Compare Budapest to the Black Sea - Eastbound 2021 by Tauck vs Budapest, the Pearl of the Danube and the Iron Gates Pass by CroisiEurope
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
4 | Great
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4.5 | Great
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| Duration | 13 days | 8 days |
| Price From | $ 5,990 | $ 1,776 |
| Price Per Day | $ 461 | $ 222 |
| Highlights |
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CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS
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| Trip Style | River cruise | River cruise |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Premium |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | No | Internal airfare and ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included | N/A | N/A |
| Description |
Explore Central Europe's ancient heart on a river cruise along the Danube's lower reaches to the Black Sea. Discover dramatic castles, centuries-old monasteries, and myriad cultural treasures as you sail aboard one of Tauck's premium riverboats, and enjoy two-night stays at city-center hotels in Budapest and Bucharest. |
See the biggest river parade in Europe: the Iron Gates, on the border of Romania and Serbia. It is here that the beautiful blue Danube unveils its most spectacular landscapes. Discover cities such as Belgrade, a young and modern capital, as well as legendary sites such as Baile Herculane which houses one of the oldest and most famous spas in Romania. Travel through 2000 years of history in Pécs and Budapest, which will end a magical cruise and a journey of a life time. |
Day 1 Your adventure begins in Budapest
Tour begins: 6:00 PM, The Ritz-Carlton, Budapest. A transfer is included from Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport and Budapest-Keleti Station to The Ritz-Carlton, Budapest in the heart of the city. Meet your fellow travelers and Tauck Directors at the welcome cocktail reception and dinner at the Festetics Palace in Budapest.
MEALS : D
PORTOFCALL : Budapest, Hungary
Day 2 Discovering Pest, past & present
Once independent cities located on opposite sides of the Danube, Buda and Pest joined together when they were linked by the Chain Bridge in the mid-19th century to become Hungary’s cosmopolitan capital, Budapest. You have a choice of Budapest discoveries this morning. You can choose to join Tauck’s local guides for sightseeing in Pest starting with a visit to St. Stephen’s Basilica, Budapest’s neo-Renaissance cathedral completed in 1905; continuing with Pest’s impressive mix of architectural masterpieces and historic monuments, viewing City Park, patriotic Heroes’ Square with its statues of Hungarian leaders through the ages, the Gothic-Revival Parliament building and tree-lined Andrassy Avenue; and time spent wandering through bustling Central Market Hall, a veritable showcase of Hungarian life from food to gifts and cafés. Or you can choose to spend the morning touring the Pest side of the city by bicycle with a local guide (you'll need to be comfortable riding a bicycle in a city environment). The rest of the day and evening are yours to enjoy the city as you like.
MEALS : B
PORTOFCALL : Budapest, Hungary
Day 3 Visit Budapest landmark sights and set off on your cruise
Today's exploration of Buda begins with a visit the Hungarian Parliament building, rich with history; it is nothing short of an architectural masterpiece. Next, travel to Castle Hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where a guided walking tour introduces architectural landmarks such as well-known Fisherman's Bastion. Go back to the days of World War II and the Cold War at the Sziklakórház ("Hospital in the Rock"), a museum recreating underground military medical and civil defense facilities in a former secret nuclear bunker hidden beneath Buda Castle. Enjoy some time to explore more of Budapest as you please, then board your riverboat to begin your cruise. Join us tonight for a welcome toast followed by dinner onboard.
MEALS : B, D
PORTOFCALL : Budapest, Hungary
Day 4 Antiquities & more in Hungary
Arrive in Mohacs this morning and travel to Pécs for a walking tour. Here you’ll also explore the fascinating Christian Necropolis, a complex dating back to the 4th century that includes underground burial chambers and chapels adorned with early Christian art and frescoes, a UNESCO World Heritage site. In the 19th century, Pécs was famous worldwide for the exquisite Zsolnay porcelain manufactured here, and your visit includes a stop at the Zsolnay Museum for a look at its stunning examples of Art Nouveau stoneware, tiles and pottery. Visit a winery in Villány for lunch (this region is renowned for its red wines) then return to Mohacs for dinner aboard ship.
MEALS : B, L, D
PORTOFCALL : Pecs, Hungary
Day 5 Vukovar, Croatia & Novi Sad, Serbia
Your riverboat exploration of the lower Danube cruises into Croatia; an onboard lecture by a local expert provides insights into the country's culture and history. Dock in the Baroque city of Vukovar, once showcasing opulent 18th-century mansions, but now poignantly symbolizing the effects of the 1990s war as it rebuilds; visit the home of a Vukovar family who have recently returned to resume their lives in the city after the conflict, who will share homemade refreshments with you. Reboard your riverboat for lunch and cruise to Novi Sad, Serbia, enhanced by commentary by your Tauck Directors. You'll have a little free time this evening to explore Novi Sad before your cruise continues to Belgrade.
