Rajah Travel Corporation

Twice the capital of Bulgaria—before and after the Ottomans conquered the nation—Veliko Tarnovo climbs steep hills above the Yantra River, topped by the ruins of Tsarevets, the stronghold where Bulgaria’s kings ruled between 1185 and 1393. The remains of the great stone walls and towers that you see formed the historic heart of the Second Bulgarian Empire. History lives in this town, as a quick look at the wares for sale in Samovod Marketplace will show you: Handicrafts are all made by local artisans using ancient, medieval, or Renaissance technologies. You’ll have time to peruse the exceptional local pottery and textiles there before heading to Arbanassi, home to six amazing 17th-century stone churches, each one decorated with colorful and intricate frescoes. Learn something of the multicultural history of this fascinating town at the Ethnographic Museum and visit the UNESCO-designated Nativity Church, where murals of the Nativity, the Last Judgment, and the zodiac brilliantly blend religious and humanist iconography. At another of the churches, Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, you’ll hear the otherworldly singing of an Orthodox choir in a short concert. Your day’s adventure includes a traditional three-course Bulgarian lunch, complete with live folk music.

Walk through the woods of Rusenski Lom, a protected region that is home to a wide variety of rare birds, among other wildlife, to Ivanovo Rock Monastery—once an enclave of more than 40 churches and chapels that the devout built inside caves above the Lom River Valley. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is famous for its beautiful and well-preserved 14th-century murals.

Your next destination, the Basarbovo Rock Monastery, is the only rock monastery where monks still live and worship today. Climb the narrow rock stairway to the 15th-century cloister, which is cut into the limestone cliffs high above the Lom River, and take a look at the arresting frescoes. You’ll also spend some time in Ruse, a city with an easygoing, gracious feeling. Freedom Square, a huge open plaza, takes its name from the Freedom Monument, which soars from the center of the square; the stately Belle Epoque buildings surrounding the square attest to the city’s prosperity in the 1890s. Stroll along wide, tree-lined Alexandrovska, the main pedestrian street that links the city’s many attractive squares, encountering such landmark sights as Ruse’s grand theater, the city museum, and the first movie theater (it opened in 1896).

Drive through the scenic Bulgarian countryside to Belogradchik, a small town in the foothills of the Balkan Mountains, not far from the Serbian border. After some light refreshment at a local hotel, you’ll be ready to explore the astonishing rock formations nearby, which are over 200 million years old—and have inspired nearly as many legends! Many of the strange wind- and weather-hewn shapes have names, such as Adam and Eve, the Bear, and the Castle. The outcroppings formed a natural defense for the town that was enhanced with man-made fortifications over the centuries. Whether you choose to hike with a local expert to the top of the path or not, you’ll be rewarded with spectacular views. Your return will take you past some sights that highlight Vidin’s mixed heritage: the Orthodox cathedral, the Turkish mosque, the Konak (the 18th-century headquarters of the Turkish police), and the cruciform barracks (which date to the 1790s). The final stop will be Baba Vida, whose stern 10th-century stone walls were built on the site of a Roman watchtower.

In the village of Negovanovtsi, you’ll find the Dos Alamos Winery. This boutique estate makes excellent use of the local terroir, where a combination of sandy soil, continental weather, and plenty of sunshine blesses their hillside vineyards with high-quality grapes.

Lepenski Vir is one of the largest and most significant prehistoric archeological sites from the Stone Age, located on the Danube. It was once the epicenter of one of the most highly developed prehistoric cultures, with complex social relations and even rudimentary urban planning. The discovery of this prehistoric settlement has changed the image experts once had about the early Stone Age, expanding scientists’ knowledge about human communities that walked the earth millennia ago.

Later, you’ll visit Golubac Castle, one of the best preserved medieval fortresses in Europe, a powerhouse that has loomed over the Danube for centuries.

Take in the breathtaking landscape of Djerdap National Park, where rolling green hills rise above a stretch of calm Danube waters. We’ll set out on an easygoing hike, approximately half a mile each way, to the best vantage spot in the park: the Kovilovo Viewpoint. This spacious outlook presides over an impressive portion of the Danube that is about a mile wide.

