Overview of the Trip

Welcome to our blog as we travel the lower Danube in Eastern Europe, including a passage through the Iron Gate. Considered one of Europe's most dramatic natural wonders, the Iron Gate on the River Danube is part of the boundary between Serbia and Romania. The tall, white limestone cliffs, which are covered in forests and contain ancient remains, line spectacular narrow gorges that cut through the Carpathian Mountains to the north and the Balkan Mountains to the south.  

But I'm getting ahead of myself. The Iron Gate passage is not until later in the trip. First we begin with a "pre-cruise" trip to Prague, Czech Republic. We will spend 3 days in Prague, arriving Thursday morning (Sept. 19). On Sunday (Sept. 22), we will journey (by coach) to Budapest, Hungary where we will embark the Viking Hermod, our cruise ship for this trip. We will then cruise down the Danube, stopping at various points along the way (in Croatia, Serbia, and Bulgaria), and ending up in Bucharest, Romania. The map below shows the route.




Joe's sister, Denise, and her husband Tom will be joining us on this cruise. We will meet up with them in Prague, and will have a stateroom on the Hermod across the hall from them. We look forward to sharing many adventures of the trip with Denise and Tom.

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