Uniworld Enchanting Danube River Cruise
Uniworld’s Enchanting Danube river cruise showcases the best of Central Europe, this is a journey any culturally curious world traveler will love.
The shimmering waters of the fabled Enchanting Danube River flow for thousands of miles through the very heart of Europe, silent witness to centuries of artistic achievement and historical events. This perfectly composed journey provides an immersive cultural tasting menu of four equally beguiling countries—ideal for first-time river cruisers as well as seasoned travelers seeking to experience yet another dimension of these much-loved destinations.
Our locally-based destination experts will take you well beyond the “must-sees” of each region, offering fresh takes on classic sites, insider knowledge of delightful under-the-radar locales, and VIP access to places only a privileged few will ever experience—such as a private early-morning viewing of the acclaimed art collection of the Kunstkammer Vienna.
Enchanting Danube River Cruise Itinerary
Day 1: Budapest – Embark
Arrive at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport. If your cruise package includes a group arrival transfer or if you have purchased a private arrival transfer, you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the ship.
Meals included: Dinner
Day 2: Budapest
Budapest is an enchanting city that presents a vibrant mix of medieval and modern.
In the evening, a special Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you.
Choose between these activities:
BUDAPEST PANORAMIC HIGHLIGHTS WITH FRANZ LISZT ACADEMY VISIT
Hungary has been home to a great number of accomplished musicians, including the famous Franz Liszt, who established a university for music in Budapest in 1875. To this day, the Franz Liszt Academy is still a world-famous conservatory, with degree programs in classical instruments, singing, conducting and composing. Take a guided tour of the academy today, culminating in an orchestra performance by some of the current students. Next, we’ll embark on a panoramic drive through the historic Castle District, including Heroes’ Square and Andrassy Avenue, stopping off the coach to walk around before returning to the ship.
BUDAPEST WALK WITH LOCAL TREATS
Today your guide will show you how to snack around Budapest like a local, starting with a tram ride to the House of Parliament. Hop off the tram and take a short walk to your first treat: a coffee break at the First Strudel House of Pest. Energized by your cup of coffee, you’ll continue your walk down to St. Stephen’s Basilica—a handsome Neo-Classical building that is one of Budapest’s most significant cultural sites.
From there, we’ll head to the Great Market Hall to sample some traditional Hungarian fare, such as salami, sausages and cheese, while your local expert explains the intricacies of Hungarian cuisine.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Bratislava & Vienna
Your ship sets sail from Bratislava later this morning and heads for Vienna today. You may relax onboard all day, perhaps enjoying a drink on the Sun Deck and taking in the scenery as the ship wends its way along the Danube Bend. When you arrive in Vienna, you’ll cap off your day with a private concert of Mozart and Strauss at a stunning Viennese palace.
Featured Excursion:
NIGHTS OUT: PRIVATE MOZART AND STRAUSS CONCERT
Vienna is linked inextricably with music. The list of great composers who lived and worked here is as long as it is glorious. Enjoy an evening of compositions by some of the most famous names on this list, including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Johann Strauss. In one of Vienna’s historic halls, world-class professionals of modern-day Vienna, including singers, will enchant you with their music.
Choose between these activities:
BRATISLAVA – SMALL BUT PRECIOUS WALKING TOUR
Walk through the loveliest part of Bratislava with your local guide. Starting on the Danube promenade, you’ll cross the former Coronation Square, pass the Slovak National Theater and St. Martin’s Cathedral. This Gothic church was built into the medieval city’s fortifications, and 19 Habsburg rulers were crowned inside it, including Empress Maria Theresa. That’s because Bratislava, then known as Pressburg, became the capital of the Kingdom of Hungary after the Ottomans conquered Budapest in 1536, a status it retained until the middle of the 19th-century.
Close to the cathedral you’ll find Michael’s Gate, the last remaining portal of the medieval wall—and your entryway into Bratislava’s Old Town, which blends Gothic, baroque and art deco structures with some less graceful reminders of the Communist era. The stately 18th-century Primatial Palace, in the center of Old Town, was the site where the Pressburg peace treaty was signed in 1805, in which Austria ceded a great deal of territory to Napoleon. Another 18th-century palace, Grassalkovich, is now the president of Slovakia’s official residence.
Take some time after the tour to browse through the attractive shops in the lovely art deco buildings that line the squares; you can find a wide selection of traditional folk items at the ÚĽUV (Slovak Folk Culture) shop. And you’ll definitely want to sample some of the local delicacies.
“LET’S GO” HIKE TO BRATISLAVA CASTLE
This brilliantly white, enormous square building takes over the skyline of Bratislava, and from its grounds you’ll find incredible views of the city below.
After your hike to the castle, you’ll stroll through the most beautiful part of Bratislava with the local guide. You will be introduced to the Capital of Slovakia, seeing sites like the Presidential Palace and the unique bridge colloquially known as UFO Bridge (you’ll understand when you see it).
