Itinerary
- Day 1
Bucharest
BucharestOptional Activities
- Explore Bucharest after dark
- Day 2
Bucharest to Giurgiu
Bucharest to Giurgiu- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Orientation tour of Bucharest by coach including Union, University, Roman, Victory and Charles de Gaulle squares
Optional Activities
- Visit Ceausescu's Spring Palace with 80 distinctive rooms decorated with silk wallpaper, wood panels, paintings, mosaics, marble, chandeliers and Murano glass mirrors
- Explore the Village Open Air Museum with ethnography exhibits depicting Romanian heritage, authentic houses, barns and churches built using traditional techniques
Landmarks Primaverii Palace Union Square, Bucharest University Square, Bucharest Roman Square, Bucharest Victory Square, Bucharest Charles de Gaulle Square, Bucharest - Day 3
Silistra
Silistra- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Active guided walking tour to Silistra Fort, the best preserved of six Turkish fortification points from the 19th century
- Visit Alfatar village with ethnographic museum featuring a typical country house, customary attire, Alfatar school visit to meet local children with choir performance and learn about Bulgarian youth daily life
- Guided tour of the ancient Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari, a World Heritage site dating back to the 3rd century BC, followed by local brandy producer visit and tasting
Landmarks Silistra Fort Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari - Day 4
Rousse to Svishtov
Rousse to Svishtov- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Walking tour of Rousse with local guide covering traditional Bulgarian handicrafts, local wine tasting and piano recital
- Full day excursion to Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi village with panoramic views of the old town and Asenevtsi Brothers Monument
Landmarks Asenevtsi Brothers Monument - Day 5
Cruising Day - Djerdap Gorge (Iron Gates)
Cruising Day - Djerdap Gorge (Iron Gates)- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Cruise through Djerdap Gorge (Iron Gates) featuring four narrow gorges, soaring cliffs and rock carving of Decebalus
Landmarks Djerdap Gorge (Iron Gates) Rock carving of Decebalus - Day 6
Belgrade
Belgrade- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Tour of Belgrade with local guide covering iconic sites including Bohemian Quarter and Kalemegdan Fortress, followed by free time to explore
- Panoramic tour of Belgrade with local guide including Ottoman heritage of Old Town and memorial dedicated to Tito, former ruler of Yugoslavia
- Guided cycling tour along the Danube for 16km covering history of Yugoslavia and Belgrade, with views of Belgrade Waterfront, former concentration camp Staro Sajmiste, and Ada Island
- Central Belgrade stroll starting from Kalemegdan Fortress, walking down Knez Mihailova Street with coffee and signature cake from a local bakery
- Explore Skardalija Street, a district once frequented by writers and artists, now home to traditional restaurants, local stores and galleries
- Concert in the Crypt of St. Sava Church featuring St. Sava Temple, the largest orthodox temple in the Balkans, with church choir performance in fresco-lined crypt with white marble ceilings and remarkable acoustics
Landmarks Kalemegdan Fortress Bohemian Quarter, Belgrade Knez Mihailova Street Skardalija Street St. Sava Temple Belgrade Waterfront Staro Sajmiste Ada Island - Day 7
Vukovar
Vukovar- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Authentic meal at local Croatian family home prepared with fresh vegetables from the host's garden), Dinner
Included Activities
- Lunch at a local Croatian family home with authentic meal prepared using fresh vegetables from the host's garden
Optional Activities
- Guided walking tour of nearby Osijek covering its turbulent history, Baroque buildings bearing scars of war, and traditional and classical music of the region
- Wine tasting experience in the Baranja wine region straddling Croatia and Hungary, exploring wine-making tradition and vineyards
- Vukovar chronicles guided tour covering the city's medieval roots, role as vibrant trade and industrial centre, rebuilding after war damage, and museums and monuments preserving its legacy of resilience and sacrifice
Landmarks Osijek - Day 8
Mohács
Mohács- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Guided tour of Pécs covering the city's first telephone exchange opened in 1885 and the Turkish Bath of Pasha Memi
- Wine tasting experience in the Villány wine region known for big, bold red wines, learning about everyday life in Hungary and sampling local wines at a historic cellar
- Mohács traditions and flavours experience exploring the multicultural heritage of Hungarians, Croats and Serbs, visiting the Busóudvar Museum to learn about the World Heritage-listed Busójárás festival and tasting authentic halászlé stew made with fresh Danube River fish and Hungarian paprika
Landmarks Busóudvar Museum - Day 9
Budapest
Budapest- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Explore Budapest independently
- Day 10
Budapest
Budapest- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Budapest in depth coach tour starting in Buda with Várkert Bazár, crossing Margaret Bridge to Pest with Széchenyí Square and Elizabeth Square, ending with piano recital at the Institute for the Blind
