Wonders of the Danube Delta and Iron Gate Gorge (Fly & Cruise)

After meeting your group in London, this evening you'll take a direct flight to Bucharest, the lively capital city of Romania. On arrival we transfer to our hotel for the night, checking in and enjoying a three course dinner to kick off our adventure. 

• Dinner

We set out on a guided city tour, discovering the palaces, remains of medieval homes and 21st-century modernist skyscrapers that all mesh together to make for a remarkable and surprising destination.

You have some free time for lunch and might like to try out one of the many al fresco restaurants tucked away amongst the tangled network of streets and parks. We transfer to our ship this afternoon, the Amadeus Silver II, where we're welcomed with a drink. There's time to settle into your cabin before our first 5-course dinner.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We hop aboard some smaller safari boats today for a nature cruise through the UNESCO-listed Danube Delta, formed by the river as it splits into thousands of tributaries on its way to the Black Sea.

This specialist biosphere reserve is jam-packed with wildlife, including many rare and endangered species such as golden jackal, European hoopoe, white-tailed eagle and lesser-spotted woodpecker. Back on board we enjoy a relaxing afternoon sailing back to Fetesti.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, we're driven by coach to the nearby port town of Constanta for a guided tour. Here we uncover Constanta's ancient history from its Greek origins to its Roman ancestry and Persian influences. Some of the attractions we'll see include the great mosque, art-nouveau casino and Genovese lighthouse. A short visit to the city's History and Archaeology Museum is also very enlightening, and there's even some time to take a stroll along the pristine beach before we return to our ship.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We begin sailing towards Ruse, in Bulgaria, docking for an excursion to Veliko Tarnovo. The city was once the cornerstone of Bulgaria's 14th century empire, and boasts impressive medieval churches and an Old Town of timber-framed buildings for us to explore on our guided tour.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is spent at leisure on board as we make our way towards Belgrade. During the afternoon we pass through the 'Iron Gate' Gorge. Enjoy the cruise director's informative commentary as we witness towering mossy cliffs interspersed with ornate and detailed carvings hewn straight from the rock face.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We moor in the Serbian capital of Belgrade, heading out on a guided walking tour to see the attractions of a city whose varied history is documented through its architecture. First up is the Kalemegdan Fortress; the oldest surviving part of the city and dating back to the 3rd century BC, it also offers wonderful views across the Danube and Sava rivers. Next we visit Belgrade's National Museum before seeing the parliament building, Terazije Square and lastly, the Palace of Princess Ljubica. With it's Asian influences this is an unusual building for this part of the world, and was built in the 1800s for the wife of Prince Miloš - the eponymous Princess Ljubica. 

Following lunch on board we set sail for Mohács. This afternoon, you are free to enjoy the passing scenery or to perhaps relax in the lounge.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We arrive into the port of Mohács this morning, close to the Hungarian border, and embark on puszta tour by coach that takes us Kalocsa whilst enjoying stops along the way.

The puszta itself is an area of Hungary defined by its grassland ecosystem set amongst the Great Hungarian Plains, and which has a certain 'wild west' feel to it. Our first visit during our time here is to a paprika house.

One of Hungary's most famous and important cooking ingredients, paprika was once known as 'red gold' in this region, and we get to taste it in a variety of dishes while learning about the spice's historic significance and how it help shaped the lives of the people who resided here. We continue to the former home of a wealthy 19th century family where we are treated to a performance of traditional folk music and dancing before heading out into the great plains themselves to try some more local delicacies, meet Hungarian half-blood horses and experience a wagon ride hauled by these magnificent and powerful creatures.

We meet the Amadeus Silver II in Kalocsa and have time to freshen up before tonight's gala dinner.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

A city of two halves divided by the mighty River Danube and sewn together by a collection of beautiful bridges, we enter the handsome city of Budapest in the most elegant way possible, enjoying the multitude of impressive sights that line the banks of the river as we sail leisurely through this historic and grandiose capital city. Following a last breakfast, we disembark and make for the airport for your flight back home.

• Day 9 - Breakfast