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Avalon Waterways The Danube from the Black Sea to Germany (WODO)

18 Day River Cruise Bucharest to Deggendorf 
Sail from the Danube Delta of the Black Sea to Hungary’s capital of Budapest through the Balkans, Hungary, and Austria on your European river cruise. Begin with an overnight stay in Bucharest for a guided sightseeing tour, including the Royal Palace Square. 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 fortress and tremendous 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. Tour the historic town of Pécs before sightseeing in the Hungarian capital of Budapest—the “Pearl of the Danube.” You’ll take a guided walk through Bratislava, Slovakia before cruising to Vienna—the “City of Music.”

Enjoy guided sightseeing in Vienna’s historic Habsburg Empire—including the Imperial Palace, Vienna Opera House, and stunning St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Visit delightful Dürnstein and Melk—charming towns in the vineyard-rich Wachau Valley. Take a guided tour and hear the legendary tale of King Richard the Lionheart in Dürnstein, and tour the magnificent Benedictine Abbey high above Melk. Visit Austria’s lovely city of Linz with a tour of the city’s historic sites, then pass through the horseshoe bend of the Danube—the beautiful Schlögen Oxbow—on your way to Passau. Enjoy a guided walking tour of Germany’s “City of Three Rivers before cruising to Deggendorf, Germany, for the conclusion of your Danube River cruise.

Ships: Passion - Ship TBA IV - Envision - Expression

Avalon Highlights & Sightseeing

Day 1 Bucharest: Welcome to Bucharest

Day 2 Bucharest–Fetesti (Embarkation): Guided sightseeing in Bucharest; onboard welcome reception

Day 3 St. Gheorghe: Excursion to Danube Delta; km 0 celebration

Day 4 Hârsova. Excursion to Constanta: Guided sightseeing, visit the National History and Archaeological Museum in Constanta

Day 5 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 a guided sightseeing in Rousse, or a walk in the park with your Adventure Host

Day 6 Vidin–Belogradchik: Choice of guided sightseeing to Vidin’s fortress and see the rock formations in Belogradchik or bike with your Adventure Host

Day 7 Iron Gates–Donji Milanovac–Golubac: Cruise through the Iron Gates Gorge; choice of visit Lepenski Vir archaeological site or bike with your Adventure Host; visit to Golubač fortress

Day 8 Belgrade: Choice of guided sightseeing or walk with your Adventure Host; onboard lecture

Day 9 Novi Sad–Ilok: Choice of Novi Sad guided tour or walk with your Adventure Host; Ilok guided tour

Day 10 Mohács. Excursion to Pécs: Choice of guided tour and organ concert in Pécs or sightseeing in Mohács, visit St. Nicolas watermill

Day 11 Budapest: Choice of guided tour, see Heroes’ Square or hike with your Adventure Host

Day 12 Budapest: Day at leisure

Day 13 Bratislava: Choice of guided sightseeing in Bratislava, visit St. Martin’s Cathedral or hike up to Bratislava Castle with your Adventure Host

Day 14 Vienna: Choice of guided sightseeing or bike with your Adventure Host

Day 15 Dürnstein–Wachau Valley–Ybbs. Excursion to Melk: Choice of guided walk or hike up to the castle ruins in Dürnstein; cruise through the Wachau Valley; choice of guided visit of the Benedictine Abbey in Melk, Ybbs city sightseeing with Artstetten Castle visit

Day 16 Linz: Guided sightseeing, see Hauptplatz and the Trinity Column

Day 17 Passau: Schlögen Oxbow scenic cruising; choice of guided tour or hike with your Adventure Host

Day 18 Deggendorf (Disembarkation): Your vacation ends this morning

Special Interest Departures

10/11/2024 - The Danube from Romania to Germany for Wine Lovers

Related Avalon Tours

WODO - The Danube from the Black Sea to Germany
WODY - With 2 Nights in Prague
WODQ - With 2 Nights in Transylvania
WODE - With 2 Nights in Transylvania & 2 Nights in Prague

Itinerary (2024)

Day 1BUCHAREST, ROMANIA
 Welcome to Bucharest—The “Paris of the East”

The day is yours to relax and enjoy Bucharest. Spend some free time exploring this fascinating city on your own to discover its trendy shops, cafés, museums, beautiful homes, and churches along Victory Avenue.
Day 2BUCHAREST
 Beautiful Boulevards and Bold History

CLASSIC Take a Guided Tour of the Romanian capital city of Bucharest with its tree-lined boulevards and Arc de Triomphe—honoring WWI Romanian soldiers. See the Royal Palace Square—the scene of the city’s 1989 riots to overthrow the communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.

Travel to Fetesti to board your Avalon Suite Ship® this afternoon.

FETESTI (EMBARKATION)

Your Balkan Adventure Begins

Explore your Avalon Suite Ship® this evening and enjoy a dinner on board.

