Castles of
Transylvania

Arrival in Istanbul

Arrive in Istanbul, where you are met and transferred to a five-star hotel. Istanbul is the extraordinary city that bridges Asia and Europe, and those who arrive with time to spare will find it absorbs any number of extra hours. The Grand Bazaar, the waterfront at Eminonu, the Galata Tower and the atmospheric backstreets of Beyoglu are all within reach. The evening begins with a welcome dinner, giving you the opportunity to meet your fellow travellers over the first of many exceptional meals.

If you would like to extend your stay in Istanbul and explore more of the city before the journey begins, we can arrange additional hotel nights and a tailored programme of sightseeing. Please contact us to discuss options.

Welcome dinner included. Five-star hotel accommodation.

Istanbul and Departure

Today sees Istanbul at its most revealing. A walking tour through the old central quarters takes in the architectural and cultural riches that centuries of empire have left behind. There is then a choice between two of the great monuments of the Byzantine and Ottoman worlds: the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, known as the Blue Mosque, with its six towering minarets and more than 20,000 hand-painted Iznik tiles illuminated by 260 windows; or the Hagia Sophia, the sixth-century basilica that became one of the world's great mosques, whose soaring interior and extraordinary Byzantine mosaics represent some of the finest achievements of either civilisation.

In the early afternoon, the Golden Eagle Danube Express awaits. Passengers board and the journey begins with a drinks reception as the train departs through the European part of Turkey, crossing into Bulgaria as the day progresses.

Breakfast at hotel. All meals on board included. Overnight on the Golden Eagle Danube Express.

Veliko Tarnovo

Morning views from the train as it crosses the Shipka Pass bring the Bulgarian landscape into focus: deep green valleys, forested hillsides and the occasional monastery clinging to the rock face. The train descends towards Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria's ancient capital and one of the most dramatically situated cities in the Balkans. The stone houses seem to grow from the steep banks of the Yantra River, stacked above one another in layers that give the city a picturesque intensity quite unlike anywhere else.

The guided excursion takes in the medieval fortress of Tsarevets Hill, the seat of the Second Bulgarian Empire and one of the most important medieval sites in the Balkans, with well-preserved walls, towers and the ruins of the Royal Palace and Patriarchal Cathedral. Free time in the town gives the opportunity to wander the narrow alleyways of the old quarter and explore independently. This evening, relax in the Bar Lounge Car as the train continues across the Romanian border.

All meals on board included. Guided Veliko Tarnovo excursion included. Overnight on the Golden Eagle Danube Express.

Peles Castle and Bran Castle

Overnight, the train climbs over the Carpathian Mountains, threading through a dramatic landscape of crystal-clear mountain streams and dense forested valleys. The morning brings the train to Sinaia, the mountain resort town where Peles Castle stands as one of the finest examples of German neo-Renaissance architecture in the world. Commissioned by King Carol I in 1873 and completed in 1883, the castle served as the summer residence of the Romanian royal family until 1947. Its 160 rooms contain Murano crystal chandeliers, German stained-glass windows, Cordoba leather-covered walls and the finest examples of European decorative art.

After a return to the train for lunch, the journey continues to Braşov for the excursion that most guests remember longest. Bran Castle, perched atop a 200-foot rock above the plain, is the 14th-century fortress whose imposing towers and turrets and association with Bram Stoker's novel have made it one of the most visited sites in Romania. The tour covers the castle and its surroundings in full. The evening belongs entirely to Golden Eagle: a private gala dinner inside the castle walls, an exclusive experience that combines exceptional food with the singular atmosphere of this legendary place.

All meals included. Peles Castle and Bran Castle excursions included. Private gala dinner inside Bran Castle included. Overnight on the Golden Eagle Danube Express.

Sighisoara and Sibiu

The morning brings the train to Sighisoara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved fortified medieval towns in Europe. This is the town where Vlad the Impaler, the 15th-century Wallachian prince whose reputation gave rise to the Dracula legend, was born. The walking tour takes in the main highlights of the citadel: the Clock Tower, the Church on the Hill with its remarkable 14th-century frescoes, and the burgher houses and ornate churches that line the cobblestone streets of what remains a living, inhabited medieval town rather than a museum piece.

After returning to the train for lunch, the journey continues to Sibiu, known across Romania for the exceptional quality of its preserved old town. The legacy of 12th-century Saxon settlers is visible everywhere: the Lutheran Cathedral of Saint Mary, the Brukenthal National Museum (one of the oldest in Europe), the medieval walls and the two linked main squares that form the heart of the town. Time here is free to explore at leisure before returning to the train for the evening's farewell dinner as the train heads across the Great Hungarian Plain towards Budapest.

All meals included. Sighisoara and Sibiu excursions included. Farewell dinner on board included. Overnight on the Golden Eagle Danube Express.

Hungary and Budapest

The morning brings the train to Kecskemét, a fascinating city at the geographical centre of Hungary. Its main square is one of the most architecturally varied in the country, with Art Nouveau, Baroque and neo-Romanesque buildings arranged around a generous public space that reflects the town's considerable prosperity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

From Kecskemét, the train heads to Lajosmizse on the Puszta, the great Hungarian plain, for the spectacular highlight of the day: a traditional equestrian show performed by Hungarian horsemen whose skills in the saddle are the product of generations of tradition reaching back to the nomadic Magyar tribes. The display includes extraordinary feats of riding including the Puszta Five, in which a rider controls five horses simultaneously while standing on the backs of the rear pair.

In the late afternoon the train arrives in Budapest, where the journey ends in appropriate splendour. A one-night stay at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace or similar, one of the most celebrated Art Nouveau buildings in the world, sits directly on the banks of the Danube facing the Chain Bridge. The evening concludes with a farewell dinner.

All meals included. Kecskemét excursion and Puszta horse show included. Farewell dinner included. Five-star hotel accommodation in Budapest.

Farewell to Budapest

A final breakfast at the hotel before departure. Budapest rewards those who allow time for it before their flight home: the Parliament Building seen from across the Danube, the thermal baths, the Great Market Hall, the Jewish Quarter and Castle Hill all sit within easy reach of the centre. If you would like to extend your stay in Budapest, we can arrange additional hotel nights and sightseeing. Please contact us to discuss options.

Breakfast included.