Gems of Southeast Europe (Wine Cruise) 2025

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – EMBARKATION. Board the ship for your Gems of Southeast Europe cruise. (D)

MOHÁCS. Enjoy an excursion to Pécs and see Szechenyi Square, the Christian Necropolis – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and St. Peter's Basilica with its underground burial chambers. For a more active adventure, delight in a guided bike ride along the Danube River. For wine connoisseurs, you’ll visit the Szekszárd wine region, one of the oldest red-wine-growing areas in Hungary, established more than 2,000 years ago. (B,L,D)

VUKOVAR, CROATIA – NOVI SAD, SERBIA. Explore Novi Sad, a city rich in tradition and culture, on a full-day walking tour. Begin your tour at the Dunavski (Danube) Park; stroll through Stari Grad, the old town center; and explore Liberty Square, which is dominated by the Old Town Hall. You will also have the option to visit the Petrovaradin Fortress. Or enjoy your morning in Vukovar on a guided city tour where you will have a chance to visit Eltz Manor House, Vukovar’s famous water tower, and the Vucedol Museum. Alternatively, you may explore Vukovar on an active bike tour. In the afternoon, travel to Ilok, situated in the easternmost part of Croatia, to enjoy a wine tasting and tour in the Old Cellars of Ilok, famous for their Grasevina, Traminac and Frankovka wines. (B,L,D)

BELGRADE, SERBIA. Explore Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, on a city tour, which includes the Nikola Tesla Museum, encompassing the world-renowned inventor’s life and inventions, as well as the Kalemegdan Fortress and the Serbian Orthodox Temple of St. Sava. Alternatively, you can enjoy a taste of the region by sampling wine and snacks at the Podrum Panajotovic Wine Cellar, where old traditions and excellent wine are preserved 10 meters below the streets of Belgrade. For those wishing for a more active adventure, join a guided bike tour or hike to Belgrade Fortress. (B,L,D)

SCENIC CRUISING THROUGH THE IRON GATES. Visit Golubac Fortress – one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in Europe – before cruising through the Iron Gates – one of Europe’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders. The Danube narrows as it winds through a series of magnificent gorges between the Carpathian and Balkan mountains, forming a natural border between Serbia and Romania. The ancient King Decebalus, the last king of Dacia, is proudly carved into the mountainside and always captivates travelers. (B,L,D)

VIDIN, BULGARIA. Explore Vidin, one of Bulgaria’s oldest cities, and surrounding areas with a choice of excursions. Discover Baba Vida Fortress, the largest preserved medieval castle in Bulgaria. Alternatively, visit a local home for a demonstration of traditional Bulgarian yogurt and Banitsa, a pastry you will also get to make. You also have the choice to bike through Vidin and to the castle. Or enjoy a wine tasting at a local boutique winery just outside of Vidin. (B,L,D)

ROUSSE – GIURGIU, ROMANIA. Visit Bulgaria’s ancient capital, Veliko Tarnovo, with its medieval fortress and multiple orthodox temples. You can opt instead to go to Rousse, known for its 19th- and 20th-century Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture, and then afterwards visit the UNESCO-designated Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo with frescos revealing exceptional artistry of 14th-century paintings. Alternatively, travel through the Romanian countryside to the capital of Bucharest, known as the “Little Paris of the East,” for a full day tour. Enjoy a panoramic tour of the historic city center and its elegant architecture, followed by a visit to the Palace of the Parliament, the second largest administrative building in the world. In the afternoon, journey to a Rousse Wine House and the Leventa complex set in a unique fortification structure dating back almost 200 years and be treated to a tasting of three wines while learning about the wine making process. (B,L,D)

*Not available with full-day excursions

GIURGIU – DISEMBARKATION. Bid farewell to Giurgiu as you prepare for your flight home. (B)
*Not available with full-day excursions