Danube Holiday Markets 2013 (Budapest to Passau)

Day 1: Budapest 
Arrive at Budapest Ferihegy International Airport where you will be transferred to the ship. (D)

Day 2: Budapest 
Featured Excursion: Budapest city tour and Christmas Market

Explore Budapest, an enchanting city often referred to as the “Queen of the Danube.” Made up of two parts—Buda, the hills, and Pest, the flat lands—the city is divided by the Danube. It’s an architectural dream, which you will discover on your city tour. You will visit the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Castle Hill district and see dramatic vistas from the 19th-century Fisherman’s Bastion. You will cross the famous Chain Bridge, an early-19th-century bridge that was the first to connect Buda with Pest. In the center of it all is the Christmas Market, where you will get to shop for traditional Hungarian wares and delightful holiday treats like apricot brandy and cinnamon-spiced gingerbread. (BB, L, Captain’s Welcome Gala)

Day 3: Bratislava 
Featured Excursion: Bratislava walking city tour and Christmas Market

The heart and soul of Slovakia, Bratislava is full of surprises—many of which you will discover on your walking tour of historic downtown Bratislava ending at the Christmas Market. While Bratislava’s very first Christmas Market was only established in 1993, the Slovakians have quickly embraced the holiday traditions of their Austrian and Hungarian neighbors with stalls filled with folk handicrafts from the region. (BB, L, D)

Day 4: Vienna 
Featured Excursions: Vienna city tour with National Library visit, Christmas Market, and Mozart and Strauss concert

This regal city becomes even more dazzling during the holidays. Vienna is a treasure trove of secular and sacred gems, many of which you will see during your panoramic city tour. You will travel the stately Ringstrasse and see St. Stephen’s Cathedral, where Mozart was married in 1782. You will also visit the Baroque State Hall of the Austrian National Library, said to be the most beautiful library in the world. Afterward, you will be guided to two Christmas Markets. Austria’s most famous Christmas Market, with over 140 wooden huts, is set in front of City Hall. Macaroons with nutmeg and rum balls are two treats you won’t want to miss. You will also visit a smaller, but no less charming, Christmas Market at Freyung Square, which has taken place every winter since 1772. In the evening, celebrate the spirit of Mozart and Strauss in one of Vienna’s well known concert halls. (BB, L, D)

Note: On Mondays, Mozarthaus will be substituted for the National Library.

Day 5: Krems, cruising the Wachau Valley 
Featured Excursion: Göttweig Abbey with organ recital

Beautiful Benedictine Göttweig Abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, boasts a spectacular location on a prominent hill on the eastern edge of the world-famous Wachau Valley. Though Göttweig Abbey was founded more than 900 years ago, it was “modernized” in the mid-1700s, when it was transformed into a vast Baroque palace. Ever since, the interiors have been a monument to Baroque art and design. After lunch, enjoy a scenic cruise through the UNESCO-designated Wachau Valley. Dotted along the banks are small historic towns and winemaking communities. Some of Austria’s finest white wines are produced from grapes ripened on the terraces that cling to these rocky slopes. (BB, L, D)

Note: The organ concert may take place in a different location if the Göttweig Abbey visit falls on a Catholic holiday.

Day 6: Linz (Salzburg or Linz/Steyr) 
Featured Excursions: Choice of full-day Salzburg with walking tour and Christmas Market OR Linz and Steyr with Christmas Markets

Spend the day in Salzburg, with a walking tour of Old Town. The magnificent cathedral there was inspired by St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. In the afternoon, visit Salzburg’s Christmas Market. Located at the foot of the Hohensalzburg and around the venerable cathedral, it is a feast for the senses, featuring the warm aroma of mulled wine and Austrian pastries, the sights and sounds of holiday performances, and the colors and textures of traditional handcrafts. Or explore the beautiful towns of Steyr and Linz. The unique ambience of Steyr truly shines during the holiday season, when brass concerts, tellers of fairy tales, and choir performances add to the enchantment at the Christmas Market in Old Town. In your free time, you might want to stop by the Christmas Museum, which features 14,000 Christmas ornaments. Two enchanting Christmas markets are linked by the main shopping thoroughfare in Linz, with a truly spectacular light show connecting them. Begin at the Hauplatz, where stalls are decorated with motifs of Linz landmarks, and follow the illuminations down the Landstrasse to the Volksgarten, where you’ll find animated displays of fairy tale scenes. Have a piece of the classic Linzer torte as you delight in carols performed by brass bands and local choirs. (BB, D)