As a motorcoach carries you through the city, you’ll see a mix of architectural styles that reveal the city’s past, ranging from Gothic, Ottoman, baroque, and art nouveau to utilitarian Communist apartment blocks and modern high-rises. While Belgrade has been no stranger to political upheaval, the 19th-century Residence of Princess Ljubica and serene old residential streets speak of calmer days, as do the bustling present-day café-lined boulevards. You’ll pass the tomb and memorial museum of Josip Broz Tito, which is located at the site of Tito’s former residence in Belgrade’s affluent Dedinje neighborhood, and visit Kalemegdan Fortress, high on a hill above the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers.

Ancient Romans built the first fortress here, and successive conquerors and defenders—Slavs, Byzantines, Ottomans, Habsburgs—continued to build and destroy fortifications on this site for another 1,500 years. Walk along the old stone walls, passing monuments and memorials (some will surprise you—poets and composers are honored here as well as military actions), for a sense of Serbia’s distant and more recent history. It’s not the only intriguing historical sight you’ll see today, however. You will also visit the Karadjordjevic Dynasty Palace and sip a glass of sparkling Serbian wine as you tour a compound of palaces built in the 1920s and 1930s. Serbia’s royal family, which is related to most of Europe’s royalty, has a strictly honorary position in modern-day democratic Serbia, but Crown Prince Alexander (who did not feel that taking the title of king was appropriate when his father died in exile in the United States in 1972) and his family still live in these palaces. A local expert will show you the public rooms of the Royal Palace, the White Palace, the adjacent chapel, and the spacious grounds.

Mount a bike and spend a leisurely half-day getting an up-close look at Belgrade. Ride towards the island of Ada Ciganlija, an island in the middle of the Sava river with picturesque bike paths that wind through a beautiful park and beach. We’ll circle through the park, just as the locals do when they are looking for an active day out, and take a break with a refreshment before heading back to the ship.

Visit the Vučedol Culture Museum. The concept behind this unique museum is integration into the terrain—the entire structure is designed to be mostly buried in the ground and only the façade is open to the landscape. On the building’s green roof, you can reach the archaeological sites over the museum. Along the serpentine path, you’ll encounter archaeological findings that have been discovered to date, which showcase the daily life and customs during a turbulent time of the immigration of the first Indo-Europeans and their relationship with the native population, the blending of material cultures and religions.

Following your time at the museum, you’ll be welcomed into a local family’s home for a traditional meal before embarking on a sightseeing tour of Osijek with a local guide. As you walk through cultural heart of Croatia’s Slavonia region, you’ll note the city’s attractive ambience, nostalgic charm, and plentiful green spaces.

Visit Vukovar, a revitalized community determined to rebuild from the bitter Croatian War of Independence. Here, you’ll tour the Baroque Eltz Manor, an 18th-century palace that now houses the Vukovar City Museum.

Next, enjoy a delicious lunch at a family-run restaurant before setting out on a panoramic drive through the streets of Osijek. The cultural heart of Croatia’s Slavonia region, Osijek is a picturesque city with a range of architectural styles on display, from the Baroque buildings of Tvrđa—Osijek’s Old Town, home to a Habsburg fort created as a line of defense against the Ottoman Empire—to Secession mansions and a Neo-Gothic church built of eye-catching red bricks.

Start your tour with a drive down the picture-worthy Andrássy Avenue. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a masterpiece of Neo-Renaissance architecture and city planning. Your coach will head into Budapest’s former Jewish quarter. Despite being one of the smallest districts in Budapest, it is still one of the liveliest, with a dense population and a plethora of bars, coffee shops, and street food stands. You’ll see the area’s unique streets and hidden courtyards before exiting the coach at Dohány Street Synagogue.

Dohány Street Synagogue, also known as Central Synagogue or the Great Synagogue, is the largest synagogue in Europe and the second-largest in the world. It’s gilded onion domes and red-striped facade make it one of the most interesting buildings in Budapest. The interior is even more ornate, with intricately designed ceilings and a combined floor and gallery space that can accommodate thousands of worshippers.

NOTE: When this tour falls on a Saturday, we will not be able to visit the synagogue. An alternative tour will be offered instead.

Following World War II, Hungary spent 40 years as the Soviet-backed Hungarian People’s Republic, a fascist regime that was massively unpopular for its oppressive politics, brutal secret police force (the ÁVH), and declining economic conditions. An uprising in 1956 failed to eradicate the Soviet-backed government, but did eventually result in more liberal policies. The Hungarian People’s Republic finally ended with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989.

