The Danube's Rich History

As we prepared to set sail from Budapest on a sunny March day, our home for the week was the AmaVerde, a ship launched in 2011 for the impressive AmaWaterways fleet, and beautifully refurbished to the highest quality in 2021. I am a big fan of this river line and enjoy their ships' onboard sensibility and warm atmosphere. They pay great attention to detail, offer many small, delightful touches and have an excellent staff.

The Gems of Southeast Europe Wine Cruise, the first cruise of the season, would take us through four countries on the Lower Danube from Budapest, Hungary – always a great city to visit and known as the Pearl of the Danube – to Croatia, then Serbia, onward to Bulgaria, and finally to Giurgiu in Romania. Pre or post-cruise options from the river line offered stays in Vienna, Bucharest, Romania's capital, Brasov in Dracula's Transylvania, and a short flight away, Istanbul – our choice for a more exotic three-night stay.

Little did we know in choosing this itinerary how richly rewarding and fascinating the history of this Eastern European region is. From the Romans to the Middle Ages, the Ottoman invasion, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the arrival of European Renaissance and Art Nouveau flair, to the dark days of communism and the Iron Curtain, there's much to see, understand, and enjoy.

We admired these reenergized countries and learned a great deal, exploring the history of each town and city on which we called. We were also pleasantly surprised by the beauty of the pastoral countryside around us, in the midst of the stunning Carpathian and Balkan Mountains. This part of the Danube is very charming – sometimes very narrow and at other times, a delta as the river runs its course to the Black Sea.

The fact that it was a wine cruise was a delicious bonus! The company offers wine-focused cruises annually with guest vintners, lectures, tastings and special wine-pairing dinners. This part of Europe has wine regions dating back to Roman times, and we also enjoyed distinctive local wines all week.

AmaWaterways' ships are noted for spacious and elegant public spaces, roomy, well-appointed suites and staterooms, cuisine that is excellent and varied and often focused on the region in which the ship sails. They are the only cruise line that has the great honour of being a member of La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs – the oldest and largest food and wine society in the world. Membership is by invitation only, and all of AmaWaterways' European ships are members. The onboard culinary team on each vessel makes painstaking efforts and takes great pleasure in ensuring that every guest enjoys a fine dining experience.

The AmaVerde's charming main Restaurant offers all meals, and dinner is often a highlight with special menus for a Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Dinner, enjoyed part way through our cruise, a Paired Wine Dinner, and a Farewell Captain's Gala Dinner. As the ship only accommodates 160 guests, you can dine with whomever you please and wherever you prefer in the Restaurant. Part of the charm of river cruising's is that you can easily meet fellow guests in a relaxed atmosphere – something everyone enjoys –and wine and beer are included with lunch and dinner.

As an alternate dining option, guests can reserve an intimate dinner at The Chef's Table at the ship's aft, where the Chef will prepare a special multi-course tasting menu from an open kitchen. We had a lovely meal with new-found friends early in our cruise and found the service, the cuisine and the accompanying wines to be delightful. There is no extra charge, and only 24 guests are served on the evenings it’s offered. It's always a popular venue, so book it as soon as you board your ship. A light bistro lunch and an afternoon tea are served in the Lounge daily. Snacks, including late-night savouries and a coffee/tea machine for self-service, are always available.

As we began our cruise, we learned what lay ahead from our knowledgeable and delightful Cruise Manager, Teodora. I have always found that AmaWaterways has fantastic people in this role which makes a huge difference to your cruise experience. Early in the cruise, she said something that resonated with me, and as we continued our sailing, it rang completely true: "This area is not so fancy and shiny, but it is warm and friendly." 
 

Every evening, there was a Sip & Sail cocktail hour with a featured drink of the day, including complimentary cocktails, wine and beer. It's very popular, and everyone came to hear the featured talk about the next day's outings. Her presentation was a must-attend on the second night of our trip and was full of ideas and helpful hints for the whole cruise. There was so much to see and do, and all the excursions were included so it was often difficult to decide which option to take.

