Day 1 - Departure

Departure from home for our overnight flight to Budapest, Hungary.

Day 2 – Arrive in Budapest Hungary

We arrive in Budapest and are transferred to our ship— Uniworld’s River Empress. (D)

Day 3 - Budapest

Featured Excursion: Budapest City Tour

Onboard Highlight: Captain’s Welcome Dinner

Budapest is an enchanting city with a vibrant mix of East and West; Medieval and modern. Made up of two parts—Buda, the hills, and Pest, the flat lands, divided by the Danube River and is an architectural dream. Our city tour features the famous Chain Bridge, an early 19th century bridge that was the first to connect Buda with Pest, the Castle Hill district, and the 19th century Fisherman’s Bastion with dramatic vistas of the city. (B. L, Captain’s Welcome Dinner)

Day 4 - Bratislava, Slovakia

Featured Excursion: Bratislava City Tour

Evening Entertainment: Popular local entertainment

Bratislava straddles both banks of the Danube River. The capital city of Slovakia is a melting pot of cultures— called a fondue of diversity. Bratislava has been aptly named the “Coronation city of Kings.” We will discover as we walk along the sidewalks that there are little golden crowns in the pavement identifying the route of the coronation procession of eleven kings and eight royal spouses over the centuries. Our tour will include the 17th century palace that now serves as the seat of the Slovakian government. We see Old Town’s Freedom Square, The Peace Square, and Grassalkovich Palais, home of the President of Slovakia. (B, L, D)

Day 5: Vienna, Austria

Featured Excursion: Vienna City Tour

Vienna is a treasure trove of secular and sacred gems— St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the most beloved architectural wonder in all of Vienna, and the stately Ringstrasse, the broad thoroughfare surrounded by many imperial buildings and monuments that give Vienna its wedding cake appearance.

Irresistible Optional Excursion:

Visit Schönbrunn Palace, a stunning former Hapsburg residence that rivals Versailles, and/or enjoy a classical music performance of Mozart and Strauss in one of the city’s grand concert halls. (B, L, D)

Day 6: Dürnstein, cruising the Wachau Valley, Melk

Featured Excursion: Dürnstein Walking Tour Onboard Highlight: Insightful Lecture

Optional Tour: Melk Abbey Tour

The tiny baroque village of Dürnstein seems lost in time. Our walking tour takes us through the village with its old burgher houses and 16th through 18th century townhouses ending at the exquisite Baroque cathedral. Leaving Dürnstein we cruise through the heart of the fairytale, vineyard-rich Wachau Valley with its abruptly rising hills, nestling Baroque villages and ancient monuments. This stretch of landscape along the Danube has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. (B, L, D)

Day 7: Linz

Featured Excursion: Linz WalkingTour

Optional Tour: Full-day excursion to Salzburg

The Danube serves as a dividing line between the modern Linz and its old “soul”. During our guided tour, we will see Old Town with its castles, churches, and early buildings fanning out from the central Hauptplatz, Austria’s largest medieval town square. (B, L, D)

Day 8: Passau, Germany

Featured Excursion: Walking Tour and Organ Concert

Our guided walking tour starts in the medieval section of Passau, and then takes us past St. Stephen’s Cathedral, home to Europe’s largest pipe organ. Later we will return to St. Stephen’s for an organ concert.

Optional Tour:

Visit Schärding, one of Austria’s most beautiful Baroque towns situated in the scenic and bucolic River Inn valley. Onboard Highlights: Captain’s Farewell Dinner (B, L, D)

Day 9: Home

This morning we disembark the River Empress and transfer to the Munich Airport for our flight home.