Step into the past for a tour of this fraught history, beginning at the Budapest Retro Interactive Museum. Afterwards, you'll drive by Heroes’ Square on your way to Gellért Hill for spectacular views over Budapest, where you’ll see Hungary’s own Statue of Liberty. Originally erected as a monument to the Soviet “liberation” of Hungary from Nazi occupation, the statue’s inscription was later altered to celebrate Hungarian independence, freedom, and prosperity without mention of Soviet intervention.

Hungary has been home to a great number of accomplished musicians, including the famous Franz Liszt, who established a university for music in Budapest in 1875. To this day, the Franz Liszt Academy is still a world-famous conservatory, with degree programs in classical instruments, singing, conducting, and composing. Take a guided tour of the academy today, culminating in an orchestra performance by some of the current students. Next, we’ll embark on a panoramic drive with scenic stops overlooking the city.

Today your guide will show you how to snack around Budapest like a local, starting with a tram ride to the House of Parliament. Hop off the tram and take a short walk to your first treat: a coffee break at the First Strudel House of Pest. Energized by your cup of coffee, you’ll continue your walk down to St. Stephen’s Basilica—a handsome Neo-Classical building that is one of Budapest’s most significant cultural sites.

From there, we’ll head to the Great Market Hall to sample some traditional Hungarian fare, such as salami, sausages, and cheese, while your local expert explains the intricacies of Hungarian cuisine.

Walk through the loveliest part of Bratislava with your local guide. Starting on the Danube promenade, you’ll cross the former Coronation Square, pass the Slovak National Theater and St. Martin’s Cathedral. This Gothic church was built into the medieval city’s fortifications, and 19 Habsburg rulers were crowned inside it, including Empress Maria Theresa. That’s because Bratislava, then known as Pressburg, became the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary after the Ottomans conquered Budapest in 1536, a status it retained until the middle of the 19th-century.

Close to the cathedral you’ll find Michael’s Gate, the last remaining portal of the medieval wall—and your entryway into Bratislava’s Old Town, which blends Gothic, baroque, and art deco structures with some less graceful reminders of the Communist era. The stately 18th-century Primatial Palace, in the center of Old Town, was the site where the Pressburg peace treaty was signed in 1805, in which Austria ceded a great deal of territory to Napoleon. Another 18th-century palace, Grassalkovich, is now the president of Slovakia’s official residence.

Take some time after the tour to browse through the attractive shops in the lovely art deco buildings that line the squares; you can find a wide selection of traditional folk items at the ÚĽUV (Slovak Folk Culture) shop. And you’ll definitely want to sample some of the local delicacies.

This brilliantly white, enormous square building takes over the skyline of Bratislava, and from its grounds you’ll find incredible views of the city below.

After your hike to the castle, you’ll stroll through the most beautiful part of Bratislava with the local guide. You will be introduced to the Capital of Slovakia, seeing sites like the Presidential Palace and the unique bridge colloquially known as UFO Bridge (you’ll understand when you see it).

Passing through the historic Old Town, we’ll see the charming House of the Good Shepherd, the pastel tower of the Old Town Hall, and statues like Čumil, the sewage worker leaning out of a manhole in the street to smile at passersby.

The Babenbergs, a great medieval ducal family that controlled a wide swath of Austria before yielding to the Habsburgs, were the first to erect a castle on the hill above Melk, which they subsequently gave to Benedictine monks. These monks, some 900 years ago, turned it into a fortified abbey—and the greatest center of learning in Central Europe. Their library was celebrated far and wide (and still is; Umberto Eco paid tribute to it in his best-selling novel The Name of the Rose). Medieval monks there created more than 1,200 manuscripts, sometimes spending an entire lifetime hand-lettering a single volume. Today the library contains some 100,000 volumes, among them more than 80,000 works printed before 1800. This beautiful complex, completely redone in the early 18th century, is a wonderful example of baroque art and architecture, and the views from its terrace are spectacular. As you walk through the abbey’s Marble Hall with your guide, look up at the ceiling fresco painted by Paul Troger: Those classical gods and goddesses represent Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI, allegorically bringing his people from dark to light and demonstrating the link he claimed to the original Roman Empire.

