Day 1: Oltenita, Romania (Embarkation)
Your Balkan Adventure Begins
Flights into Bucharest must arrive by 2 pm
Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm.
Explore your Avalon Suite Ship® this evening and enjoy a dinner onboard.
Evening/Overnight cruise to Rousse. Dinner
Day 2: Rousse, Bulgaria. Veliko Tarnovo & Arbanassi Excursion
Fortresses and Fountains in “Little Vienna”
Join a bike tour in Rousse with your Avalon Adventure Host, OR:
Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Bulgaria’s largest inland port and visit its impressive Holy Trinity Church. Later, enjoy a short scenic drive to explore the rock-hewn churches of Ivanovo, a UNESCO World Heritage. OR:
Join a full-day Guided Tour to the former Bulgarian capital of Veliko Târnovo—with its ancient stone houses clinging to the cliffs above the Yantra River. Discover one of the oldest towns in Bulgaria (circa 4300 BC), as well as Bulgarian Revival architecture in the 15th-century town of Arbanassi.
Sail to Svistov or join your ship there if you opted for the full-day tour.
Evening/Overnight cruise to Vidin. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Vidin
Rocks, Ruins, and Balkan Beauty
Ask about today’s energizing or relaxing Adventure Host activities.
Wander and discover this town, join your Adventure Host for a bike ride, OR:
Join a Guided Tour of Belogradchik. See the remarkable rock formations on the slopes of the Balkan Mountains, sculpted by 200 million years of nature’s elements. Then, visit the mighty Baba Vida Fortress in nearby Vidin.
This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board with a Bulgarian folklore show.
Overnight cruise to Donja Milanovac. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Iron Gates Gorge-Golubac,Serbia, Excursion to Lepenski Vir
Ancient Artifacts and the Iron Gates
Before lunch on board, you’ll sail through the spectacular and narrow Iron Gates Gorge—forming a natural border between Serbia and Romania.
Join a Guided Tour to Lepenski Vir—an important Mesolithic archaeological site chronicling prehistoric cultures, settlements, and art. Marvel at the ancient discoveries and artifacts, as well as the unique views the site affords of the Danube Gorge. Continue to the Fortress of Golubač, one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in Europe.
Overnight cruise to Belgrade. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Belgrade
Fortresses and Folklore
Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.
Discover Belgrade's central walkway with your Adventure Host, OR:
Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Belgrade—where the Danube and Sava Rivers converge—and see the city’s many fascinating sights, including Saint Sava, one of the world’s largest Orthodox churches.
You may choose to join an Optional Guided Biking tour or spend free time in Belgrade exploring Knez Mihailova Street—Belgrade’s central pedestrian thoroughfare with many lively cafés, shops, and cultural spots.
Attend an onboard Lecture to learn about the rich history, destinations, and culture of the Balkan states.
Overnight cruise to Novi Sad. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Nova Sad
A Capital of Culture
Join a Guided Tour of Novi Sad, the second largest town in Serbia. Admire its Austro-Hungarian old town, with its baroque buildings, and ancient fortifications.
Enjoy a walking tour in Novi Sad along the narrow streets that climb slowly to the top of the hill above the city to Petrovaradin Fortress, OR:
Experience the sweet life in Serbia with a visit and tasting at the Museum of Beekeeping and Živanović Wine Cellar in Sremski Karlovci.
Overnight cruise to Ilok. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Ilok, Croatia-Vukovar, Croatia
Croatian Heritage and Hilltop Vintages
Take a walking tour of Ilok with a wine tasting in a local cellar with stories of Croatian tradition.
Enjoy a short sailing to Vukovar during lunchtime
Enjoy a walking tour of Vukovar, the city the largest river port in Croatia.
This evening enjoy live entertainment on board
Overnight cruise to Mohács. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Mohács, Hungary. Excertion to Pécs
Join a morning Guided Sightseeing Tour of Mohács—the quiet Danube harbor town with its historical memorial parks, statues, and distinctive churches. Tour the remarkable medieval St. Nicholas Watermill—one of only a few remaining watermills performing stone-ground grain processing, OR:
Take a Guided Tour to nearby Pécs to see its 4th-century Christian underground tombs, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with fascinating murals. You’ll also enjoy an organ concert on your tour.
Afternoon/Overnight cruise to Budapest. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9: Budapest (Disembarkation)
Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning.
Flights should not leave Budapest airport before 8 am. Breakfast