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A grand river voyage of over 2,000 miles
of history, culture, art, music, nature and more
Combine our Grand European Discovery and Eastern
Europe Explorer cruises into one magnificent
voyage. Sail the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers
all the way from Switzerland to Romania.
Crisscross the legendary Rhine, meandering
Main and romantic Danube en route towards the
Black Sea and Bucharest
Your journey takes you along the legendary Rhine
and back in time as you visit towns that seem to
have been lifted out of the pages of fairy
tales. Follow pastoral scenes along the Main
River, and through the engineering marvel of the
Main-Danube Canal as it gives way to the
romantic Danube, through the dramatic Iron Gates
and heads towards the Black Sea.
Touch history in ten countries
Switzerland, France, Germany, Austria, Slovakia,
Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania
await your discovery. Explore medieval towns and
majestic European capitals – Vienna, Budapest,
Bratislava, Belgrade and Bucharest. Find
inspiration in Eastern Europe with evolving
cities juxtaposed between their turbulent past
and their vibrant future. Discover renaissance
palaces, baroque and rococo architecture, and
Roman ruins. Have lunch at a family home in
Croatia, sample famous Austrian Rieslings in
Krems, and marvel at the oldest gold in the
world in Varna. Be amazed by ten countries,
three rivers and countless chances to touch
history!
Who will enjoy this cruise: Those with a
true sense of adventure will enjoy exploring
more than 2,000 miles of sweeping history, great
natural beauty and diverse cultural heritage
from Switzerland to Romania. |
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DAY 1: Depart Home Gateway
City to Basel
DAY 2: Basel (embark)
Arrive in Basel Airport where you’ll be greeted
by a Uniworld representative and transferred to
the ship. (D)
DAY 3: Strasbourg, Speyer
Featured Excursion: Strasbourg canal cruise.
Situated halfway between Paris and Prague, the
Alsatian town of Strasbourg is known as the
“Crossroads of Europe.” It is home to a
magnificent gothic cathedral, beautiful
half-timbered houses and also the seat of the
European Parliament. See Strasbourg in the way
it has been seen through the centuries—on a
canal cruise. You’ll also see Petite France, the
picturesque old quarter that seems as if it has
been lifted from the pages of a fairy tale with
its timberland houses adorned with flower boxes.
(BB, L, D)
DAY 4: Speyer (Heidelberg), Rüdesheim
Featured Excursion: Full-day tour of Heidelberg,
Gondola ride to Niederwald Heights
Irresistible Optional Tour: Dinner, wine and
entertainment at a local restaurant in Rüdesheim.
Heidelberg, home of Germany’s oldest university
and forever immortalized by Sigmund Romberg’s
operetta The Student Prince, is one of the
best-preserved medieval cities in Europe. Your
tour of Heidelberg takes you to the romantic
ruins of the courtyard of Heidelberg Castle and
through Old Town. Rüdesheim is one of the most
scenic wine towns of the Rhine Valley. Upon
arrival, board a mini-train for the short trip
to the Niederwald Gondola. During the ride and
once on top, you will be stunned by scenic
vistas of Rüdesheim, the vineyards of the
Rheingau and the Niederwald monument, a symbol
of German unity, perched on top of the heights.
(BB, D)
DAY 5: Aschaffenburg
Featured Excursion: Aschaffenburg Old Town
stroll. Relax this morning as we cruise the
peaceful Main River before docking right in the
heart of Aschaffenburg. King Ludwig I called it
his “Bavarian Nice” due to its Mediterranean
flair. The imposing landmark, the mighty castle
“Schloss Johannisburg” and the “Pompeiianum” – a
Roman villa rebuilt on plans discovered in
Pompeii – are only two of the many examples of
the long and rich history of this town which we
will discover during our guided Old Town stroll.
(BB, L, D)
DAY 6: Miltenberg
Featured Excursion: Miltenberg walking tour.
Miltenberg, nestled tightly below wooded hills
on a bend of the Main River, enjoys a
wonderfully photogenic setting. Explore the
“Pearl of the Main River” with your local guide.