After your tour of the abbey, you’ll have time to explore Melk on your own, or you can take the motorcoach back to the ship.

You've likely seen bicyclists pedaling beside the river during your cruise. The Danube bike path is Europe's most popular bike route; it follows the river between Regensburg and Passau. Take to the path today and wheel along a particularly scenic 20-mile stretch between Dürnstein to Melk that affords some of the most impressive views of the famed Wachau Valley. The flat riverbanks make for easy biking, freeing you to fully enjoy the beauty of the surrounding vineyards, wooded mountains, and charming villages.

Not only is Salzburg famously the shooting location for the 1965 film, The Sound of Music, but it is also the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Today, we’ll dive into the city’s deep musical heritage with a walking tour through its picturesque squares and baroque architecture. Visit Maria’s church in the nearby town of Mondsee, as well as the Viennese gardens around which she and the children sang “Do Re Mi.” See the house where Mozart was born and take a lift up the Mönschberg mountain for an excellent view of the city.

Put on your hiking boots, grab a windbreaker and a bottle of water, and head out with a local hiking guide and nature expert to explore the banks of the Ilz River. This small but rushing tributary of the Danube originates deep in the Bavarian Forest, near the Czech border, and is just 40 miles (65 kilometers) long. Its upper stretch is a premier whitewater rafting location, but you’ll be hiking along the lower, serene end of the river. Your starting point is Hals-Hochstein, where you’ll pick up a nature trail that follows a curve of the river and then climbs a steep hill, where you have a great view of the river and woodlands. You will cross the river repeatedly, once by way of a dam and again toward the end of your four-mile (6.5-kilometer) hike, as you loop back to the Hals. 

Passau is built upon the meeting point of three rivers: the Danube, the Inn, and the Ilz. Sprawling across the riverbanks, the city has a particularly charming setting, which you’ll get to appreciate on a walking tour of its top sites.

After walking around Passau, we’ll drive to a beautiful natural habitat on the Ilz, where you can take a short walk and relax in the scenic environment before reboarding the coach for a trip up to the Kloster Mariahilf to see the three rivers from above.

Put on your hiking boots, grab a windbreaker and a bottle of water, and head out with a local hiking guide and nature expert to explore the banks of the Ilz River. This small but rushing tributary of the Danube originates deep in the Bavarian Forest, near the Czech border, and is just 40 miles (65 kilometers) long. Its upper stretch is a premier whitewater rafting location, but you’ll be hiking along the lower, serene end of the river. Your starting point is Hals-Hochstein, where you’ll pick up a nature trail that follows a curve of the river and then climbs a steep hill, where you have a great view of the river and woodlands. You will cross the river repeatedly, once by way of a dam and again toward the end of your four-mile (6.5-kilometer) hike, as you loop back to the Hals. 

Passau is built upon the meeting point of three rivers: the Danube, the Inn, and the Ilz. Sprawling across the riverbanks, the city has a particularly charming setting, which you’ll get to appreciate on a walking tour of its top sites.

After walking around Passau, we’ll drive to a beautiful natural habitat on the Ilz, where you can take a short walk and relax in the scenic environment before reboarding the coach for a trip up to the Kloster Mariahilf to see the three rivers from above.

Not only is Salzburg famously the shooting location for the 1965 film, The Sound of Music, but it is also the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Today, we’ll dive into the city’s deep musical heritage with a walking tour through its picturesque squares and baroque architecture. Visit Maria’s church in the nearby town of Mondsee, as well as the Viennese gardens around which she and the children sang “Do Re Mi.” See the house where Mozart was born and take a lift up the Mönschberg mountain for an excellent view of the city.

The Babenbergs, a great medieval ducal family that controlled a wide swath of Austria before yielding to the Habsburgs, were the first to erect a castle on the hill above Melk, which they subsequently gave to Benedictine monks. These monks, some 900 years ago, turned it into a fortified abbey—and the greatest center of learning in Central Europe. Their library was celebrated far and wide (and still is; Umberto Eco paid tribute to it in his best-selling novel The Name of the Rose). Medieval monks there created more than 1,200 manuscripts, sometimes spending an entire lifetime hand-lettering a single volume. Today the library contains some 100,000 volumes, among them more than 80,000 works printed before 1800. This beautiful complex, completely redone in the early 18th century, is a wonderful example of baroque art and architecture, and the views from its terrace are spectacular. As you walk through the abbey’s Marble Hall with your guide, look up at the ceiling fresco painted by Paul Troger: Those classical gods and goddesses represent Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI, allegorically bringing his people from dark to light and demonstrating the link he claimed to the original Roman Empire.

