Compare Budapest to Bucharest by Intrepid Travel vs Budapest to the Black Sea - Eastbound 2023 by Tauck

Day 1 Budapest

Szia! Welcome to Hungary. Since the collapse of communism, Budapest has experienced something of a renaissance. The grand architecture and boulevards evoke a time gone by, while glamorous stores and restaurants make this one of the truly great cities of Europe. You’ll have a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. After, you might like to head out to explore the city by night – the twinkling lights of the evening are an essential part of the Budapest experience. Maybe visit the Jewish Quarter for dinner and explore the many options for a celebratory nightcap.

Day 2 Eger

This morning, take a train east to Eger. This beautifully preserved Baroque town is surrounded by hills and is home to some of the most renowned vineyards in Eastern Europe. Visit the wine cellars of the seductively named Valley of the Beautiful Women to sample some of the town's famous 'Bull's Blood' red wine (which supposedly gave the Hungarian army supernatural strength during their battle against the Ottoman Empire). In your free time, maybe explore Eger's 13th-century castle, which was the scene of the historic siege that thwarted the Ottoman Empire's advancement into Western Europe. Here, you can explore the Gothic Palace, a gallery of fine Hungarian art, and tour underground passageways of archaeological finds. You may also like to check out the town's 19th-century cathedral, the northernmost medieval minaret in Europe for views of the city, or the Minorite church in Dobo Square.

Day 3 Maramures

This morning, travel to the pleasant town of Debrecen. While here, you'll have time to explore Deri Square with its fountains, colourful buildings, museums and golden Great Church. Continue by train and private vehicle across the central plains into the Maramures region of Romania – this region may be modernising, but among the traditional wooden houses, churches, music and forests, you can still find parts of life unchanged since medieval times. When you arrive, settle into your room at the pension – your accommodation for the night is run by a local family. Sit down for a homecooked dinner with your group and get to know the locals, their stories and their lifestyle.

Day 4 Maramures

Today you’ll discover more about the region of Maramures (mah-ra-moo-resh). Rich in tradition and folklore, the music, costumes, festivals and ancient superstitions of one of the last peasant cultures in Europe continue to thrive here. Maramures is particularly famed for its wooden churches, many of which are World Heritage-listed. Set out on a guided group tour to explore the region, visiting the unique Merry Cemetery in Sapanta, where the life stories of the deceased are displayed on colourful wooden crosses. There are poems, limericks and little pictures illustrating how the person died, all single-handedly carved over 40 years by Stan Ioan Patraş, until 1977 when his apprentice took up the work. You’ll also see other traditional villages including the village museum in Sighetu – an assembly of beautiful local wooden architecture.

Day 5 Sighisoara

This morning, get ready for a scenic drive to Sighisoara – while the name may conjure up images of haunted castles, gothic churches and vampires, this is only a small part of what makes Transylvania such an enchanting and exciting destination. Medieval Sighisoara is likely to seduce visitors more than any other place in Romania. Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the town was first settled by the Romans but flourished under the Saxons from the 12th century. Take a walk around the old town, which coils up a narrow hill surrounded on all sides by fortified walls and explore the 64-metre-high clock tower that dominates the citadel. The town is famed as the birthplace of Vlad Dracul III, better known as Vlad the Impaler, whose name inspired Bram Stoker’s iconic Count Dracula. Vlad III is revered as a folk hero by Romanians for driving off the invading Ottoman Turks, of which his impaled victims are said to have included as many as 100,000. Tonight, maybe sit down for a traditional Romanian dinner at Casa Dracula.

Day 6 Viscri

This morning, take a short drive to the village of Viscri – this small Transylvanian village was originally inhabited by Saxons from the Luxembourg area and the rural landscape is picture-perfect. This idyllic village of red tiled roofs is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, virtually unchanged for 900 years. You’ll visit the town's fortified church (thought to be the oldest in Transylvania) and learn about the Sock Project, which supports the local Roma community. Time permitting, you may even like to go for a horse cart ride through the area, over pastures and through wondrous woods of oak and hornbeam. In the evening, indulge in a home-cooked dinner prepared by a local family, sampling fresh produce, homemade wines and schnapps. Tonight, stay in rustic houses that the locals rent out to visitors.

Day 7 Brasov

This morning, you’ll visit the famed Bran Castle. Said to be the inspiration for the home of Bram Stoker's Dracula, the castle isn’t too spooky, but it is undeniably impressive. Perched on a high cliff top and surrounded by pine trees, you’ll explore the castle with your leader and group – this is the perfect photo op! After, travel to Brasov and enjoy free time to explore, checking out the ornate churches, townhouses and squares surrounded by gingerbread-roofed merchants' houses. For those looking for a bit of nightlife tonight, Brasov has plenty of funky bars and restaurants to enjoy once darkness falls.

Day 8 Brasov

Today after breakfast, you will enjoy a full free day in Brasov. Also known by its German name of Kronstadt, the town is flanked by mountains and was once a major medieval trading centre. When you arrive, enjoy some free time to wander, take an optional activity or just find a good spot to eat and people-watch. The town's main attraction is the gothic Black Church (Biserica Neagra), which took its name from its blackened appearance after a fire in 1689. Maybe stroll along pedestrianised Strada Republicii, take a cable car up to Mt Tampa, or maybe explore the nearby Rasnov Fortress. The fortification is perched on a rocky hilltop above the town of Rasnov and was constructed by Teutonic Knights in the 13th century as a refuge for the common people from Tartar invaders.

Day 9 Bucharest

Head south to Bucharest on the train today – the city is increasingly known for its cosmopolitan vibe and energy. While not the most beautiful or stylish city, there are some wonderful art nouveau buildings, ancient churches and monasteries, lush parklands, lakes and elegant boulevards. Romania's capital also likes big things – it’s home to one of Europe's biggest squares, and its Palace of Parliament is the second-largest building in the world! You'll embark on a guided walking tour around town to help you get your bearings, and then you have loads of free time to choose your own adventure. Explore some of the sights further or maybe seek out some traditional home-cooked Romanian food with your fellow travellers.

Day 10 Bucharest

There are no activities planned for the final day, and you can depart the accommodation at any time. If you want to stay longer, just speak to your booking agent.

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 Transylvania or Sinaia and Peles Castle

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 travel on a full-day excursion into the Carpathian Mountains to the mountain resort town of Sinaia for a visit to Peles Castle. Return to Bucharest for free time and dinner as you please.

MEALS : B, L

PORTOFCALL : Bucharest, Romania

Day 12 Bucharest & a night at a 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 a 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