Budapest to the Black Sea

•   Gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors and Tauck Cruise Director

Day 1: Arrive Budapest
A transfer is included from Ferihegy Airport to Le Méridien Budapest. Join us for a special welcome cocktail reception and dinner at the Akademia Club in Budapest’s Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
Overnight: Le Méridien Budapest, Hungary
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Budapest, Two Cities in One
Once both independent cities on opposite sides of the Danube, Buda and Pest joined together when linked by the Chain Bridge in the mid-19th century to become Hungary’s cosmopolitan capital, Budapest. Join Tauck’s local guides for sightseeing in Pest starting with a visit to St. Stephen’s Basilica, Budapest’s neo-Renaissance cathedral completed in 1905. Continue on to experience Pest’s impressive mix of architectural masterpieces and historic monuments as you view City Park, patriotic Heroes’ Square with its statues of Hungarian leaders through the ages, the Gothic-Revival Parliament building and tree-lined Andrassy Avenue; and make a stop to shop at bustling Central Market Hall.
Overnight: Le Méridien Budapest, Hungary
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3: Historic Buda / Embark Riverboat
Budapest is considered one of Europe’s most fashionable cities, perfect for spending a morning as you please before Tauck takes you to span the centuries with guided sightseeing in the Buda section. The legacy of Béla Bartók lives on in his 1924 home on the outskirts of Buda, now a museum and memorial dedicated to the beloved Hungarian composer and musicologist; listen to melodies by Bartók in a piano recital during your visit. Go back to the days of World War II and the Cold War at the Sziklakórház or “Hospital in the Rock,” a museum recreating underground military medical and civil defense facilities in a former secret nuclear bunker and hospital beneath Buda Castle that was used both during the war and the 1956 Hungarian Uprising. Take a walk up to Castle Hill to visit the imposing 19th-century Fishermen’s Bastion overlooking the Danube; have lunch on your own and explore the area as you wish. Board ms Treasures in Budapest for the start of your cruise, and meet the crew at the Captain’s welcome reception aboard ship tonight.
Overnight: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 4: Paprika, Palaces & more in Hungary
Celebrated both for its paprika and its folk art, Kalocsa, Hungary, is home to the Paprika Museum, where you’ll gain insights on the colorful history of this popular spice made from bell peppers and its production in Hungary during your visit. Tauck also takes you inside the magnificent Rococo-style paneled library within the 18th-century Baroque Bishop’s Palace in Kalocsa, considered to be among the ten finest libraries in Europe. Continue on to a Hungarian winery to enjoy a wine tasting featuring local vintages before rejoining the riverboat; dine aboard ship tonight.
Overnight: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 5: Looking Back in Croatia and on to Serbia
Croatia’s turbulent history takes center stage today – first with an enlightening on-board presentation on the country’s past and present by a local expert, then on your memorable excursion to the 10th-century city of Vukovar. Once renowned for its elegant 18th-century Baroque mansions and now recovering from the devastating effects of the 1990s war, the city today is a mix of old and new. On a visit to a private home, meet a Vukovar family who have recently returned after years of conflict to rebuild their lives, and enjoy the homemade refreshments they’ll share with you. Reboard ms Treasures for lunch and cruise to Serbia this afternoon, with commentary from your Tauck Director.
Overnight: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6: Sampling Serbian Culture in Belgrade
Set at the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers, Belgrade has roots going back to a Celtic settlement in the 3rd century BC. Awaken dockside in Serbia’s cosmopolitan capital, where a lecture aboard ship paves the way for guided sightseeing that includes visits to Tito’s Memorial and Kalemegdan Fortress; see Slavija Square, Parliament, St. Sava Church, City Hall, Republic Square and the National Theatre. After a special Serbian lunch at a former prince’s residence, Tauck takes you for a very special private visit to the beautiful Royal Palace of Dedinje in Belgrade, built in the 1920s for the Yugoslavian royal family and now home to HRH Crown Prince Alexander II of Serbia and his family. Return to the riverboat, where Serbian music and dance follows dinner this evening.
Overnight: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7: Through the Danube's Iron Gate