After your tour of the abbey, you’ll have time to explore Melk on your own, or you can take the motorcoach back to the ship.

You've likely seen bicyclists pedaling beside the river during your cruise. The Danube bike path is Europe's most popular bike route; it follows the river between Regensburg and Passau. Take to the path today and wheel along a particularly scenic 20-mile stretch between Dürnstein to Melk that affords some of the most impressive views of the famed Wachau Valley. The flat riverbanks make for easy biking, freeing you to fully enjoy the beauty of the surrounding vineyards, wooded mountains, and charming villages.

Walk through the loveliest part of Bratislava with your local guide. Starting on the Danube promenade, you’ll cross the former Coronation Square, pass the Slovak National Theater and St. Martin’s Cathedral. This Gothic church was built into the medieval city’s fortifications, and 19 Habsburg rulers were crowned inside it, including Empress Maria Theresa. That’s because Bratislava, then known as Pressburg, became the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary after the Ottomans conquered Budapest in 1536, a status it retained until the middle of the 19th-century.

Close to the cathedral you’ll find Michael’s Gate, the last remaining portal of the medieval wall—and your entryway into Bratislava’s Old Town, which blends Gothic, baroque, and art deco structures with some less graceful reminders of the Communist era. The stately 18th-century Primatial Palace, in the center of Old Town, was the site where the Pressburg peace treaty was signed in 1805, in which Austria ceded a great deal of territory to Napoleon. Another 18th-century palace, Grassalkovich, is now the president of Slovakia’s official residence.

Take some time after the tour to browse through the attractive shops in the lovely art deco buildings that line the squares; you can find a wide selection of traditional folk items at the ÚĽUV (Slovak Folk Culture) shop. And you’ll definitely want to sample some of the local delicacies.

This brilliantly white, enormous square building takes over the skyline of Bratislava, and from its grounds you’ll find incredible views of the city below.

After your hike to the castle, you’ll stroll through the most beautiful part of Bratislava with the local guide. You will be introduced to the Capital of Slovakia, seeing sites like the Presidential Palace and the unique bridge colloquially known as UFO Bridge (you’ll understand when you see it).

Passing through the historic Old Town, we’ll see the charming House of the Good Shepherd, the pastel tower of the Old Town Hall, and statues like Čumil, the sewage worker leaning out of a manhole in the street to smile at passersby.

Hungary has been home to a great number of accomplished musicians, including the famous Franz Liszt, who established a university for music in Budapest in 1875. To this day, the Franz Liszt Academy is still a world-famous conservatory, with degree programs in classical instruments, singing, conducting, and composing. Take a guided tour of the academy today, culminating in an orchestra performance by some of the current students. Next, we’ll embark on a panoramic drive with scenic stops overlooking the city.

Today your guide will show you how to snack around Budapest like a local, starting with a tram ride to the House of Parliament. Hop off the tram and take a short walk to your first treat: a coffee break at the First Strudel House of Pest. Energized by your cup of coffee, you’ll continue your walk down to St. Stephen’s Basilica—a handsome Neo-Classical building that is one of Budapest’s most significant cultural sites.

From there, we’ll head to the Great Market Hall to sample some traditional Hungarian fare, such as salami, sausages, and cheese, while your local expert explains the intricacies of Hungarian cuisine.

Following World War II, Hungary spent 40 years as the Soviet-backed Hungarian People’s Republic, a fascist regime that was massively unpopular for its oppressive politics, brutal secret police force (the ÁVH), and declining economic conditions. An uprising in 1956 failed to eradicate the Soviet-backed government, but did eventually result in more liberal policies. The Hungarian People’s Republic finally ended with the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989.

