RHINE, MAIN & MOSELLE | DANUBE | RHÔNE & SAÔNE | SEINE | DUTCH & BELGIAN WATERWAYS
BEAUTIFUL BLUE DANUBE & DANUBE DELTA In July travel writer and river cruise specialist Jeannine Williamson joined the Beautiful Blue Danube and Danube Delta cruise on Amadeus Brilliant. “I have been on numerous cruises on the upper stretches of the Danube between Passau and Budapest, which is undoubtedly beautiful, but nothing had prepared me for how different it would be on the lower sections of the river running through Croatia, Bulgaria, Serbia and Romania. This really is a stunning region packed with amazing sights. Amadeus is one of the few lines that cruises right down to the Black Sea, and here the river is really wide and uncrowded and you have a real sense of exploring somewhere different and off the beaten track. “As you travel further towards the sea the large cities and towns make way for lush riverbanks, dotted with small fishing villages. The mighty Iron Gates gorge is a scenic highlight, and we all went up on the sun deck as we passed the towering walls of the gorge overlooked by the huge face of Decebalus, the last king of the ancient Dracians, carved into the rock face. “My favourite part was the small boat safari into the Danube Delta, one of the excursions offered by Amadeus. The UNESCO-listed Delta is Europe’s largest wetland area and home to more than 300 species of birds including the biggest population of white pelicans in Europe. The trip took us into heart of this natural wilderness which is also home to the world’s largest reed bed. It was a fantastic spectacle. “For anyone who’s already cruised on the well-known stretch of the Danube, or if you’re looking for a river cruise with a real difference, I’d recommend a trip to the Delta.”