- Guided hike through Buda district visiting Várkert Bazár and landscaped gardens with views over Danube River and city architecture
- National Opera House guided tour exploring the neo-Renaissance masterpiece revealing its splendid interior, stories of royal guests and world-famous performers, and the building's exceptional acoustics
- Excursion to Szentendre riverside town known for its museums, galleries and artists with guided city tour experiencing Mediterranean atmosphere
- Visit one of Budapest's thermal baths for a relaxing soak in therapeutic waters
- Explore the Central Market Hall independently
- Classical Concert at Palais Liechtenstein in the evening featuring private concert in Vienna's largest secular Baroque Hall with glass of Austrian Sekt and music by Strauss and Mozart performed by a renowned orchestra with ballet dancers and vocalists
Landmarks Danube River, Budapest Buda District Pest District Margaret Bridge Várkert Bazár Széchenyí Square Elizabeth Square Institute for the Blind National Opera House Szentendre Central Market Hall - Day 11
Bratislava
Bratislava- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Walking tour of Bratislava with local guide covering Hlavné Námestie (main square), Old Town Hall and life behind the Iron Curtain after WWII
- Carpathian wine route experience in picturesque villages of the Small Carpathians beyond Bratislava with wine tasting and meetings with passionate family winemakers
- Communist walk exploring Bratislava's complex history during the communist regime and its impacts on Slovak daily life
Landmarks Bratislava Castle Old Town, Bratislava Hlavné Námestie (Main Square) Old Town Hall, Bratislava - Day 12
Vienna
Vienna- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Schönbrunn Palace tour exploring the former summer residence of the Habsburg family with ornately designed rooms, royal family stories and impressive gardens
- Guided e-bike tour to Danube Island, Vienna's recreational playground for bathing, boating, cycling and relaxing on beaches and open spaces
- Art tour of Vienna including Kunsthistorisches Museum with local guide overview of magnificent exhibits including world class art collection and impressive ancient artefacts, followed by leisurely museum exploration
- Central Vienna tour with expert local guide covering history, elegance and diverse architecture with free time to explore
- Classical Concert at Palais Liechtenstein in the evening featuring exclusive private concert in Vienna's largest secular Baroque Hall, glass of fine Austrian Sekt, timeless music of Strauss and Mozart performed by renowned orchestra with ballet dancers and vocalists, surrounded by world-famous art
Landmarks Schönbrunn Palace Danube Island Kunsthistorisches Museum Palais Liechtenstein - Day 13
Dürnstein to Melk
Dürnstein to Melk- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch during cruise through Wachau Valley), Dinner
Included Activities
- Cruise through UNESCO World Heritage-listed Wachau Valley viewing sloping vineyards and charming villages
Optional Activities
- Explore Dürnstein independently during free time
- Guided tour of Melk Abbey exploring the 18th century abbey with decorated marble hall, library with more than 80,000 books, and Abbey Church adorned in frescoes and intricate statues
- Guided e-bike experience through UNESCO Wachau Valley cycling from Dürnstein to Melk passing small villages and rolling vineyards with stops to enjoy river views
- Artstetten Castle tour meeting current owners, exploring the 13th century castle once home to Archduke Franz Ferdinand whose assassination sparked WWI in 1914, seeing the family crypt and onsite museum, hearing tales from royal family descendants
- Onboard informative talk on production of regional delicacies with tasting of local varieties
Landmarks Dürnstein Castle Melk Abbey Wachau Valley Artstetten Castle 
- Day 14
Brandstatt to Passau
Brandstatt to Passau- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Full day excursion to Salzburg with guided tour covering art and music scene, Mozart's birthplace, Hohensalzburg Fortress views, lunch at local restaurant and free time
- Full day excursion to Český Krumlov, a Czech World Heritage site, with guided exploration of well-preserved Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture and lunch at local restaurant
- Walking tour of Passau highlights with local guide admiring brightly coloured buildings along waterways and visiting St. Stephens Cathedral originally built in 450, destroyed by fire in 1662 and rebuilt in Baroque style
Landmarks St. Stephens Cathedral, Passau - Day 15
Regensburg
Regensburg- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities
- Walking tour of Regensburg with local guide covering the confluence of three rivers, the old stone bridge, Church of St James and Porta Praetoria
- Bavarian beer tasting experience learning about beer making and the region's brewing heritage spanning over 1,000 years, visiting a traditional brewery to taste distinctive Bavarian brews
Landmarks Church of St James, Regensburg Porta Praetoria - Day 16
Regensburg to Munich
Regensburg to Munich- Meals
- Breakfast