We could choose guided walking tours (some at an easy pace or some, more energetic), then perhaps an excursion such as a wine or dessert tasting. In many places, there was a bike tour. You could choose to tour in the morning, or the afternoon or both, but on some days, we stayed on board to enjoy a few hours of scenic sailing very pretty parts of the river. And, of course, you could choose to remain ashore on your own after a tour, to enjoy the café culture of Serbia, in its beautiful capital, Belgrade – called "The City By Two Rivers" or Novi Sad – or do some boutique shopping or simply wander and soak up the sights. In Belgrade, one of the oldest cities in Europe – conquered and rebuilt 40 times – there were several options, including a walking tour and a visit to the Nikola Tesla Museum and the Kalemegdan Fortress set in a park with picturesque fountains, winding walking paths and shady benches. It could be reached either by hiking or by taking a tour and was worth the effort for its spectacular river views.

If you want to keep fit on your cruise, each ship has a wellness coach who offers varied classes, some of which are in the gym. There are morning and afternoon stretches, walks and more as well as a hairdresser and masseuse.

We gazed in awe at many ancient fortresses and castles, some of which had stood guard over the river for centuries. We saw mosques, churches, cathedrals, palaces and museums, and met everyday people in beautiful town squares along pedestrian promenades. We absorbed each place as something new and unexpected. In Pecs, Hungary on our first call, we strolled the lovely old town with our fantastic guide, learned there had been a settlement there for over 2000 years. We discovered the UNESCO-designated Christian Necropolis as well as a large cathedral, a synagogue and a mosque – an example of the region's turbulent history of repeated conquests over centuries of unrest. Today, the result of that tumult is the ability for everyone to worship as they wish.

Ancient fortresses were a key part of this cruise, and we were fortunate to tour a few – some of which had been partially restored and gave absorbing insights into life in the Middle Ages and the 1600s and 1700s. Petrovaradin near Novi Sad is one such monument, nicknamed 'Gibraltar of the Danube.' There was an excellent evening tour there, full of information about the beautiful fort, built in the 17^th Century specifically to protect the town from the Turks. The extensive underground tunnels were a highlight. Another fantastic visit was to the impressive Golubac Fortress with its many towers, some of which have been restored with funding from the European Union. Known as the 'Guardian of the Iron Gates,' – the point where the Danube is at its widest – it was an important medieval military fortification first mentioned in historical sources in 1335. Although it was certainly founded long before that time, the exact period remains unknown.

Everyone loved our day of scenic cruising through the spectacular Iron Gates, a series of gorges that form a natural border between Serbia and Romania. We saw the massive carved head of the Dacian King Decebalus cut out of the cliff – a modern addition to an area dating back centuries. Another tour that left a lasting impression was to the lovely town of Rousse in Bulgaria – known as 'Little Vienna.' From there, we were driven to the village of Ivanovo, in a picturesque canyon. We did an easy climb for the prize at the top of a hill, a monolithic church carved out of solid rock, where we gazed in awe at well-preserved medieval frescoes on the walls and above our heads. I have never seen anything like this – the work of ancient artisans, still colourful and visible from the 12^th and 14^th centuries.

There were many wonderful moments on and off our AmaWaterways cruise ship. On several evenings, we enjoyed local entertainment including a captivating Serbian duo that played and sang light opera and modern favourites, as well as a traditional performance from a folk group. A resident pianist entertained us daily. Naturally, as the cruise progressed, we guests formed new friendships and shared the many highlights of the interesting and compelling itinerary. This cruise is a winner for history lovers, for those who appreciate fine wine and food and for everyone who wishes to discover more of this European region. AmaWaterways is the consummate host, providing everyone with a memorable vacation, wherever they may sail. 
 

Written by Vanessa Lee for Cruise and Travel Lifestyles (Fall 2024)