The Danube in the Enigmatic East: Five-Country Sampler

Giurgiu sits among the mud flats and marshes of the Danube's left bank. Three small islands face the city, and a larger one shelters its port. This one-time exporter of timber, grain, salt, and petroleum was served by a railway to Bucharest that was built in 1869, the first line opened in Romania. This also placed Giurgiu on the map among wealthy globetrotters as it became a stop for the legendary Orient Express. By 1954, Giurgiu had another feather in its cap, when the steel-truss Friendship Bridge opened over the Danube, connecting Romania to neighboring Bulgaria.

The city of Rousse on the right bank of the Danube grew from a Neolithic settlement into one of modern Bulgaria's key cultural and economic centers. Its beautiful Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture, wide boulevards, and green squares earned it the nickname "Little Vienna". Highlights include its beautiful Opera House, Palace of Justice, Freedom Square, and Freedom Bridge, which crosses the Danube to Giurgiu, Romania, and elevated Rousse to Bulgaria's most significant river port.

Svistov, the Danube’s southernmost point, has endured a turbulent past—battles between Romans and barbarians, devastation during the Russo-Turkish War, a Russian sacking in 1878, and near destruction from a 1977 earthquake. Despite these hardships, it recovered as an agricultural, fishing, cultural, and university center. The Old Town retains its character with winding alleys, well-preserved historic buildings, and a scenic riverside promenade, all watched over by the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, which has stood proudly on the highest hill since 1867.

During its long and tumultuous history, Vidin has seen some things. It’s a place with ancient Roman roots. It was subjugated for half a millennium by the Ottoman Turks, and it suffered a devastating flood in 1942. Today Vidin provides a major border crossing to neighboring Romania. The Old Town is an engaging potpourri of architectural diversity that includes austere structures from the Socialist era. Highlights include many old Orthodox churches, a synagogue, mosque, indominatable Baba Vida fortress, and a growing reputation for its wine production.

One of the Danube’s most breathtaking natural wonders is the dramatic “Iron Gates”. Here, rugged canyon walls soar up to 984 feet (300 meters) above the river, creating a scene like something from a movie. Declared a UNESCO global geopark in 2020, this incredible geological feature separates the Carpathian and Balkan Mountains, forms the border between Serbia and Romania, and is home to Iron Gates Natural Park and Đerdap National Park.

Sitting on the right bank of the Danube, the site of the eastern Serbian town of Kladovo has been inhabited since the Early Bronze Age. Today, Kladovo is popular for its beaches, wine trails, cuisine, and adventure activities, but the allure of the ancient past remains as strong as ever. This is where Roman Emperor Trajan built his legendary bridge across the Danube, and where the Romans also constructed Diana Fortress in the 1st century. Part of a vast defensive system along the empire’s border, Diana included a military camp, watchtowers, granaries, and even a civilian residential area.

Situated along the famed Orient Express, where the Danube and Sava Rivers meet is Belgrade, one of the Danube's four riverside capitals. This is one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities—a place sieged, razed, and bombed by outsiders trying to control it. Today, the one-time capital of Yugoslavia is a thriving hub of government, finance, and urban renewal of many former communist-era districts. It is home to the Church of Saint Sava, one of the largest Orthodox churches; the famous Nikola Tesla Museum; Kalemegdan Fortress; and more.

Near the Serbian border, Croatia's easternmost city is known for its grit. During the War of Independence in the 1990s, it was almost completely destroyed after an 87-day siege. Vukovar rebuilt, and the Old Town is once again a magnet for guests from around the world. Highlights include the town's famous water tower, whose battered structure is a symbol of the proud Croatian spirit; the poignant National Memorial Cemetery of the Victims of Homeland War, the nation's largest mass grave; and elegant Eltz Manor, the 18th-century Baroque home of the Vukovar City Museum.

Kalocsa is one spicy city! The self-proclaimed "Paprika Capital of the World" is one of Hungary’s oldest cities, filled with historic buildings and quaint shops (selling paprika—what else?). Highlights include the 200-year-old Folk Art House, where local female artisans still paint furnishings, eggs, and other items in the traditional Hungarian way; the Paprika House, a museum dedicated to the legendary Hungarian spice; and the Archbishop's Palace with its 150-thousand-volume library of ancient books and manuscripts.

One of the most beautiful cities in the world, the wonders of Budapest rise up along both banks of the Danube in a truly impressive way. Along with Heroes' Square with its Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, awe-inspiring Hungarian Parliament Building, and the lavish Castle District with photogenic Fishermen's Bastion, the city is home to a captivating Jewish district and the second-largest synagogue in the world, an intricate underground cave system, and some of Europe's most famous thermal baths.