Transylvania Stay and River Danube Cruise to Budapest
A three-night stay in mountainous Transylvania starts your surprisingly cheap Danube river cruise for senior travellers. Your cruise sails to glorious Budapest where you stay a day to sample the local culture and cuisine.
Your holiday begins with a three-night hotel stay in Transylvania, where you’ll visit the imposing castle that inspired the creation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and enjoy a walking tour of Brasov and its Gothic church. You’ll embark our new ship, Spirit of the Danube, in Braila to begin your cruise along the River Danube stopping to explore the historic cities of Bucharest, Belgrade and Mohacs en route to historic Budapest. You’ll also spend a day cruising the Iron Gates gorge with its dramatic mountain scenery…
Your Tour Includes
TRAVEL
VIP door-to-door travel service from anywhere on the UK mainland
Included travel insurance
Return flights and transfers
ACCOMMODATION
3 nights Half Board in a hotel, 8 nights Full Board aboard the ship
Complimentary Wi-Fi on board
All gratuities on board
EXPERIENCES
Cruise Host
Brosov city tour
Bran Castle
Pleven panoramic
Belgrade and the Kalemegdan Fortress
Budapest city tour OR Budapest culinary walking tour
FOOD & DRINK
30 meals: 11 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 11 dinners
Wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner on the ship
Drinks reception and Captain’s dinner
Day 1 UK - Bucharest - Transylvania
Fly to Bucharest. Transfer to the locally rated 5-star Aro Palace Hotel (4Q), in the heart of Transylvania, for a three night half-board stay.
Enjoy dinner at the hotel throughout your stay.
Day 2 Transylvania
Head to the centre of Brasov for an enjoyable walking tour of this beautiful town, including entrance to the 14th-century Black Church. The interior of this Gothic church was destroyed by a fire in 1689 which left the outer walls and roof blackened.
Day 3 Transylvania
Enjoy an included visit to 14th-century Bran Castle, the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula, even though the author never visited Transylvania! It is thought that Vlad the Impaler, ruler of this area – Walachia – in the 15th century, may have been imprisoned here.
Day 4 Transylvania - Braila
Depart after breakfast for a scenic drive through the Carpathian Mountains to your ship. Stop for lunch and some free time in the hills en route.
Embark Spirit of the Danube and look forward to dinner on board. Your ship begins sailing shortly after embarkation.
Day 5 Silistra - Rousse
Enjoy the morning in Silistra, where you may like to explore the ruins of a medieval castle located on the riverbank.
Depart at lunchtime and enjoy the facilities on board your ship as you cruise towards Rousse this afternoon, arriving this evening.
Day 6 Rousse
Rousse is often referred to as 'Little Vienna' on account of the Austrian-style architecture here. The city prospered from its location on the Danube and is home to many grand buildings. A good example is the Building of the Tax Administration with its elaborate facade.
Enjoy the day exploring and why not join an optional city tour?
You remain moored here overnight.
Day 7 Rousse - Svistov - Nikopol
Your ship departs Rousse early allowing you the morning to explore Svistov, one of the largest Bulgarian Danube ports.
Enjoy an included scenic journey by coach across the Danubian Plain to the town of Pleven, on the River Vit, a tributary of the Danube.
In 1877, when Bulgaria was trying to escape Ottoman rule in the War of Liberation, the town was under siege for five months. The event is depicted in a vast circular panoramic painting which was opened to the public in 1977, the centenary of the siege.
You’ll walk through the town with your guide to the Pleven Panorama and afterwards enjoy a glass of Bulgarian wine in a hotel.
Depart this afternoon for Nikopol where you pause briefly before cruising towards the Iron Gates.
Day 8 The Iron Gates
Cruise the Danube as it passes through the southern stretch of the dramatic Carpathian mountains and the foothills of the Balkans to the ‘Iron Gates’, a gorge framed by sheer cliffs.
Day 9 Belgrade
This morning, join an included city tour of Serbia's capital, Belgrade, one of the oldest cities in Europe and the meeting point of Eastern and Western Europe.
Depart during lunch and sail overnight to Mohács.
Day 10 Mohács
Arrive in Mohács this morning with a couple of hours to explore the home of some of Hungary’s most exciting folk traditions.
Perhaps join an optional full-day excursion through the Hungarian lowlands where you can enjoy a performance of traditional horsemanship, rejoining your ship when she pauses briefly in Kalocsa.
Spirit of the Danube continues cruising to Budapest.
Day 11 Budapest
Arrive in the early hours, giving you a day in this thrilling city. Experience the culture and local cuisine on an included culinary-themed walking tour which visits the First Strudel House and the Central Market Hall or choose to join an included tour and see some of the city’s highlights.
This afternoon perhaps join an optional excursion to Gödöllo Palace or the Lazar Equestrian Park horse farm.
Your ship remains moored here overnight.
Day 12 Budapest - UK
This morning, disembark Spirit of the Danube after breakfast and travel to the airport for your return flight to the UK.
