Explore the historic Balkan Empires
The Danube, Transylvania and historic Balkans
What a unique adventure! From Serbia’s vibrant capital of Belgrade, through to delightful Sofia in Bulgaria. In the middle? Romantic Romania, alluring Transylvania, the Carpathian Mountains and Wallachia. A land rich in history, culture and colour… a land where you will still be able to see horse and carts pulling giant piles of hay, where bears thrive in the deep forests, where UNESCO listed, perfectly preserved Saxon towns and villages litter the countryside, and where churches are fortified with giant walls to fend off attack. You will visit ancient castles like Golubac built to defend Europe’s biggest gorge, you will cruise through the Danube’s Iron Gates, see a monstrous kingly rock carving, take in Lepenski Vir – Europe’s oldest settlement, dine at dusk on a terrace overlooking the Danube and visit the strange, but oh so photogenic, Negotin Wine villages for lunch and a wine tasting! Three nights in Sibiu will entrance you, the hairpin bends of the stunning Transfăgărășan mountain road will enthuse you, the Libearty Bear Sanctuary will warm you, the perfect gem city of Sighișoara will stimulate you. In ancient Veliko Tarnovo we experience an amazing Sound and Light Show, at Bran we enjoy a private tour of ‘Dracula’s Castle’, we dine in a huge Transylvanian Forest igloo, and lunch in a Rose Distillery where the divine dessert cake is actually made with Rose petals! What an awesome tour, come join us!
-
Travel in a first-class air-conditioned touring coach
-
A complimentary glass of wine, beer or soft drink with all included dinners 31 meals including breakfast daily (B), 4 lunches (L) and 9 evening meals (D) Welcome drink on Day 1
-
Hotel porterage of 1 bag per person (where available) 18 nights specially selected hotel accommodation Free WiFi at most hotels (where available)
-
ALL tips for your Tour Manager, Driver and Local Guides Fully escorted by our experienced Tour Manager Local guides as described in the itinerary
-
ALL excursions, scenic drives, sightseeing and entrances as described
Tour itinerary
If you haven't found what you are looking for then use our Tour Finder to search for another tour.
Hand Selected Experiences
These are just a few of the very special hand selected experiences that will really make your touring experience exceptional and unique, and don’t forget, with Albatross they are always included.
Lepenski Vir
One of Europe’s most important archaeological sites
Nestled on the banks of the Danube, this is Europe’s oldest human settlement which dates back 9,000 years. We visit the fascinating museum and enjoy an audio-visual show of these settlers from the Mesolithic Iron Gates Hunter-Gatherers period.Djerdap Gorge
Danube cruise through the 'Iron Gates'
We include a relaxing cruse on the Danube, through the Djerdap Gorge – also known as ‘the Iron Gates”. This is part of a network of canyons creating the largest and longest gorge in Europe. On our cruise we will get a close-up view of the enormous rock carving of the last Dacian King – Decebalus. At 55 metres high it is the tallest stone sculpture in Europe.Rogljevačke Pivnice
Historical Wine Village
We include a visit to one of the unique wine cellar villages in the hills around Negotin for a wine tasting and lunch. Nominated for UNESCO listing these villages are dedicated to wine cellars. Rogljevačke Pivnice is a classic example of one of these historical wine towns with the whole village lined with stone, brick and tiled wine houses surrounding the dusty square with its Sacred Tree. The only time people live in these villages is during a handful of days when they are making, or ‘testing’ the wine.Transfăgărășan Highway
Travel the hairpin bends of the stunning Transfăgărășan mountain road
Originally built as a military route over the Carpathian Mountains. 90 kilometres long, it is considered the most beautiful road in Romania and amongst the top 10 drives in the world. It is littered with spectacular hairpin bends opening up to huge panoramic views as it winds its way up and over the Fagarasan Mountains. Our later season departures will enjoy a stunning day on the Transfăgărășan, with lunch included in a local restaurant beside the mountain lake at Bâlea.Prejmer Fortified Church
One of a collection of seven UNESCO listed fortified churches
We visit the incredible fortified church of Prejmer which promises to intrigue and amaze you. Entering via a narrow-fortified tunnel you emerge to discover a small church surrounded by a whole village of rooms built up over four stories embedded in the inside walls. All of which are interconnected with wooden ladders and walkways. The entire perimeter defences on the 5th level can be explored as well.Libearty Bear Sanctuary
Europe’s largest animal welfare project
In Zarnesti we include a guided visit through the 70 hectares of oak forest where this sanctuary is situated. Home to over 130 mistreated bears it is recognized as the most ethical sanctuary in the world.Veliko Tarnovo
Sound and Light show
Take your seats in a prime position to allow perfect views to enjoy an amazing Sound and Light Show programme set to music, as the enormous Fortress Hill of Veliko Tarnovo is totally illuminated by giant flood lights and bathed by laser lights.Kazanlak
Thracian Royal Tomb
We discover the ancient Thracian tombs dating back to the Hellenistic period – the 4th century BC, giant mounds which litter a flat plain at Kazanlak. In the immediate area over 1,000 tombs of Thracian royalty can be found. We visit a ‘beehive’ royal tomb with UNESCO listed, glorious frescoes and paintings.Bran Castle
Private tour of 'Dracula’s Castle' and Dinner
We will visit the town of Bran where, above the busy little town is the imposing castle made famous in Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula. A truly unique experience awaits. Once the castle is officially closed, we have arranged a private castle tour (without the crowds!). A fascinating visit including museums of torture, demons and local folklore that inspired Stoker to create his ghoulish creature. To cap the visit off, we have arranged dinner in a private salon in Queen Maria’s Tea House.Dates and Prices
* The itinerary and hotels featured are based on 2025 tour departures and may be subject to change. Any questions, please contact our European Tour Specialists for further details.
Pre-register your interest
To register your early interest in our 2026 Europe and UK Summer tours, please complete our pre-registration form. We will keep you informed as our tours are developed and released.
Your Hotels
Tour Suitability
- In mid-summer, the heat may be energy sapping.
- There are a number of beautiful towns and historic sites we visit which require exploring on foot.
Please refer to our Tour Suitability section for more information.
Recommended Tours
You might be interested in these similar tours