Itinerary
- Day 1
Budapest
- Day 2
Budapest
Included Activities
- Guided coach tour of Budapest including Chain Bridge and Parliament building
Optional Activities
- Tastes of Hungary - Culinary tasting tour sampling goulash, lángos, chimney cake, and pálinka at markets and eateries (Easy, 1.5 hours)
Landmarks Chain Bridge Parliament Building - Day 3
Budapest
- Meals
- Dinner (Welcome dinner on board)
Included Activities
- Traditional Hungarian folklore show on board with dinner and Hungarian folk dancing and music performance
- Day 4
Budapest to Ordas
Optional Activities
- Puszta Equestrian Heritage - Travel to the Great Hungarian Plain for a traditional performance showcasing exceptional equestrian skills of Magyar cowboys, including horse parade and exercise drills
- Day 5
Novi Sad
Included Activities
- Guided walking tour of Novi Sad including market, Orthodox Cathedral, City Hall, Catholic Cathedral, and Synagogue
Optional Activities
- Home-hosted lunch with a Serbian family with opportunity to discuss Serbian traditions and daily life
- Guided e-bike tour in Novi Sad along the Danube promenade and past iconic landmarks with guide commentary on city history and culture
Landmarks Petrovaradin Fortress - Day 6
Belgrade
Included Activities
- Highlights of Belgrade - Coach tour through the city centre including Church of Saint Sava, Parliament Building, Republic Square, City Hall, and Tito's Mausoleum
Optional Activities
- Serbian folklore evening show on board with local musicians and dancers performing traditional dances in authentic costumes
- Guided e-bike tour in Belgrade with local guide covering landmarks, natural beauty along the Danube, Belgrade Waterfront, Staro Sajmiste (former concentration camp), and Ada Island
- Routes of Nikola Tesla - Museum dedicated to Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla with working models of his machines, personal items, and visions (Moderate, 2.5 hours)
Landmarks Church of Saint Sava Tito's Mausoleum - Day 7
Golubac - Donji Milanovac
Included Activities
- Visit to Lepenski Vir archaeological site and museum - Palaeolithic site of the oldest urban settlement in Europe with eight millennia of history
Optional Activities
- Golubac Castle visit - Walking tour of medieval Golubac Fortress at the entrance to the Iron Gates, an exceptional strategic point with natural protection from steep cliffs (Moderate, 2 hours)
Landmarks Lepenski Vir Archaeological Site Iron Gates Decebalus Rock Carving - Day 8
Golubac - Donji Milanovac
Optional Activities
- Guided hike to Belogradchik Fortress - Transfer to Belogradchick Rock Fortress Park for guided hike to ancient mountaintop fortress built during Roman Empire, extended in 14th century and by Ottomans until Serbo-Bulgarian War in 1885
- Traditional Bulgarian pastry making - Watch host prepare traditional Bulgarian banitsa pastry with dough sheets and fillings, join demonstration, learn to make your own, and taste with Lactobacillus Bulgaricus yoghurt (Easy, 3 hours 15 minutes)
Landmarks Belogradchik Fortress - Day 9
Rousse
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Rousse including Court House, City Hall, Opera Building, Alexandrovska shopping street, and St. Trinity Church, with coffee and cake at a local restaurant
Optional Activities
- Guided hike to Ivanovo Church - Transfer to River Lom Nature Park for active hike to World Heritage-listed Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo from 13th-14th centuries with exquisite biblical frescoes
- Full day tour of Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi - Visit former capital of Second Bulgarian Empire built on three hills with fortifications and cobbled streets, and nearby Arbanasi on high plateau with traditional houses and old churches (Moderate, 8.5 hours)
Landmarks St. Trinity Church Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo Veliko Tarnovo - Day 10
Giurgiu to Bucharest
- Day 11
Bucharest to Istanbul
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Day 12
Istanbul
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Istanbul including Hippodrome Square, Blue Mosque, and Basilica of Saint Sophia
Optional Activities
- Topkapi Palace and Harem section - Visit magnificent palace residence of Sultans for three centuries on promontory between Bosphorus and Golden Horn (1465-1478), plus underground Basilica Cistern (532 AD) with 336 columns and Medusa heads (Moderate, 4 hours)
- Whirling Dervishes Ceremony - Attend spectacular ceremony at Hocapasha Cultural Centre founded in 13th century with expert guide explaining inner meaning and metaphors of the tradition
- Turkish Bath at Roxelana - Enjoy Turkish bath tradition at historic baths established in 1556 with Ottoman decoration and silk furnishings reflecting royal bath tradition (Easy, 3 hours)
Landmarks Hippodrome Square Blue Mosque Basilica of Saint Sophia Topkapi Palace Basilica Cistern - Day 13
Istanbul
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Istanbul with Bosphorus Cruise including Underground Cistern (Sunken Cistern), Spice Market dating to 17th century, and private boat cruise on the Bosphorus with guide sharing legends, myths, and views of mansions, palaces, and Byzantine and Ottoman domes and minarets
Optional Activities
- Turkish Bath at Roxelana - Enjoy Turkish bath tradition at historic baths established in 1556 with Ottoman decoration reflecting royal bath tradition (Easy, 3 hours)
- Street Food tour - Stroll across Galata Bridge with fishermen and stalls, visit Karakoy Gulluoglu for baklava, hike to Galatasaray neighbourhood, ride tram on Istiklal Caddesi grand boulevard, with guide explaining area history and landmarks (Easy, 4 hours)
Landmarks Underground Cistern Spice Market Bosphorus Galata Bridge Galatasaray Istiklal Caddesi - Day 14
Istanbul
- Meals
- Breakfast