MEALS : B, L, D
Day 6 The sights of Belgrade and a private palace evening
Dock in Belgrade, Serbia’s eclectic, cosmopolitan capital at the juncture of the Danube and Sava rivers. You can choose to spend the morning touring the "New Belgrade" section of the city by bicycle with a local guide (you'll need to be comfortable riding a bicycle in a city environment); or join our local guides for a city tour that includes visits to Tito’s Memorial and the formidable Kalemegdan Fortress, and views of busy Slavija Square (now one of the city’s major squares, but once a large pool where residents hunted wild ducks!), Parliament, Republic Square and City Hall. After lunch onboard your ship (or own your own in town), you have the afternoon free to spend as you please. Following onboard entertainment by Serbian performers during cocktail hour, you'll return to shore for this evening's sparkling Tauck Exclusive – dinner at the Royal White Palace of the Serbian Royal Family in Belgrade, built in the 1930s for members of the Yugoslavian royal family and set within the same complex as the Royal Palace of Dedinje, today home to HRH Crown Prince Alexander II of Serbia and his family.
MEALS : B, L, D
PORTOFCALL : Belgrade, Serbia
Day 7 The Iron Gate, King Decebalus & more
Continuing your Budapest river cruise, relax on a day's sail past the fields and vineyards of Eastern Europe. Pass into Romania and through the Kazan Narrows and the Iron Gate of the Danube, a two-mile-long series of narrow gorges between the Carpathian and Balkan mountain ranges. As you glide along the Bulgarian / Serbian border, look for the massive monument to the 2nd-century Dacian King Decebalus – Europe's tallest rock sculpture, completed in 2004, carved into the riverbank on the Romanian side – as well as spectacular views of the Transylvanian Alps. Join us tonight for the Chef's signature dinner.
MEALS : B, L, D
Day 8 Bulgarian art in Ruse or Ivanovo
Your Budapest river cruise along the Danube takes you to Bulgaria today; largely off limits during four centuries of Ottoman rule and decades behind the Iron Curtain, the country's rich natural beauty and history is yours to discover for yourself. Disembark after lunch in Ruse – often referred to as “Little Vienna” for its Art Nouveau homes, Austro-Hungarian architecture and lively cafés – for a choice of afternoon sightseeing. You may join us for a guided walking tour of Ruse, or a beautiful (but challenging) hike to the celebrated Rock Churches in the village of Ivanovo, whose stony chambers carved into steep, cliffside caves reveal stunning medieval frescoes inside; a visit is richly rewarding. Back aboard your ship tonight, a classical Bulgarian music performance precedes dinner.
MEALS : B, L, D
PORTOFCALL : Ruse, Bulgaria
Day 9 Constanta & Mamaia on Romania's Black Sea coast
Spend the morning cruising the Danube all the way to Constanta, Romania on the Black Sea coast. Upon your arrival in the early afternoon, take a guided tour of this historic port city, originally the ancient Greek colony of Tomis and home to numerous Greek and Roman antiquities; sights include an Art-Nouveau casino and a monument to the Roman poet Ovid, who was exiled here by the Emperor Augustus. Then it’s on to Mamaia, the largest seaside resort on the Black Sea, for some time at leisure to enjoy the beach before returning to the riverboat, docked in Constanta, for your final night aboard your Budapest river cruise. Join us for the ship's farewell reception and dinner onboard this evening.
MEALS : B, L, D
Day 10 Disembark and on to Bucharest
Disembark your riverboat in Constanta and travel to Bucharest, capital of Romania and once regarded as the "Paris of the Balkans." A sightseeing tour of city landmarks includes Revolution Square and the Triumphal Arch; erected to commemorate Romania’s reunification and those who fell in World War I, it is a smaller but otherwise exact copy of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Lunch in the Old Town, the city’s charming historic center; a former enclave of artisans and merchants in the 16th century, it’s now a trendy district of old inns, antique shops, galleries, and cafes, riddled with winding networks of vaulted cellars, cobblestone streets and passageways. Settle in for the next two nights at the JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel in the heart of the city; if you wish, have dinner at the hotel tonight, or choose to enjoy a lunch or dinner at the hotel at another time during your stay.
MEALS : B, L, D
PORTOFCALL : Bucharest, Romania
Day 11 A choice of Transylvania or Targoviste
A choice of sightseeing today echoes the legacy of 15th-century Romanian prince Vlad Tepes (a.k.a. "Vlad the Impaler"), thought to be the historical model for Bram Stoker’s Dracula. You may choose to take a full-day excursion to Transylvania’s 14th-century Bran Castle, which Tepes once used as a fortress during his military campaigns; the excursion includes a brief walk and lunch in Brasov. Or you can opt for a trip to Targoviste to see the ruins of Tepes' palace, including its imposing watchtower, restored in the 19th century; you'll also visit the army barracks (now a museum) where Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was tried and executed in 1989. Return to Bucharest for free time and dinner as you please.
