The Glorious Danube - Epilogue

Looking back at a wonderful 11-day voyage along the Danube with Uniworld Boutique River Cruises...

So, we finally had to say farewell to our water-borne 'home' for the best part of the last two weeks. The flight connection from Vienna back to London on the final morning went extremely well and the return home wasn't too severe (it wasn't raining, for a change!).

It was our first full river-cruise, and it couldn't have been any smoother or more memorable. Uniworld (with arrangements by UK tour experts Titan Travel) were ideal hosts and we were hugely impressed by the gracious onboard style, service and cuisine.

Nothing was ever rushed but everything was accomplished with ease, and the overall feeling of travelling in such elegant fashion with a large number of new-found friends was almost overwhelming. 

And, while the River Duchess didn't boast anything overtly flashy in terms of the onboard entertainment, there was always something to enjoy, from good conversation at the 24-hour coffee station to some amazing musical and folkloric shows in the main lounge.

Every meal was memorable and every crew member seemed to go out of their way to make things as seamless and enjoyable as possible. And, if the weather wasn't quite ideal at this time of year (just a bit too much rain, notably in Bulgaria and on our transit of the Iron Gates), it was certainly never cold and unpleasant (as it was back in the UK!).

If there was one mild criticism, perhaps we did spent a bit too long on the coaches on some days as we toured Bulgaria and Croatia, while more time in the surprise Hungarian city of Pecs would probably have been a good idea.

But, overall, the itinerary was extremely well balanced, superbly organised and highly educational, and we never lacked for information, history or just a good place to stop for a coffee!

Of the countries we visited, we probably saw enough of Romania and Bulgaria, but all of Serbia, Croatia, Hungary and Slovakia proved surprisingly beguiling and worthy of a return trip at some stage, while the journey through the Iron Gates gorge (below) was a real visual highlight.

Food-wise, we were wowed by the big Captain's Gala dinners at the start and end of the cruise; by the wonderful al fresco dining experience one evening; and by the superb array of fresh, local produce and signature national dishes offered throughout.

Complimentary wine or beer with lunch and dinner is an excellent selling point and we never had to think about what we might like at any given point, as our needs and wishes always seemed to be met as soon as we thought of them - right down to the wonderful late-night snacks that awaited us when we returned from evening excursions.

And, while we were impressed by every aspect of the service on board, we also need to single out several real stars, who all helped to make the whole cruise go with that perfect combination of personable and efficient:

Captain Michael Hofmann: the German master, now resident in Romania (and owner of his own watermelon farm!), was a huge hit with all concerned, especially for his rare sense of humour and ability to convey the real sense of fun in sailing along the Danube. I have rarely encountered a ship's captain with more natural bonhomie.

Cruise Manager Christine Bremberger: every river-cruise clearly needs a Master Planner to make sure all the shoreside arrangement go off without a hitch, as the importance of good daily excursions is paramount here. Christine must be one of the hardest-working people in the company as she was always either organising, conducting, narrating or explaining what we were seeing and doing at any given point. No request was too small or too complicated for her to handle.

Hotel Manager Jaroslav Veselka: our Slovakian cruise host was a master of quiet organisation, smooth efficiency and genuine friendliness. Once again, no request was ever met with a negative and everything seemed right at his fingertips in terms of ensuring the onboard operation ran like amiable clockwork. Our surprise wedding anniversary celebration was a great case in point, but, again, it was handled with effortless aplomb.

Maitre D' Dimitar and his restaurant team were always spot on with their service and ability to provide a great dining experience, and no meal went by without one highlight or another - although the soups were an amazingly consistent highlight and dessert was always a rare pleasure.

All in all, it is hard to imagine what more the Duchess could have done to make our cruise more enjoyable - except, perhaps, to have halted the space-time continuum, allowing us to stay on board for a lot longer. Perhaps next time...!

Oh, and after our wonderful trip to the Croatian school in Laslovo, I need to do a quick shout-out to my youngest 'follower,' Dalton from Plainfield Elementary School, Illinois, and my big Super Bowl pen-pal from earlier this year. Study hard, Dalton!

This ‘Imperial Capitals of Europe’ voyage can be booked at www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk, with Titan Travel (in the UK only) at www.titantravel.co.uk or, for more on river-cruising in general, seek out the luxury cruise-agent specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on this link.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

The Glorious Danube - Final Day

Our epic 11-day voyage along the Danube River on Uniworld's River Duchess comes to an end in Austria... 

Vienna - Day 2 

We had finally come to our last full day on the Glorious Danube in the company of Uniworld's boutique river voyages and the wonderful River Duchess ship, with all her 82 passengers (normal full complement - 130).

