Signature journey
Emperors & the Iron Gates
Six days along the Danube, from Smederevo and Roman Viminacium through the Iron Gates to Felix Romuliana
- No payment now
- Private, on your dates
- Planned by our own team
- Length
- 6 days · 5 nights
- Travel style
- Private
- Pace
- Classic
- Activity level
- Easy
- Stays
- Classic · Superior
- Starts · ends
- Belgrade → Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG)
- Guiding
- EnglishAll languages on request
- Price
- From €1,890per person, based on 2 guests travelling together · indicative
What you’ll see
Highlights along the way
Route & days
Day by day
-
Day 1 Smederevo and Viminacium to Golubac
Leave Belgrade along the Danube to Smederevo, the great walled fortress built in the 1420s that was the last capital of medieval Serbia. Continue to Viminacium, once a Roman legionary camp and the capital of Upper Moesia, where excavations continue each year. In the late afternoon, reach Golubac at the mouth of the gorge for the night.
- Belgrade
- Smederevo Fortress
- Viminacium
- Golubac Fortress
Included: Vehicle with driver, guide.
-
Day 2 Hosted Golubac Fortress and Lepenski Vir
Climb through Golubac Fortress, its nine towers stepping up the cliff where the Danube suddenly narrows. Then follow the river road into Đerdap National Park, stopping at viewpoints and for a riverside lunch of Danube fish. In the afternoon, visit Lepenski Vir, the Mesolithic and early Neolithic settlement moved to higher ground when the dam raised the river, before settling into Donji Milanovac.
- Golubac Fortress
- Đerdap National Park & the Iron Gates
- Lepenski Vir
- Donji Milanovac
Included: Vehicle with driver, guide, lunch.
Steep steps and uneven stone in the upper parts of Golubac Fortress.
-
Day 3 The Kazan narrows by boat
Drive down the gorge to Tekija and board a boat through the Kazan, where the Danube squeezes between sheer cliffs, to see Trajan's Tablet, the Roman inscription marking the road cut into the rock in 100 AD. Continue to Kladovo and its Ottoman fortress of Fetislam, with the remains of the Roman fort of Diana nearby.
- Donji Milanovac
- Đerdap National Park & the Iron Gates
- Trajan’s Tablet (Tabula Traiana)
- Kladovo
Included: Vehicle with driver, guide, boat trip.
Easier or optional: If the boats are not running, a walk to a viewpoint above the Kazan instead.
-
Day 4 Out of the gorge to Zaječar
A slower morning in Kladovo, then leave the river and drive south through the hills of the Timok region towards Zaječar for the night, with time to rest before tomorrow's visit to Felix Romuliana.
- Kladovo
Included: Vehicle with driver, guide.
-
Day 5 Felix Romuliana and back to Belgrade
Spend the morning at Felix Romuliana, the late Roman palace that Emperor Galerius built and named after his mother, Romula, and walk up Magura hill to the mausolea of Galerius and Romula. Then drive back to Belgrade for a final evening in the city.
- Felix Romuliana (Gamzigrad)
- Belgrade
Included: Vehicle with driver, guide.
Open, unshaded ground and a short climb up Magura hill.
-
Day 6 Departure
Transfer to Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport for your flight home.
- Belgrade
- Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG)
Included: Private airport transfer.
Driving times are approximate and don’t include stops. Every day can be adjusted: tell us what you’d change when you enquire.
What’s included
Included and not included
Included
- 5 nights: Golubac, Donji Milanovac, Kladovo, the Zaječar area and Belgrade, with breakfast
- Riverside fish lunch in the Đerdap gorge
- Boat trip through the Kazan narrows to Trajan's Tablet (in season)
- Private vehicle with driver from Belgrade for the whole journey, and a private transfer to the airport
- Private English-speaking guide from day 1 to day 5
Guiding in all languages available on request, subject to availability.
