Take the River Cruise Less Traveled: The Lower Danube

Shoving off from Budapest, Hungary, your river cruise ship is ready for a journey down the Lower Danube River. You are off into a land of mystery, intrigue, and enchantment. As you travel beyond the former Iron Curtain you have the opportunity to delve into the lives of people once hidden. This is the river less traveled and you are ready to discover its beauty! I can’t wait to show you a little of what is waiting for you as you river cruise through the countries of the Lower Danube River!

Hungary

Your tour will begin in the phenomenal capital city of Budapest, Hungary. This is a popular beginning/ending point for Upper Danube River cruises as well as Lower Danube cruises. In fact, if you want to experience the best of the Danube then you might want to book an Upper Danube cruise and a Lower Danube cruise right after. But, I digress. If you want to learn a little more about Budapest then check out this post and the beginning of this Christmas Market itinerary.

Your trek continues south through Hungary. Depending on your river cruise line you might take a short stop in Puszta, on the Great Hungarian Plain, and watch an unforgettable horsemanship performance. Or you might stop in Mohacs and then take a trip to the 2000-year-old city of Pécs. Pécs is also filled with historic architecture including the Christian Necropolis; St. Peter’s Basilica, the city’s main Catholic Cathedral (don’t miss the catacombs); and Széchenyi Square, the heart of Old Town Pécs. Wine lovers will thoroughly enjoy the Szekszárd wine region, one of the oldest red-wine-growing areas in Hungary, established more than 2,000 years ago.

Croatia

Vukovar is a beautiful Baroque Croatian city where you can tour important war landmarks from the 1990s war with Serbia such as Ovčara Memorial and Eltz Castle. Vukovar is a Croatian symbol of resistance and known as the “hero town” because of the brave Croatian civilians and volunteers. This is a great place to understand and remember more modern history.

Another option is to go wine tasting in Ilok. Since Roman times wine has been produced in this reason making its famous Grasevina, Traminac and Frankovka wines.

Serbia

Your first stop in Serbia could be Novi Sad, sometimes called the “Serbian Athens”. In Novi Sad, you can explore Dunavski Park and Stari Grad, the Old Town center. During the evening you might visit the impenetrable Petrovaradin Fortress and the “haunted” underground corridors.

Next, on to the exploration of Serbia’s capital, Belgrade. There is so much to see in this city. Your city tour includes the Kalemegdan Fortress and the Serbian Orthodox Temple of St. Sava. Other places you will want to visit are the Royal Palace (home of the Serbian Royal Family); the House of Flowers, and the mausoleum of Marshal Tito (first President of Yugoslavia). After touring, take a rest and enjoy a taste of Serbian plum brandy, Šlivovitz.

The next part of your river cruise journey down the Lower Danube river will straddle two different countries. The Danube river is the border between the nations of Serbia and Romania. On the Serbia side, you will have the opportunity to explore the ruins of Golubac Fortress, a fortified medieval town that was built during the 14th century. From this highly fought-over strategic position, you can gaze across the Danube to Romania.

Romania

Enjoy an 83-mile scenic cruise as you pass through the Iron Gates, one of Europe’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders. Through this stretch, the Danube narrows as it winds through a series of magnificent gorges between the Carpathian and Balkan Mountains. This region is also named the Iron Gates for the series of locks on the river. The ancient King Decebalus, the last king of Dacia, is proudly carved into the mountainside and always captivates travelers.

The Danube River will leave Romania for a while and you will sail through Bulgaria for a day. After sailing through Bulgaria you will end your journey in Giurgiu. If you want to discover more of Romania after your cruise you can take an optional land extension to Bucharest.

Some river cruise itineraries include Bucharest, the Paris of Eastern Europe. If yours does, then you might want to see the Romanian Athenaeum, The Arch of Triumph, the Palace of Parliament (the 2nd largest administrative building in the world), or the Village Museum. Bucharest is quite a contrast of architecture from the historical churches and buildings not destroyed during Nazi occupation to the nearby communist-era cement block structures and more modern buildings.

But, let’s go back to Bulgaria.

Bulgaria

The first stop in Bulgari is in Vidin, one of Bulgaria’s oldest cities. Travel back to medieval times at Baba Vida Fortress, the largest preserved medieval castle in Bulgaria. Then on to Bulgaria’s natural wonder, Belogradchik, where you will be able to hike around the spectacular rock formations.

In Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria’s ancient city, you will enjoy exploring its medieval fortress and many orthodox temples. Or, if you are interested in more modern Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture from the 19th and 20th centuries then you might want to see Rousse instead.

As you can see, the Lower Danube is very different from the rest of the Danube River. This is the perfect itinerary to travel back in time and encounter a land a little more untraveled.

If you are intrigued by the countries of the Lower Danube River and would like more information about visiting, just contact me.

Happy travels to you…until we meet again!

Here are some other articles you might like to read.

• 5 Reasons for a Pre- or Post-Cruise Extension
• Make the Holidays Merry–Explore Europe’s Christmas Markets!