We had passed right through the heart of eastern Europe and finished in The City of Music, a fitting finale to a truly memorable voyage. For my first full river-cruise, it had more than lived up to expectations, and my wife and I are keen to do more in future.

For now, our final day was one completely at leisure, to head back into Vienna and sample some more (literally and metaphorically) of this amazingly scenic city.

With a simple four-stop ride on the U-bahn (underground metro; 2 euros per person, per journey), we were at the Rathaus stop (City Hall, above) and able to enjoy a Sunday stroll of the many sights in almost complete uncrowded comfort on a beautiful Austrian morning.

City Hall itself is a stunning Gothic edifice (built from 1872-83) and is fronted by lovely gardens leading up to the main Austrian Parliament building, a Greek Revival style that took shape at the same time as the Rathaus and is ringed by fabulous statuary.

Across the street, the Volksgarten - previously a private preserve of the Habsburgs - is now the city's famous Rose Garden (right), full of magnificent blooms and more neo-classical architecture. 

It also leads into the full majesty of the Hofburg, the former Imperial Palace, which stretches across this part of the city like a vast Baroque Lego set. From 1438 to 1583 and 1612 to 1806, it was the seat of the kings and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, and thereafter the seat of the Emperor of Austria until 1918 (including the Austro-Hungarian Empire from 1867). Today it is the official seat of the Austrian Federal President but also houses a variety of museums, public offices, the famed National Library (as visited the previous day) and the even-more-famous Spanish Riding School. 

It was warm enough to require a pre-lunch cafe stop, for which the outdoor terrace of the Hofburg's own Kaffeehaus was ideal (below) before we headed back into the city for another wander along the pedestrianised confines of Stephensplatz, including a stop at St Peter's Church and then lunch at the Wiener Stadtbrau Restaurant for some classic Viennese fare (and another beer!).

The afternoon wandering was beginning to look slightly less promising with more cloud cover, but we pressed on, determined to see as much as we could on foot. An array of street artists enlivened the weekend proceedings (helping to counter the fact that many shops were closed), and, everywhere we went, the mixture of modern and classical architecture provided seemingly endless perspectives.

Eventually, we wandered out to the Ring Road (the extent of the former city walls) and ambled along the Stadtpark, the main City Park, and home to several more eye-catching monuments, including the 1921 Johan Strauss II bronze statue, Franz Schubert Statue and Bust of Robert Stolz.

Here, we also discovered the 19th century Kursalon, the fabulous former Spa pavilion in which 'healing mindreal waters' used to be sold but is now home to a stylish restaurant, garden terrace cafe and music hall. Johan Strauss II gave his first concert here in 1868 but, this afternoon, we were more interested in sampling the local coffee and world-famous Sachertorte (below), which were, truly, world class.

After some more meandering around the Gardens, we decided the weather was beginning to look distinctly more threatening and, with the Captain's Farewell Dinner this evening back on board the Duchess, we decided it was time to head back.

Again, the U-Bahn was quick and easy to navigate and we had plenty of time to get ready for dinner, which was preceded by another typically fun and entertaining reception with Captain Michael Hofmann, Cruise Manager Christine and Hotel Manager Jaroslav.

The set menu was another memorable dinner adventure, a largely set-meal affair crowned by the typical cruise tradition of Baked Alaska on Parade for dessert. The real highlight, though, was dining with six new-found friends from our cruise, with Maitre D' Dimitar organising our eight-seater table in advance and ensuring the final evening went with a swing.

It brought down the curtain on an unforgettable cruise experience that was everything we had hoped it would be, and a lot more besides. The wonderful style of travel, the great cultural experience, the fabulous camaraderie enjoyed on board and the firm friendships that were forged were all firm highlights, but it would be hard to single any one thing out as the over-riding memory.


Suffice it to say, this River Duchess was an absolute royal treat and we can't wait to repeat the experience at some stage in future. 

Next - Danube Epilogue. 

This ‘Imperial Capitals of Europe’ voyage can be booked at www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk, with Titan Travel (in the UK only) at www.titantravel.co.uk or, for more on river-cruising in general, seek out the luxury cruise-agent specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on this link.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

The Glorious Danube - Austria

Coming towards the end of our epic 11-day voyage along the Danube on Uniworld's River Duchess...

Vienna - Day 1

After six countries in 9 days, we had finally reached our final destination along this stretch of the imperious Danube River - although not the end of our trip.

We had passed through the rest of Slovakia in the night (even with a midnight departure from Bratislava, it was only a couple of hours to the Austrian border), and now stood close to the end of our trip through eastern Europe.

