Grand Danube Cruise - Giurgiu to Nuremberg

Take your included flight from the UK and fly to Giurgiu in Bulgaria, where you will be met and transfered from the airport to the ship to embark your cruise.

Tonight gather on board and meet your fellow guests.

On day 2, step back into ancient history by touring Bulgaria's ancient capital, Veliko Tarnovo, and its legendary medieval fortress and orthodox temples. Or opt to venture to the stunning city of Rousse, sometimes called Little Vienna for its breathtaking 19th- and 20th-century Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture and then afterwards marvel at the UNESCO-designated Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo with frescos revealing exceptional artistry of 14th-century paintings and Bulgarian medieval art.

Stay: AmaCerto

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 overlooking the Danube. Continue on to Belogradchik, one of Bulgaria’s natural wonders, where you can hike around its most spectacular rock formations. Alternatively, be welcomed into a local home for a demonstration and tasting of traditional Bulgarian yogurt and Banitsa, a delicious pastry with filo dough and cheese. Or you can choose to bike through Vidin for a more active adventure and see the castle.

Stay: AmaCerto

The Iron Gates is 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. The banks of the river dazzle with sheer-faced rocks that stretch high overhead along this natural border between Serbia and Romania. The ancient Serbian king Decebalus is proudly carved into the mountainside and always captivates travellers.

Stay: AmaCerto

Discover the wonders of Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, on a city tour with highlights that include the Kalemegdan Fortress and the Serbian Orthodox Temple of St. Sava. Later, choose from three intriguing excursions. Visit the Royal Palace, the official residence of the Serbian Royal Family; and then tour the House of Flowers, the mausoleum of Marshal Tito, the first President of Yugoslavia. Alternatively savour a taste of Šlivovitz, Serbian plum brandy, and other delicious local delights at the Quburich Distillery. Or join a guided bike tour for those wishing a more active adventure.

Stay: AmaCerto

Enjoy a walking tour of Novi Sad to explore why some have called the city the “Serbian Athens” and see Dunavski Park and Stari Grad, the Old Town centre. For a more active adventure, join a guided biking or hiking tour and enjoy a more active exploration. In the evening, you’ll be captivated by the legendary Petrovaradin Fortress, a mighty stronghold no enemy has ever breached.

Back on board, cruise to Vukovar, which is a Croatian symbol of resistance. See history come to life as you visit the Ovčara Memorial and Eltz Palace. Or you could indulge in a Croatian wine tasting by choosing to visit Ilok, a centre of wine production since Roman times, and sample its famous Grasevina, Traminac and Frankovka wines.

Stay: AmaCerto

Enjoy a scenic morning cruise to Pécs, founded more than 2,000 years ago by the Romans. Visit the UNESCO-designated Christian Necropolis; St. Peter’s Basilica, the city’s main Catholic cathedral along with its catacombs; and Széchenyi Square, the heart of Old Town Pécs. You will also see the Mosque of Pasha Qasim the Victorious, one of the symbols of the city. For wine connoisseurs, you’ll want to go to the Szekszárd wine region, one of the oldest red-wine-growing areas in Hungary, established more than 2000 years ago.

Stay: AmaCerto

Tradition will be on full display in Puszta, the Great Hungarian Plain. Tour a genuine Hungarian csárda (farm) run by the world champion carriage-drivers, the Lazar brothers. Afterwards, be treated to an unforgettable performance of Hungarian horsemanship and then experience the Hungarians’ warm hospitality, along with a traditional lunch complete with typical Goulash. During the evening, be treated to a special Illuminations cruise past the capital’s glittering river front.

Stay: AmaCerto

Host to the crowning ceremonies of 11 Hungarian kings and queens between 1536 and 1830, Bratislava certainly has earned the title “Coronation City of Kings” as you’ll discover during your walking tour. Or join a culinary host to sample traditional Slovakian specialties, as well as learn how to prepare stuffed potato ravioli with an opportunity to taste your own creation. For a more active adventure, hike up to Bratislava Castle, offering magnificent views of the city.

Stay: AmaCerto

The “City of Waltzes” offers a treasure trove of gems and you have two ways to discover them. Join a city tour showcasing its regal splendours, including the majestic Opera House and the former Imperial Palace of the Habsburgs before concluding in Vienna’s historic city centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and then visiting St. Stephen’s Cathedral. For a more active exploration of the area, take a guided bike ride along the Danube. During the afternoon, you can enjoy leisure time or pedal your way to Klosterneuburg Monastery on a guided cycling tour.

Stay: AmaCerto

After reaching the Wachau Valley in the morning, you’ll have a choice of three excursions in Dürnstein. Partake in a walking tour along cobblestone streets to the luminous blue facade of the Baroque Stiftskirche, its famed church tower, before enjoying a wine tasting in a local cellar. For a beautiful view of the Wachau Valley, hike up to the fortress where Richard the Lionheart was once held. Alternatively, visit a local boutique, where you’ll be treated to the region’s finest apricot products. After your morning excursions, you have a choice to cruise through the Wachau Valley to Melk or join a bike tour along the Danube. Upon reaching Melk, take a tour of the UNESCO-designated Melk Abbey.

Stay: AmaCerto

Enjoy a scenic morning sailing to the medieval city of Passau. Join a walking tour through this 2,000-year-old city, noted for its Gothic and Italian Baroque architecture and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Guests looking for a more active morning can choose between a guided bike tour along the Danube, or a guided hike up to the Veste Oberhaus Fortress overlooking Passau.

Stay: AmaCerto

Explore Regensburg, one of Germany’s best preserved medieval cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on a guided walking tour showcasing the city’s architectural highlights, including the Old Town Hall and the Porta Praetoria, gates to an ancient Roman fort built in 179 A.D. As an alternate option, sample some of Bavaria’s specialties—beer, sausage and pretzels; or bike to Walhalla where you'll see the neo-Classical white marble temple inspired by the Parthenon in Athens.

Stay: AmaCerto

Enjoy a scenic morning cruise as the ship crosses the Continental Divide via the Main-Danube Canal to Nuremberg. Explore the medieval city centre with a tour that showcases the Imperial Castle and the famous town wall, as well as Albrecht Dürer’s home and Market Square with its legendary fountain. Or you can take a guided tour of the city’s WWII history, including a visit to the infamous Zeppelin Field, a museum built on the site of former Nazi rallies and the site of the Nuremberg Trials when not in session. Alternatively, savour traditional Franconian specialties by sampling famously delicious Nuremburger Bratwurst, Rot bier (red beer) and Lebkuchen (gingerbread).

Debark on day 2 and transfer to the airport for your flight to the UK

Stay: AmaCerto