Visit Bucharest’s People’s Palace (left) – so big that parts of it were never finished – and enjoy a home-hosted lunch in Bulgaria
6. BELGRADE, SERBIA’S CAPITAL
Awaken dockside in Belgrade, the cosmopolitan capital of Serbia; the city’s roots date back to a Celtic settlement in 3 BC. A lecture aboard ship paves the way for a guided sightseeing tour that includes visits to Tito’s Memorial, St. Sava Church, and Kalemegdan Fortress; see Slavija Square, Parliament, City Hall, Republic Square and the National Theatre. You’ll have time on your own before returning to the riverboat, where this evening a music and dance presentation follows dinner. Meals BLD
7. IRON GATE OF THE DANUBE
Activities on the riverboat throughout your cruise include special lectures and presentations, such as cooking demonstrations or music and dance performances. Spend a relaxing day cruising the Danube River through the scenic heartland of Eastern Europe. Pass through the Kazan Narrows and the Iron Gate, a series of narrow gorges where the Danube courses down from the towering Carpathian Mountains. Today you’ll see a monument to the 2nd-century Dacian King Decebalus carved into the Danube’s rocky bank. Europe’s tallest rock sculpture, it was completed in 2004 after a decade of work by a dozen sculptors. View the Transylvanian Alps as you cruise to Bulgaria. Meals BLD
8. WELCOME TO BULGARIA
For those fascinated by the imagery and symbols in visual arts – and the subject of several popular novels – there is an opportunity to attend a lecture and demonstration on Iconography this morning. Your riverboat arrives into Svishtov, Bulgaria, for culturally rich visits to nearby Bulgarian towns. Travel to Veliko Turnovo, which served as Bulgaria’s capital in medieval times – the sight of its ancient walled fortress and castle nestled atop three hills on the Yantra River is memorable. In the neighboring town of Arbanassi, sample local cuisine at a home-hosted private lunch, where you’ll have a unique opportunity to meet and dine with your Bulgarian contemporaries. The day ends back on board the riverboat with a special music and dance performance and a look at traditional Bulgarian customs. Meals BLD
44
9. ROMANIA’S BLACK SEA COAST
Your riverboat arrives in Cernavoda, Romania, this morning for a day trip to the beautiful Black Sea coast. Take a guided tour of the key port city of Constanta, originally the ancient Greek colony of Tomis and home to numerous Greek and Roman antiquities. Then visit the popular seaside resort of Eforie Nord, where you’ll attend a Romanian folk show recreating a traditional wedding, complete with Romanian wine and lunch. Back on the riverboat, your cruise comes to an end this evening when we celebrate new knowledge, renewed inspiration and everlasting friendships at the Captain’s farewell cocktail reception and dinner. Meals BLD
10. DISEMBARK SHIP / BUCHAREST
Disembark the riverboat in Cernavoda and travel through the Romanian countryside to Bucharest for a two-night stay. Following lunch at a local restaurant, a sightseeing tour of Romania’s capital, once regarded as “the Paris of the Balkans,” includes Revolution Square and the granite Triumphal Arch, a smaller copy of Paris’ Arc de Triomphe. Your day also features a visit to Bucharest’s huge People’s Palace, home to the Romanian Parliament; some parts of it are still unfinished! Meals BLD
11. BRAN CASTLE / SNAGOV MONASTERY
You have a choice of sightseeing today of Romanian sites connected with Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), the 15th-century prince who served as the historic inspiration for the fictitious Dracula. Take a full-day excursion to tour 14th-century Bran Castle in Transylvania, used as a fortress by Tepes during his campaigns in the region and now a national monument. Alternatively, take a boat across Snagov Lake to tiny Snagov Island and visit isolated Snagov Monastery, on whose grounds the infamous Tepes is believed to be buried. Meals BL
12. JOURNEY HOME
Tour ends: Bucharest, Romania. Fly home anytime. A transfer from the JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel to Bucharest Airport is included; allow 3 hours for flight check-in. Meals B
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76