Surprisingly, for all the reputation as one of Europe's most refined and graceful capitals, the arrival in Vienna was not a memorable one, with the river-front at this point looking distinctly drab and modern (with the notable exception of the 19th century Jubilee Church, or the Church of St Francis of Assisi).

Basically, this was because the river was 'evicted' from the city in 1598 after it flooded once too often, and the re-routed course is now more than a mile from the centre (linked by the man-made Danube Canal of Baron von Hoyos).

With our ship way too large for the Canal, we anchored in the cruise centre at Vorgartenstrasse at around 8am and awaited our chariot for the day - another luxury coach complete with expert local tour guide.

With another 1,000-plus years of history on offer, we knew we were never going to get through even the basic highlights in a day, hence the need for a double overnight stay to complete the cruise and two full days to explore.

To start with, our initial tour was only an appetiser, a chance to get the basic layout of The City of Music, learn the essential history and get a feel for the place that was the capital of the Habsburg Empire for six centuries.

En route, we paid our first visit to the mighty Hofburg (above, former home of the Habsburgs, and now an impressive series of museums, public buildings and the Spanish Riding School), explored the National Library, the impossibly gilded St Stephen's Cathedral and the shopping hub of Stephensplatz, the geographical heart of the city.

Despite heavy destruction in World War II, Vienna's long, rich history has stood the test of time and now exhibits a breathtaking array of Romanesque, Baroque and Art Nouveau architecture that makes for a kaleidoscopic view almost everywhere you turn.

Once our official tour was over and the coach headed back to the Duchess, we decided a more in-depth exploration was called for on foot, so we stayed in the city centre, taking in the amazing Naschmarkt (below) a colossal series of permanent stalls, kiosks, restaurants and cafes offering just about every kind of fresh produce, from exotic herbs and succulent pastries to seafood and cheese.

It dates back to the 16th century and was also the obvious place for a tasty lunch before we continued our perambulations by returning along Stephensplatz and enjoying the 'village'-style stalls selling tourist bric-a-brac, along with other window-shopping.

An early return to the ship was essential, both to make sure we were well in time for dinner but also to allow for time to change and prepare for the evening's optional excursion - to the famous Vienna Konzerthaus for an evening of music with the Johan Strauss Salon Orchestra (below).

We knew we had to sample at least a 'greatest hits' package of the city's most famous musical influences, and we weren't disappointed as the likes of Strauss, Mozart and H.C. Lumbye (the 'Danish Strauss'), as well as a couple of arias from The Merry Widow (Franz Lehar), The Magic Flute and the Marriage of Figaro (Mozart), provided the bulk of a captivating programme.

The vocal duets were also followed by two ballet dancers, to Strauss' Treasure Waltz and Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, while a duet from the Strauss operetta Viennese Spirit added further enchantment, along with the obvious finale of On The Beautiful Blue Danube (to give it its full title).

The Orchestra boasted the lightest of touches and the music positively floated around the salon, carrying us with it for much of the time.

And, while the Concert House, with its Mozart Saal, was only inaugurated in 1913, the likes of Strauss and Mozart most certainly still infused the building with their spirit - and that enthralling, beguiling sound so beloved of the 18th and 19th centuries.

To put the cherry on the metaphorical chocolate gateau of a day, our coach driver took us back to the ship via a fabulous night-tour of the city, full of brilliant lighting around the main monuments and buildings (below). And to complete the icing, another night-time 'snack' awaited us back in the Danube Lounge, with fresh breads, cheeses, meats and a wonderful soup. High travelling pleasure, indeed!  

This ‘Imperial Capitals of Europe’ voyage can be booked at www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk, with Titan Travel (in the UK only) at www.titantravel.co.uk or, for more on river-cruising in general, seek out the luxury cruise-agent specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on this link.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

The Glorious Danube - Slovakia

Another day on our epic voyage along the Danube with Uniworld on their River Duchess, sailing from Romania to Austria

Bratislava

Country number six on our grand Danube voyage (reached shortly after mid-day following another experience with the river's many locks) proved possibly one of the most surprising of all. We had certain expectations of the likes of Romania, Serbia and Hungary, but Slovakia was definitely a journey into the unknown - a country with a much lower profile, but a much higher standard of living, as it turned out.

In fact, capital city Bratislava was possibly the most 'European' of all our ports of call so far, a thriving, bustling, energetic, cosmopolitan and astonishingly affluent city.

