TAUCK RIVER CRUISES
8 Days | Budapest to Bucharest
Eastbound

BUDAPEST TO THE BLACK SEA (BUCHAREST)

Day 1 | Budapest. Embark. Board your riverboat in the afternoon to launch this most extraordinary of Danube cruises, and meet the ship's crew at the Captain's welcome reception tonight. (D)

Day 2 | Kalosca. Spend some time discovering Kalocsa – celebrated for its paprika and folk art – where you'll learn about the history of paprika and its production from bell peppers at the Paprika Museum; visit the beautiful Baroque library in the Bishop’s Palace, housing one of the finest early collections in Europe; and attend a tasting at a Hungarian winery. (B,L,D)

Day 3 | Vukovar, Croatia. As your discovery of the lower Danube cruises into Croatia, attend an on-board lecture by a local expert on the country's culture and history. Travel overland to the Baroque city of Vukovar, once showcasing opulent 18th-century mansions, but now poignantly symbolizing the effects of the 1990s war as it rebuilds; visit the home of a Vukovar family who have recently returned to resume their lives in the city after the conflict, who will share homemade refreshments with you. Continue your cruise to Serbia this afternoon, enhanced by commentary by your Tauck Directors. (B,L,D)

Day 4 | Belgrade, Serbia. Dock in Belgrade, Serbia's modern capital at the juncture of the Danube and Sava rivers. A shipboard lecture sets the stage for sightseeing that includes visits to Tito's Memorial and the formidable Kalemegdan Fortress, and views of St. Sava Church, busy Slavija Square (now one of the city's major squares, but once a large pool where residents hunted wild ducks!), Parliament, Republic Square and City Hall. Following a Serbian lunch ashore at a former royal residence, you'll enjoy a special private reception at Belgrade's Royal Palace of Dedinje, where HRH Crown Prince Alexander II of Serbia and his family reside today. Return to the riverboat, where a Serbian folkloric group entertains you this evening. (B,L,D)

Day 5 | The Iron Gate. Continuing one of Tauck's popular Danube cruises, relax on a day's cruise past the fields and vineyards of Eastern Europe; shipboard activities which may be offered throughout your cruise range from cooking demonstrations to folkloric, music and dance performances. Pass into Romania and through the Kazan Narrows and the Iron Gate of the Danube, a two-mile-long series of narrow gorges between the Carpathian and Balkan mountain ranges. As you glide along the Bulgarian / Romanian border, look for the massive monument to the 2nd-century Dacian King Decebalus – Europe's tallest rock sculpture, completed in 2004, carved into the riverbank on the Romanian side – as well as spectacular views of the Transylvanian Alps. (B,L,D)

Day 6 | Svishtov, Bulgaria. Learn all about the imagery and symbolism of Iconography with a lecture and demonstration as your journey along the lower Danube cruises to Svishtov, Bulgaria, for excursions to nearby towns. Travel to the medieval capital of Bulgaria, Veliko Turnovo, whose ancient walled fortress and castle are set atop three hills overlooking the Yantra River. In the nearby town of Arbanassi, you'll have a chance to visit the Konstant-Salieva House and the Archangels Michael & Gabriel Church. A busy day concludes with an on-board presentation on Bulgarian customs, as well as performances of traditional music and dance. (B,L,D)

Day 7 | Cernavoda, Romania. Black Sea. Arrive in Cernavoda and head off on a day trip to Romania's Black Sea coast. Your first stop is the historic port of Constanta, originally the Greek colony of Tomis in ancient days; see the city's numerous Greek and Roman antiquities, a monument to the poet Ovid (who was exiled here in Roman times) and the distinctive 19th-century waterfront casino on your guided tour. Continue on to the seaside resort of Eforie Nord to enjoy a traditional Romanian folk wedding performance for lunch. Please join us aboard the riverboat for the Captain's farewell cocktail reception and dinner tonight. (B,L,D)

Day 8 | Bucharest. Disembark. Bid your Danube cruise – along with your Captain and crew – farewell as you disembark the riverboat in Bucharest. Fly home anytime; a transfer is included to the airport. Allow 3 hours for departure flight check-in. (B)

NOTE: Itinerary is subject to change without notice. For the most up-to-date information, please refer to the itinerary schedule you receive with your final documents.

EASTBOUND ITINERARY 8 DAYS | BUDAPEST TO THE BLACK SEA (BUCHAREST) Click here to view 8-day WESTBOUND itinerary. Click ship name to view deck plan.