DISCOVERY After dinner, attend an onboard Lecture to learn about the Danube Delta.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ST. GHEORGHE

(B,D)
Day 3ST. GHEORGHE. EXCURSION TO THE DANUBE DELTA
 A River’s Entrance into the Sea

Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.

CLASSIC Join a small-boat Guided Tour of the best preserved of Europe’s deltas -2,200 square miles of rivers, canals, marshes, tree-fringed lakes and reed islands.

DISCOVERY Enjoy a Special Celebration to mark Kilometer “0”—the end of the Danube River’s 2,845 km journey—from the source in the Black Forest to its delta at the Black Sea.

AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO HÂRȘOVA

(B,L,D)
Day 4HÂRȘOVA. EXCURSION TO CONSTANTA
 Romania’s Cultural Legacies

CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour to Constanta, the most important commercial center in Romania, situated on the Black Sea. Visit the Natural History and Archaelogical Museum to discover the history of early Romanian cultures.

AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO ROUSSE

(B,L,D)
Day 5ROUSSE, BULGARIA. VELIKO TÂRNOVO & ARBANASSI EXCURSION
 Fortresses and Fountains in “Little Vienna”

ACTIVE Join a walk through the park with your Avalon Adventure Host, OR:

CLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Bulgaria’s largest inland port and visit its impressive Holy Trinity Church.

ACTIVE Join a walk through the park with your Avalon Adventure Host.

Sail to Svistov, OR:

CLASSIC 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, as well as Bulgarian revival architecture in the 15th-century town of Arbanassi.

Later, join your ship in Svistov.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO VIDIN

(B,L,D)
Day 6VIDIN
 Rocks, ruins and Balkan Beauty

Ask about today’s energizing or relaxing Adventure Host activities.

ACTIVE Enjoy an easy hiking experience in Vidin with your Adventure Host, OR:

CLASSIC Take a Guided Sightseeing Tour in Vidin before joining a Guided Tour to Belogradchik. See the remarkable rock formations on the slopes of the Balkan Mountains, sculpted by 200 million years of nature’s elements.

This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board with a Bulgarian folklore show.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO DONJI MILANOVAC

(B,L,D)
Day 7DONJI MILANOVAC, SERBIA–IRON GATES GORGE. 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.

ACTIVE Explore Donji Milanovac by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:

CLASSIC 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.

Enjoy a brief sailing to Golubač.

GOLUBAČ

A Formidable Fortress

CLASSIC Visit the Fortress of Golubač, one of the best preserved medieval fortresses in Europe. You’ll hear about its tumultuous history as a border control defense in the Middle Ages, and a source of conflict between Serbia, the Habsburg Monarchy and the Ottoman Empire.

AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BELGRADE

(B,L,D)
Day 8BELGRADE
 Fortresses and Folklore

Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.

ACTIVE See Belgrade's central walkway with your Adventure Host, OR:

CLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing Tour of Belgrade—where the Danube and Sava Rivers converge—and see the city’s many fascinating sites, including Saint Sava—one of the world’s largest Orthodox churches.

You may choose to spend free time in Belgrade exploring Knez Mihailova Street—Belgrade’s central pedestrian thoroughfare with many lively cafés, shops, and cultural spots.

DISCOVERY Attend an onboard Lecture to learn about the rich history, destinations, and culture of the Balkan states.

OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO NOVI SAD

(B,L,D)
Day 9NOVI SAD
 A Capital of Culture

ACTIVE Enjoy a relaxing walk in Novi Sad with your Adventure Host, OR:

CLASSIC 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 brief cruise to Ilok while having lunch onboard.

ILOK, CROATIA

CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour of Ilok, with its 1,000-year-old winemaking tradition still thriving and its medieval fortress protected for its Croatian cultural heritage.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MOHÁCS

(B,L,D)
Day 10MOHÁCS, HUNGARY. EXCURSION TO PÉCS
 Underground Tombs and Heavenly Music

CLASSIC 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:

CLASSIC 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

(B,L,D)
Day 11BUDAPEST
 Hungary’s Captivating Capital

ACTIVE Hike up to a magnificent viewpoint in Budapest with your Adventure Host, OR:

CLASSIC Enjoy a Guided City Sightseeing, including the iconic Heroes’ Square.

Take in the beauty of Budapest while enjoying a free afternoon exploring such famous sights as the Chain Bridge. Get to know the city’s cafés and pubs, or take a hike through the hills above the Danube.

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN BUDAPEST

(B,L,D)
Day 12BUDAPEST
 The Pearl of the Danube

Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.

