Sailing on the "Beautiful Blue Danube" is a unique experience because the river brings together very different worlds. It thus crosses a multitude of landscapes and countries with past histories and cultures that are as different as they are enriching. Bordered by mountains, forests, meadows, plains, vineyards or even rocky gorges, the Danube offers enchanting panoramas as far as its delta and its immense nature reserve. And the advantage of a cruise is also the happiness of living in a luxury hotel without really paying the bill. You can be lulled by all the pleasures offered on board. And as all travel is mostly at night, we take full advantage of the days to visit the sites with guides or alone. Then cast off!

Between East and West

The Danube is the longest river in Europe, after the Volga, and the longest flowing through the European Union. It flows from west to east for about 2,900 kilometres. Looking at a map of the entire watershed of the river, it is impossible not to be struck by its winding and nonchalant course. It winds its way through the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, marking a geographical and administrative border for many of them: Hungary and Slovakia, Croatia and Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania. All along the Danube river are arranged in a row of towns and villages. So many testimonies of millennia of existence, customs and traditions specific to the peoples who have lived or are still living on the shores of this great European axis. From the 1st century onwards, it served as the northern border of Augustus' Roman Empire. Today it still flows along the borders of ten countries and crosses several capitals of Central, Eastern and Southern Europe (Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and Belgrade). It finally flows into the Black Sea through a delta located in Romania and Ukraine, a delta that is on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

This river has always served as a communication route while remaining a rare and important natural environment. It alternates between bucolic landscapes, steep gorges and wooded plains. Alluvial forests, probably among the last in Europe, are still drowned by its waters and its delta is a unique refuge for a fauna populated mainly by birds. The Danube is connected by canals to the Oder and the Rhine, which makes it possible to go from the North Sea to the Black Sea. All along the way it changes its name: Donau in German, Duna in Hungarian, Dunav in Serbian and Croatian, dunarea in Romanian, Dunay in Ukrainian and for us, French, it is the Danube, the rock of the term Danubius which in the Romans referred to the upper course while the lower course was named ister of the Greek istros. But whatever his name is, he is a kind of eternal ferryman between East and West.

In the heart of major European capitals

A cruise on the Danube will therefore allow you to discover many of Europe's major capitals. After crossing Germany, Vienna, the Austrian capital and the Belle du Danube, sings the eternal ritornello of a glorious past in which passing visitors let themselves be carried away for a waltz or two, of a horse-drawn carriage ride of yesteryear... The masters of Gothic, Baroque or Neoclassical architecture who worked for the Habsburgs left behind them an impressive number of remarkable buildings of beauty that can be found, immutable, on each path of the imperial city..

Then in Slovakia, Bratislava has the charm of an old village, sophisticated restaurants and traditional pubs. The houses and palaces of the Austro-Hungarian noble families dot the city, and many are now museums or galleries open to the public. The castle, with its long and winding history (it has been destroyed more than once), offers superb views, from the top of its walls, of the medieval old town and the Danube valley.

In Hungary, the Danube city of Budapest is one of the most beautiful capitals in Europe, and it is no longer a secret! The reputation is not usurped, the cliché not stolen. On the Buda side, the castle hill, crenellated by the Fishermen's Bastion, proudly displays the building of the former Hungarian palatins. The statue of Bishop Gellért, thrown from the top of the hill into the Danube by Hungarians who were a little too rebellious in the 11th century, watches over Buda and brandishes the cross in the direction of Pest, who makes fun of it on the other side of the river

After sailing in Croatia, we land in Belgrade in Serbia. An exceptional position on the Danube and a thousand-year history (Belgrade has been Roman, Byzantine, Hungarian, Ottoman) give the region undeniable assets for leisure and culture. Belgrade is a link between the countries of Central Europe and the Balkans and is a major stopover.

After a tour in Bulgaria, we finally arrive in Romania, the last stop of an extraordinary cruise. Bucharest is not exactly on the Danube but is well worth a day trip. While it does not easily reveal its charms, the Romanian capital, through its museums, theatres and numerous restaurants, is a disconcerting place that still lives between East and West. And lovers of art, history, folklore and folk architecture will find their happiness in its many museums. This is the perfect conclusion to a trip unlike any other. A unique experience.

Smart info

When? When? The ships generally sail at night and dock in the morning around 8am at the various ports of call and then leave again around 6pm. It is therefore important to take full advantage of the stopovers that the weather is mild and the days are sunny as much as possible. You can sail on the Danube all year round but the most pleasant seasons remain first in spring, summer and autumn.

Getting there. Choose a cruise line, then the flight to the port of departure.

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AAR CROISIÈRES - More information on the website

ATHENAEUM VIKING RIVER CRUISES - More information on the website

CROSS SIDE - More information on the website

RIVAGES DU MONDE - More information on the website

Useful. For the different countries crossed, the formalities are the same as those required for a trip by land: do not forget to check the validity of identity cards and passports before departure (for all EU countries as well as Hungary, an identity card is sufficient). In none of the countries crossed it is not necessary to have a visa.