From Budapest to Belgrade Spirit of the Danube

8 nightsFULL BOARDfrom£1749

Includes insurance and cancellation cover§ Price reduction available if not required.

Combine a stay in Budapest with a cruise along the Danube.

aboard Spirit of the Danube – see pages 144-149 for details

Golubac Fortress, Serbia

Your stay

Day 1: UK to Budapest. Fly to Hungary’s capital where you’ll stay two nights with breakfast included at the locally rated 4-star Hilton Garden Inn Budapest Hotel (4Q) in downtown Budapest, near St Stephen’s Basilica and just over a mile away from the Hungarian State Opera House and Hungarian Parliament building. Day 2: Budapest. This morning there is a choice of included excursions: a city tour that will introduce you to the main attractions of Budapest, from UNESCO-listed Buda Castle on the west bank, to the Hungarian Parliament buildings in Pest on the east bank; or an included culinary-themed walking tour to the First Strudel House and Central Market Hall. Spend the afternoon at leisure, returning to your hotel this evening.

Your river cruise

Day 3: Budapest. Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and spend the morning at leisure. This afternoon you’ll embark your ship, Spirit of the Danube, and can look forward to your welcome drink reception and dinner on board this evening. Your ship remains moored here overnight. Day 4: Budapest This morning you’ll have the opportunity to join an optional excursion which focuses on Budapest’s Art Nouveaux movement and includes a guided tour of the Ráth György Villa. Your ship departs early this afternoon and will continue cruising for the rest of the day, bound for Vukovar. Day 5: Vukovar. During breakfast this morning you’ll arrive in Vukovar, the largest Croatian town and river port on the Danube. Vukovar was a thriving town before the Yugoslav War and its unscathed belle époque architecture can be compared with shell-scarred buildings preserved in memoriam, during your visit here. An optional excursion visits the Ovcara Memorial. Set sail this evening and sail overnight towards Donji Milanovac. Day 6: Donji Milanovac. Shortly after lunch you’ll arrive in the town of Donji Milanovac, on the banks of the Danube in the midst of the Djerdap National Park, the largest, and possibly most beautiful, of Serbia’s five national parks. The region has a rich history, and this afternoon, an included excursion visits the Lepenski Vir Mesolithic site, revealing a series of villages and rock carvings dating back to 6400 BC and the earliest examples of ‘monumental’ sculptures. Your ship moors here overnight.

Day 7: Donji Milanovac to the Iron

Gates. Spirit of the Danube sets sail early this morning and later will sail through a particularly scenic stretch of the Danube – the world-famous Iron Gate gorge, between Romania and Serbia, the largest and longest in Europe, and the Iron Gates is the narrowest and deepest part. Head out on deck and see how the ship manoeuvres through two locks by the Djerdap power station. Continue sailing overnight towards the village of Golubac. Day 8: Golubac to Belgrade. An early arrival in Golubac enables you to spend the morning on an included visit to the medieval fortress, which stands guard over the entrance to the Iron Gates and was first mentioned in a Hungarian charter issued in 1337. Spirit of the Danube will continue sailing in the early afternoon towards Belgrade, arriving this evening. Day 9: Belgrade-UK. Disembark after breakfast and transfer to the airport for your return flight.

on selected cabin grades and departures Free cabin upgrade at no extra charge

on selected cabin grades

Cruise through the Iron Gates

LOOK WHO’LL BE JOINING YOU ON BOARD…

Paul Rankin

On October 14, 2022 departure you will be joined by celebrity chef, Paul Rankin – head chef at the Stein Inn on the Isle of Skye and founder of Northern Ireland’s first Michelin Starred restaurant, Roscof.

Budapest’s Parliament Building

Danube

Budapest

HUNGARY

Vukovar

ROMANIA

Belgrade Golubac Iron Gate Gorge

Donji Milanovac

SERBIA BULGARIA

SO MUCH INCLUDED…

Included travel insurance

VIP door-to-door travel service – see page 155

2 nights Breakfasts only in a hotel 6 nights Full Board aboard the ship

19 meals: 8 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 6 dinners

Wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner on board the ship

Cruise Host

Interactive maps and audio headsets for independent exploration

Plus... Drinks reception and Captain’s dinner • Complimentary Wi-Fi on board • All gratuities on board • Return flights and transfers.

INCLUDED EXCURSIONS

• Budapest city tour OR culinary walking tour of Budapest • Lepenski Vir • Golubac Fortress.

RIVER CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS

A visit to Vukovar

The largest Croatian town and river port on the Danube, Vukovar was a thriving town before the Yugoslav War. Its unscathed belle époque architecture can be compared with the shell-scarred buildings preserved in memoriam. The Ovcara Memorial here is dedicated to those who died in the tragic Vukovar Hospital massacre of 1991.

Lepenski Vir Mesolithic site

The Lepenski Vir Mesolithic Site was found in the Derdap Gorge on the banks of the Danube. First discovered by peasants in 1940, serious excavation work began in 1965 uncovering a series of villages, dating back to 6,400 BC. The villages revealed carefully constructed houses and a number of sculptures carved out of rock. Eerily combining the features of humans and fish, these figures are the earliest known examples of 'monumental' sculpture. Explore the site with a guide during an included excursion.

Exploring the fortress of Golubac

Built on the site of a Roman settlement, the Golubac Fortress has a strategic riverside setting and because of this has been fought over numerous times, particularly by the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary. Take the opportunity to venture inside this imposing medieval structure during an included visit.

Prices are £s per person from: May 23, 2022 Oct 14 Lower Deck Twin (Forward - E) 1949 1749 1949 1749 Lower Deck Twin (D) 2049 1849 2049 1849 Middle Deck Twin, French Balcony (B) 2499 2299 2499 2299 Upper Deck Twin, French Balcony (A) 2649 2299 2649 2299 Lower Deck Sole occupancy (D) 2949 2749 2949 2749 Middle Deck, French Balcony Sole occupancy (B) 3349 3149 3349 3149 Upper Deck, French Balcony Sole occupancy (A) 3599 3149 3599 3149 Cruise code DA349 From Budapest to Belgrade. 8 nights †Before your cruise you will stay for two nights at the Hilton Garden Inn Budapest City Centre with bed and breakfast at no extra charge. This is available for a limited time and subject to availability. ^Free cabin upgrade from Middle Deck B grade to Upper Deck A grade, subject to limited availability. §If you choose to opt out of the included insurance and cancellation cover, a reduction applies of £40 – see page 150 for details. TRAVEL OPTIONS: Prices based on flights from Heathrow to Budapest, returning from Belgrade with the scheduled services of British Airways.

Be quick – to be guaranteed the best price, book early as flights can sell out and prices sometimes increase.