Venetian Lagoon Cruise & Golden Eagle Danube Express to Istanbul

Arrive in Venice and transfer to the S.S. La Venezia, your elegant floating home for the coming week. Step aboard to discover its richly dressed interiors, inspired by Venetian craftsmanship, before settling into your stateroom. Spend the afternoon exploring the ship or enjoying the views as you remain docked in the Venetian Lagoon. As evening falls, savour your first dinner onboard, accompanied by the soft glow of Venice’s palazzi reflected across the water.

Begin your morning with a guided walking tour through the heart of Venice. Enjoy early access to the Doge’s Palace, wandering through its grand chambers and across the Bridge of Sighs before exploring the historic Castello district. This evening brings a rare privilege: a private, after‑hours visit to St Mark’s Basilica. With the doors opened exclusively for your group, experience the basilica in near silence, its golden mosaics illuminated just for you, a moment of extraordinary serenity in one of the world’s most iconic sacred spaces.

Choose between two enriching excursions this morning. Vicenza offers elegant Renaissance architecture and a visit to the Teatro Olimpico, the oldest surviving indoor theatre of its kind. Alternatively, explore Padua, a medieval city of arcaded squares, ancient churches and Italy’s second‑oldest university. Enjoy a guided tour followed by free time to wander its cafés, markets and historic streets at your own pace.

Sail into the northern lagoon to visit Torcello, once a thriving settlement and now a peaceful island crowned by its ancient basilica. With an art historian, explore its Byzantine mosaics before continuing to Mazzorbo, a quiet agricultural island linked to Burano by a wooden footbridge. After lunch, choose to explore Burano, famous for its brightly painted houses and lace‑making traditions, or travel to Murano for a demonstration by master glassblowers. Watch molten glass transformed into delicate works of art before browsing the gallery for exquisite pieces to take home.

Arrive in Chioggia, a charming fishing town often described as “Little Venice”. Today offers a range of immersive experiences: Sail aboard a traditional Adriatic vessel, visit Tenuta Ca’ Zen for tastings of local wine and olive oil, or explore Chioggia’s bustling fish market – one of Italy’s largest. Active guests may cycle along the beaches and lagoons, while wine lovers can enjoy a private tasting at Dominio di Bagnoli, one of Europe’s oldest estates. Alternatively, visit the elegant Palazzo Goldoni for tea on the terrace accompanied by live music.

Choose between a sailing excursion into the tranquil Po Delta, where the river meets the Adriatic in a landscape of wetlands and wildlife, or a visit to Castello del Catajo, a grand Habsburg‑era palace set among the Euganean hills. Explore its frescoed halls, sweeping staircases and manicured gardens before returning to the ship for lunch. This afternoon, enjoy a leisurely sail back to Venice, watching as the city’s skyline emerges once more across the lagoon.

Your final day in Venice offers four curated excursions. Visit the quiet district of Dorsoduro for a morning walking tour and a visit to a gondola workshop, or join a chef‑led tour of the Rialto markets followed by cicchetti and wine (a drink with a bite of something delicious). Alternatively, visit a traditional mask atelier to learn about Venice’s Carnival heritage, or try your hand at Venetian rowing with Row Venice, a non-profit organisation of female rowers dedicated to preserving the sport. Back onboard this evening, enjoy a special captain's farewell reception and dinner.

Disembark after breakfast and transfer to the Golden Eagle Danube Express waiting for you at Venice Santa Lucia station, where polished wood panelling, crisp linens and attentive stewards set the tone for the days ahead. Settle into your private cabin as the train glides across the lagoon causeway, offering a final glimpse of Venice’s shimmering domes before reaching Trieste. Explore this cultured Adriatic port city on a guided tour, discovering its Austro‑Hungarian architecture, elegant squares and maritime heritage. Return to the train for cocktails and dinner as the journey continues east.

