenyi Square, the heart of Old Town Pecs. You will also see the Mosque of Pasha Qasim the Victorious, one of the symbols of the city. Or for wine connoisseurs, you'll want to go to the Szekszard wine region, one of the oldest red-wine-growing areas in Hungary, established more than 2,000 years ago. You may also take an exhilarating guided bike tour around Mohacs. (B,L,D)
Day 5 - Wednesday - Oct 2, 2024
Vukovar is a Croatian symbol of resistance, which you'll better understand on your city tour showcasing the Ovcara Memorial and Eltz Manor House. Alternatively, choose a wine tasting in Ilok, a center of wine production since Roman times, where you'll sample its famous Grasevina, Traminac, and Frankovka wines. Back onboard, cruise to Novi Sad, sometimes called the "Serbian Athens". Discover Novi Sad on a walking tour to Dunavski Park and through Stari Grad, the Old Town center. During the evening, visit Petrovaradin Fortress, a mighty stronghold no enemy has ever breached. (B,L,D)
Day 6 - Thursday - Oct 3, 2024
Explore Serbia's capital, Belgrade, on a city tour, which includes the Nikola Tesla Museum, encompassing the world-renowned inventor's life and inventions, as well as the Kalemegdan Fortress and the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Sava, the largest such church in the world. Alternatively, you can hike to Belgrade Fortress. In the afternoon, enjoy a taste of the region by sampling a few types of Serbian brandy, including slivovitz, which was added in 2022 to UNESCO's list of "Intangible Cultural Heritage", paired with delicious local appetizers. For those wishing a more active adventure, join a guided bike tour. (B,L,D)
Day 7 - Friday - Oct 4, 2024
Visit Golubac Fortress - a medieval fortified town on the south side of the Danube River - before cruising through the Iron Gates. The Iron Gates is one of Europe's most awe-inspiring natural wonders. The Danube narrows as it winds through a series of magnificent gorges between the Carpathian and Balkan mountains, forming a natural border between Serbia and Romania. The ancient King Decebalus, the last king of Dacia, is proudly carved into the mountainside and always captivates travelers. (B,L,D)
Day 8 - Saturday - Oct 5, 2024
Explore Vidin, one of Bulgaria's oldest cities, and surrounding areas with a choice of excursions. Discover Baba Vida Fortress, the largest preserved medieval castle in Bulgaria. Alternatively, visit a local home for a demonstration of traditional Bulgarian yogurt and banitsa, a pastry you will also get to make. You also have the choice to bike through Vidin and to the castle. (B,L,D)
Day 9 - Sunday - Oct 6, 2024
Visit Bulgaria's ancient capital, Veliko Tarnovo, with its medieval fortress and multiple Orthodox temples. You can opt instead to go to Rousse, known for its 19th- and 20th-century Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture, and then afterwards visit the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo with frescos revealing exceptional artistry of 14th-century paintings. Later in the day, travel through the Romanian countryside to the capital of Bucharest, known as the "Little Paris of the East". Enjoy a panoramic tour of the historic city center and its elegant architecture. (B,L,D)
Day 10 - Monday - Oct 7, 2024
Bid farewell to Giurgiu as you prepare for your flight home. (B)
Disembark the ship in Giurgiu and continue to the legendary region of Transylvania, a place deeply rooted in myth and history. Your first stop on the road to Transylvania will be the quaint mountain town of Sinaia. While in Sinaia you will visit Peles Castle. Peles Castle is considered by many to be one of the most stunning castles in Europe and a masterpiece of Neo-Renaissance with 160 rooms filled with priceless European art. After your tour of Peles Castle, you will depart for Brasov. (B)
Day 11 - Tuesday - Oct 8, 2024
Enjoy a walking tour around Brasov. Afterward, Dracula lovers will be in for another treat with an excursion to Sighisoara, birthplace to Transylvania's most notorious ruler, Vlad Tepes, also known as Vlad the Impaler or Dracula. It's hard to believe that this perfectly preserved UNESCO-designated town filled with resplendent pastel-colored buildings, stone lanes, medieval towers, and pedestrian-friendly Old Town was Vlad's place of birth. His home is still here, marked with a placard; however, today it houses a kitschy restaurant called "Casa Dracula". (B)
Day 12 - Wednesday - Oct 9, 2024
En route to Bucharest, you'll visit Transylvania's legendary Bran Castle, forever linked with the legend of Dracula. Later in the day, transfer to Bucharest and check into your hotel. (B)
Day 13 - Thursday - Oct 10, 2024
Bucharest, Romania's capital, has earned its nickname "Little Paris of the East" with its wide boulevards and Arc de Triomphe. Enjoy a visit to the city's most impressive sites-including the historic city center and the Palace of the Parliament, second only to the Pentagon as the largest administrative building in the world. Alternatively, you can choose a walking tour the historic old town. (B)
Day 14 - Friday - Oct 11, 2024
Bid farewell to Bucharest as you prepare for your homeward flight. (B)
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