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2023 Season

Balkan Discovery with 1 Night in Budapest & 2 Nights in Transylvania


cruise: WBOY
12 Day River Cruise Budapest to Bucharest
See the highlights of Eastern Europe on this Balkan river cruise adventure along the Danube River! This vacation has something for everybody—relaxing time on your ship and stops in the most fascinating cities, with free time and guided sightseeing—so you don’t miss a thing! You’ll begin with two overnights in the lively Hungarian capital of Budapest. See the iconic statues of Heroes’ Square, and with free time, explore the lovely lookout towers of Fishermen’s Bastion. On an excursion to Pécs, Hungary, you’ll visit underground burial chambers with fascinating murals, now part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, is one of the oldest cities in Europe, where the Sava River meets the Danube. The lively pedestrian boulevard of Knez Mihailova is dotted with historical buildings and charming cafés and you’ll see St. Sava, the world’s largest Orthodox Church. Continue your river cruise through the dramatic views of Iron Gates Gorge, visit Belogradchik’s fascinating rock formations, and Bulgaria’s ancient capital of Veliko Tarnovo. In Arbanassi, visit the Church of the Nativity, housing an impressive collection of frescoes. From Oltenita, transfer to Bucharest for guided sightseeing. Known as the “Paris of the East,” a local expert will show you many of its historical treasures, such as the Arc de Triomphe. Take a trip to Transylvania to visit the Bran Castle—of Dracula Fame—the city of Brasov, and beautiful Peles Castle.

cruise

at-a-glance


Day 1 Budapest: Welcome to Hungary

Day 2 Budapest: Guided tour, see Heroes' Square; onboard welcome reception

Day 3 Mohács. Excursion to Pécs: Choice of guided tour in Pécs, visit the underground tombs, or sightseeing in Mohács, visit St. Nicolas watermill or walk with your Adventure Host

Day 4 Ilok-Novi Sad: Ilok guided tour; choice of Novi Sad guided tour or walk with your Adventure Host

Day 5 Belgrade: Choice of guided tour or walk with your Adventure Host; onboard lecture

Day 6 Golubac Donji Milanovac-Iron Gates: Visit to Golubač fortress; choice of visit Lepenski Vir archaeological site or walk with your Adventure Host; cruise through the Iron Gates Gorge

Day 7 Vidin. Excursion to Belogradchik: Choice of guided tour in Vidin, excursion to Belogradchik, see the rock formations or walk with your Adventure Host

Day 8 Rousse-Excursion to Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi: Choice of full-day excursion, visit to Tsarevet's Fortress in Veliko Tarnovo and to the Ethnographic Museum and the Church of the Nativity in Arbanassi, or a guided sightseeing in Rousse, or a walk in the park with your Adventure Host

Day 9 Oltenita (Disembarkation)-Brasov: Transfer to Bucharest, guided sightseeing

Day 10 Brasov: Brasov guided tour; visit Bran Castle

Day 11 Brasov-Sinaia-Bucharest: Visit Peles Castle

Day 12 Bucharest: Your vacation ends this morning

Avalon has designed included activities with a choice of experiences. We invite you to select the tours, activities, and events that interest you most, so you can experience your cruise your way. Plus, we offer independent exploration options and the use of our exclusive AvalonGO APP on most of our cruises. 

Below are 3 types of included shore excursions for you to experience.

The "Starting at" or "From" listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per person based on double occupancy and any applicable non-commissionable taxes and fees and intra-vacation flight are included in the price shown. Any included overnight stay in Canada, applicable GST/HST is also included in the price shown. International airfare, however, is not included. If price is crossed out, the new price shown includes limited-time promotional offer(s). Please review current promotions or deals for additional information.