Day 7: Passau 
Featured Excursions: Passau walking tour, Christmas Market, gingerbread-making, and floral decorating demonstrations

Your guided walk starts in the Medieval section of Passau and takes you past St. Stephan’s Cathedral, the New Residence, and Town Hall, to the confluence of the three rivers that converge in Passau. At Passau’s Christmas Market, set against the glorious backdrop of St. Stephan’s Cathedral, you will find unique crafts, including Bavarian-style houses and glass ornaments. As an added treat, you will attend a gingerbread-making and floral decorating demonstration. (BB, L, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)

Day 8: Passau (disembark), transfer to Munich airport
Disembark the ship in Passau and transfer to Munich Airport for your flight home, or extend your stay in Prague. (CB/BB)

Four countries—Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, and Germany—await your arrival for one unique, festive party after another. From the large Christmas Markets of Vienna to the more intimate Christmas Markets of Bratislava, Passau, and Salzburg or Linz—each combines timeless traditions with elegant pageantry.

Discover the Baroque splendor of the Habsburg Empire with visits to Göttweig, Salzburg, Passau, Vienna, and Linz on this enchanting holiday extravaganza along the Danube. Uncover the heart and soul of Slovakia as you tour Bratislava and explore its Christmas Market. Participate in a gingerbread-baking demonstration in Passau and be enchanted by a festive classical concert in a famous Viennese concert hall.

Enjoy the cheerful sight of holiday décor and the merry sound of Christmas caroling while onboard your ship, and cherish all the glory and magic of the season in grand European style as you cruise along the Danube during this festive time of the year.

• 7-night cruise in a riverview stateroom on the majestic River Beatrice
• All transfers on arrival and departure days 
• All meals onboard, prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients
• 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 7 dinners
• Captain’s Welcome Gala and Farewell Dinners
• Complimentary fine wine, beer, and soft drinks during lunch and dinner onboard; bottled water replenished daily in your stateroom; and 24-hour specialty coffee and tea station
• Explore 4 countries
• 8 excursions, including 1 “Choice Is Yours” options, fully hosted by English-speaking local expert
• 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
• Services of an experienced Uniworld Cruise Manager
• State-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio headset system on all shore excursions
• Captivating onboard local entertainment
• Signature Lecture: “The Sound of Christmas Music, from ‘Stille Nacht’ to ‘Weihnachtsoratorium’”

Cruising: Cabin onboard the River Beatrice

Prague
4 days - $999 per person (single supplement $499)

Delight in the beautifully preserved "City of Spires", which boasts a remarkable core of historic buildings, as well as gracious squares and friendly people.

• Cabin upgrades are available.
• Note: Christmas Markets are generally open from the beginning of Advent until December 23.
• Prices exclude additional port charges of $140 and are per person, cruise-only based on double occupancy.
• A limited number of singles are available for an additional supplement.
• Please ask your Vacations To Go travel counselor for more information.

* The prices shown are U.S. dollars per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability. Prices quoted for land/cruise arrangements are subject to increase without notice. Once we have received your deposit, land/cruise prices are guaranteed. Air prices quoted via phone or email are subject to increase and are guaranteed only from the time that full payment is received. Also, air prices or air promotions mentioned on this site or on the phone do not include baggage fees imposed by airlines. Sorry, we are unable to offer air from countries other than the U.S. However, for those international customers who are able to arrange their own transportation to the trip origination city, we are able to offer the land/cruise portion of the package, at the price quoted.