Day Nine: Ruin Bars and a Bittersweet Budapest Goodbye

The final day of a massive tour is always a mix of anticipation and nostalgia. We checked out of our hotel in Belgrade and prepared ourselves for the notoriously grueling highway stretch up to the Hungarian border. Our group had been warned to expect a massive wait that could easily steal several hours of our day, so we all dutifully stocked up on snacks and kept loose coins handy for the border station washrooms.

But as our coach pulled up to the gates, the travel gods completely smiled upon us. There was only one other tour bus ahead of us in the queue. Within a single hour, all 50 of us had cleared passport control, the guards checked our bus, and we were officially waved through into Hungary!

The swift crossing meant we were blessed with a massive chunk of unexpected free time in Budapest before our final evening events. Unfortunately, my immune system chose that exact moment to give in. After weeks of constant travel, late nights, and heavy socializing, the inevitable "Contiki cough" that had been making the rounds through the bus finally claimed me as its next victim.

A Dreamy River Cruise

Knowing I needed to rally for our last big night together, I used our bonus free time strategically. After checking into the Ibis Budapest City South hotel, I walked across the street to a nearby mall to grab a completely unglamorous but deeply comforting meal of KFC. I took it back to my room, ran a long, hot bath, and spent the afternoon completely decompressing and clearing out my sinuses before getting all dolled up for a proper night on the town.

*Views from the river cruise (May 2026)*

Our final group activity was an absolute dream: a private dinner cruise sliding right down the middle of the Danube River. Seeing the iconic Hungarian Parliament building entirely lit up against the pitch-black night sky is an experience that photos will never truly do justice—it looks like a glowing golden palace. We sipped local wine, swapped hilarious stories from the road, and slowly came to terms with the reality that this was our final night altogether as a unified crew.

Dancing Through the Ruins

It was that bittersweet realization that convinced me to push past my cold and join the group for a wild night out in Budapest's famous Jewish Quarter. I am honestly not much of a club person these days, but it was our absolute last night, and I was entirely down to go dancing with the people who had made this journey so special.

We wove our way into the heart of the nightlife district, starting at Extra Budapest, a stylish, vibrant ruin bar tucked inside an old historic building. After grabbing a quick drink under their canopy of scarlet umbrellas, we walked just a couple of doors down the cobblestone street to Füge Udvar.

Füge Udvar is such a cool, sprawling pub experience. Built around a massive courtyard with a giant fig tree, the space expands into a giant labyrinth filled with arcade games, a lively beer garden, and multiple dance floors playing different genres of music. It was incredibly fun to just let loose, singing and dancing well into the early hours of the morning with new friends from literally all corners of the globe.

The Hardest Part of Travelling Solo

When the clock finally caught up with us, a small group of us hopped into a Bolt to head back to the hotel. That’s when the goodbyes truly began.

Saying goodbye to a travel crew is always hard, but honestly, it is an emotional muscle that gets easier to manage the more you solo travel. Deep down, I know it's not a permanent goodbye—in the digital age, we will easily stay in touch across the miles.

*Friendly goodbyes with the most beautiful river views (May 2026)*

Yet, there's always that quiet, heavy question that rolls through your mind: after sharing so many completely unforgettable, raw, and beautiful moments under the Balkan sun, how do you just abruptly exit each other's daily lives? I know the reality of geography means I may never physically cross paths with most of them again, but the memories we built are locked in forever.

The next morning, I made my way to the airport alongside a couple of my fellow travellers, eventually boarding my flight back home to Toronto Pearson Airport alongside one of my brand-new friends.

Looking back, I’ve now taken four different Contiki trips across the world, and I can say without a single doubt that this Balkans Discovery adventure was my absolute favourite. I came home with a deep appreciation for a completely new layer of history, a phone full of photos from stunning places I never knew about before, and a newfound sense of creative confidence to guide me through whatever chapter comes next.

Thank you so much for following along on this incredible Balkan journey! To my amazing Contiki crew, Trip Manager Meg, and our driver Janek — thank you for making this an adventure of a lifetime.