From the medieval Old Town to the uber-modern Eurovea shopping mall - full of designer names and well-known brands like Marks & Spencer, The Body Shop, Nike, Swarovski and Tommy Hilfiger - it is a city of sharp contrasts, with a lot of new development but a heart that remains pure enchantment.

The Slovak capital has been a lot of things in its time - German Pressburg, part of the Habsburg monarchy, the capital of Hungary, one of Hitler's conquests and half of the communist regime of Czechoslovakia. Like the rest of eastern Europe, it has endured a hectic ebb and flow of empires, kingdoms and invaders. But today's Bratislava is most definitely a happening place, fascinating to tour by day and with plenty of restaurant and nightlife for the evening.

With River Duchess mooring on the edge of the Old Town, it was easy for our tour-guide-of-the-day to walk us into the heart of the original city and steer us through some 1,000 years of history, culture and architecture.

Baroque palaces are two-a-penny in the historic centre, while the 17th century (rebuilt) Bratislava Castle overlooks the Old Town like a benevolent patriarch (above). Gothic St Martin's Cathedral is another notable landmark, while the Franciscan Church and Church of St Elizabeth are even older.

The narrow cobbled streets and courtyards are full of eye-catching facades and, after our three-hour tour, we took ourselves off on an extended version, peering into smaller courtyards, finding little-used streets and back-alleys, investigating some of the churches and, of course, doing a little shopping.

Eurovea (below) came as a major surprise and wouldn't have been out of place among the designer malls of Florida, although none of those in our home state can boasts the likes of Peek & Cloppenburg, Tchibo (the well-filled local supermarket) and an elegant river-front packed with open air cafes and restaurants.

If this was post-communist eastern Europe, the local people were the poster children for modern entrepreneurial spirit, with a joie de vivre that would put most Frenchmen to shame.

Once again, the public transport system of trams and buses looked busy and efficient, giving the whole city the appearance of a population moving forward, positively and dynamically.

With the wonderful array of cafes and bars also beckoning, we also indulged in a blissful coffee stop at Cafe Mayer in Main Square. Founded in 1873, it offered a preview of those twin Viennese indulgences of fancy coffee and pastries, and we eagerly sampled a taste or two while watching the comings and goings around the Square.

We managed to see almost all of the Old City (and parts of the new) on foot before wending a weary way back to the Duchess for a typically elegant dinner, followed by yet another entertainment surprise in the Danube Lounge.

This time, Uniworld had procured the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra for our listening pleasure. Not all of it, of course, but two key members - the musical director/pianist and lead violinist, who also turned out to be a dab hand at various Slovak folk instruments.

Together, the dynamic duo (below) staged a 1-hour concert of quite breathtaking style and vigour, turning their hand at classical favourites and Slovakian folk songs with equal relish and finishing with a version of Offenbach's The Gallop (more usually known as Le Can-Can), with the violinist high-kicking his way to a frantic finale. The virtuosity alone was worth going a long way to witness but the sheer fun and enjoyment they brought to the performance was absolutely scintillating.

To finish with, I had to make one final excursion back into the Old Town, accompanied by Hotel Manager (and local resident) Jaroslav, just to sample a local beverage and get a feel for Friday night in Bratislava. We found a typical pub, Prazdoj, little more than 5 minutes walk from our berth, and enjoyed an excellent beer at just 2 euros a head. Fine value, indeed, in this surprising, captivating city.

And we still have two days in Vienna to look forward to...!  

This ‘Imperial Capitals of Europe’ voyage can be booked at www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk, with Titan Travel (in the UK only) at www.titantravel.co.uk or, for more on river-cruising in general, seek out the luxury cruise-agent specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on this link.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

The Glorious Danube - Hungary Pt 3

Continuing our epic cruise from Romania to Austria along the Danube River voyage on the River Duchess of Uniworld...

Budapest - Day 2

One full day in Budapest had been enough for us to fall in love with this ancient city, a city of impressive buildings, monumental architecture, modern tendencies and superbly efficient public transport. We hoped a second day would provide even more depth to our new affaire d'amour.

The system of buses, trolleys, trams and underground system (the oldest in continental Europe) was a joy to watch in action but, with the River Duchess moored in the heart of the city, it was just as easy to navigate on foot, so we did. Across the Chain Bridge and along the river-front to the iconic Parliament Building (above) this 1896 edifice is one of Europe's oldest legislative buildings and is fascinating to behold from any number of perspectives.

The Gothic revival style is crowned by a huge central dome and surrounded by a myriad of supporting spires and turrets, and it sits in imposing Lajos Kossuth Square like the most regal of crown jewels while also boasting the memorial to 1956 uprising martyr Imre Nagy.