Not included
- Flights
- Other lunches, dinners and drinks
- Entrance fees and local site guides
- Travel insurance
Why this journey
Why you’ll love it
- Smederevo, last capital of medieval Serbia, and Roman Viminacium
- Golubac Fortress at the gateway to the Đerdap gorge
- Lepenski Vir, one of Europe's best-known prehistoric settlements
- By boat through the Kazan narrows to Trajan's Tablet
- Galerius's palace at Felix Romuliana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Signature moments
Nights in the gorge
Day trips from Belgrade see the Iron Gates in a rush. We spend three nights on the river, so you see the gorge in the early morning and at dusk, when the water is calm and the road is quiet.
Danube fish by the water
In the gorge, lunch means fish from the river, cooked simply and eaten at a table by the water. We choose a small, family-run place and tell you what's on the day's menu.
What you’ll do
Hosted on one of six days
Everything is arranged privately for your group. Hosts, guides and routes are confirmed in your offer.
Hosted experience · Day 3
Boat trip in the Đerdap gorge (Iron Gates)
A boat trip through the narrowest part of the Danube gorge, past Trajan's Tablet.
Boat trip for your group on the agreed route.
Boat trips & cruising
Easy
About 1–1½ hours through the Kazan narrows
Safety: Runs only when weather and river conditions allow.
With: Boat trip in the Đerdap gorge (Iron Gates)
Where you’ll stay
Your stays · 5 nights
5 nights: Golubac, Donji Milanovac, Kladovo, the Zaječar area and Belgrade, with breakfast
Nights 1–4
Classic comfort, chosen for your dates
- Classic comfort
Upgrade: 4-star hotels where available, on request
Night 5
Superior comfort, chosen for your dates
- Superior comfort
Upgrade: 5-star / premium hotels in Belgrade on request
We name each stay, with its photos, in your written offer once availability is confirmed.
Before you choose
Is this journey for you?
A good fit if
Travellers interested in Roman and prehistoric history, landscapes and rivers, who like a journey with a sense of direction.
- Couples
- Families
- Friends
- Groups & clubs
- Mature travellers
Maybe not if
Anyone travelling in winter: boat trips run mainly in the warmer months and the journey is best from May to October.
Pace and effort
Balanced. Moderate drives between river towns, a boat trip and short walks at each site; the last day includes a long drive back to Belgrade.
- Boat trips & cruisingabout 1–1½ hours through the Kazan narrowsEasy
Tailor-made
Make it your own
Arrive a day early for a guided walk in Belgrade, or add an airport pick-up on day 1.
Customise this journeyHow booking and payment work
From enquiry to voucher
We never ask for card details by email or on this website. Bank details are only sent in your personal offer or invoice.
- 1 You send an enquiry Free, with no obligation.
- 2 We send a written offer Availability and your final price, confirmed.
- 3 You accept the offer
- 4 You pay securely Card payment link (Visa, Mastercard, Maestro) or bank transfer.
- 5 We confirm your payment
- 6 You receive your confirmation and voucher
Emperors & the Iron Gates
Tell us when you’d like to come
We’ll check availability for your dates with our local partners and guides, then send you a written offer with the confirmed price. Asking is free.
- WhatsApp us
- office@love2travel.rs
- +381 60 40 80 510
- We send your first proposal within 2 working days.
Request a quote
You might also like
Continue the story
-
Day experience
Golubac Fortress & the Iron Gates
The Danube's most dramatic stretch, from Golubac Fortress to prehistoric Lepenski Vir
-
Day experience
Roman Serbia: Viminacium & Smederevo
A Roman legionary city and the last capital of medieval Serbia, on one Danube day
Individual services
Need something else?
For travellers who don’t need the complete journey, Travel2Serbia can also arrange individual services.
Tell us what you need- Airport & private transfers
- Hotels & accommodation
- Private guides
- Day trips & excursions
- Chauffeur / car with driver
- Activities & experiences