Venture of the beaten tourist path and follow the sparkling Danube River on an exploration of some of the most picturesque and interesting places in all of Europe. You'll stop at charming riverside villages and bustling cosmopolitan cities in seven different countries, each with its own unique culture and history. In the quirky and beautiful city of Prague, you'll discover a mixture of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture. A walking tour features the 1,000-year-old Hradcany Castle, the magnificent St. Vitus Cathedral, and the whimsical Golden Lane. In lively Budapest, see the Fisherman's Bastion, Heroes Square, Gellert Hill, and Mathias Church, on a guided tour. With the illuminated city as a backdrop, a gypsy folklore group will give you a taste of Hungary's rich, unique culture. The next port of call, Kalocsa, is a charming Magyar village known for its traditional Hungarian embroidery and the cultivation of paprika. Here, take an optional excursion to see an unforgettable horsemanship performance. You'll also visit Belgrade, the economic, political and cultural capital of Serbia-Montenegro, formerly known as Yugoslavia. In this interesting city at the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers, you will enjoy a "Belgrade at Night" tour featuring the celebrated artists' quarter. A highlight of the tour will be cruising through the "Iron Gate," a two-mile gorge that lines the border between former Yugoslavia and Romania, winding narrowly between the Carpathian and Balkan mountains with spectacular views of the Transylvanian Alps. In Romania, explore the fascinating Danube Delta, an area of more than 2,500 miles that serves as a breeding ground for many different species of birds and flora. Your final stop is Bucharest, the capital city of Romania, where the culture is distinctly "Central European" while its wide boulevards evoke thoughts of Paris.