There’s something to be said for just “kicking back” and watching the scenic heartland of Eastern Europe unfold during a leisurely morning on the Danube River today, enjoying picture-perfect vistas of the passing shore. Winding lazily for much of its length, the Danube suddenly narrows into a series of high cliffs to create four steep, spectacular gorges comprising the Kazan Narrows and the Iron Gate of the Danube. Pass through these dramatic landscapes after saying goodbye to Serbia and cruising along the Romanian-Bulgarian border. Look for a monument to the 2nd-century Dacian King Decebalus, a Romanian national hero, carved into the Danube’s rocky bank; it’s Europe’s tallest rock sculpture, completed in 2004 after a decade of work by a dozen sculptors. Savor great views of the Transylvanian Alps as ms Treasures continues cruising to Svishtov, Bulgaria.
Overnight: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 8: Welcome to Bulgaria
Onboard activities throughout your cruise, such as special lectures and presentations, cooking demonstrations or music and dance performances, are an important part of the Tauck river cruising experience. Today, for example, as the riverboat approaches Bulgaria, those guests fascinated by imagery and symbolism in visual arts – themes featured in a series of popular novels in recent years – will have an opportunity to explore the subject further by attending an onboard lecture and demonstration on Iconography this morning. Today ms Treasures arrives in Svishtov, Bulgaria, for culturally rich visits to nearby Bulgarian towns. First, you’ll travel to Veliko Turnovo, which served as Bulgaria’s capital in medieval times. The sight of its ancient walled fortress and castle nestled atop three hills on the Yantra River is memorable; have lunch, followed by time to explore, snap some pictures and perhaps shop for local crafts. In neighboring Arbanassi, visit the Konstant-Salieva House and the Archangels Michael & Gabriel Church. Catch up with the riverboat in Ruse; enjoy an onboard music and dance performance and a look at traditional Bulgarian customs tonight.
Overnight: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 9: Discovering Romania's Black Sea Coast
ms Treasures arrives in Cernavoda, Romania, for a day trip to the beautiful Black Sea coast. Take a guided tour of the key port city of Constanta, originally the ancient Greek colony of Tomis and home to numerous Greek and Roman antiquities, an Art-Nouveau casino, and a monument to the Roman poet Ovid, who was exiled here by the Emperor Augustus. Travel to a seaside resort on the Black Sea for lunch. After returning to the riverboat, bid farewell to the crew at the Captain’s farewell reception and dinner aboard ship this evening.
Overnight: Cruising aboard the Riverboat
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 10: Disembark Ship / Bucharest
Upon disembarking the riverboat in Cernavoda, set out through the Romanian countryside to Bucharest for a two-night stay. After lunch at a local restaurant, join Tauck’s local guides for a sightseeing tour of Romania’s capital, once regarded as “the Paris of the Balkans,” which includes Revolution Square and the granite Triumphal Arch, a smaller copy of Paris’ Arc de Triomphe. Your day also features a visit to Bucharest’s colossal People’s Palace, home to the Romanian Parliament; it’s so big, some parts of it are still unfinished!
Overnight: JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel, Bucharest, Romania
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 11: Haunts of the original "Dracula"
Vlad Tepes (a.k.a. Vlad the Impaler), the 15th-century Romanian prince who served as the historic inspiration for the fictitious Dracula, ruled in this area and has connections to your sightseeing choices today. You can take a full-day excursion to tour 14th-century Bran Castle in Transylvania, which was used as a fortress by Tepes during his campaigns in the region and is now a national monument. Or take a boat across Snagov Lake to tiny Snagov Island and visit isolated Snagov Monastery, on whose grounds Tepes is believed to be buried, and see art-filled Caldarusani Monastery. Please join us this evening for our farewell dinner at your hotel.
Overnight: JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel, Bucharest, Romania
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 12: Journey Home
Tour ends: Bucharest, Romania. Fly home anytime. A transfer from the JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel to Bucharest Airport is included; allow 3 hours for flight check-in.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
8/12/2012 - 8/24/2012	$4,590
9/23/2012 - 10/5/2012	$5,290
Note: Departures appearing above in green are guaranteed to operate by the tour operator.
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

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