As a cruise and rail specialist, I was fortunate to recently experience the Golden Eagle Danube Express. Beginning in vibrant Istanbul and ending in elegant Budapest, the trip offered not only spectacular scenery and cultural encounters, but also moments of indulgence and camaraderie that make this train so special. Here, I share my personal take on this unforgettable adventure.
After a smooth, direct British Airways flight from Heathrow, I arrived in Istanbul just as the city lit up for the evening. We were met and transferred to our city centre airport; it was by then around 6pm and the rush hour traffic was barely crawling. In a city of 20 million, I was soon to learn that this is quite normal and not limited to ‘rush hour’. Thus the journey took almost an hour, although the last 10 minutes were very exciting, seeing all the bright lights of Istanbul in the evening sky, with the bridges and mosques lit up, and the city buzzing with activity. Our hotel, the Levni had a very good location midway between the Topkapi Palace, mosques, the Golden Horn and Galata Bridge, and after checking in we soon left our luggage to explore and grab a bite of something typically Turkish.
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
The following morning was an early start, aided in part by a melodic call to prayer from the small mosque nearby. Today we visited some of Istanbul’s finest hotels. I had been to Istanbul countless times 20-30 years ago – so knew my way around – but it was good to see the positive changes, and for me I find it amusing how old buildings such as warehouse have been transformed into exclusive modern hotels and offices; the stunning the Shangri La Bosphorus on the Bosphorus waterfront hid its origins as a tobacco factory, and the peninsula used to be the shipping terminal for the port where I would line up passengers’ suitcases during disembarkation from their cruises.
Nowadays the Shangri La is a haven of calmness with beautiful accommodation with an enviable spa, and its location is adjacent to the Dolmabahce Palace. Also visited were the Kempinski Ciragan Palace, which, due to its generous outdoor space immediately on the banks of the Bosphorus and its glorious and very large heated pool was my favourite. We also visited the Hotel Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus, set back from the water. Situated on a hill, it enjoys the most amazing panoramic vistas over the Bosphorus, Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara beyond.
Çırağan Palace Kempinski
The afternoon was occupied by exploring on foot and re-discovering old haunts. Without doubt the city retains its same charming colourful chaos and vibrancy as it has always had, but I would say it is now in a more organised way (and the roads and pavements are no longer dirt tracks with lots of holes). We very much enjoyed a scenic sunset cruise along the Bosphorus right up to the first suspension bridge linking Europe and Asia, and for dinner plumped for one of my old favourites, eating at one of the many restaurants underneath the Galata Bridge, with a view over the water over the Golden Horn and the mosques lit up on the hill. The following morning we visited the Blue Mosque, took photos of the exterior of Haghia Sofia mosque, went shopping in the Grand Bazaar and separate Spice Bazaar, and generally soaked up the atmosphere of this bustling city.
Views along the Bosphorus
It was then time to start our next adventure, the Golden Eagle Danube Express. The Golden Eagle journeys normally commence with an overnight stay in the departure city and at an excellent hotel, but for our shortened trip we were welcomed with a roof top reception at the sensational Four Seasons at the Sultanahmet, literally a stone’s throw from Haghia Sofia mosque. Blessed with blue skies, clear sun and warm temperatures it was a very pleasant couple of hours getting to know fellow travellers whilst someone else dealt with getting our luggage to the right place. Thereafter followed our transfer to the Golden Eagle Express train (through the gridlocked Istanbul traffic). Seeing the Golden Eagle for the first time was quite a thrill, with her staff lined up outside awaiting us, and the live music heralding our arrival.
Accommodation on board is of two types, the Deluxe cabins with 2 couches by day (2 beds by night), and the slightly larger Superior Deluxes where the couch becomes a double bed. Both have an ensuite of WC, wash basin and shower, with l’Occitaine toiletries and are looked after by a cheerful steward/stewardess. Breakfast in bed is very much encouraged!
Golden Eagle Danube Express
As the train slowly pulled out of the station, it was time for a quick change into our formal attire and to find our way to the Bar Car where a champagne welcome reception was taking place. This was followed by an 8-course dinner in the train’s two dining cars. The food and the service were exemplary, and all accompanied by beautiful wines (all beverages, even cocktails and champagne are included on board). Party time reigned for some after the dinner with the Bar Car resounding to live piano, saxophone or clarinet. An unusual event took place this first night around 2.30am when the train reached the Turkish/Bulgarian border, where all guests had to present themselves and their passports to the border official. Those who had called it a night after dinner appeared on the dark, deserted platform in pyjamas and bathrobes whilst the Bar Car revellers wandered along a la James Bond in their tuxedos and bow ties. It was quite a memorable experience!
Bar Car, Golden Eagle Danube Express
The following day permitted relaxation (and eating) whilst racing through the Bulgarian countryside and crossing into Romania via the bridge over the wide Danube. One activity offered was the expert pastry masterclass where the head patissiere taught us how to create amazing gateaux.
The Golden Eagle is most comfortable and very sociable; to encourage this the WiFi is not routed through the Bar Car or dining cars, so human conversation is highly encouraged. The Golden Eagle trains also always have a UK doctor with them, always on call, and joining in on the excursions and activities off the train. This evening we left the train for a few hours and ventured into deepest Transylvania and to ‘Dracula’s Castle’, Bran Castle, where a splendid exclusive after-hours dinner was served for the Golden Eagle guests. The castle is high on a rocky parapet with a few hundred steps to ascend to reach it. As it was in the dark and just before Halloween it was really rather spooky.
Bran Castle, Romania
The next morning we crossed into Hungary and a traditional Hungarian horse show at Lajosmisze was on the agenda. The horses were beautifully handled by skilled horsemen and it made an exciting morning, also accompanied by Hungarian wine, dances and the typical ‘Langos’ just in case we might be hungry. Our return to the train was firstly in horse-drawn wagons which dropped us in the middle of a field! A few minutes later the engine and the 14 carriages of the Golden Eagle magically appeared along a single track that was camouflaged amongst the grasses, and on we climbed (up a small ladder) and off chugged the train towards Budapest, our final stop where we arrived late afternoon and bade our fond farewells.
Hungarian horse show
Budapest, too, was very lively as it happened to be their national day, with a lot of marches having taken place throughout the day. We came back down to earth with a bump as finding a taxi proved tricky (booking one in advance is recommended). So, we ended up walking a couple of miles to our hotel, in the drizzle. Nevertheless the warm welcome at the Hotel Kozmo was appreciated, as was use of their spa.
Budapest is a magnificent city, and the next morning when the sun was back out in force, we retracing sights from previous visits and discovering some new ones, before boarding our 2 hour flight back to London. We had a very full few days with a busy itinerary, experienced differing cultures in four different countries, starting off by the Bosphorus and ending up by the Danube, sampled different cuisines and meeting a lot of interesting people. I would heartily recommend this experience as an introduction to new cultures, history, scenery and for enjoyment of fine dining and wonderful service throughout.