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Countries, Cruising, Deals, Europe, Ships

VIVA the Danube’s Iron Gates

8th June 20268th June 2026 funtime65

They sound like something out of Game of Thrones but VIVA the Danube’s Iron Gates are all too real and more dramatic than anything in George RR Martin’s world.

The Iron Gates, for those who are not too familiar with the great river gateway of central Europe, are the natural border between Serbia and Romania.

An 83-mile route, with the last barrier, the Kazan (Great Boiler) gorge being the narrowest and most breathtaking at just 15om just beyond the Romanian city of Orsova.

The side of the gorge in Romania constitutes the Iron Gates Natural Park, and the Serbian Đerdap National Park.

And what’s more Lepenski Vir in Serbia in the gorge and on the banks of the Danube is mooted as being the oldest planned settlement in Europe at 13,000 years ago.

Long before we’d hazard those Starks and their dragons were around.

Move aside Winterfell

Now all this will naturally pull in any of us who have enjoyed the charms of the Danube.

And even more so with VIVA Cruises tempting us with a gentle amble through its waters.

The 11-night ‘The Danube’s Iron Gates’, sailing on VIVA TWO departs Passau on September 6.

With ports of call including Bratislava, Belgrade, Donji Milanovac, Novi Sad and an overnight in Ilok.

Then on to Aljmas, Budapest, Hainburg and Vienna, Dürnstein; and Melk.

Many of those stop-offs sounding like they’ve come straight out of Winterfell.

With prices starting from €2950, the campaign comprises a free cabin upgrade and onboard credit.

VIVA the river

In addition, a reduced single supplement of 20 per cent is available for applicable solo bookings.

The offer is valid on 65 river cruises departing in 2026, with prices listed for Emerald deck cabins.

And if you can’t extend to 11 nights on VIVA TWO then there is a seven-night Danube from Vienna, sailing on VIVA MOMENTS from €1795pp.

Or a seven-night Whispers of the Rhone, sailing on VIVA VOYAGE, departing Lyons and flowing through France, from €1695pp.

While there’s a seven-night Waterways of the North, sailing on VIVA ONE through the Low Countries from €1795pp.

Guests will receive €25pp onboard spending money on cruises of up to six nights.

And €50pp for voyages of more than seven nights in duration.

The credit can be used for shore excursions, spa treatments and in onboard retails shops.Cabin upgrades will be applied to the next higher cabin category.

Countries, Deals, Europe, Food

A stack of Christmas Chimney Cake crackers

16th December 202516th December 2025 funtime65

And if you’re on the lookout for something new this time of year here’s a stack of Christmas Chimney Cake crackers.

Now our chums at Cassidy Travel know Hungary isn’t just for Christmas and they’re the gift that keeps on giving.

With their last-minute Christmas Gift city break to the city by the Danube the answer for those scrambling for presents.

And a two-night package on February 16 and staying at the 4* Royal Park Boutique Hotel.

With the stay and flights from Dublin coming in at a festive fun price of from €135pps.

And you’ll be located in Budapest city centre with the St. Stephen’s Basilica.

And its parliament on the shores of the Danube only five metro rides away.

Let us eat cakes

But make sure that you validate your ticket so you don’t get stung for an on-spot fee.

Which will kill your vibe after your pampering at the outdoor baths.

And goulash and Chimney Cake at the Great Market Hall.

Now your Chimney Cake if you’ve never been to Hungary (and you should) is a moreish pastry that everyone eats in cafes and we daresay at home.

Kürtőskalács as its called in the Magyars’ famously difficult language is, we’re told, easy to make.

Working it off: Hungarian open-air baths

And a special touch is to use empty beer cans wrapped in kitchen foil to wrap the cake around.

And then roll it in cinnamon sugar for a caramelised coating.

We can trust you, of course, to empty the beer cans responsibly and that you’ll try to make them Saproni or Dreher.

Now we’ve shamelessly sifted the Best of Hungary site for the recipe.

Chimney cake is smokin’

Sift the flour into a bowl and mix with the salt. Heat the milk until lukewarm, add the sugar and yeast, then cover and let it rise for 8-12 minutes.

Add the yeast mixture, egg, and melted butter to the flour and knead it into a flexible dough. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 1 hour until the dough doubles in size.

Place the rested dough on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll it out to the thickness of your finger. Cut it lengthwise into 2 cm wide strips.

Sprinkle your fairy dust: On your Chimney Cake

Mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Wrap the empty beer can in kitchen foil and grease the foil using some oil. Take a strip of dough and roll it tightly onto the greased can. Brush the dough with oil then roll it in cinnamon sugar.

Place the chimney cake in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

We’re sure Santy will thank you after he slides down the sooty chimney to find the Chimney cake laid out for him at the bottom.

Countries, Deals, Europe

Budapest you’ll be the ruin of me

12th March 202517th March 2025 funtime65

Four days spent in the heart of Hungary on our loveholidays and InterContinental Hotel fact-finding mission and the verdict… Budapest you’ll be the ruin of me.

We are back where we started our first night, Szimpla Kert ruin bar, and if the mood tonight is yoga mat sleepy then so are we.

On account of our red eye back to Edinburgh.

Szimpla Kert is the granddaddy of romkocsmas, or ‘simple gardens’.

Repurposed shabby chic spaces and cellars rescued after the Cold War.

Alley cats

Szimpla is more of an alleyway of social life and interaction.

Bars, concert spaces, eateries, art spaces, a library, a farmers and bicycle flea market.

Although on quieter days at the start of the week, its core business, the serving of drinks, does demand patience of a tourist.

Which means my little wine drinker is directed to The Wine Bar snug because none of the other dozen bars sell rosé.

A sign above the bar reads ‘Back in ten minutes’ which we learn is a ‘Hungarian ten minutes’, akin to Caribbean island time.

Not that we’d deny the barkeeps their quiet time seeing first hand the throngs who pass through on weekend nights.

When we catch an ambient singer and a standards foot-stomper banging out Adele and Florence Welch on International Women’s Day.

The hideaways

For first-timers of whom we count ourselves in the number the search for new adopted Hungarian beers stretches beyond Szimpla.

To a ruin bar whose front challengingly is described as being hidden behind foliage.

Now if your billet is on the Danube front you’ll be asked to build up a thirst with a half-hour walk to Potkulcs.

But to make your time work for you perhaps visit the House of Terror, the fascists and communists’ torture hub, on your way.

On a balmy night you may want to sup your Soproni IPA which comes in cheaper than the Szimpla hot spot.

But we’d recommend you to enjoy the interior and the clutter of artefacts and graffiti art inside… and the local characters.

You snooze you loos

For a ruin bar meets Paris cafe culture and it is a cafe serving breakfasts or brunches by day, we follow the Danube.

Left of our InterCon hotel. and hang another left to the Csendes Letterem.

Where we nibble on olives and tortilla chips and fill our bellies and bladders before, of course, nature calls.

Now it is part of the adventure and the mischief of ruin bar owners to funk up their loo doors and interiors.

And the Csendes Letterem proudly boasts of its success in stumping customers who end up asking where the rest rooms are?

And of course it doesn’t take much to dupe me but I’m game.

Even if Budapest you’ll be the ruin of me.

Meet you on the ut

No place like foam: Three fingers of foam

We’ve been spending four days in the Hungarian capital with loveholidays, staying in the Danube front InterContinental (£1,099 for two).

I’ve been keeping you updated between goulash, Soproni IPA, hot chocolate and Chimney Cake, history and baths on our progress.

And I’ll put it all together in a review when I shake off the red eye but meantime.

MEET YOU ON THE UT