River Cruise 2023 Cruises

AN UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY
ALONG THE MIGHTY DANUBE
The Danube to the Black Sea
Germany – Austria – Hungary – Serbia – Bulgaria – Romania – Slovakia
aboard MS Arena
Wake up to breathtaking views as we follow the course of the Danube on its extraordinary journey to the Black Sea. This fascinating cruise
reveals some of Eastern Europe’s greatest treasures, taking you through no less than seven countries featuring spectacular scenery and
captivating capital cities. Discover awe-inspiring natural wonders, including the picturesque Wachau valley of Austria, the Iron Gate Gorge
which cuts through the Carpathian and the Balkan mountains, and the unique, lesser known cities of Romania, sitting on the banks of the
river. Explore both sides of Budapest, see the beautiful architecture of Bratislava and Belgrade, and wander the pretty streets of Vienna –
city of whirls and waltzes. With something new to see every day, this is a truly unforgettable river cruise.
Day 1: UK – Munich (Coach & Rail)
We travel by coach or rail to our overnight hotel in
the Munich area.
Day 2: Munich – Passau – Vienna (Coach & Rail) /
UK – Passau – Vienna (Air)
After breakfast, we transfer by coach or rail and
board our ship in Passau which is known as
the ‘three rivers city’ due to its unique location
where the Danube, Inn and Ilz rivers meet. Those
travelling by air join today. Dinner is served
onboard this evening as we relax and set sail
through the Wachau valley towards Vienna.
Day 3: Vienna – Kalocsa
We arrive in Vienna around lunchtime, where
there will be the opportunity to join our optional
Vienna city tour. Our guided tour takes in the
many highlights of Austria’s beautiful capital,
including an abundance of grand palaces,
baroque castles, magnificent squares and striking
monuments. Later this evening, we set sail for the
charming town of Kalocsa in Hungary.
Day 4: Kalocsa – Belgrade
We arrive in Kalocsa in the early afternoon where
you will have free time to explore. Set on the bank
of the Danube, Kalocsa is one of Hungary’s oldest
towns and dates back to the early 11th century. As
the town evolved it became known for paprika
production and intricate handcrafted embroidery.
This evening we enjoy dinner onboard before
sailing to Mohacs and then onward to Belgrade.
Day 5: Belgrade – Iron Gate
We arrive in the Serbian capital of Belgrade
around lunchtime. The city of Belgrade lies at
the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers.
There is plenty of time to see the highlights of
this fascinating city on our optional tour, which is
a great way to see the main sights; including the
huge Belgrade Fortress and St Sava Church, one
of the biggest churches in the world. We enjoy
dinner onboard this evening and sail overnight
towards the Iron Gate.
Day 6: Iron Gate
Enjoy a full day cruising through the breathtaking
scenery of Eisernes Tor, the Iron Gate, which is the
largest river gorge in Europe and carves a channel
through the Carpathian mountains. The views are
spectacular, with the Derdap national park on the
southern side of the Danube in Serbia and the
Portile de Fier Nature Park on the northern side in
Romania. It’s a fantastic day to spend relaxing on
the sun deck.
Day 7: Ruse – Tulcea
This morning we arrive in Ruse, the fifth largest
city in Bulgaria, where there’s some free time to
explore. Ruse is one of Bulgaria's most elegant
cities full of belle époque architecture, an
abundance of museums plus its ruined Roman
fortress, standing guard high over the Danube.
Lunch is served on board the ship before we set
sail towards the Romanian city of Tulcea.
Day 8: Tulcea – Braila – Oltenita
We arrive into Tulcea this morning where we will
visit the Danube Delta on our included excursion.
At lunch time we are transferred by coach to join
a boat trip, where we will cruise along the River
Danube as it makes its final journey to the Black
Sea. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, consisting
of 2,200 square miles of rivers, marshes and lakes,
is the second largest delta in Europe and is full of
wildlife. Lunch is served onboard so you can relax
and enjoy the spectacular scenery. We rejoin our
cruise in Braila, one of the largest Romanian ports
on the Danube, and set sail for Oltenita.
Day 9: Oltenita – Bucharest – Giurgiu – Iron Gate
We arrive into the picturesque city of Oltenita this
morning. Here you can join our optional excursion
which takes you to the Romanian capital of
Bucharest, where there’s plenty of time to explore
the wide tree-lined boulevards and admire the
many landmarks including Parliament Palace –
one of the largest buildings in the world. We rejoin
our cruise in Giurgiu and set sail for the Iron Gate.
Day 10: Iron Gate
Today we have a full day cruising back through the
magnificent Iron Gate. Relax onboard and watch
the scenery drift by as we head towards Belgrade.
Day 11: Belgrade – Novi Sad
We arrive back into Belgrade at around lunchtime
and from here you can take advantage of our
optional tour of Novi Sad, the second largest city
in Serbia. Take in the city highlights and discover
the historic neighbourhood of Stari Grad on our
optional guided tour of this fascinating city. This
evening we enjoy dinner onboard before sailing
onto Mohacs in Hungary.
Day 12: Mohacs – Pecs – Budapest
This afternoon, there’s the opportunity to join our
optional city tour of Pécs, which is one of the most
interesting cities in Hungary. Lying equidistant
from the Danube to the east and the Dráva to
the south on a plain sheltered from the northern
winds by the hills, Pécs has a microclimate that
26 To book call us on 01858 438318 or visit arenarivercruises.com