10 Days - Crossroads of Culture - Serbia, Hungary & Croatia

Day 1

We depart Dublin airport for our direct flight from Dublin to Budapest. On arrival we are met by our Tour leader and our local tour guide. We will then be transferred to our central 4 star Hotel, the Leonardo Hotel where we will be staying for the next two nights.

Day 2

After breakfast we take a city tour by coach to admire some of the many attractions of Budapest. Often described as the “Little Paris of Middle Europe”, Budapest is famous not only for the monuments reflecting its own 1,000-year-old history, but also for the relics of others who settled here. The city has two sides, Buda, and Pest, divided by the mighty Danube River. Pest boasts the largest parliament building in Europe which will remind you of a grander version of London’s Houses of Parliament. Buda has its historic castle and medieval streets and houses. The afternoon is free for you to explore Budapest and enjoy its riverside promenade, flea markets, bookstores, antique shops and excellent restaurants and café houses.

Day 3

After breakfast we travel south of Budapest and through the Hungarian countryside and over the border into Serbia. We will be stopping for lunch at a traditional Serbian farmhouse restaurant for lunch which is included in the cost of the tour. Then we will travel to the the central 4 star Novi Sad Hotel. where the Irish always receive a warm welcome.

Day 4

After breakfast our we take a coach tour of Novi Sad with our local tour guide, and we visit the major attractions such as the Catholic and Orthodox Cathedrals. We will take a short walking tour of the old city and in the afternoon, we visit the Petrovaridan fortess located on the right bank of the river Danube. It is known as "the Gibraltar of the Danube" due to its strategic location. This is a truly impressive fortress and despite its may attractions there are very few tourists. We reckon that it is only a matter of time before the Danube cruise liners include it on their itineraries. Tonight, we have a typical Serbian dinner which is included in the cost of the tour at our hotel with traditional Serbian entertainment.

Day 5

We have a free day to relax and soak up the many delights of Novi Sad. Irish clients have taken advantage of the very cheap prices of hairdressers, dentists, chemists, and opticians etc. The Hungarians and Croatians travel to Serbia due to the low prices.

Day 6

After breakfast we travel to Belgrade the capital city of Serbia and the former capital of Yugoslavia. It lies on the confluence of two great rivers, the Danube and Sava and is one of the oldest cities in Europe. It was founded by Celtic tribes in the 4th century and is a very friendly and energetic city re-discovering its tourism potential. Our guide will do a short walking tour of the old city. You then have free time for further sightseeing and shopping. We return to our hotel in the late afternoon giving us ample time to enjoy this historic city.

Day 7

Today we spend a full day travelling around the Fruska Gora National Park, The Serbian people refer to this area as the Pearl of Serbia. This will remind a lot of clients when they travelled around the Irish countryside in their youth. We will visit the small, enchanting town of Sremski Karlovci which dates back to the 12th Century. This area is famous for its vineyards, and we will stop in a wine cellar to sample the fantastic local wine. The Fruska Gora National Park is also famous for its monasteries, and we will visit one of the most important ones.

Day 8

After breakfast we travel to Ilok, one of the most beautiful towns in Croatia, on the banks of the river Danube. Its friendly inhabitants are notoriously laid-back and welcoming. The town is dominated by its fortress and is known as the Dubrovnik of the Danube due to its strategic location. Our tour guide will bring us on a short walking tour of the old town and fortress. We will also visit the Catholic church of St John Capistrano, the Apostle of Europe who died here in 1456. This area is also famous for the quality of its wine, and you can buy some in the old wine cellars direct from the producers at very reasonable prices. Our lunch time stop which is included in the cost of the tour is in a lovely restaurant on the banks of the River Danube. We return to our hotel after a leisurely lunch.

Day 9

We have a free day to relax and perhaps do some last-minute shopping.

Please note that this is our planned itinerary but sometimes due to circumstances outside our control we may have to alter it slightly.

Day 10

We depart our hotel after breakfast and travel back to Budapest for our return flight to Dublin.