I slept really well last night! After several busy days of touring, I woke up feeling refreshed and, more importantly, absolutely starving.
Elizabeth and I headed up to breakfast together, and for the first time on this trip I decided to skip the eggs. Instead, I ordered the Belgian waffles from the menu and added a couple of breakfast sausages and some sautéed mushrooms from the buffet. The waffles arrived perfectly golden, dusted with powdered sugar and served with warm maple syrup and whipped butter. They were crisp on the outside, light and fluffy inside, and easily one of my favorite breakfasts of the trip so far.
With breakfast finished, I grabbed a cup of tea and headed up to the Sky Deck. Today’s cruise through the Iron Gates was one of the experiences I had been looking forward to the most.
Before reaching the gorge itself, we entered the first of the massive Iron Gate locks. Watching our ship slowly rise inside the towering concrete walls was fascinating. The lock is an incredible feat of engineering, lifting river ships to the higher water level beyond the dam so they can continue upstream along the Danube.
As we emerged from the lock, the mist from the rushing water caught the morning sunlight and created a beautiful rainbow off the port side of the ship. It felt like the perfect welcome to one of Europe’s most spectacular stretches of river.
Soon afterward, the scenery became even more dramatic. Forested mountains lined both sides of the Danube as we cruised between Romania and Serbia through the Iron Gates Gorge. Standing on the Sky Deck with the warm sunshine, a cool breeze, and breathtaking scenery in every direction was one of those moments that reminds me exactly why I love river cruising.
One of the highlights of the morning was seeing the enormous rock carving of Decebalus, the last king of Dacia. Standing nearly 140 feet tall, it is the tallest rock sculpture in Europe and seems to appear almost unexpectedly as your ship rounds a bend in the river. Photos don’t quite capture how impressive it is in person.
Not long afterward, we officially crossed into Serbia.
After spending a relaxing morning cruising through the gorge, it was time for lunch. Once again, Avalon didn’t disappoint. I enjoyed a fresh salad along with roasted chicken and a piece of fish. Everything was excellent and made for the perfect meal after such a scenic morning.
While Serbian border officials completed passport inspections and returned everyone’s passports, we prepared for our afternoon included excursion.
Our first stop was Lepenski Vir, one of the oldest known permanent settlements in Europe. Dating back to around 7000 BC, this remarkable archaeological site preserves the remains of a prehistoric village that existed thousands of years before the pyramids were built in Egypt. The visitor center does an excellent job of explaining how these early people lived, and a 3D presentation brought the ancient settlement to life. It’s amazing to think that people have called the banks of the Danube home for more than 9,000 years.
As we drove toward our next stop, we were treated to a fun surprise. Looking out across the Danube, we spotted the Avalon Passion sailing to Golubac Fortress, where we were to meet the ship after our tour. It was fun seeing our floating home from a completely different perspective.
We drove about 30 minutes and passed through almost as many tunnels on our way to Golubac Fortress, one of the most impressive medieval fortresses I’ve ever visited. Perched high above the Danube at the entrance to the Iron Gates Gorge, the fortress has guarded this important stretch of river for centuries. Walking through the massive stone towers and walls, it wasn’t difficult to imagine the soldiers, merchants, and rulers who once passed through these gates. The museum inside featured exhibits on medieval life, armor, and the history of the fortress, and we even had the opportunity to see a beautiful peregrine falcon with its handler.
Back onboard, Happy Hour in the Panorama Lounge was the perfect way to unwind after another full day of exploring. With a drink in hand and beautiful Serbian scenery drifting by outside, it was easy to appreciate how relaxing life on the river can be.
Dinner was another wonderful meal, made even more memorable by an incredible sunset over the Danube. As the sky filled with shades of orange, gold, and pink, the reflections danced across the water outside the dining room windows. It was one of those simple moments that makes river cruising so special.
After dinner, we headed up to the Panorama Lounge for one of Avalon’s evening trivia competitions. Our team gave it our best effort and finished with 16 out of 26 correct answers. We may not have taken home the prize, but we laughed a lot, debated more than a few answers, and had a wonderful time together.
Today perfectly captured what makes this itinerary so special. We cruised through one of Europe’s most scenic river gorges, passed through an engineering marvel, explored a medieval fortress, visited one of the continent’s oldest archaeological sites, enjoyed another outstanding day of food onboard, and ended the evening with friends, a beautiful sunset, and a little friendly competition.
It doesn’t get much better than that. 🚢🇷🇴🇷🇸
Cleared For Take-Off! 