Step into the past for a tour of this fraught history, beginning at the Budapest Retro Interactive Museum. Afterwards, you'll drive by Heroes’ Square on your way to Gellért Hill for spectacular views over Budapest, where you’ll see Hungary’s own Statue of Liberty. Originally erected as a monument to the Soviet “liberation” of Hungary from Nazi occupation, the statue’s inscription was later altered to celebrate Hungarian independence, freedom, and prosperity without mention of Soviet intervention.

Start your tour with a drive down the picture-worthy Andrássy Avenue. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a masterpiece of Neo-Renaissance architecture and city planning. Your coach will head into Budapest’s former Jewish quarter. Despite being one of the smallest districts in Budapest, it is still one of the liveliest, with a dense population and a plethora of bars, coffee shops, and street food stands. You’ll see the area’s unique streets and hidden courtyards before exiting the coach at Dohány Street Synagogue.

Dohány Street Synagogue, also known as Central Synagogue or the Great Synagogue, is the largest synagogue in Europe and the second-largest in the world. It’s gilded onion domes and red-striped facade make it one of the most interesting buildings in Budapest. The interior is even more ornate, with intricately designed ceilings and a combined floor and gallery space that can accommodate thousands of worshippers.

NOTE: When this tour falls on a Saturday, we will not be able to visit the synagogue. An alternative tour will be offered instead.

Set out on a sightseeing tour of Osijek with a local guide. As you walk through cultural heart of Croatia’s Slavonia region, you’ll note the city’s attractive ambience, nostalgic charm, and plentiful green spaces.

Later, you’ll be welcomed into a local family’s home for an authentic country meal before heading off to visit the Vučedol Museum. The concept behind this unique museum is integration into the terrain—the entire structure is designed to be mostly buried in the ground and only the façade is open to the landscape. On the building’s green roof, you can reach the archaeological sites over the museum. Along the serpentine path, you’ll encounter archaeological findings that have been discovered to date, which showcase the daily life and customs during a turbulent time of the immigration of the first Indo-Europeans and their relationship with the native population, the blending of material cultures and religions.

Set out on a panoramic drive through the streets of Osijek. The cultural heart of Croatia’s Slavonia region, Osijek is a picturesque city with a range of architectural styles on display, from the Baroque buildings of Tvrđa—Osijek’s Old Town, home to a Habsburg fort created as a line of defense against the Ottoman Empire—to Secession mansions and a Neo-Gothic church built of eye-catching red bricks.

Next, enjoy a delicious lunch at a family-run restaurant before heading on to Vukovar, a revitalized community determined to rebuild from the bitter Croatian War of Independence. Here, you’ll tour the Baroque Eltz Manor, an 18th-century palace that now houses the Vukovar City Museum.

As a motorcoach carries you through the city, you’ll see a mix of architectural styles that reveal the city’s past, ranging from Gothic, Ottoman, baroque, and art nouveau to utilitarian Communist apartment blocks and modern high-rises. While Belgrade has been no stranger to political upheaval, the 19th-century Residence of Princess Ljubica and serene old residential streets speak of calmer days, as do the bustling present-day café-lined boulevards. You’ll pass the tomb and memorial museum of Josip Broz Tito, which is located at the site of Tito’s former residence in Belgrade’s affluent Dedinje neighborhood, and visit Kalemegdan Fortress, high on a hill above the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers.

Ancient Romans built the first fortress here, and successive conquerors and defenders—Slavs, Byzantines, Ottomans, Habsburgs—continued to build and destroy fortifications on this site for another 1,500 years. Walk along the old stone walls, passing monuments and memorials (some will surprise you—poets and composers are honored here as well as military actions), for a sense of Serbia’s distant and more recent history. It’s not the only intriguing historical sight you’ll see today, however. You will also visit the Karadjordjevic Dynasty Palace and sip a glass of sparkling Serbian wine as you tour a compound of palaces built in the 1920s and 1930s. Serbia’s royal family, which is related to most of Europe’s royalty, has a strictly honorary position in modern-day democratic Serbia, but Crown Prince Alexander (who did not feel that taking the title of king was appropriate when his father died in exile in the United States in 1972) and his family still live in these palaces. A local expert will show you the public rooms of the Royal Palace, the White Palace, the adjacent chapel, and the spacious grounds.

