Budapest and the Scenic Danube Spirit of the Danube

13 nightsFULL BOARDfrom£2399 BUDAPEST AND THE SCENIC DANUBE aboard Spirit of the Danube – see pages 144-149 for details

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

Explore the great capital cities of the Danube.

Golubac Fortress, Serbia

Your stay

Day 1: UK to Budapest. Fly to Hungary’s capital where you will stay two nights at the locally rated 4-star Hilton Garden Inn Budapest (4Q).

Day 2: Budapest. Three cities became one when Buda, Pest and Óbuda merged in 1873. Buda is older and more graceful, with its cobbled streets and medieval architecture, Pest is the administrative and commercial centre and has wide avenues and 19th-century public buildings, while Óbuda is the oldest part of Budapest with museums and Roman ruins. Enjoy an included tour of the city or an included culinary-themed walking tour of Budapest.

Your river cruise

Day 3: Budapest. After breakfast at your hotel, check out and transfer to the port to embark Spirit of the Danube. Enjoy a welcome cocktail reception and dinner on board this evening.

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. Spend the afternoon at leisure.

Day 5: Vukovar. Arrive in Vukovar, where an optional excursion this morning visits the Vukovar and Ovcara Memorial. Set sail this evening and sail overnight towards Donji Milanovac. Day 6: Donji Milanovac. Shortly after lunch you’ll arrive in the pretty town of Donji Milanovac. This afternoon, you can join an optional excursion to the Lepenski Vir Mesolithic site. 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. 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. Spirit of the Danube will continue sailing in the early afternoon towards Belgrade, arriving this evening. Day 9: Belgrade Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, is one of the oldest cities in Europe. Explore its key attractions during an included excursion this morning. Depart late tonight and cruise overnight towards Novi Sad. Day 10: Novi Sad. Spend the morning exploring Novi Sad on an optional excursion. Set sail early this afternoon and spend the rest of the day relaxing on board Spirit of the Danube as she continues towards Kalosca.

Day 11: Kalocsa. Arrive in Kalocsa this morning and take the opportunity to join an optional tour of Puszta or a walking tour of Kalocsa. Spirit of the Danube continues cruising towards Bratislava in the afternoon. Day 12: Bratislava This afternoon you arrive in Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava. Take the opportunity to explore independently or on an optional city tour or opt for an optional beer tasting at the UFO observation tower. Set sail again late this evening cruising overnight bound for Vienna. Day 13: Vienna Arrive in Vienna before breakfast. This morning choose between an included culinary-themed walking tour or an included sightseeing tour. This afternoon an optional excursion visits grand Schönbrunn Palace. You may wish to spend the final evening of your holiday in Viennese style – after dinner on board, you can attend an optional performance of music by Mozart and Strauss in one of the great formal concert houses of Imperial Vienna.

Day 14: Vienna to UK.Disembark after breakfast and travel to the airport for your return flight to the UK.

EXTEND YOUR HOLIDAY

Vienna 2 night with breakfasts included.

After your cruise stay three nights at the locally rated 4-star Imperial Riding School (4Q) located in the city centre. Please see page 143 for details.

selected cabin grades and departures FREE CABIN UPGRADE worth up to £250^

Cruise through the Iron Gates The Cathedral of St Sava in Belgrade

Vienna

SLOVAKIA

AUSTRIA Bratislava Budapest

Nights in hotel

HUNGARY

Kalocsa Vukovar Novi Sad Belgrade Golubac Iron Gate Gorge Donji Milanovac

Danube ROMANIA

SERBIA BULGARIA

LOOK WHO’LL BE JOINING YOU ON BOARD…

Paul Rankin During the first week of your cruise on October 14, 2022 departure, you will be joined by celebrity chef, Paul Rankin – founder of Northern Ireland’s first Michelin Starred restaurant, Roscof.

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.

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.

The paprika capital of Hungary, Kalocsa

Renowned for its thriving paprika pepper growing industry, Kalocsa’s history of this activity is documented in its Paprika Museum, which is located in the town’s historic centre next to the Archbishop’s Palace. Your senses are sure to be awakened by the scent of thousands of spice peppers hanging from the beams within the museum.

SO MUCH INCLUDED…

Included travel insurance

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

2 nights Breakfasts only in a hotel 11 nights Full Board aboard the ship

34 meals: 13 breakfasts, 10 lunches and 11 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 • Golubac Fortress • Belgrade and Kalemegdan Fortress • Vienna city tour OR culinary walking tour of Vienna.

Prices are £s per person from: May 23, 2022 Oct 14

Lower Deck Twin (Forward - E) 2749 2449 2699 2399

Lower Deck Twin (D) 2949 2649 2899 2599 Middle Deck Twin, French Balcony (Forward - C) 3449 3149 3399 3099 Middle Deck Twin, French Balcony (B) 3649 3349 3599 3299 Upper Deck Twin, French Balcony (A) 3899 3349^ 3849 3299^ Lower Deck Sole occupancy (D) 4199 3899 4149 3849 Middle Deck, French Balcony Sole occupancy (B) 4799 4499 4749 4449 Upper Deck, French Balcony Sole occupancy (A) 5199 4499^ 5149 4449^ Cruise code DA349 Budapest and the Scenic Danube. 13 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 Vienna 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.