The view, the wine, the food, the music… I think magical would be the only appropriate word to describe a candlelit sunset dinner cruise on a gastroboat on the Danube river.
THE PANNONIA GASTROBOAT
After a careful consideration of which cruise to join, we decided to follow our hotel concierge’s recommendation and embark on the historic Pannonia Gastroboat for a Hungarian gourmet feast (renewed month by month for depending on the season) coupled with excellent Hungarian wines. For more information about the Pannonia Gastroboat, click here!
This is an amazing experience I would recommend everyone in search for an evening activity in Budapest. The staff are amazing and extremely accommodating to specific dietary needs. The antique interiors were a wonderful touch, and the limited number of people meant you won’t be fighting for space to take photos! Throughout the 3-hour journey, a friendly (and not intrusive) tour guide shared interesting facts about the history of Budapest and the food origins of our meal while we enjoyed the surrounding views.
Tip: Even if you don’t cruise with Pannonia, make sure to book a 3+ hour cruise at sunset to give yourself enough time to take pictures and really enjoy the entire skyline!
Tip: go to the bow of the boat to get away from the group and enjoy panoramic views. I would also wear long and flowy fabrics that would move with the wind for a more dynamic and epic photo!
FIREWORKS (a lovely surprise!!)
At the end of our cruise, the captain of the boat informed us there was a local firework show by a private boat nearby! Although this was not in the initial itinerary, the crew was very sweet and took us to the nearest dock to enjoy the show. I’m pretty certain most of us were thinking of the song A Whole New World from Aladdin while we were watching the fireworks light up the night sky above Budapest.
Check out my Instagram story highlights from Budapest to see videos of the fireworks!