Donji Milanovac, Serbia

The morning was spent cruising through the Iron Gates Gorge and lock. We were delayed about an hour while waiting for three barges to pass through. There is very little boat traffic between Bucharest and Budapest—mostly we meet or sail alongside other cruise ships.

In the afternoon, we toured the Lepenski Vir archaeological site, dating back 12,000 years. It was discovered on the banks of the Danube and later relocated to an enclosed area for preservation. We then visited Golubac Fortress, a striking medieval fortified town on the river’s edge. The fortress is perched on the rock above the Danube River at the entrance to Central and Eastern Europe.

Our ship sailed on to Golubac, so we didn’t have to return to our departure port by bus. This provided us the opportunity to view the Fortress in the evening light.Read more