From here, we wandered along the streets in the general direction of St Stephen's Basilica, enjoying some window shopping and sudden, sharp views down streets full of impressive 19th century facades. The Basilica itself (above) also dates back to the 19th century, although it took 54 years to build and was finally completed only in 1905 by the third in a series of architects.

It also boasts the amazing relic of St Stephen's Hand, supposedly the mummified right hand of the first king of Hungary, Stephen the First (or St Istvan, 975-1038), which is on view in a special gold casket. For an extra 500 florint per person (less than 2 euros) we were able to take the lift to the observation level around the dome for a spectacular view over Pest and up towards Buda (below).

As it was getting towards lunch, we decided to retrace our steps a little and find a nice cafe to enjoy a proper local taste before heading back to the ship and decided to give the pedestriansed street of Zrinyi Utica a try.

Otkert Budapest was more trendy bar (and nightclub) than typical local hostelry but it had an ideal outside terrace and promising menu, so it served our purposes well. The traditional gulyas (goulash soup) was absolutely excellent - as was the beer and Maximilian Tokaji, the local brandy!

We needed to be back aboard by 2pm for the next part of our Hungarian odyssey - a trip to the famous Csikos horse show on Szentendre Island just a few kilometers up-river.

Here, the Bodor Major horse farm offers an impressive arena for the show, which is part demonstration of the thousand-year-old riding techniques and methods of the Csikos horse-herders and warriors and part riding contest, with the traditionally-garbed 'cowboys' competing in mounted archery, racing and scarf-tearing - using the traditional ringed whip.

The finale was provided by one rider standing astride a team of five fast-galloping stallions, our view of this feat of daring not in the least impaired by the welcome local brandy and warm pastries we were offered on arrival!

To complete another memorable day, our transport back to the Duchess was provided by a series of horse-drawn buggies, which took us around the entire estate - including the impressive stables, where an 8-day-old colt was the star attraction - before dropping us off back at the Danube.

Back on board, the usual fruit-juice-and-cold-towels reception awaited our return and there was just time to freshen up again before another impeccable dinner was on the horizon, prefaced by the now-familiar port talk from Cruise Manager Christine, which promised another day of epic exploration and discovery.

Next up - Slovakia!

This ‘Imperial Capitals of Europe’ voyage can be booked at www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk, with Titan Travel (in the UK only) at www.titantravel.co.uk or, for more on river-cruising in general, seek out the luxury cruise-agent specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on this link.

 

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

The Glorious Danube - Hungary Pt 2

Continuing our epic cruise from Romania to Austria along the Danube River voyage on the River Duchess of Uniworld...

Budapest - Day 1

Having had an intriguing first taste of Hungary, we were up bright and early next day for the sail into Budapest at 7am (above). And it was easily clear to see why they used this city as the backdrop to the opening sequence in the new Mission: Impossible film - it is simply spectacular, in an exotic, east European kind of way.

The banks are lined with classic building, both historic and modern, and one side - the Buda bank of the river, as opposed to the northern Pest side - acts as a natural amphitheatre, providing an amazing panoramic overlook of the whole vista. The stunning views are absolutely everywhere - the Chain Bridge, St Stephen's Basilica, Buda Castle, Fisherman's Bastion, the Freedom Monument and the sensational neo-Gothic Parliament building.

After another excellent buffet breakfast - featuring one of our faves in Eggs Benedict and a Hungarian sausage-and-peppers dish, proving that the chef is able to source some of the best local produce - we were eager to get out and see more, and our morning coach tour provided a fabulous overview.

Budapest is often dubbed 'The Paris of the East' and it is easy to see why, with broad avenues, classic 19th century architecture (where it has survived the ravages of WWII and the communist regime) and epic monuments, from Heroes Square and Valdahunyad Castle in City Park to the picturesque Dohany Square Synagogue (built from 1854-89 and the largest in Europe) and the vast overlook of Matthias Church.

Our tour took us through all this and more, with stops to fully explore Heroes Square (dedicated in 1900 to all those who gave their lives for the country's independence) and the Castle District, complete with the cathedral-like Matthias Church, dating back to the 14th century, and the immense terrace of the Fisherman's Bastion (below), which looks for all the world like Minas Tirith in Lord of the Rings(!), both of which have been heavily rebuilt since the War.

Then it was back to River Duchess for the now-familiar buffet lunch. Today's specialities included Porkolt, or a traditional beef goulash, and a heavenly carrot and ginger soup, as well as the Sandwich of the Day (a Croque Monsieur) and Somlai Galuska for dessert (a Hungarian raspberry roll), plus the usual appetising array of European cheeses and a glass of Gruner Veltiner to make everything go down smoothly!.