This afternoon choose among a wide selection of Optional Guided Excursions or take a free day to explore, with time to take photographs on the Royal Palace grounds in this treasure trove of historical architecture. Try Budapest’s famous thermal bath spas, then dine in a garden or rooftop eatery.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO BRATISLAVA

(B,L,D)
Day 13BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA
 Cathedral Coronations and a Crowning Castle

ACTIVE Follow your Avalon Adventure Host on a hike to lofty Bratislava Castle, OR:

CLASSIC Take a Guided City Walk, including the quaint streets of Old Town, Town Hall, and the site of royal coronations at fantastic St. Martin’s Cathedral.

This afternoon, enjoy free time to discover on your own Bratislava, the beautiful capital of Slovakia, rich in history and culture, but also a green city with its forests and parks just a hop away from the city center.

OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO VIENNA

(B,L,D)
Day 14VIENNA, AUSTRIA
 Strauss, Schnitzel, Strudel, and Sachertorte

ACTIVE Explore Vienna's Danube Island by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:

CLASSIC Explore the Habsburg empire with a morning Guided City Tour of Vienna’s gilded landmarks. See the Imperial Palace complex—Winter residence of the Imperial Family, the iconic Vienna Opera House and stunning St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

You may decide to take a Guided Optional Excursion to Schönbrunn Palace—the former imperial summer home of the Habsburg monarchy.

Spend free time strolling in the Kärntnerstrasse—the most famous shopping avenue in central Vienna, or take a bike ride to a local café for Sachertorte or Apfelstrudel. Later this evening, you may choose to attend an Optional Excursion to a Royal Waltz Concert.

OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO DÜRNSTEIN

(B,L,D)
Day 15DÜRNSTEIN–WACHAU VALLEY
 A King’s Ransom and Castle Ruins

ACTIVE Join a Guided Hike up to the castle ruins to take in the spectacular view of the village, Danube, and the Wachau Valley below, OR:

CLASSIC Join a Guided Walk, and hear the legendary tale of King Richard the Lionheart—who was imprisoned in the castle during the Crusades.

Later, stretch out on the Sky Deck as you sail through the Wachau Valley past vineyards, castles, and charming villages on your way to Ybbs.

YBBS. EXCURSION TO MELK

Frescoes Above and Vineyards Below

CLASSIC Visit the Lower Austrian little town of Ybbs. Walk through the doors of Austrian history with a guided sightseeing tour of Artstetten Castle, OR:

CLASSIC Take a Guided Tour of Melk’s magnificent Benedictine Abbey to marvel at its frescoed ceilings, statues, incredible library, and ornate pipe organ.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO LINZ

(B,L,D)
Day 16LINZ
 Legendary Lovely Linz

Ask about today’s energizing or relaxing Adventure Host activities.

CLASSIC Take a Guided Walk through the city’s historic and beautiful sites along the shore of the Danube and see Hauptplatz—Austria’s largest medieval square—and the towering white-marble Trinity Column.

Consider a full-day Guided Optional Excursion to Salzburg—the city of Mozart—or to the picturesque Bohemian town of Český Krumlov.

Borrow a bicycle with a picnic from ship, or hike the nature trails to Pöstlingberg for a bird’s-eye view of Linz and the Danube.

OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN LINZ

(B,L,D)
Day 17SCHLÖGEN OXBOW–PASSAU, GERMANY
 Where the Danube, Inn, and Ilz Rivers Meet

This morning, cruise through the Schlögen Oxbow, a particularly beautiful horseshoe-shaped bend of the river.

ACTIVE Join your Avalon Adventure Host for Hiking from Oberhaus along a trail down to the valley and along Ilz River, OR:

CLASSIC Take a Guided City Walk into Passau, the beautiful “City of Three Rivers."

Spend free time strolling on Passau’s cobblestone streets and Artists’ Alley or maybe catch a concert rehearsal at St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO DEGGENDORF

(B,L,D)
Day 18DEGGENDORF (DISEMBARKATION)
 Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

Flights should not leave Munich airport before 8 am.

(B)

Avalon Pricing Details

Gateway city for departures is Munich.

Port charges:
$480

Gratuities to Local Guides & Excursion Drivers are included on Avalon portion only.

Avalon offers the opportunity for solo travelers to sail with no single supplement (subject to availability).

Please call for single accommodation price. Triples not available.

Avalon Notes

  • In the event of technical or water level issues, it may be necessary to operate the itinerary by motorcoach or alter the program, including hotel overnight when necessary.
  • Guided Tours, Optional Excursions, activities, sailing and docking schedules may be contingent on weather conditions or other issues outside of our control and could therefore be subject to change at any time.
  • Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.

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Avalon Tour Dates

Tour Land StartAvalon RetailRequest Quote
*05/25/2024 $9,247.00
*08/18/2024 $9,397.00
*09/11/2024 $9,797.00
*10/11/2024 $9,197.00
*05/28/2025 $8,697.00
*10/25/2025 $8,297.00
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