See the half-timbered houses that give the town
its fairy tale feel, along with the Crooked
House and the famous Royal Inn which has been
preparing meals without interruption since the
15th century. (BB, L, D)
DAY 7: Würzburg
Featured Excursion: Würzburg Residenz and wine
tasting. Visit Germany’s immaculate example of
baroque architecture, the stunning Würzburg
Residenz, dating back to 1744 and another
breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage Site. This
magnificent baroque palace with its magnificent
gardens is one of the largest and most beautiful
in Germany. It was built and decorated in the
18th century by an international team of
architects and painters, including Tiepolo,
sculptors and stucco-workers. Your tour will be
capped off with a tasting of fabulous Franconian
wines in the historical Residenz cellar. (BB, L,
D)
DAY 8: Bamberg
Featured Excursion: Bamberg walking tour.
Irresistible Optional Tour: Bamberg beer
experience. Awake in the UNESCO World Heritage
city of Bamberg in the morning. Endowed with one
of Europe’s largest intact Old Town centers, you
will see the imperial cathedral, the four-winged
New Residence, the Town Hall lapped by the River
Regnitz and the fisherman’s village, “Little
Venice,” on your walking tour. (BB, L, D)
DAY 9: Nuremberg
Enjoy a day at leisure, exploring this
fascinating city at your own pace.
DAY 10: Nuremberg
Featured Excursion: Nuremberg city tour. Today’s
tour takes you through Nuremberg, an archetypal
German medieval city encircled by mighty
defensive walls and red-roofed buildings. The
second largest city in Bavaria is the birthplace
of Albrecht Dürer and home to world-famous
gingerbread and the pocket watch. It is also
where the infamous Nazi rallies were held during
World War II, and its courthouse (Room 600) held
the memorable trials after the war. Discover the
sights of Nuremberg during your panoramic tour
before exploring the walled Old Town on foot.
(BB, L, D) Note: Access to courtroom 600 cannot
be guaranteed
DAY 11: Regensburg
Featured Excursion: Regensburg walking tour.
Regensburg, one of the finest medieval towns in
Europe, captures 2000 years of living history
with outstanding manmade monuments like the
12th-century stone bridge and the towering
gothic cathedral. Our walking tour explores the
architectural treasures of Old Town as well as
the Cathedral of St. Peter, with magnificent
stained glass windows dating back to the 14th
century. Genuine Bavarian hospitality adds to
the vibrant mix of art and culture of this
UNESCO World Heritage Site. (BB, L, D)
DAY 12: Passau
Featured Excursion: Passau walking tour and St.
Stephan’s organ concert. Irresistible Optional
Tour: Venture through the Bavarian forest to the
Bavarian Village Museum, or spend an afternoon
cycling along the Inn River. Passau boasts a
delightful layer of Italian style on
quintessential German foundations. Explore the
well-preserved town and visit St. Stephan’s
Cathedral, home to Europe’s largest pipe organ,
and site of your organ recital. (BB, L, D) Note:
Concert not available before May 2 and after
November 1 or on Sundays.
DAY 13: Melk
Featured Excursion: Melk Abbey. Upon arrival in
Melk, be greeted by the 900-year-old Benedictine
abbey situated high atop the granite cliffs of
the Danube. The beautiful complex is a
masterpiece of baroque art and architecture.
During your tour through the abbey complex, the
guide will bring history to life as you discover
one work of art after another. (BB, L, D)
DAY 14: Cruising Wachau Valley, Krems, Vienna
Featured Excursion: Krems wine experience. Start
the day with a scenic cruise through the Wachau
Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage cultural
landscape representing one of the most beautiful
stretches of river valleys in Europe, en route
to Krems. Today, we invite you on a different
kind of journey to discover the fascination of
wine. We’ll take you to the best traditional and
state-of-the-art wine domain where you’ll
experience a treat for all the senses, from the
vineyards to the cellars. See, feel, smell the
wines on a walk through the estate and taste the
noble juice of the vine. (BB, L, D)
DAY 15: Vienna
Featured Excursion: Vienna city tour.
Irresistible Optional Tour: Enjoy a classical
music performance of Mozart and Strauss.
Vienna’s compact historic city center is an
exciting array of cafés and grand places,
culminating at the magnificent gothic cathedral.
Your city tour will take you along the stately
Ringstrasse to the most beloved architectural
wonder in all of Vienna, St. Stephen’s
Cathedral, where Mozart was married in 1782. On
the way you’ll pass Figaro House, where Mozart
once lived and wrote The Marriage of Figaro.
(BB, L, D)
DAY 16: Vienna
Enjoy the day at leisure exploring this
beautiful city at your own pace. (BB, L, D)
DAY 17: Vienna
Featured Excursion: Schönbrunn Palace.