MEALS : B, L
PORTOFCALL : Bucharest, Romania
Day 12 Bucharest & a night at the People's Palace
Discover more of Romania's capital on a morning sightseeing tour, ending in Bucharest's Old Town. Following an afternoon spent pursuing what interests you most in the city, join us this evening as we travel to a Tauck Exclusive at the massive Palace of Parliament (a.k.a. the People’s Palace), built by dictator Nicolae Ceaucescu to be the center of political power in the capital; the Soviet-style white marble complex, 12 stories high, with over a thousand rooms and four underground levels, is the world’s largest building after the Pentagon, and some parts of it are still unfinished! An introductory tour concludes with a special farewell reception and dinner at the ubiquitous palace, complete with musical entertainment.
MEALS : B, D
PORTOFCALL : Bucharest, Romania
Day 13 Journey home
Tour ends: Bucharest. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel to Bucharest Henri Coanda International Airport and Bucuresti Gara de Nord; please allow 3 hours for flight check-in at the airport.
MEALS : B
PORTOFCALL : Bucharest, Romania
Day 1 BUDAPEST
Passengers are welcome to board our ship at 6:00 p.m. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we'll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. We'll begin to cruise to Mohacs. Enjoy dinner and an evening of onboard entertainment. We'll cruise throughout the night.
Day 2 MOHACS - OSIJEK - BELGRADE
The morning will be spent cruising. We'll then set out on an excursion to Osijek. Our ship will start sailing to Belgrade. After dinner, enjoy an evening of onboard entertainment.
Day 2 MOHACS - OSIJEK - BELGRADE
The morning will be spent cruising. We'll then set out on an excursion to Osijek. Our ship will start sailing to Belgrade. After dinner, enjoy an evening of onboard entertainment.
Day 3 BELGRADE
Join us on an excursion to Belgrade, cradle of the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman and Slavic cultures. Free afternoon to visit the city. Optional coach transfer (book and pay on board) to and from the town centre. Enjoy dinner and an evening of traditional Serbian entertainment on board. Our ship will start sailing to Golubac.
Day 3 BELGRADE
Join us on an excursion to Belgrade, cradle of the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman and Slavic cultures. Free afternoon to visit the city. Optional coach transfer (book and pay on board) to and from the town centre. Enjoy dinner and an evening of traditional Serbian entertainment on board. Our ship will start sailing to Golubac.
Day 4 The Iron Gates - GOLUBAC - NOVI SAD (Serbia)
Our ship will start sailing through the Iron Gates. Join us on an excursion to the Medieval Golubac Fortress. Our ship will start sailing to Novi Sad throughout the night.
Day 5 NOVI SAD - ILOK - MOHACS
We'll set out on a visit of Novi Sad, the capital city of the autonomous region of Vojvodina.We'll then head to Ilok on an excursion to visit the medieval city and taste some local products. After dinner, enjoy an evening of onboard entertainment. Our ship will start sailing to Mohacs throughout the night.
Day 5 NOVI SAD - ILOK - MOHACS
We'll set out on a visit of Novi Sad, the capital city of the autonomous region of Vojvodina.We'll then head to Ilok on an excursion to visit the medieval city and taste some local products. After dinner, enjoy an evening of onboard entertainment. Our ship will start sailing to Mohacs throughout the night.
Day 6 MOHACS - KALOCSA
Join us on an excursion to Pécs, a 2000-year-old jewel of a city.The afternoon will be spent cruising. We'll head out on an excursion to the Puszta. Our ship will then start sailing to Budapest. Tonight's our gala dinner and evening.
Day 6 MOHACS - KALOCSA
Join us on an excursion to Pécs, a 2000-year-old jewel of a city.The afternoon will be spent cruising. We'll head out on an excursion to the Puszta. Our ship will then start sailing to Budapest. Tonight's our gala dinner and evening.
Day 7 BUDAPEST
Early morning arrival and tour of Budapest. The afternoon will be free or dedicated to an excursion to Gödöllö Palace, summer residence of Sissi Empress. Tonight, join us on a tour of Budapest "by night".
Day 7 BUDAPEST
Early morning arrival and tour of Budapest. The afternoon will be free or dedicated to an excursion to Gödöllö Palace, summer residence of Sissi Empress. Tonight, join us on a tour of Budapest "by night".
Day 8 BUDAPEST
Enjoy one last buffet breakfast on board before disembarking at 9:00 a.m. End of our services.