That afternoon we were free to explore under our steam, and explore we did. First stop was the Great Market Hall (below) built in 1896 and now a wonderful mix of local produce and tourist bric-a-brac, from the fine local lace and pottery to typical beer steins and 'magic boxes.'

The fresh produce in this vast 3-level Victorian labyrinth was worth going in for on its own, with a mouth-watering array of peppers, spices, sausages and salamis, pastries, cheeses, fresh fish, fruit and vegetables, plus stalls selling fresh-cooked meals and other local delicacies.

Next up was a chance to wander along the city's main shopping precinct, Vaci Street, full of regular tourist traps, boutiques, antique shops and modern designer fare, as well as being the heart of medieval Budapest and full of fascinating facades and other period architecture.

Several squares, statues, fountains and the 18th century Church of St Michael add to the charm of the area, and we finished our afternoon tour in style with coffee and pastries at Cafe Gerbeaud, founded in 1858 and still a top coffee house to this day (albeit a touch expensive at 25 euros for two drinks and a chocolate crepe-and-ice-cream thingy!).

Happy that we'd seen a good portion of the city it was time to head back for dinner, and then the big optional tour of our city visit, the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble. To say this was a major surprise would be a major understatement. We were treated to front row seats for a 90-minute performance of amazing music and dance, all in Hungarian folk costumed style, with the male dancers in particular providing a stunning and well-drilled line-up of leaping, twirling and boot-slapping splendour.

We left goggle-eyed, but still had time for a night tour of the city, including the splendid Basilica, Heroes Square (below) and fabulous overlook of The Citadel, with both parts of the city spread out in glittering panorama either side of the glorious Danube.

We had thought this would be one of the highlights of the whole cruise, but we were wrong. It was WAY better than that.

Next - Day 2 in the Paris of the East.

This ‘Imperial Capitals of Europe’ voyage can be booked at www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk, with Titan Travel (in the UK only) at www.titantravel.co.uk or, for more on river-cruising in general, seek out the luxury cruise-agent specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on this link.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

The Glorious Danube - Hungary

(With apologies for the slow upload of this episode!)

Continuing our epic Danube River voyage – the Imperial Capitals of Europe – on the River Duchess of Uniworld from Romania to Austria...

Hungary, Part 1

We are now (sadly) past the half-way point of our cruise, having glided through Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Croatia, the very heart of the Balkans, and it is time to move from east to central Europe.

Hungary was our next stop, and we had three contrasting days in store. Our first port of call in Magyar territory was Mohacs (above), a seemingly typical riverside town boasting its own medieval history and traditions – notably the weird and wonderful Buso Festival each March, which celebrates the end of the Lent season in suitably wild, costumed fashion (if you can imagine hordes of sheepskin-festooned, masked and alcohol-fueled men rushing about wielding sticks in comical fashion!).

Our enthusiastic guide for a morning stroll through the town gave us the full Buso story while we visited the high street, main church and town hall in leisurely succession before returning to the Duchess under our own guidance (via a shop or two!).

After another excellent buffet lunch (breakfast and lunch are always served buffet-style, with several specialities each day), including a tempting array of Hungarian dishes, it was time to board our next chariot (in the form of yet another comfortable coach) and head off into the hinterland, destination Villanyi.

After the relatively rural, near-subsistence levels we saw in much of Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Croatia, there was a definite difference in the air of wealth and prosperity in the Hungarian landscape, with the likes of Burger King and British stores Tesco, Spar and even Marks & Spencer all to be seen – signs of a healthy middle class indeed!

Our first stopping point was the village of Villanyi in the heart of Hungary’s famous wine region, seeded with German grapes more than 300 years ago and still thriving today. It is also the very opposite of the big, mass-produced wineries you see in much of Germany, France, California and even Australia – individual family-owned holdings carved out of the hillside and handed down from generation to generation.

The Borozo winery (above) was a classic example, a business that had been in the family for almost 300 years and was still, largely, a husband-and-wife concern. Their own wine cellar – one of several dozen arranged in neat rows along the hillside – was not so much an underground facility as the middle tier of a three-layer series of tunnels bored directly into the side of the hill, with the actual vineyards on top.

We entered via a narrow frontage that looked more like a row of garages but quickly discovered this unprepossessing exterior led into a cellar-cool brick-lined tunnel that took us down and under the hill. Full of barrels and thousands of bottles already laid down, our hosts had lined up three wines and various snacks all set out for tasting – a rosé and two reds, including a surprisingly vibrant and tasty Cabernet.