Passing through the historic Old Town, we’ll see the charming House of the Good Shepherd, the pastel tower of the Old Town Hall and statues like Čumil, the sewage worker leaning out of a manhole in the street to smile at passersby.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Vienna
Vienna is a cultural treasure trove revered for its art and music (and sinfully rich pastries). Experience the “City of Waltzes” with your choice of tours, as well as an expertly led tour of an extraordinary collection of art at the renowned Vienna Art History Museum.
You have leisure time after your tour to explore Vienna on your own. You might wish to visit the Albertina Museum, which houses one million old-master prints and an impressive collection of works by 19th- and 20th-century painters, ranging from Renoir to Rothko.
If you’d like to get a little exercise and see a completely different side of Vienna, borrow a bike from the ship and explore Danube Island and Prater Park. (For a wonderful view of the region, ride the Ferris wheel in Prater Park.)
Featured Excursion:
“MORNING WITH THE MASTERS” AT THE VIENNA ART HISTORY MUSEUM
The Habsburgs assembled an astonishing collection of artistic treasures over the centuries, which formed the basis for the works now on display at the Vienna Art History Museum (Kunsthistorisches). The doors open early especially for you as you join an art historian for a tour of some of the masterpieces gathered here: View a unique group of works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Vermeer’s Allegory of Painting, Raphael’s Madonna in the Meadow, and portraits by Rembrandt, Velazquez, Rubens, Titian, Tintoretto and Van Eyck, among others, in the Picture Gallery. Then move onto the Kunstkammer galleries, where you can see Benvenuto Cellini’s legendary salt cellar (the only gold sculpture he created that has survived to the present day) and hear its remarkable story. Your tour ends in the magnificent Cupola Hall, perhaps the architectural highlight of the splendid building.
Choose between these activities:
VIENNA – IMPERIAL CITY HIGHLIGHTS
Ring Street, the great horseshoe-shaped boulevard lined with many of the city’s major landmarks—Parliament, City Hall, the Vienna State Opera, glorious palaces and museums—is a mere 150 years old, practically an infant for a city of Vienna’s age. It replaced the walls and fortifications that had protected the city for centuries. Its construction was a testament to confidence, forward-thinking and grand urban planning, and it resulted in a 50-year building spree. You’ll pass most of these opulent landmarks on your way to the older section of the city, the area the walls once enclosed.
Later, you’ll walk along Kärntner Street, the celebrated pedestrian boulevard that links the State Opera with St. Stephen’s Cathedral, past the elegant shops on the Graben and the Kohlmarkt. The neighborhood offers a lively combination of historic architecture, street performances, shoppers’ delights and true Viennese atmosphere.
VIENNA’S MUSIC AND COMPOSERS
Take a walk through Vienna’s musical history, starting with the present-day artists keeping the legacy alive. We’ll first visit the House of Music (Haus der Musik), where you’ll learn about the future of computer music and observe great composers at work. From there, we’ll walk through town towards St. Stephen’s Cathedral, passing the musical theatre. Enter the cathedral to see its musical architecture and a recently discovered altar painting by Albrecht Dürer. Next, we’ll walk to the Eroica Saal, where Beethoven first performed his 3rd and 4th symphonies.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Dürnstein & Melk
Dürnstein is one of our favorite towns along the Danube, a lovely place to wander cobblestone lanes, browse quaint shops and maybe hike up to a ruined castle (with an intriguing tale all its own). You can also opt for a tasting or learn all about the world’s costliest spice from the Wachau Valley’s only saffron grower. Later, visit the 900-year-old Melk Abbey and its extraordinary baroque-style library. You have two ports of call in the incredibly scenic valley, Dürnstein and Melk, and an assortment of delightful ways to explore this lovely region.
Featured excursion:
MELK ABBEY WITH LIBRARY VISIT
The Babenbergs, a great medieval ducal family that controlled a wide swath of Austria before yielding to the Habsburgs, were the first to erect a castle on the hill above Melk, which they subsequently gave to Benedictine monks. These monks, some 900 years ago, turned it into a fortified abbey—and the greatest center of learning in Central Europe. Their library was celebrated far and wide (and still is; Umberto Eco paid tribute to it in his best-selling novel The Name of the Rose). Medieval monks there created more than 1,200 manuscripts, sometimes spending an entire lifetime hand-lettering a single volume. Today the library contains some 100,000 volumes, among them more than 80,000 works printed before 1800. This beautiful complex, completely redone in the early 18th century, is a wonderful example of baroque art and architecture, and the views from its terrace are spectacular. As you walk through the abbey’s Marble Hall with your guide, look up at the ceiling fresco painted by Paul Troger: Those classical gods and goddesses represent Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI, allegorically bringing his people from dark to light and demonstrating the link he claimed to the original Roman Empire.
After your tour of the abbey, you’ll have time to explore Melk on your own, or you can take the motorcoach back to the ship.
Choose between these activities:
DÜRNSTEIN WINE ESTATE VISIT WITH TASTING
or
DÜRNSTEIN VILLAGE AND SAFFRON WORKSHOP
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Linz
Mozart’s birthplace of Salzburg is nestled in a glorious alpine setting that sparkles like a winter wonderland. Linz may be best known for its famous Linzer torte, but it’s also a hotbed for the arts. See the sights with a local expert and visit a family at their farm in the countryside. Austria’s third-largest city, Linz boasts a long history of trading and textile manufacturing, but these days it is perhaps best known for its electronic arts and annual festival.
