Grand Cruise Along The Danube To The Black Sea And Back To Passau By Air

Itinerary

• Day 1 - Fly to Munich

  Fly to Munich and transfer to our overnight hotel.

• Day 2 - Passau

  We are transferred to Passau, where the Inn and Ilz rivers meet. We embark our ship for a 14-night cruise. Relax on board as we sail towards Vienna, cruising through the beautiful Wachau Valley

  Meals - Breakfast, Dinner

• Day 3 - Vienna

  Arriving around lunchtime, enjoy a day experiencing the delights of Vienna - grand palaces, magnificent squares and historical monuments are just some of the features of this beautiful city. Join an optional city tour, which takes you on a journey through time to see the famous Hofburg; the city Parliament; the Town Hall and the Burg Theatre. Later in the evening we cruise overnight towards Kalosca in Hungary.

  Meals - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 4 - Kalosca

  In the afternoon we arrive into Kalosca, one of Hungary’s oldest towns, located in the vast Hungarian plains, which is best known for its paprika and embroidery. We later make a short stop in Mohacs before cruising into Serbia.

  Meals - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 5 - Belgrade

  Enjoy a leisurely morning cruise as we head to Belgrade, which lies on the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. There is plenty of time to see the highlights of this Serbian capital. You can start by joining an optional city 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. Later this evening we cruise towards Romania/Bulgaria.

  Meals - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 6 - Iron Gate Gorge

  Enjoy a full day cruising through the breathtaking scenery of Eisernes Tor, the Iron Gate – the largest river gorge in Europe which carves a channel through the Carpathian Mountains and forms part of natural border between Serbia and Romania and also Bulgaria and Romania. 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.

  Meals - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 7 - Ruse

  In the morning we arrive into Ruse. Located in the north-eastern part of Bulgaria, Ruse is best known for its 19th and 20th-century Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture and is often called the Little Vienna. We depart early afternoon for an overnight cruise towards the Romanian city of Tulcea.

  Meals - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 8 - Tulcea

  We arrive into Tulcea this morning where we will visit the Danube Delta museum on an 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 fascinating wildlife. Lunch is served onboard so you can relax and enjoy the spectacular scenery. We rejoin our cruise ship in Braila, one of the largest Romanian ports on the Danube, and set sail overnight for Oltenita.

  Meals - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 9 - Giurgiu & Bucharest

  Morning arrival into Oltenita. Today, why not join an optional excursion to the Romanian capital of Bucharest, where you can admire many landmarks including the Parliament Palace, which is the second largest building in the world after the US Pentagon; and the beautiful Romanian Atheneum. We return to our ship in Giurgui before cruising back toward the Iron Gate Gorge.

  Meals - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 10 - Iron Gate Gorge

  Enjoy another full day cruising as we return through the spectacular Iron Gate Gorge.

  Meals - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 11 - Novi Sad

  Lunchtime arrival in Belgrade, from where we offer an optional excursion to Novi Sad. Explore Serbia’s second largest city, with its most recognised landmark being the Petrovaradin Fortress, which dominates the city from the banks of the Danube. You’ll also discover the historic neighbourhood of Stari Grad and an optional guided tour takes in the many highlights of this fascinating city. This evening we enjoy dinner onboard before sailing through the night to Mohacs in Hungary.

  Meals - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 12 - Mohacs

  We berth just across the Hungarian border in Mohács with some free time to explore the area. In the afternoon you can join an optional excursion to Pécs one of the most beautiful cities of Hungary, and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See the Cathedral and the Turkish Mosque. This afternoon we begin our overnight sailing to Budapest.

  Meals - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 13 - Budapest

  We arrive this morning in Budapest and spend a full day in the city. Join an optional city tour this morning and learn about the city’s history and how it is divided into two parts by the Danube river - one side called “Buda” and the one side known as “Pest”. See the fairytale towers of Fishermans Bastion before having some free time to explore this amazing city. This evening, we set sail towards the Slovakian capital of Bratislava.

  Meals - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 14 - Bratislava

  Our cruise arrives this afternoon in Bratislava, one of Europe’s youngest capital cities, with a rich history that dates back to the Celts and Roman settlements. Enjoy an optional guided city tour, where you will see landmarks such as: St Martin’s Church, which is the former coronation church of the Hungarians; the former University of Bratislava and numerous palaces dating back to the 18th century. We’ll enjoy a walking tour with a local guide and sample ‘Makovka’ which is a sweet white chocolate with poppy seed filling, before enjoying a relaxing dinner onboard our ship. This evening we continue cruising along the Danube into Austria and towards Melk.

  Meals - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 15 - Melk

  We arrive this morning in Melk. Take part in an optional tour, beginning with a coach transfer from the ship, to Melk’s Benedictine Abbey. This baroque Abbey is one of Austria’s great cultural highlights, and is also one of Europe’s largest Abbeys.

  Meals - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 16 - Passau

  We arrive early into Passau and disembark our ship, then transfer to Munich Airport for our return flights to the U.K.

  Meals - Breakfast

Accommodation

You’ll spend 14 nights cruising on the 4-star MS Arena, which has all the ingredients of an unforgettable river cruise: comfort, style and attention to detail. Climb aboard and feel right at home from the minute you set sail on the stylish and spacious MS Arena. Let the captain and crew take care of your every need while you relax and unwind in comfort as you glide along the river. Take advantage of the wellness and fitness centre, treat yourself to a drink or two with new friends in the lounge or soak up the ambience and spectacular sights from the comfort of the elevated sun deck. Each cabin on board the MS Arena features panoramic windows with a French balcony, allowing you to take in the wonderful views of the river. The spacious cabins also feature twin or hotel-style double beds, en suite bathrooms and plenty of storage space; all with contemporary furnishings, providing the ideal home from home on your cruise.

Overnight stay in the Munich area will be in a city-style hotel.