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Giurgiu River Cruises

About Giurgiu 

Giurgiu is located in the south of Romania, in the Greater Wallachia region of the country on the banks of the Danube River. It faces the Bulgarian city of Russe, which sits on the opposite bank of the Danube from it. If you book a river cruise which explores the Danube, specifically the section of it which passes through Eastern Europe before it reaches the Black Sea, then it’s likely you’ll stop at Giurgiu. The city is the port which serves Romania’s historic capital Bucharest and traditionally the first or last port of call you’ll visit on your journey, depending on which direction you travel. Giurgiu dates back to the first century BC and the time of the Dacians, who first populated the area, though did not become a city port until the 14th century, when Genoese merchants established it, naming it after their country’s patron saint, George. 

Exploring Giurgiu 

Though Giurgui acts as the gateway to Romania’s capital Bucharest for many, if you don’t fancy taking the trip to the capital during your time in port, it does hold a number of attractions of its own. 

Perhaps the city’s most well-known landmark is the Danube Bridge, also known as the Friendship Bridge, which is one of only two bridges which links Romania with Bulgaria. The two-deck structure, which opened in 1954, was at the time the only bridge over the Danube linking both countries and today accommodates train and motor traffic as well as pedestrians. It’s always satisfying and not to mention a great photo opportunity to catch sight of boundary signs on your travels and the bridge is no exception, having both ‘Romania’ and ‘Bulgaria’ notifications at either end of the bridge. It was after the fall of Communism that the crossing took the more practical name of the Danube Bridge, though it’s still referred to as the Friendship Bridge by many. 

Other notable sites in the town include the beautiful Turnul Ceasornicului, or Clock Tower, which dates back to the 1700s, the Greek-style Atheneum building and the ruins of the 14th century Giurgiu Fortress. This structure is the oldest in the area and though it wasn’t officially documented until the 1400s, it was used by the occupying Roman Empire as a garrison outpost and later used to defend the town against Ottoman invasion. Little remains of the fortress now, though much of its foundations and partial walls can still be seen. 

Giurgiu tips 

If you have visited Bucharest before and are just looking for a different experience while in port, you can actually visit two countries in one day, as the aforementioned Friendship Bridge connects Giurgiu with the Bulgarian town of Ruse.

Giurgiu Itineraries

Budapest

Enchantment of Eastern Europe with Transylvania

3 sailing dates June 2023 to September 2023
12 Nights From Bucharest, Romania to Hungary , Budapest
Emerald Cruises logo FROM £3239pp
Kalocsa

Enchantment of Eastern Europe with Transylvania

4 sailing dates April 2023 to September 2023
12 Nights From Bucharest, Romania to Hungary , Budapest
Emerald Cruises logo FROM £2979pp
Budapest

Enchantment of Eastern Europe from Budapest

12 sailing dates April 2023 to September 2024
8 Nights From Budapest, Hungary to Romania , Bucharest

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Emerald Cruises logo FROM £2289pp
Giurgiu

Black Sea Explorer - Budapest to Bucharest

5 sailing dates May 2023 to October 2023
12 Nights From Budapest, Hungary to Romania , Bucharest
Scenic River Cruises logo FROM £4239pp
Belgrade

Black Sea Explorer with Transylvania from Budapest

11 sailing dates May 2023 to October 2024
14 Nights From Budapest, Hungary to Romania , Bucharest
Scenic River Cruises logo FROM £4549pp
Passau

Seven River Journeys

1 sailing date April 2023
60 Nights From Avignon, France to , Giurgiu
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Belgrade

Black Sea Explorer - Bucharest to Budapest

12 sailing dates April 2023 to October 2024
8 Nights From Bucharest, Romania to Hungary , Budapest

New incredible savings on 2023 European River Cruises - available for a limited time only!

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Budapest

Black Sea Explorer - Budapest to Bucharest

11 sailing dates May 2023 to October 2024
8 Nights From Budapest, Hungary to Romania , Bucharest

New incredible savings on 2023 European River Cruises - available for a limited time only!

Scenic River Cruises logo FROM £3319pp
Budapest

Legends of the Balkans - Bucharest to Budapest

4 sailing dates November 2023 to October 2024
7 Nights From Bucharest, Romania to Hungary , Budapest
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Belgrade

Balkan Gems With Transylvania & Bucharest

3 sailing dates April 2023 to October 2024
11 Nights From Budapest, Hungary to Romania , Bucharest
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Giurgiu

Balkan Gems - Budapest to Giurgiu

3 sailing dates April 2023 to October 2024
7 Nights From Budapest, Hungary to , Giurgiu
APT Cruising logo CALL
Belgrade

Voyage through the Balkans

3 sailing dates April 2023 to October 2024
14 Nights From Budapest, Hungary to Budapest
APT Cruising logo CALL
Giurgiu

Black Sea Explorer with Transylvania frm Bucharest

12 sailing dates April 2023 to October 2024
14 Nights From Bucharest, Romania to Hungary , Budapest
Scenic River Cruises logo FROM £4549pp
Budapest

Vilshofen to Giurgiu

36 sailing dates April 2023 to December 2024
14 Nights From Vilshofen, Germany to , Giurgiu

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Giurgiu

Giurgiu to Vilshofen

39 sailing dates April 2023 to November 2024
14 Nights From Giurgiu, to Germany , Vilshofen

EXCLUSIVE €100pp FREE to spend on-board for any new 2023 European bookings ENDS 28th February. Save up to £1,200 per couple PLUS FREE flights from London and FREE overseas transfers* on selected sailings. Regional supplements from just £75pp.

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Budapest

Balkan Jewels - Bucharest to Prague

3 sailing dates April 2023 to November 2024
13 Nights From Bucharest, Romania to Hungary , Budapest
APT Cruising logo CALL
Bucharest

1200 miles along the Danube - Vienna to Bucharest

2 sailing dates May 2023 to September 2023
9 Nights From Vienna, Austria to Romania , Bucharest
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Belgrade

1200 miles along the Danube - Bucharest to Vienna

2 sailing dates June 2023 to September 2023
10 Nights From Bucharest, Romania to Austria , Vienna
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Bucharest

Potraits of Eastern Europe - Prague to Bucharest

5 sailing dates April 2023 to August 2024
18 Nights From Prague, to Romania , Bucharest
Uniworld River Cruises logo FROM £6399pp
Belgrade

Potraits of Eastern Europe - Bucharest to Prague

7 sailing dates April 2023 to September 2024
18 Nights From Bucharest, Romania to , Prague
Uniworld River Cruises logo FROM £6749pp

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