18 Day Black Sea Explorer & Turkey

Budapest to Istanbul

Overview

DAY 1: Budapest (D)
Welcome to Budapest. You will be met at the airport and transferred* to your hotel.
Two Night Stay: Budapest

DAY 2: Budapest (FB,HD)
Enjoy a guided tour of the city sights including the former Royal Palace of Buda, where battles have been waged since the 13th century. Tonight, soak up the spirit of Hungarian culture at a lively folklore show including dinner.

DAY 3: Budapest – Embarkation (FB,D)
This afternoon, a warm welcome awaits you from your crew as you board your luxury Scenic Tours “Space-Ship”.

DAY 4: Kalocsa (FB,L,D)
Be impressed by a horse show in Kalocsa and trace the Turkish origins of paprika.

DAY 5: Vukovar – Novi Sad (FB,L,D)
Vukovar is situated at the confluence of the Vuka River with the Danube. See architectural monuments and baroque squares, along with sombre reminders of the Balkan Wars. From here our cruise takes us to Novi Sad where our guided tour reveals the multicultural origins of the city.

DAY 6: Belgrade (FB,L,D)
Today we explore Serbia’s capital Belgrade, one of the oldest capital cities in Europe and site of the famous siege in 1456 which ‘decided the fate of Christendom’. We’ll visit Tito’s memorial, the national museum of Serbia and St Sava Church.

DAY 7: Iron Gate (FB,L,D)
Keep your camera at the ready as we cruise the spectacular Iron Gate, a narrow gorge carved by the Danube between the Carpathian and Balkan Mountains, which forms a natural border between Serbia and Romania.

DAY 8: Svistov – Veilko Turnovo – Arbanassi - Russe (FB,L,D)
From the former Roman fortress town of Svistov in Bulgaria we venture t­o Veliko Tarnovo, a town with a rich historical past. The nearby leafy village of Arbanassi, is included in UNESCO’s world heritage list of valuable cultural sites.

DAY 9: Cernavoda / Black Sea (FB,L,D)
Cernavoda in Romania is our ship’s base today for an excursion to the seaside town of Constanta, followed by a visit to the popular resort town of Mamaia.

DAY 10: Bucharest (FB,D)
This morning we disembark and travel to the Romanian capital of Bucharest. A more modern structure, Ceauçescu’s imposing Palace of the Parliament is the largest building in Europe and is included in our sightseeing tour.
Two Night Stay: Bucharest

DAY 11: Bucharest (FB)
We journey through the farmland and valleys of The Transylvanian plateau today. We’ll visit Bran Castle, or as it is more widely known as, the legendary home of Count Dracula.

DAY 12: Bucharest – Nessebar (FB,D)
After breakfast we cross the border into Bulgaria and travel down the Black Sea coast for our overnight stay in Nessebar, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Overnight Stay: Nessebar

DAY 13: Canakkale (FB,D)
Today we enjoy a fascinating tour of Homer’s Troy, a legendary site of the Trojan Wars. We shall even see a giant replica of the Trojan Horse.
Two Night Stay: Canakkale

DAY 14: Canakkale – Gallipoli (FB,L,D)
Today we travel to the Gallipoli Peninsula. We explore the sights and gain an understanding of this unforgettable location.

DAY 15: Istanbul (FB,D)
We travel along the Northern Aegean coast today heading towards Istanbul. It is famously the only city in the world crossing two continents and linking east with west.
Three Night Special Stay: Istanbul

DAY 16: Istanbul (FB)
Highlights of the day include a visit to the most magnificent example of Byzantium architecture, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and the Blue Mosque. We have time to wander the evocative Grand Bazaar before we enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure.

DAY 17: Istanbul (FB,HD)
SCENIC FREECHOICE Today choose from: (1) a traditional Turkish cooking class where you’ll learn the art of making delicious plates of meze, after which we get to eat them, of course; or (2) an insightful tour of Istanbul’s Byzantine past including a visit to Zeyek Mosque, second only in size to Hagia Sophia as a Byzantium monument; or (3) a visit to an Ottoman Yali, the fashionable summer palaces of the wealthy. We’ll meet the current residents who’ll chat with us about the building’s history whilst we enjoy homemade refreshments. SCENICENRICH Tonight, a special treat awaits you as we enjoy our farewell dinner at the stunning Hamdi Restaurant, where outstanding views over the Golden Horn are accompanied by the call to prayer echoing from numerous surrounding mosques.

DAY 18: Istanbul (FB)
After breakfast, transfer* to Istanbul airport for your onward or homebound flight.

*Check transfer entitlements with your travel agent. For passengers who have already received documentation - refer to your booking summary.