GRAND VOYAGE TO THE BLACK SEA
aboard Spirit of the Danube
16 nights FULL BOARD from £3399
– see pages 144-149 for details
Includes insurance and cancellation cover§ Price reduction available if not required.
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SPIRIT OF THE DANUBE THE DANUBE
Admire the changing riverscapes as you sweep through six unique countries.
Buda Castle
Day 1: UK to Budapest. Fly to Hungary's capital and embark Spirit of the Danube. Enjoy a welcome cocktail reception and dinner on board as your ship remains moored here overnight. Day 2: Budapest An included city tour this morning reveals the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Buda Castle on the west bank and the Hungarian Parliament buildings in Pest on the east bank. Alternatively, opt to sample the local food and culture as part of a small group on a culinary themed included excursion. Set sail over lunch and cruise through the remainder of the day and night. Day 3: Novi Sad. Enjoy an included short walking tour of the old town centre, which boasts a fine selection of 18th and 19thcentury architecture, before visiting a familyrun wine cellar to sample the wine and honey. Set sail again this evening. Day 4: Sailing through the Iron Gate. This morning sail through a particularly scenic stretch of the Danube – the Iron Gate gorge. This is where the Danube passes through the Carpathian Mountains and the foothills of the Balkans. The ship manoeuvres through two locks by the Djerdap power stations and continues sailing overnight. Day 5: Rousse Arrive this morning in Rousse, the largest port in Bulgaria and often referred to as ‘Little Vienna’. You can see more of the city on an optional morning tour. Resume your cruise at lunchtime and sail through the day and night to Romania. Day 6: Danube Delta. Admire the scenery as you cruise the wildlife-rich Danube Delta. This afternoon an optional small boat cruise heads
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further into this UNESCO-listed Biosphere Reserve. Set sail at in the afternoon and cruise overnight towards Fetesti.
in memoriam. An optional excursion visits the Ovcara Memorial. Set sail later this afternoon.
Day 7: Fetesti. Disembark after breakfast in Fetesti for a full-day trip to Bucharest. An included tour of this lively city reveals attractions such as the Palace of the Parliament, Cotroceni Palace where the President of Romania resides, and historic Cretulescu Palace. Rejoin your ship in time for dinner on board.
Day 12: Mohács to Kalocsa. Early this morning arrive in Mohács, an important port of call for Danube traffic for many centuries. Disembark to spend the morning and afternoon on an optional excursion into the Hungarian plains to see a demonstration of traditional Hungarian horsemanship by local Magyar cowboys. Your ship continues to Kalocsa pausing briefly for excursion participants to rejoin her before sailing this evening and overnight.
Day 8: Cruising the Danube. Relax on board Spirit of the Danube and admire the changing scenery as you cruise into Serbia. Day 9: The Iron Gates to Donji Milanovac. Spend the day on a leisurely journey along the Danube, passing through the Iron Gates gorge on your way to Donji Milanovac, a Serbian town located in the Djerdap National Park. An optional excursion visits the Lepenski Vir Mesolithic site in the Derdap Gorge this afternoon. Set sail for Belgrade this evening. Day 10: Belgrade This morning you’ll arrive in Serbia's capital, where an included coach tour takes in Republic Square home to the National Theatre and Museum. You’ll also visit Saint Sava basilica and the Kalemegdan Fortress. This afternoon an optional excursion visits the Royal Palace and Tito’s Memorial. Depart late tonight and cruise overnight towards Croatia. Day 11: Vukovar. Arrive in Vukovar during breakfast. Vukovar was a thriving town before the Yugoslav War and its unscathed belle époque architecture can be compared with shell-scarred buildings preserved
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Day 13: Esztergom. Arrive before breakfast and spend the morning exploring independently or instead join an optional tour to the artistic community of Szentendre. Sail on over lunch and cruise through the remainder of the day and overnight. Day 14: Bratislava This morning you arrive in Slovakia's capital. Explore the city’s old quarter, overlooked by the vast rectangular castle, and admire the Habsburg architecture on an included morning tour. Stroll through cobbled streets to Bratislava Castle for a bird’s-eye view of the city and see the Gothic-style Cathedral. This afternoon optional excursions include beer tasting at the UFO observation tower or a visit to a Majolica pottery workshop. Before dinner set sail again, cruising overnight for Melk. Day 15: Melk to Weissenkirchen. Arrive after breakfast to explore the historic town of Melk. Its jewel is the baroque abbey which sits above the town and can be visited on an optional tour. At lunchtime you'll
