Danube River

The Danube River runs west to east across Europe, starting in Germany and flowing into the Black Sea on the border between Romania and Ukraine. The Danube River is navigable from Regensburg, Germany to the Black Sea, but many eastern European cruises on the Danube disembark (or embark) in Oltenita or other small towns along the river near Bucharest, Romania, since this city has a major airport.

I cruised the Danube from Oltenita westward to Regensburg on the Viking River Cruises' Viking Neptune, passing through Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Austria, and Germany. The river is very scenic and is perfect for river cruising, flowing past castles, quaint villages, vineyards, and numerous historical sites. Two of the most scenic areas are the Wachau Valley in Austria and the Iron Gates separating Serbia and Romania. In addition, as is shown in many of these photos, the Danube River in Serbia between the Iron Gates and Belgrade is also quite interesting, as are the numerous locks.