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2023 Season

The Danube from the Black Sea to Germany with 2 Nights in Transylvania for Wine Lovers

cruise: WODQ-T2
20 Day River Cruise Bucharest to Vilshofen
Follow the graceful waterways from the Danube Delta through the Balkans, Hungary, and Austria with stunning views along your Danube River cruise. Sail from the Danube Delta at the Black Sea to Hungary’s capital of Budapest to experience river views like no other. Begin your European vacation before your cruise in Transylvania. Drive into the Carpathian Mountains to visit Peles Castle, visit Dracula’s Bran Castle by night, spend two nights in Brasov and enjoy a guided tour by day. Enjoy sightseeing in Bucharest, including the Royal Palace Square and Romanian soldier remembrances. Travel to Cernavodă to embark on your Danube River cruise, beginning with the Danube Delta preserve. Sail through the striking landscapes of the Balkans—Rousse, Bulgaria, Veliko Târnovo, and Arbanassi, one of the oldest towns in Bulgaria. Guided sightseeing in Vidin is followed by a guided tour of Belogradchik, with its ancient rock formations on the Balkan Mountains. After cruising through the narrow Iron Gates Gorge, visit Lepenski Vir for a guided tour with ancient archaeological finds. In Serbia, take a guided tour of Belgrade, including one of the world’s largest Orthodox churches, and see the most preserved Croatian fortress in Osijek. You’ll also attend a stirring performance by young students of the Franjo Kuhač music school.

On the second portion of your cruise, a Master of Wine will travel with you to host lectures, tastings, and tips on food-and-wine pairing. Tour the historic town of Pécs before sightseeing in the Hungarian capital of Budapest with a visit to a local wine cellar.

Enjoy guided sightseeing of Vienna’s historic Habsburg Empire—including the Imperial Palace, Vienna Opera House, and stunning St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Take a guided tour of delightful Dürnstein and explore Melk’s Benedictine Abbey above the vineyard-rich Wachau Valley, where you can taste some of the local wines. Visit Austria’s lovely city of Linz, then pass through the beautiful Schlögen Oxbow river bend on your way to Passau—Germany’s “City of Three Rivers.” Your Danube River cruise concludes in Vilshofen, Germany.

About Masters of Wine
Seldom do travelers get the chance to learn about wines from a master! Avalon invites you to sail in the company of a Master of Wine (MW) who shares elite experience, unsurpassed knowledge, and personal passion for wines on board your ship. With only 450 Masters of Wine in the world, Avalon Waterways is honored to welcome a Master of Wine on board our Wine-Lovers cruises to share their rigorous training and prestigious expertise recognized globally across the wine industry. A truly exclusive experience for wine lovers!

cruise

at-a-glance

Day 1 Bucharest: Welcome to Bucharest

Day 2 Bucharest–Sinaia–Brasov: Visit Peles Castle

Day 3 Brasov: Guided tour of Brasov; guided visit of Dracula’s Bran Castle

Day 4 Brasov–Bucharest–Fetesti (Embarkation): Guided sightseeing in Bucharest; transfer to ship; onboard welcome reception

Day 5 St. Gheorghe: Excursion to Danube Delta; km 0 celebration

Day 6 Hârșova. Excursion to Constanta: Guided sightseeing, visit the National History and Archaeological Museum in Constanta

Day 7 Rousse. Excursion to Veliko Târnovo & Arbanassi: Choice of full-day excursion, visit to Tsarevet’s Fortress in Veliko Târnovo and to the Ethnographic Museum and the Church of the Nativity in Arbanassi, or guided sightseeing in Rousse, or walk in the park with your Adventure Host

Day 8 Vidin–Belogradchik: Choice of guided sightseeing to Vidin’s fortress and see the rock formations in Belogradchik or bike with your Adventure Host

Day 9 Iron Gates–Donji Milanovac–Golubač: Cruise through the Iron Gates Gorge; choice of visit Lepenski Vir archaeological site or bike with your Adventure Host; visit to Golubač fortress

Day 10 Belgrade: Choice of guided sightseeing or walk with your Adventure Host; onboard lecture

Day 11 Novi Sad–Ilok: Choice of Novi Sad guided tour or walk with your Adventure Host; Ilok guided tour Day 12 Mohács. Excursion to Pécs: Guided tour and organ concert in Pécs

Day 12 Mohács. Excursion to Pécs: Choice of guided tour and organ concert in Pécs or sightseeing in Mohács, visit St. Nicolas watermill

Day 13 Budapest: Choice of guided tour, see Heroes’ Square and visit a wine cellar or hike with your Adventure Host

Day 14 Budapest: Day at leisure

Day 15 Bratislava: Choice of guided sightseeing in Bratislava, visit St. Martin’s Cathedral or hike up to Bratislava Castle with your Adventure Host; onboard lecture on wine and tasting

Day 16 Vienna: Choice of guided sightseeing or bike with your Adventure Host

Day 17 Dürnstein–Wachau Valley–Ybbs. Excursion to Melk: Choice of guided walk or hike up to the castle ruins in Dürnstein or visit a local wine cellar; cruise through the Wachau Valley; choice of guided visit of the Benedictine Abbey in Melk, Ybbs city sightseeing with Artstetten Castle visit; onboard wine and cheese tasting

Day 18 Linz: Guided sightseeing, see Hauptplatz and the Trinity Column

Day 19 Passau: Schlögen Oxbow scenic cruising; onboard wine and chocolate tasting; choice of guided tour or hike with your Adventure Host

Day 20 Vilshofen (Disembarkation): Your vacation ends this morning

Avalon has designed included activities with a choice of experiences. We invite you to select the tours, activities, and events that interest you most, so you can experience your cruise your way. Plus, we offer independent exploration options and the use of our exclusive AvalonGO APP on most of our cruises. 

Below are 3 types of included shore excursions for you to experience.

The “Starting at” or “From” listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per person based on double occupancy and any applicable non-commissionable taxes and fees and intra-vacation flight are included in the price shown. Any included overnight stay in Canada, applicable GST/HST is also included in the price shown. International airfare, however, is not included. If price is crossed out, the new price shown includes limited-time promotional offer(s). Please review current promotions or deals for additional information.