Stage 8 Overview - Belgrade, Serbia to Ruse, Bulgaria (484 miles)

The last week has taken me southwards from Hungary through Croatia and into Serbia. Croatia, still bearing the scars of a war I can remember and which I was on the periphery of, was probably the most interesting of the three for me, but to be fair I have a few more days of Serbia to come in which to see a little more of the country.

From Belgrade I am heading more or less eastwards again as I continue to follow the Danube and I have a choice between taking the north or the south bank of the river. The Danube becomes the border between Serbia and Romania and the northern route takes me into Romania sooner. However, on the advice of the German group I met in Hungary, I will take the southern bank, staying in Serbia a little longer and getting better views as a result.

The route will take me through the 'Iron Gates' are a series of gorges formed as the Danube flows between the Carpathian Mountains and the Balkans between Serbia and Romania.  They are said to be spectacular. The stage notes also talk about 'quaint orthodox churches' that can be visited.

From the Iron Gates the Danube becomes the border between Romania and Bulgaria and I again have a choice of cycling the north or the south bank of the river. The Romanian side apparently offers vast plains and local cuisine whereas the Bulgarian side is hillier but contains miles of unspoilt nature. I am told that the Romanian side is also mostly road which can get quite busy. In reality the bridges and ferries that cross the Danube give me the choice to mix both options. Either way, I will end up at the Bulgarian city of Ruse, known as 'little Vienna', where I hope to arrive in about nine days.