Last Updated: May 2026
The River Duchess docked at Ruse, a graceful Bulgarian city on the Danube sometimes called “the Little Vienna” for its handsome 19th-century architecture. Our excursion took us inland by motorcoach through the rolling Bulgarian countryside — first to a medieval heritage complex, then to Veliko Tarnovo, the ancient capital of Bulgaria, and finally to the village of Arbanassi just above it, where two extraordinary stone churches hold some of the most remarkable fresco cycles in the Balkans. Sandy and I had no idea what we were in for. By the end of the day, we agreed it ranked among the most memorable excursions of the entire cruise.