We sampled the flavourful trio as our Hungarian host relayed a series of tasting notes via our guide/interpreter. The tour finished by going up a level into their little café/wine bar, with the inevitable opportunity to buy some of their produce. But, at just €11 for an excellent Cab, we certainly weren’t short-changed.

Back on the coach, the gloomy weather finally relented as we reached the outskirts of Pecs, Hungary’s fourth-largest city and another major surprise. Here was a wonderful mix of new and old, a typical medieval settlement boasting part of the original city walls and an amazing array of 17^th, 18^th and 19^th century churches, mansions and other buildings, all boasting an eye-catching baroque and neo-Gothic style.

Our tour guide offered a non-stop stream of commentary of Pecs’ long history and introduced us to two highly-regarded museums, including one for the famous local porcelain that now commands a serious price in the big-name stores of Europe.

Not wishing to miss our own exploration of this surprising city, we opted to miss the museums in favour of more time to wander – and what a wander it proved to be.

As well as more – and ever ingenious – fountains than you could shake a Hungarian stick at, the central square (above) was a real wow moment as we rounded a corner to discover this huge open space lined on three sides by more of the classic period architecture and dominated on the upper side by a church-turned-mosque-turned-reconverted-church, testimony to the great push and shove of the Ottoman age, when the powerful Turkish empire covered half of Europe before being fought to a standstill by the Habsburgs and then gradually evicted.

Knowing nothing about Pecs in advance (and precious little about the Ottoman empire either, to be honest), it proved a fascinating couple of hours as we meandered along the mazy streets and admired this overwhelming collection of period architecture (along with a delicious gelato!).

The new face of the city could be seen in a modern indoor shopping centre, along with brands like H&M, C&A and Marks and Spencer, and it was clear Hungary itself is integrating itself into the contemporary European scene much faster than its eastern neighbours.

All too soon, it was time to re-board our coach to return to the ship at Fajsz, with the prospect of Budepest the next day, but our first impressions of Hungary are pretty positive...

This ‘Imperial Capitals of Europe’ voyage can be booked at www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk, with Titan Travel (in the UK only) at www.titantravel.co.uk or, for more on river-cruising in general, seek out the luxury cruise-agent specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on this link.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

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The Glorious Danube - Croatia

Continuing our epic Danube River voyage – the Imperial Capitals of Europe – on the River Duchess of Uniworld from Romania to Austria...

Surprising Croatia - Part 1

Having had a full day's exposure to the Serbian part of the former Yugoslavia, it was time to cross the border into the neighbouring country of Croatia, another of the 'new' states that came into being with the collapse of the former communist regime led by Marshall Tito.

Our arrival point was Vukovar (above) - a stunning and sobering town just across the river from Serbia, where fully 90% of the buildings were destroyed in the civil war of 1991-95. The evidence of that brutal and heart-rending conflict was literally everywhere, both in the bullet and shrapnel damage of the surviving buildings and the fact that most of the town was virtually brand new, all rebuilt since the local residents returned in 1998.

While the 'who did what to whom and why' remains a tough and controversial question, the feeling of being in a 'victim' environment was much more stark and notable than in Belgrade, with the bullet and shell-riddled buildings serving as mute testimony to their ill use at the hands of Serbian invaders.

With that background in mind, the sunny morning and flower-bedecked town seemed to make light of the tragic past and concentrate purely on a hopeful future, ready to forgive if not to forget.

We were greeted by our guide for the day, Marco, at the dock (a recurring theme on this trip), and were able to walk through the town to our coaches for our delve into Croatian culture. And it was to be a thorough experience.

The drive out of town, and out into the more rural areas, was greeted by more war-ravaged buildings, mixed in with the strikingly new construction seemingly everywhere, great testimony to the human spirit's ability to survive and move on.

Our first stop was the village of Laslovo, where the local Elementary School was waiting to receive us. Yes, that’s right – a visit to a local school, where the children from age 6 all learn English and are keen to practice the language on all their visitors.

The welcome reception took the form of a series of songs, speeches and even a Punch-and-Judy type show, all performed by the children themselves, from the youngest to the oldest (about 14/15). And then it was time to take a tour of the school itself, courtesy of a gaggle of young, ultra-keen and hyper-active kids, who clearly have done this before and absolutely delight in the opportunity to showcase themselves and their culture.

After an all-too-brief hour’s visit in the company of these heart-warming children and their teachers (we spoke to one teacher who was only five when the war broke out and was saved by his mother, who ran through a cornfield to escape the invading army while other family members and friends were not so fortunate), we re-boarded our coaches to learn more about this relatively young country from guide Marco – a non-stop repository of Croatian history, politics and culture (another feature of Uniworld’s ground tours, as every guide was superbly equipped to impart their knowledge and understanding).

