From its source in Germany's Black Forest, the River Danube travels 1800 miles through eight Central and East European countries and the capital cities of Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and Belgrade before meeting the Black Sea at the Danube Delta.
River cruises from Amsterdam to the Black Sea may take three weeks, with shorter cruises starting in Germany, Vienna or Budapest. From Budapest the River Danube turns south through the Hungarian plains to Kalocsa, one of the oldest towns in Hungary.
Crossing into Serbia, the main sight of Novi Sad is Petrovaradin Castle, before cruising to Serbian capital Belgrade, whose highlights include the Kalemegdan Fortress above the river..
The scenery becomes more dramatic as the cruise passes through the spectacular Iron Gates, the deepest gorge in Europe. For 90 miles the mountains and cliffs rise high above the river forming the boundary between Serbia and Romania. The River Danube then forms the border between Romania and Bulgaria reaching the Bulgarian town of Vidin for excursions to the Belogradschik fortress and spectacular rock formations.
Rousse is the base for excursions to Veliko Tarnovo, former Bulgarian capital and further downstream Giurgiu and Oltenita are starting points for visits to Bucharest, the Romanian capital. This 'Paris of the East' is an attractive city dominated by the huge Parliament building - the former Ceaucescu Palace.