Gems of Southeast Europe – Giurgiu to Budapest

Giurgiu is a city in southern Romania. The seat of Giurgiu County, it lies in the historical region of Muntenia. It is situated amongst mud-flats and marshes on the left bank of the Danube facing the Bulgarian city of Ruse on the opposite bank.

Ruse, is the fifth largest city in Bulgaria. Ruse is in the northeastern part of the country, on the right bank of the Danube, opposite the Romanian city of Giurgiu, approximately 75 km south of Bucharest, Romanias capital, 200 km from the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and 300 km from the capital Sofia.

Vidin is a port town on the southern bank of the Danube in north-western Bulgaria. It is close to the borders with Romania and Serbia, and is also the administrative centre of Vidin Province, as well as of the Metropolitan of Vidin.

The Iron Gates is a gorge on the river Danube. It forms part of the boundary between Serbia and Romania.

Belgrade is the capital of the southeast European country of Serbia. Its most significant landmark is the Beogradska Tvrđava, an imposing fortress at the confluence of the Danube and the Sava rivers. The fort is a testament to the city’s strategic importance to the Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, Serbian and Austrian empires, and its now the site of several museums as well as Kalemegdan, a vast park.

Novi Sad is a city in northern Serbia on the banks of the Danube River. Standing atop a riverside bluff, much of Petrovaradin Fortress dates to the 17th and 18th centuries, with an iconic clock tower and a network of tunnels. Across the river is the old quarter, Stari Grad, site of the Gothic Revival Name of Mary Church and the neo-Renaissance City Hall.

Mohács is a town in Baranya county, Hungary on the right bank of the Danube.

Pécs is an ancient city in southern Hungary, close to the Croatian border. Founded by the Romans, its known for its architectural landmarks such as the Early Christian Mausoleum, which features frescoed tombs. Vast Pécs Cathedral towers over central Szent István Square. The domed Mosque of Pasha Gazi Kasim was built in the 16th century during the Ottoman occupation of the city and is now a Catholic church.

Budapest, Hungary’s capital, is bisected by the River Danube. Its 19th-century Chain Bridge connects the hilly Buda district with flat Pest. A funicular runs up Castle Hill to Buda’s Old Town, where the Budapest History Museum traces city life from Roman times onward. Trinity Square is home to 13th-century Matthias Church and the turrets of the Fishermen’s Bastion, which offer sweeping views