Benvenuto in Italia! Your journey begins on arrival at Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE), where you’ll be greeted and transferred to your hotel in the heart of Venice. Check in at the sumptuous Hotel Monaco & Grand Canal, your home for the next two nights before joining your luxurious rail journey to the Balkans. Settle in ahead of a resplendent welcome dinner set for 7pm, where you’ll meet your fellow travellers and enjoy a delectable taste of Venice’s world-renowned culinary scene.
Prepare to be captivated by the romantic, UNESCO World Heritage-listed city of Venice, a stunning enclave built across 118 small islands in its lagoon off the Adriatic Sea.
Today, take a walking tour of the floating city, through winding lanes steeped in rich heritage. Stand in Saint Mark's Square, the central gathering place of Venetians for centuries. Stop at its ornate centrepiece, Saint Mark's Basilica, before continuing on to the Rialto Market, a bustling haven of fresh food stalls alongside the Grand Canal. Complete your visit by boarding a gondola and traversing the city via its famous canals.
This morning, transfer from your hotel to Santa Lucia Station, making your way by boat along the Grand Canal. Here, you’ll board the opulent Golden Eagle Danube Express for the rail adventure of a lifetime.
This hotel-on-rails offers new heights of luxury, with spacious, boutique cabins on board – each offering private ensuite facilities – a cosy living area and full-length picture windows so you take in every vision of your journey across the Balkans. With an elegant dining car and a bar car that doesn’t close until the last patron leaves, a journey across Europe onboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express is unlike anything else in the world.
Settle into your well-appointed cabin and enjoy a delicious lunch in as you journey to the maritime city of Trieste. Here, take an afternoon tour to see the historic Miramare Castle before stopping at the vast Piazza Unita d'Italia. Round the day off with a visit to the Byzantine-style church of San Giusto, adorned with delicate mosaic tiles. Perched atop a hill overlooking the port town, this ancient building dates back to the 13th century.
Rise early as the Danube Express leaves Trieste for the border into Slovenia. Take a subterranean train ride and discover the underground wonder of the Postojna Caves on a guided tour. Shaped over millions of years, the cave system is home to brilliant flowstone stalagmites around every corner, and a diverse array of fauna including the mysterious aquatic salamander.
Travel on to Slovenia's capital, Ljubljana, one of Europe's smallest capital cities, known for its diverse array of ancient architecture. This afternoon, you'll visit Preseren Square at the town's centre, the Triple Bridge – a group of three bridges along the river – and Dragon Bridge, guarded by four verdigris-hued dragons.
This morning, arrive in Sarajevo, the captivating capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the intersection of cultures, Sarajevo demonstrates its duality in its rich architectural history. From the splitting of the Eastern and Western Roman Empire in the fourth century BCE, through the devastating Yugoslav War, the city has lived many lives. Take a walk past the many mosques and minarets, ancient bazaars and war-scarred structures as your local guide unveils a turbulent history marked by the horrific Balkan War and the all-too-present Bosnian War of the 1990s.
Return to your private train for lunch aboard, as you travel onward to the idyllic city of Mostar. This historic crossroads was integral to the Ottoman Empire and is renowned for the gorgeous Stari Most (Mostar Bridge), a rebuilt 16th-century structure and prime example of Islamic architecture in the Balkans. Pay a visit to Kajtaz House for a glimpse at the 16th-century homestead of a Turkish judge, then continue your walk through the narrow streets for some souvenir shopping among the many traditional handicrafts.
This afternoon, depart by coach for dazzling Dubrovnik on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast.
Set out today for a tour of Dubrovnik, the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’. Terracotta tiled roofs and mighty medieval walls stand resolute, remarkably well-preserved against the surrounding waters. Start at the Ploce Gate, through which you’ll reach the Old Town and the Franciscan Monastery, home to one of the world’s oldest pharmacies. Admire the magnificent 14th-century cloisters, then continue on to the Old Harbour and imposing Fort Lovrijenac, which sits high atop the rocky cliffs. Finish your tour at the 15th-century Rector’s Palace, where Gothic-Renaissance design comes together with graceful finesse.
Take lunch overlooking the shimmering Adriatic before spending some time freely exploring the narrow streets, brimming with medieval charm. This afternoon, return by coach to your luxury locomotive and recline in your spacious cabin. Enjoy dinner and perhaps a nightcap in the bar car as you watch the countryside roll by on your way to Serbia.
Pull into the station this morning and alight in Belgrade, Serbia’s proud capital. Strategically positioned at the confluence of the Danube and Sava Rivers, Belgrade is a thriving city built on millennia of fortifications, dating back to the Celtic invasion of the 3rd century BCE.
Spend your day exploring the city’s best sights with expert guidance. Visit the mausoleum of controversial Yugoslavian leader Tito, pass Belgrade Town Hall and walk through Republic Square, onward to the bustling Knez Mihailova shopping street. Uncover a marvellous blend of medieval and modern architecture in the heart of the city, then pass through Varos Gate to the commanding Belgrade Fortress.
Later, return to your own Old World residence aboard the Danube Express for a restful evening in good company.
Arrive today in the little-visited North Macedonian capital of Skopje. Discover the area's Ottoman influence as you walk cobbled streets through the vibrant Old Bazaar, then cross the 15th-century Stone Bridge to the central Macedonia Square.
In the evening, return to your train for a sumptuous dinner and an evening spent at leisure.
Rise and shine, ready to uncover the architectural wonders of Sofia, Bulgaria’s easy-going capital. Take to the streets on a morning tour of the city, visiting the centuries-old Roman Wall, the Church of Saint George – Sofia’s oldest structure at over 1,700 years old – the mesmerising golden dome of Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the soaring grandeur of the Banya Bashi Mosque.
Back aboard the Danube Express, you’ll enjoy a well-deserved lunch as your hotel on the rails transports you to Plovdiv, known as the ‘City of Seven Hills’. Spend your afternoon admiring the Roman Forum and the Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis, one of the most beautifully preserved Roman amphitheatres in the world. Then, step back through time in enchanting Old Town with a visit to the peaceful Ottoman baths.
Say farewell to the hospitable crew aboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express as you disembark at your final stop, Istanbul, ready for two days of adventure. A city born of both European and Asian influence, Istanbul’s ancient wonders and spellbinding architecture are not to be missed.
Uncover the city’s most mesmerising sights, including its crowning jewel in the form of the elaborate Topkapi Palace, former residence of the sultans of the Ottoman Empire. Weave through expansive grounds and walk the ornately designed halls, then look out over the Golden Horn.
Gaze in awe upon the grandeur of the Blue Mosque, study the structure of its six soaring minarets and take a moment to appreciate the masterful Ottoman architecture. With some 260 windows illuminating its astounding central chamber, the Blue Mosque is a grand beauty no matter your vantage point.
Find your way to another of the city’s most prized sites – the magnificent Hagia Sophia. This humbling 6th-century Byzantine mosque was once one of the largest basilicas in the Christian world. Today, this mammoth mosque is recognised as one of the most breathtaking architectural beauties in the world.
Lose yourself in the joyous jumble of over 4,000 shopfronts at the Grand Bazaar – one of the largest covered markets in the world. Finally, an afternoon cruise along the Bosphorus Strait will take you gliding through the waters that separate Europe and Asia. Here, you can watch verdant shorelines drift lazily by, along with their palatial ‘yali’ – wooden mansions built right on the waterfront.
Following breakfast at your hotel, say a final goodbye to your fellow travellers before you're transferred to the airport for your onward travel.