Description

Enchanting Christmas and New Year’s

Christmas River Cruises

11 DAYS FROM PASSAU TO BUDAPEST

Enchanting Christmas and New Year’s :A festive extravaganza celebrating two holidays in grand and unforgettable style.

Celebrate the holiday season in truly extraordinary fashion with a special Uniworld itinerary that gives you the best of four different countries at their most magical time of year. Cruise the mighty Danube, visiting classic capitals like Budapest and Vienna.

Hear the largest organ in Europe on Christmas Eve in Passau, then ring in the New Year in elegant style with a gala dinner and ballroom dance in Budapest. Festive celebrations are plentiful during this cruise—what better way to create perfect holiday memories?

Commemorate a splendid musical heritage as you lift your voice and sing “Silent Night” in Oberndorf, where the beloved Christmas carol was composed. Sip a cocktail with a princess in the seven-towered Artstetten Castle, and visit Prince Eugene of Savoy’s jewel-box Winter Palace in Vienna. Spend Christmas Day in Salzburg and enjoy a holiday lunch within the walls of St. Peter’s Abbey.

Discover the seasonal delicacies of Slovakia in Bratislava’s picturesque downtown and enjoy the merriment of traditional hospitality in an Austrian wine village. Ring out the old year and ring in the new with art, wine and song as you cruise through four nations during this enchanting season.

Who will enjoy this cruise? Those who wish to celebrate a European Christmas and New Year in festive elegance. All lovers of art, music and merriment.

Passau (Embark)

Arrive at Munich 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 docked in Passau.

Passau

In Passau three rivers meet and three nations, making for a fascinating cultural mosaic. Get acquainted with the town’s baroque and rococo architecture.

Old-town Passau is built on a spit of land that looks almost like a ship with its narrow prow jutting into the water.

Today a local expert shows you the highlights of this delightful and accessible town located at the confluence of three rivers—the Danube, Inn and Ilz.

Linz (Salzburg and Oberndorf)

Mozart’s birthplace, Salzburg, is nestled in a glorious alpine setting that sparkles like a winter wonderland. Fans of The Sound of Music may recognize locations from the Oscar-winning film in the city’s Old Town, the site of a grand cathedral and a wonderful Christmas market.

The most beloved Christmas carols for the first time was composed and performde in the town Oberndorf.

Your ship docks in Linz today. From there, you’ll travel to the alpine cities of Salzburg and Oberndorf for a delightful full-day excursion.

Grein

Your diary entry for today will say “Cocktails with the princess at the castle.”

Raise a glass with a bona fide member of Austrian royalty at her 13th-century home, Artstetten Castle, and hear some intriguing tales about her Habsburg ancestors.

Grein, a picturesque little town with a vast white Renaissance castle.

Melk, Cruising the Wachau Valley, Dürnstein

Melk Abbey has an opulent library with precious books secret doors and optical illusions.

After your visit, cruise the Wachau Valley to the tiny village of Dürnstein, where you can browse the shops selling apricot schnapps, hike up to the ruins of a castle, taste various mulled wines and attend an organ concert at a local church.

Your river adventure today takes you through one of the most beautiful regions in Austria, bookended by two picturesque and historic towns, Melk and Dürnstein.

Vienna

Renowned for its art and architecture, its classical music, its decadent pastries and its lengthy list of famous former residents, the refined city of Vienna is a cultural treasure trove.

Experience the city with your choice of tours, followed by an evening concert of Mozart and Strauss, performed at a 12th-century monastery.

The grand dame of the Danube, Vienna was the heart of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and remains, to this day, the political and cultural center of Austria. Klimt painted here; Beethoven and Mozart composed here;

Freud developed his theories here. It’s a treasure trove of splendid architecture, astonishing art collections and inviting cafés—and it’s yours to enjoy.

Vienna

An extremely rare treat awaits you today. The VIP access to an extraordinary collection of art at one of the top fine arts museums on the planet.

These artistic treasures were collected by the Habsburgs over many centuries, these is a perk reserved solely for Uniworld guests.

Vienna’s art treasures are astonishing. Hours highlights tours of the Vienna Art History Museum’s collection of acclaimed masterworks.

Bratislava

Slovakia retains an air of mystery and intrigue, and its small capital city has an unexpectedly colorful history.

You’ll learn more about Bratislava’s past from a local expert. You have free time to check out the whimsical street art. sample delicious delicacies found only in Slovakia.

Spend the morning relaxing onboard as your ship cruises along the Danube to Bratislava. The capital of Slovakia combines a historic downtown with a lively and bohemian art scene.

Budapest

Located on opposite sides of the Danube, Buda and Pest each has a distinctive character and allure all its own. Get a taste of this dynamic capital city with your choice of tours. Visit Budapest’s celebrated Christmas market—one of the largest in Europe.

The highlight of the day comes after darkness falls, with a glorious New Year’s Eve gala dinner with dancing at a historic ballroom. 

Budapest are two towns, Buda and Pest.
The village began as a Roman encampment in the second century, and was overrun by Magyar horsemen in the 9th-century.

These has been controlled by Ottomans, Austrians, Germans and Communists over the centuries.

Budapest

The New Year start with an excursion to a village of talented artisans and craftspeople who life together.

A home to two museums one devoted to lovely ceramics and the other to the art of marzipan.

Budapest (Disembark)

Disembark the your ship. From here you will be transferred to the Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport for your flight home.