Cruise itinerary
21-Night Danube Cruise from Istanbul
21 nights · Danube · 17 ports of call
21-night Danube cruise aboard Scenic Crystal, departing Istanbul and calling at Çanakkale, Bucharest, Constanta, Silistra, Ruse and Vidin and 10 more.
- Free advisor
- No booking fees
- 10,000+ sailings
At a glance
- Ship
- Scenic Crystal
- Cruise line
- Scenic
- Duration
- 21 nights
- Region
- Danube · Europe
- Departs
- Istanbul
- Returns
- Vienna
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 Scenic Crystal sailing, typically within 24 hours.
Where this voyage takes you
Day-by-day itinerary
- Day1
Istanbul
The city straddling Europe and Asia along the Bosphorus, once Byzantium and then Constantinople. Ships dock near the historic peninsula, within reach of the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the covered Grand Bazaar's labyrinth of stalls.
- Hagia Sophia
- Blue Mosque
- Grand Bazaar
- Day2At sea
- Day3
Çanakkale
A Turkish port at the narrowest point of the Dardanelles strait, between the Aegean and the Sea of Marmara. It is the gateway to the ruins of ancient Troy and to the Gallipoli battlefields and war memorials across the water on the peninsula.
- Ancient Troy
- Gallipoli battlefields
- Dardanelles strait
- Day4At sea
- Day5
Istanbul
The city straddling Europe and Asia along the Bosphorus, once Byzantium and then Constantinople. Ships dock near the historic peninsula, within reach of the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the covered Grand Bazaar's labyrinth of stalls.
- Hagia Sophia
- Blue Mosque
- Grand Bazaar
- Day6At sea
- Day7
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
- Day8
Constanta
- Day9At sea
- Day10
Silistra
- Day11
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
- Day12
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
- Day13
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
- Day14
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
- Day15
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
- Day16
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
- Day17
Mohács
A town on the Danube in southern Hungary, near the Croatian and Serbian borders. It is remembered for the 1526 battle that shaped Hungarian history and for its Busójárás carnival, when masked figures parade to drive off winter.
- Busójárás carnival
- Danube riverfront
- Battle of Mohács
- Day18
Kalocsa
- Day19
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
- Day20
Bratislava
Slovakia's compact capital on the Danube, within sight of both Austria and Hungary. A hilltop castle overlooks a small, walkable old town of pastel facades, baroque squares and the Gothic St. Martin's Cathedral where Hungarian kings were once crowned.
- Bratislava Castle
- Old Town
- St. Martin's Cathedral
- Day21
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
- Day22
Vienna
Austria's imperial capital on the Danube, long the seat of the Habsburgs. River ships call within reach of Schönbrunn Palace, the Hofburg and St. Stephen's Cathedral, in a city famed for coffee houses, classical music and grand ringstrasse architecture.
- Schönbrunn Palace
- St. Stephen's Cathedral
- Coffee houses
Upcoming departures
- 27 Sep 2026
- 18 Oct 2027
Upcoming sailings of this itinerary — a NestCruise advisor confirms current availability and your fare.
21-Night Danube Cruise from Istanbul FAQ
Which ports does this cruise visit?
This 21-night Danube cruise calls at Istanbul, Çanakkale, Bucharest, Constanta, Silistra, Ruse, Vidin, Iron Gate, Golubac, Belgrade, Novi Sad, Vukovar, Mohács, Kalocsa, Budapest, Bratislava and Vienna.
How many days are spent at sea?
4 days are spent at sea; the rest are in port.
Where does this cruise depart from?
It departs from Istanbul and ends in Vienna.
How long is this cruise?
21 nights aboard Scenic Crystal.
When does this itinerary sail?
Upcoming departures include 27 Sep 2026 and 18 Oct 2027. A NestCruise advisor can confirm current availability.