Cruise itinerary
9-Night Europe Cruise from Budapest
9 nights · Europe · 12 ports of call
9-night Europe cruise aboard Avalon Illumination, departing Budapest and calling at Vukovar, Ilok, Novi Sad, Belgrade, Golubac and Donji Milanovac and 5 more.
- Free advisor
- No booking fees
- 10,000+ sailings
At a glance
- Cruise line
- Avalon Waterways
- Duration
- 9 nights
- Region
- Europe · Western Europe · Danube
- Departs
- Budapest
- Returns
- Bucharest
How NestCruise works:we're advisor-led, not a booking engine. No fares are listed and there are no booking fees — tell an advisor your dates and party and they price your exact Avalon Illumination sailing, typically within 24 hours.
Where this voyage takes you
- History & Culture
Day-by-day itinerary
- Day1
Budapest
Hungary's grand capital, split by the Danube into hilly Buda and flat Pest. River ships moor in the centre, within reach of the neo-Gothic Parliament, the thermal baths at Széchenyi and the panoramic ramparts of Fisherman's Bastion.
- Parliament Building
- Széchenyi Baths
- Fisherman's Bastion
- Day2
Budapest
Hungary's grand capital, split by the Danube into hilly Buda and flat Pest. River ships moor in the centre, within reach of the neo-Gothic Parliament, the thermal baths at Széchenyi and the panoramic ramparts of Fisherman's Bastion.
- Parliament Building
- Széchenyi Baths
- Fisherman's Bastion
- Day3
Vukovar
A town on the Danube in eastern Croatia, where the river forms the border with Serbia. Once heavily damaged in the 1990s war and since rebuilt, it sits in the flat, fertile Slavonia region known for its vineyards and baroque waterfront.
- Danube waterfront
- Slavonia wines
- Baroque architecture
Ilok
A small hilltop town in eastern Croatia, set where the Danube meets the wine-growing slopes of the Fruška Gora. Its medieval fortress and Franciscan friary overlook a wide bend of the river, marking the country's far eastern frontier with Serbia.
- Ilok fortress
- Danube vineyards
- Odescalchi cellars
- Day4
Novi Sad
Serbia's second city, set on the Danube in the northern Vojvodina plain. The riverside Petrovaradin Fortress overlooks the water, the old centre keeps elegant squares and cafés, and the EXIT music festival fills the fortress each summer.
- Petrovaradin Fortress
- Danube quay
- City squares
- Day5
Belgrade
The capital of Serbia, set where the Sava River joins the Danube in the Balkans. The hilltop Kalemegdan fortress overlooks the meeting of the rivers, with the bohemian Skadarlija quarter and a lively riverside nightlife below.
- Kalemegdan Fortress
- Skadarlija quarter
- River confluence
- Day6
Golubac
A small town on the Danube in eastern Serbia, set where the river narrows toward the Iron Gates gorge. It is dominated by a large medieval riverside fortress, and lies at the edge of the Đerdap National Park along the Romanian border.
- Golubac Fortress
- Iron Gates gorge
- Đerdap park
Donji Milanovac
A small riverside town on the Serbian bank of the Danube, just upstream of the Iron Gates gorge. Set against forested hills at the edge of Đerdap National Park, it is a quiet stop near the prehistoric settlement of Lepenski Vir and the Roman remains of the frontier.
- Đerdap National Park
- Lepenski Vir
- Danube riverfront
Iron Gates
A dramatic gorge where the Danube cuts between Serbia and Romania, forming the river's narrowest and deepest stretch. River ships pass beneath sheer cliffs, the rock-carved face of the Dacian king Decebalus and the locks of the great Iron Gate dams.
- Danube gorge
- Decebalus rock carving
- river cliffs
- Day7
Vidin
A Danube river port in northwestern Bulgaria, opposite Romania across the water. Its medieval Baba Vida fortress stands on the riverbank, and the town serves as a gateway inland to the dramatic rock formations and monasteries of the Belogradchik region.
- Baba Vida fortress
- Danube riverfront
- Belogradchik rocks
- Day8
Ruse
A Bulgarian port on the Danube, facing Romania across the river in the country's northeast. Known for grand nineteenth-century architecture that earned it the name Little Vienna, it centres on a neo-baroque square and serves as a stop toward Bucharest.
- Freedom Square
- Neo-baroque architecture
- Danube riverfront
- Day9
Oltenita
A Danube port town in southern Romania, set on the river's north bank across from Bulgaria. A quiet agricultural centre on the Wallachian plain, it serves as a river crossing and a stop on cruises bound for Bucharest, which lies a short drive inland.
- Danube waterfront
- Bucharest day trip
- Wallachian plain
Bucharest
Romania's capital, set on the plains of the lower Danube basin and reached by river from the nearby port towns. Grand boulevards and the colossal Palace of the Parliament reflect its 20th-century rebuilding, alongside surviving belle-époque streets once dubbed 'Little Paris'.
- Palace of the Parliament
- Old Town
- Herăstrău Park
- Day10
Bucharest
Romania's capital, set on the plains of the lower Danube basin and reached by river from the nearby port towns. Grand boulevards and the colossal Palace of the Parliament reflect its 20th-century rebuilding, alongside surviving belle-époque streets once dubbed 'Little Paris'.
- Palace of the Parliament
- Old Town
- Herăstrău Park
Upcoming departures
- 4 Apr 2027
- 19 Apr 2027
- 4 May 2027
- 30 Sep 2027
- 15 Oct 2027
Upcoming sailings of this itinerary — a NestCruise advisor confirms current availability and your fare.
9-Night Europe Cruise from Budapest FAQ
Which ports does this cruise visit?
This 9-night Europe cruise calls at Budapest, Vukovar, Ilok, Novi Sad, Belgrade, Golubac, Donji Milanovac, Iron Gates, Vidin, Ruse, Oltenita and Bucharest.
How many days are spent at sea?
This is a port-intensive itinerary with no full days at sea.
Where does this cruise depart from?
It departs from Budapest and ends in Bucharest.
How long is this cruise?
9 nights aboard Avalon Illumination.
When does this itinerary sail?
Upcoming departures include 4 Apr 2027, 19 Apr 2027, 4 May 2027 and 30 Sep 2027. A NestCruise advisor can confirm current availability.