Next stop was the city of Osijek, the biggest in this part of the country and a charming mix of modern Europe and medieval fortress, with a superb monastery tucked away in its heart. The original fortress was replaced by the impressive Watergate moated fort in 1710, a massively walled emplacement designed to withstand cannon shells and built under the supervision of Prince Eugene of Savoy.

Here, we were treated to a sample of the Balkan firewater slivovitz (never to be taken lightly!) and a full tour of the medieval town with its truly beautiful main square, complete with cafes and bars. At once both photogenic and tragic (still bearing some of the scars of the civil war), it proved yet another surprise on our grand tour of eastern Europe.

After Osijek, we moved on to the village of Karanak, where we were sorted into groups of 12-14 for lunch. But that is also a story that needs a lot of telling, so I’ll add that in Part 2…

This ‘Imperial Capitals of Europe’ voyage can be booked at www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk, with Titan Travel (in the UK only) at www.titantravel.co.uk or, for more on river-cruising in general, seek out the luxury cruise-agent specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on this link.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

The Glorious Danube - Travelling The River

Continuing our epic river-cruise along the Danube on the River Duchess of Uniworld, travelling through eastern Europe...

Romania to Serbia, Part 1

Having detailed much so far about life on board, I thought I would take some time to provide a look at the destinations we are travelling through.

This is Uniworld’s ‘Imperial Capitals of Europe’ cruise, an 11-day glide through the heart of eastern Europe, from Romania to Austria, and taking in Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary and Slovakia in between, a huge slice of European history, culture, geography and architecture (plus food and wine!).

The basic idea is to use the riverboat as your ‘mobile home’ along the way, providing a comfortable and elegant mode of transport through these many different areas (like the old-fashioned coach tour but much more leisurely and relaxing).

Having flown in to Bucharest (the majority of he rest of the passengers arrived via Istanbul, where Uniworld had arranged a 3-day pre-cruise stay), we were immediately afforded a literal taste of Romanian culture with a healthy lunch at a big local restaurant.

That was followed by a full coach tour of the city, stopping en route to marvel at some of the architectural gems of the city, like Nicola Ceausescu’s massive Parliament building and the central square where the local people finally stood up to the vicious dictator in 1989.

From Buharest, we were whisked south to the town of Girgiu – and the River Duchess, the beautifully remodelled 132-passenger vessel that operates this voyage west to Vienna. Our first view of the mighty Danube – Europe’s second-longest river after the Volga in Russia – was also a memorable occasion, a huge stretch of inexorable east-flowing water, with Bulgaria on the south bank.

Our ‘welcome aboard’ was the first sign that this was to be a truly stylish and memorable journey, with the crew providing fresh fruit juice and cold towels to wash away any traces of the road, and a quick escort to our cabin.

That evening g we ‘set sail’ – all the way across the river to Ruse! OK, so not the biggest journey in the world but an introduction to another new country to us. Dinner that night was a pure delight, a genuine taste of Uniworld’s graceful cuisine, featuring local tastes but delivered in best continental style from an amazingly efficient galley. Portions are (happily) not large, but with a starter, soup course, main course and dessert, it is certainly sufficient for most appetites.

Next morning, it was up bright and early for breakfast and then off on an all-day coach excursion into the hinterland, destination the 16^th and 17^th century towns of Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi (the latter being a UNESCO World heritage site).

The weather was unremittingly grim, sadly, but the ship provided umbrellas and we were still able to enjoy some eye-catching sight-seeing, a walking tour of Arbanassi (including the 17^th century merchant’s villa), a traditional lunch and a little shopping in Veliko Tarnovo with its array of local crafts.

Our longish journey back to the ship (which had moved up-river to Nikopol) took us through some of the poorest countryside in Bulgaria, and it was sobering to see such levels of near poverty  in this big rural area.

We sailed again that night – a bit further this time! – and awoke next day on one of the most evocative sections of the Danube between Romania and Bulgaria. Two mighty locks needed to be negotiated (the second, a double lock that took a full 90 minutes to pass through), providing plenty of visual stimulation, along with commentary from our Cruise Manager Christine.

The highlight, though, was saved for the final hour before dusk as we navigated the Iron Gates, the immense Danube gorge where the granite river walls soar more than 300ft above each side and narrow to just 160ft at one point. It makes for a stunning visual panorama, with our Duchess the only thing on the river in the fading brooding light and the sheer cliffs soaring on either side.

To be continued...

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

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