Choose between:
FULL-DAY IN SALZBURG WITH SOUND OF MUSIC
Not only is Salzburg famously the shooting location for the 1965 film, The Sound of Music, but it is also the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Today, we’ll dive into the city’s deep musical heritage with a walking tour through its picturesque squares and baroque architecture. Visit Maria’s church in the nearby town of Mondsee, as well as the Viennese gardens around which she and the children sang “Do Re Mi.” See the house where Mozart was born and take a lift up the Mönschberg mountain for an excellent view of the city.
LINZ TOWN AND COUNTRY: LINZERTORTE AND CIDER FARM VISIT
Get to know Linz on foot with a local expert who will take you by all the major sites in town, from Mozart’s apartment to the old Jesuit Cathedral. You’ll stop for a bite at Konditorei Jindrak, home of the Original Linzer Torte. Enjoy a cup of coffee alongside this thin, buttery pastry made with ground nuts, filled with fruit preserves and topped with a lattice crust.
Next, the group will split in two, each half heading out to a countryside cider farm. There, you’ll be treated to a lunch of local specialties and house-made cider—an excellent way to immerse yourself in rural Austrian life and scenery, while also supporting local farmers. Both farms are entirely organic and give special care to the quality of the ingredients they produce, from the careful cultivation of their bountiful orchards to the livestock they keep in large grazing pastures. This type of farming produces less waste and—as you’ll see during your lunch there—better food.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Passau
Passau is a crossroads in more ways than one, as three rivers meet here and three nations nearly do, making for a fascinating cultural mosaic. Get to know the town and its main claim to fame—Europe’s largest pipe organ—or “Let’s Go” with an invigorating riverside hike or bike ride.
In the evening, a special Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you.
Choose between these activities:
PASSAU THREE RIVERS
Passau is built upon the meeting point of three rivers: the Danube, the Inn and the Ilz. Sprawling across the riverbanks, the city has a particularly charming setting, which you’ll get to appreciate on a walking tour of its top sites.
After walking around Passau, we’ll drive to a beautiful natural habitat on the Ilz, where you can take a short walk and relax in the scenic environment before reboarding the coach for a trip up to the Kloster Mariahilf to see the three rivers from above.
“LET’S GO” BICYCLE RIDE ALONG THE INN RIVER
The Inn River rises in the Alps, near Innsbruck (hence the name of the famous Swiss ski resort) and flows through three nations (Switzerland, Austria and Germany) on its way to Passau, where it joins the Danube. While the Danube bike path may be Europe’s best-known route for bicyclists, the Inn River bike path, which follows the river from Innsbruck to Passau, has plenty of fans. The route through the Inn River valley outside Passau is an especially attractive stretch, with great views of the lovely countryside, picturesque villages and the sparkling clear river itself. Your guide will make sure you know the local traffic and safety rules before you and your group set out along the partly flat and paved path. You’ll be traveling on both sides of the river, crossing between Germany and Austria as you cross the Inn, and your journey will include a comfort stop before returning to the ship. All in all, it’s an idyllic way to enjoy the scenery and get some exercise at the same time.
“LET’S GO” HIKE ALONG THE ILZ RIVER
Put on your hiking boots, grab a windbreaker and a bottle of water, and head out with a local hiking guide and nature expert to explore the banks of the Ilz River. This small but rushing tributary of the Danube originates deep in the Bavarian Forest, near the Czech border, and is just 40 miles (65 kilometers) long. Its upper stretch is a premier whitewater rafting location, but you’ll be hiking along the lower, serene end of the river. Your starting point is Hals-Hochstein, where you’ll pick up a nature trail that follows a curve of the river and then climbs a steep hill, where you have a great view of the river and woodlands. You will cross the river repeatedly, once by way of a dam and again toward the end of your four-mile (6.5-kilometer) hike, as you loop back to the Hals.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8: Disembark in Passau
Disembark the ship. If your cruise package includes a group departure transfer or if you purchased a private departure transfer, you will be transferred to Munich Airport for your flight home.
Meals included: Breakfast
Luxury, Boutique & Inclusive
The five-star Red Carnation Hotel Collection, serves as the inspiration for the Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection. Its portfolio of boutique hotels are renowned for their interior design that is destination-inspired, gracious service, and thoughtfully chosen amenities—all of which offer a cosy, refined, and laid-back experience.
Likewise, their boutique river cruise ships are stylish floating hotels with inviting spaces, exquisite antiques, custom fabrics and original works of art.
Truly All Inclusive amenities:
• Unlimited premium spirits and wines
• Delicious, Five-Star, farm-to-table cuisine
• Your choice of Carefully Curated Excursions
• All Gratuities onboard
• Onboard Fitness Centre and Wellness Classes with a certified wellness instructor
• All scheduled Airport Transfers
• Bicycles and Nordic Walking Sticks for onshore use
• Shipwide Internet and Wi-Fi access
• Onboard Entertainment and Enrichment