Viking Cruises

viking.com | 67 S U M M E R I S S U E 2 5 defining feature everywhere you look—such as art deco and art nouveau buildings interspersed between the more classic baroque ones. As the one-time frontier of the Ottoman Empire, Budapest was also where Turkic influences started to emerge along the Danube. Several of the city's thermal baths have ornate Turkish hammams within them, for example. Further downriver, the town of Mohács has an even closer connection to the Ottoman Empire. It was here, during a battle in the 16th-century, that the Kingdom of Hungary fell to the invading Turks. Nearby, Pécs is home to one of the few mosques that still stands in Hungary, saved from destruction because it was used as a church after the Turks left. There is a marked change in the scenery after we leave Hungary. The river became wider and more forested, the riparian towns and villages got smaller, and the landscape more bucolic. And with longer distances between the stops, we also spent more time on board enjoying scenic sailings, which was just fine with me. Often, I'd hear bird songs from the riverbanks, or see a flock of birds take off into the distance. One morning, I even woke up to a family of swans gliding past my window in Vukovar, Croatia's largest river port. The university city of Novi Sad, with its energetic and youthful vibe, and the Serbian capital of Belgrade would be the last big cities we'd call on until the end of our journey. These ports also marked the end of the Austrian dominion and the beginning of Ottoman influence. A prime example is Serbo-Byzantine architecture, characterised by domed roofs that were far more common than the baroque designs found closer to Vienna. Religion is different too—most people are Serbian Orthodox rather than Roman Catholic here, so churches are decorated with magnificent hand-painted icons and frescoed ceilings with ornate chandeliers. Our time in Serbia ended with one of the most GETTING THERE: A 17-day Capitals of Eastern Europe journey sails from Vienna to Bucharest, or in reverse. Clockwise, from top left: Sweeping views of the Iron Gate gorge; Vienna State Opera concert hall; Gellért Thermal Bath, Budapest; interior of the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky, Belgrade "Often described as the "Paris of the East," Budapest offers countless opportunities for romantic strolling along its riverbank or admiring the impressive mansions housing foreign embassies on elegant Andrássy Avenue." scenic stretches of the Danube—the Iron Gate. The river here forms part of the border between Serbia and Romania. With the Carpathian Mountains on one side and the Balkan Mountains on the other, it dramatically narrows into four gorges. The narrowest of these, the Great Kazan Gorge, squeezes the width of the river to just 150-metres, with near sheer cliffs on both sides that give it a striking fjord-like appearance. The final few days of the sailing passed by surprisingly quickly, perhaps because I had settled into the routine of life on the river. We enjoyed a relaxed breakfast, followed by a leisurely half-day excursion. We ate a light lunch al fresco on the Aquavit Terrace, with the scenery slowly drifting past as we relished the sunny day. Afterward, you might spend the afternoon diving into a book or mastering mini golf on the Sun Deck. I also recommend a pre-dinner cocktail or glass of regional wine in the Lounge. In the blink of an eye, we had passed Vidin and Pleven in Bulgaria, and arrived in Constanța, Romania's beach resort and port city, with the waves of the Black Sea rocking us towards our dock in the harbour. This was our final stop on the itinerary, but the journey wasn't over yet—we had two overnight hotel stays in the Romanian capital of Bucharest. Charming parks surrounded the Old Town here, and we enjoyed seeing Bucharest's lovely historic buildings, including the Romanian Athenaeum and Stavropoleos Monastery, among others. The country's past as a communist state was visible thanks to the city's gargantuan Palace of Parliament. Built when Nicolae Ceaușescu was in power, it is currently the world's largest administrative building and spans an awe-inspiring 340,000 sqm. Interspersed among Bucharest's grand buildings are smaller hidden gems that, in a way, feel like sanctuaries. Two that come to mind are Cărturești Carusel, a picture-perfect bookshop, and Caru' cu bere, a brew pub and restaurant that features classical music at lunchtime. As our time here winded down, I felt thankful for the opportunity to learn more about the history and culture of Bucharest and even started to miss life on board the Viking Rinda. But I guess even the longest river journeys must end sometime. ROMANIA Black Sea Bratislava Budapest Mohács Bucharest Vukovar Ilok Novi Sad Belgrade Donji Milanovic Vidin Pleven Vienna Constan•a HUNGARY SLOVAKIA SERBIA BULGARIA CROATIA AUSTRIA DANUBE DANUBE DANUBE TRANSYLVANIA CZECH REPUBLIC Prague ITALY Venice Zagreb Istanbul TURKEY IRON GATE Cruise Motor Coach Overnight in Port VIEW VOYAGE

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