Irresistible Optional Tour: Vienna Woods. From
former hunting lodge to stunning palace rivaling
Versailles, Schönbrunn Palace is a must see on
any visit to Austria. Our visit will concentrate
on the Imperial rooms and the era of Franz
Joseph and his beloved Empress Sissi, whose
popularity throughout Europe through the Gilded
Age was unmatched by any before her. Mozart,
Austria’s most famous citizen was at the height
of his creative powers when he lived here,
writing perhaps his most famous works: The
Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, and Eine
Kleine Nachtmusik. (BB, L, D)
DAY 18: Bratislava
Featured Excursion: Bratislava city tour. During
your tour through the “Coronation City of
Kings,” get acquainted with a sampling of the
town’s eclectic architecture. Pass the
17th-century palace, Old Town’s Freedom Square,
Peace Square, Bratislava Castle, Mirbach Palace
and Primatial Palace. (BB, L, D)
DAY 19: Budapest
Featured Excursion: Budapest city tour.
Irresistible Optional Tour: Half-day Szentendre.
Your tour features the famous 19th-century Chain
Bridge, the Great Synagogue, the Opera House,
St. Stephen’s Basilica, the Parliament Building,
the Castle Hill district, and the 19th-century
Fisherman’s Bastion. (BB, L, D)
DAY 20: Budapest
Irresistible Optional Tour: Visit to a horse
farm in the Puszta with show. Enjoy the day at
leisure in Budapest or take an optional
excursion to the countryside where you’ll see
the Hungarian horsemanship of the Puszta. (BB,
L, D)
DAY 21: Vukovar (Osijek)
Featured Excursion: Osijek with home-hosted
lunch. Tour the Croatian university town of
Osijek. After your tour, we’ll have lunch hosted
by local Croatians who will share their culture
with the help of interpreters. (BB, L, D)
DAY 22: Belgrade
Featured Excursion: Belgrade city tour. We start
our tour with a panoramic drive through
Belgrade, which means “White City” as it was
destroyed 40 times and resurrected as many
times. We will see Republic Square and the
Belgrade Fortress in Kalemegdan Park. We’ll cap
things off with a visit to St. Sava Cathedral.
(BB, L, D)
DAY 23: Belgrade, Kostolac
Featured Excursion: Viminacium Archeological
Site. Explore the archeological site of
Viminacium, a former Roman city with luxurious
villas and an amphitheater. Over 32,000
unearthed artifacts and well-preserved
structures show their former grandeur. (BB, L,
D)
DAY 24: Scenic Cruising Iron Gates, Vidin
Relax onboard as we cruise the Iron Gates, a
spectacular 80-mile long Danube gorge. (BB, L,
D)
DAY 25: Vidin (Belogradchik)
Featured Excursion: Visit Baba Vida Fortress and
the spectacular Belogradchik Rock Formations. We
will visit the Baba Vida Fortress before driving
to Belogradchik, a fairy tale world made of
weathered red sandstone. (BB, L, D)
DAY 26: Rousse (Veliko Turnovo and Arbanassi)
Featured Excursion: Veliko Turnovo and Arbanassi.
In Veliko Turnovo, see the Tzarevetz Fortress
and enjoy a traditional Bulgarian lunch. After
lunch, tour the Nativity Church in Arbanassi.
(BB, L, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)
DAY 27: Silistra (Varna, Balchik and Black
Sea Cruise)
Featured Excursion: Balchik, Varna & Black Sea.
Enjoy the Balchik Botanical Gardens. Visit
Varna’s Archeological Museum, savor Bulgarian
cuisine during lunch at a local restaurant, and
enjoy an exclusive cruise on the Black Sea. (BB,
L, D) Note: Navigation on the Black Sea may at
times be closed by maritime authorities due to
adverse weather conditions.
DAY 28: Oltenita (disembark), transfer to
Bucharest
Featured Excursion: Bucharest city tour.
Disembark the ship in Oltenita and travel to
Bucharest via motorcoach. Enjoy a Bucharest city
tour with a visit to the Palace of Parliament,
the second largest building in the world, before
checking into your hotel. (BB, L)
DAY 29: Bucharest
Irresistible Optional Tour: Transylvania
Tour with visit to Bran Castle and Snagov Island
Spend your last day at leisure or go on an
optional tour to Transylvania, the legendary
“Dracula’s Castle,” and Snagov Island. (BB)
DAY 30: Bucharest, transfer to airport
(return flight)
Transfer from the hotel to the airport in
Bucharest for your flight home.
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