This morning brings you deep beneath Slovenia’s karst landscape to the Postojna Cave system. Board a miniature underground train and travel through vast cathedral‑like chambers, illuminated to reveal extraordinary limestone formations and the rare olm. Continue to Ljubljana, a charming capital with leafy boulevards and pastel‑coloured façades. On a guided walking tour, stroll along the Ljubljanica River, cross the iconic Triple Bridge and explore the lively market designed by architect Jože Plečnik. Enjoy free time to browse boutiques or relax in a riverside café.

Arrive early into Sarajevo, a city where Ottoman, Austro‑Hungarian and modern histories converge. Your morning tour explores its poignant past, including a visit to the Tunnel Museum beneath the airport runway – a lifeline during the 1990s siege. With a local guide who lived through the conflict, gain a deeply personal insight into the city’s resilience. After lunch, travel through dramatic mountain scenery to Mostar. Wander cobbled streets lined with artisan stalls, visit the traditional Turkish House and cross the iconic Stari Most, its graceful arch symbolising both the city’s heritage and its rebirth.

Spend the day discovering Belgrade, a city with a bold, energetic character. Begin at the House of Flowers, the mausoleum of Josip Broz Tito, before continuing to Republic Square and the elegant 19th‑century architecture of Knez Mihailova Street. Your tour also includes the mighty Kalemegdan Fortress, perched high above the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers. From its ramparts, enjoy sweeping views across the water and the city’s eclectic skyline. Return to the train for cocktails and dinner as the landscape shifts towards the mountains of Montenegro.

Wake to views of Montenegro’s rugged terrain, a dramatic backdrop of limestone peaks, deep gorges and shimmering lakes. Disembark in the coastal town of Bar for a guided tour that may include the ruins of Stari Bar, a centuries‑old fortified settlement framed by olive groves. Back onboard, enjoy lunch as the train continues to Podgorica. Explore its blend of Roman remnants, Ottoman mosques and Austro‑Hungarian architecture, reflecting the city’s complex past. Rejoin the train for a relaxed evening as you gently continue towards your journey towards North Macedonia.

After a leisurely morning onboard, arrive in Skopje, a city where Ottoman heritage and modern redevelopment sit side by side. Explore the Old Bazaar, one of the largest in the Balkans, where narrow lanes lead to traditional workshops, spice stalls and historic mosques with intricately tiled interiors. Cross the 15th‑century Stone Bridge into the newer part of the city, where neoclassical façades and grand monuments line the riverfront. Enjoy time to browse local crafts or relax in a shaded square before returning to the train.

Arrive in Sofia, framed by the slopes of Mount Vitosha. Your morning tour includes the ancient Rotunda of St George, the golden‑domed Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the Bashi Mosque, each reflecting a different chapter of Bulgaria’s history. After lunch onboard, continue to Plovdiv, one of Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited cities. Explore its atmospheric Old Town, where cobbled streets wind past colourful 19th‑century mansions, medieval walls and Ottoman‑era baths. The highlight is the remarkably preserved Roman theatre, still used for performances today. Return to the train for a final dinner as you cross into Turkey.

Arrive in Istanbul and transfer to your luxury hotel in the historic Sultanahmet district. This afternoon, visit Topkapi Palace, once the opulent seat of the Ottoman sultans, with its courtyards, pavilions and glittering collections. Continue to the Grand Bazaar, a labyrinth of 4,000 shops where jewellers, carpet weavers, ceramic artists and spice merchants have traded for centuries. The atmosphere is intoxicating; a blend of colour, craftsmanship and history. Return to your hotel for an evening at leisure.

Stay: Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet

Spend your final day exploring Istanbul further. Perhaps begin at the Hagia Sophia, a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture whose vast dome and golden mosaics have inspired visitors for over 1,400 years. Continue to the Blue Mosque, famed for its six minarets and exquisite Iznik tiles. In the afternoon, we recommend a private boat for a cruise along the Bosphorus, passing Ottoman palaces, waterfront mansions and the atmospheric fishing villages that line the strait. This evening, enjoy a final dinner at a refined local restaurant, celebrating the conclusion of your journey.

Stay: Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet

Enjoy a final breakfast before checking out and continuing with your onward arrangements, bringing your grand cruise‑and‑rail journey to a close.