Mount a bike and spend a leisurely half-day getting an up-close look at Belgrade. Ride towards the island of Ada Ciganlija, an island in the middle of the Sava river with picturesque bike paths that wind through a beautiful park and beach. We’ll circle through the park, just as the locals do when they are looking for an active day out, and take a break with a refreshment before heading back to the ship.

Your first stop is Golubac Castle, one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in Europe, a powerhouse that has loomed over the Danube for centuries.

Later you'll visit Lepenski Vir which is one of the largest and most significant prehistoric archeological sites from the Stone Age, located on the Danube. It was once the epicenter of one of the most highly developed prehistoric cultures, with complex social relations and even rudimentary urban planning. The discovery of this prehistoric settlement has changed the image experts once had about the early Stone Age, expanding scientists’ knowledge about human communities that walked the earth millennia ago.

Take in the breathtaking landscape of Djerdap National Park, where rolling green hills rise above a stretch of calm Danube waters. We’ll set out on an easygoing hike, approximately half a mile each way, to the best vantage spot in the park: the Kovilovo Viewpoint. This spacious outlook presides over an impressive portion of the Danube that is about a mile wide.

Drive through the scenic Bulgarian countryside to Belogradchik, a small town in the foothills of the Balkan Mountains, not far from the Serbian border. After some light refreshment at a local hotel, you’ll be ready to explore the astonishing rock formations nearby, which are over 200 million years old—and have inspired nearly as many legends! Many of the strange wind- and weather-hewn shapes have names, such as Adam and Eve, the Bear, and the Castle. The outcroppings formed a natural defense for the town that was enhanced with man-made fortifications over the centuries. Whether you choose to hike with a local expert to the top of the path or not, you’ll be rewarded with spectacular views. Your return will take you past some sights that highlight Vidin’s mixed heritage: the Orthodox cathedral, the Turkish mosque, the Konak (the 18th-century headquarters of the Turkish police), and the cruciform barracks (which date to the 1790s). The final stop will be Baba Vida, whose stern 10th-century stone walls were built on the site of a Roman watchtower.

In the village of Negovanovtsi, you’ll find the Dos Alamos Winery. This boutique estate makes excellent use of the local terroir, where a combination of sandy soil, continental weather, and plenty of sunshine blesses their hillside vineyards with high-quality grapes.

Twice the capital of Bulgaria—before and after the Ottomans conquered the nation—Veliko Tarnovo climbs steep hills above the Yantra River, topped by the ruins of Tsarevets, the stronghold where Bulgaria’s kings ruled between 1185 and 1393. The remains of the great stone walls and towers that you see formed the historic heart of the Second Bulgarian Empire. History lives in this town, as a quick look at the wares for sale in Samovod Marketplace will show you: Handicrafts are all made by local artisans using ancient, medieval, or Renaissance technologies. You’ll have time to peruse the exceptional local pottery and textiles there before heading to Arbanassi, home to six amazing 17th-century stone churches, each one decorated with colorful and intricate frescoes. Learn something of the multicultural history of this fascinating town at the Ethnographic Museum and visit the UNESCO-designated Nativity Church, where murals of the Nativity, the Last Judgment, and the zodiac brilliantly blend religious and humanist iconography. At another of the churches, Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, you’ll hear the otherworldly singing of an Orthodox choir in a short concert. Your day’s adventure includes a traditional three-course Bulgarian lunch, complete with live folk music.

Walk through the woods of Rusenski Lom, a protected region that is home to a wide variety of rare birds, among other wildlife, to Ivanovo Rock Monastery—once an enclave of more than 40 churches and chapels that the devout built inside caves above the Lom River Valley. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is famous for its beautiful and well-preserved 14th-century murals.

Your next destination, the Basarbovo Rock Monastery, is the only rock monastery where monks still live and worship today. Climb the narrow rock stairway to the 15th-century cloister, which is cut into the limestone cliffs high above the Lom River, and take a look at the arresting frescoes. You’ll also spend some time in Ruse, a city with an easygoing, gracious feeling. Freedom Square, a huge open plaza, takes its name from the Freedom Monument, which soars from the center of the square; the stately Belle Epoque buildings surrounding the square attest to the city’s prosperity in the 1890s. Stroll along wide, tree-lined Alexandrovska, the main pedestrian street that links the city’s many attractive squares, encountering such landmark sights as Ruse’s grand theater, the city museum, and the first movie theater (it opened in 1896).