✨ Vienna, Austria

✨ Bratislava, Slovakia

✨ Budapest, Hungary

✨ Batina & Ilok, Croatia

✨ Novi Sad, Serbia

✨ Belgrade, Serbia

✨ Included Excursions

✨ Premium Dining & Beverages

✨ Gratuities Included

✨ Luxury Boutique River Ship

✨ Hosted Group Experience

Travel is about more than checking destinations off a list. It's about the moments that surprise you, the meals you can't stop talking about, and the people you meet along the way.

When you travel with me, you're not just booking a trip. You have someone in your corner from the moment you leave home to the moment you're back. I'll be right there with the group, making sure everything runs smoothly so you can focus on actually enjoying yourself.

I've spent years researching and experiencing destinations like these firsthand, and I put this journey together because I genuinely believe it's one of the best river cruise itineraries out there right now. Croatia alone is worth it. Add Vienna, Budapest, and Belgrade, and you have a trip that's hard to top.

Pricing is per person based on double occupancy and subject to availability. Please inquire if you would like a price on a solo cabin.

Deposit is 10% of total cabin price

Cancellation fee prior to Final Payment, which is due on April 4th, 2027, is $250 per person. If you make a booking with Uniworld within two years of the cancellation, they will apply that $250 on your next sailing.

Book by June 30, 2026 and receive an additional 10% savings on top of the above listed price!

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The great Danube River, once the lifeblood of empires, has been home to Europe’s greatest cities for eons. Begin or end your journey at a five-star hotel in the glittering city of Vienna, a spectacular complement to your all-inclusive river cruise through eclectic Budapest, storied Belgrade, charming Bratislava, and more. As we go, we’ll contrast the hustle and bustle of city life with blissful countryside views and stops in a couple of our favorite towns in between.

Day 1

Arrive in Vienna, Transfer to Hotel

Transfer from Vienna International Airport to your hotel. If you have arranged a Uniworld arrival transfer, you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the hotel.

Day 2

Vienna

Start your day with a tour of the opulent Schönbrunn Palace, one of the grandest examples of Baroque architecture in all of Europe. After, you’ll have the rest of the day to explore the city at your leisure.

Embrace the imperial flair of Vienna with a visit to the famous Schönbrunn Palace complex. Arrive to marvel at the massive Baroque building with its iconic yellow exteriors. Stroll hallways elaborately decorated with golden stucco, rich velvet, and stunning frescoes. This palace complex was the primary summer residence of the Habsburgs and features many testaments to their history and extravagance.

Day 3

Vienna (Embark)

Before transferring to the S.S. Emilie to begin your cruise, join a morning visit to the Klosterneuburg abbey winery, located just outside of Vienna, for a wine tasting.

Embark on a short drive out of the city to arrive at Klosterneuberg Abbey. With nearly a millennium of history, this Augustinian monastery has been a center of religious, social, and cultural life for centuries. It is also an excellent winery, where quality and craftsmanship are fueled by a long history of viticulture and winemaking.

Admire the abbey’s Baroque church and medieval cloister on a guided tour that includes a viewing of a brilliant copper altarpiece crafted by Nicholas of Verdun. After, enter the historic cellars to sample a selection of the abbey’s fine wines.

Discover Croatia, Serbia, and the hidden side of the Danube.

The Belvedere is a Baroque palatial complex commissioned during an immensely productive Habsburg building spree. Originally the summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy, the complex was acquired by Empress Maria Theresa after his death and turned into an exhibition venue for imperial art collections. In this way, the Belvedere become one of the first public museums in the world. Today it is one of the finest art collections anywhere, making it an incredibly popular destination for Vienna tourism. Take a private evening tour of select exhibits, including the world’s largest collection of works by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt. His most famous work, “The Kiss,” is on display here.

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.

Today's excursion also includes a visit to Hofburg Palace.

Start your tour by following a local guide through Vienna, taking in the city’s most significant sites as you go. You’ll arrive at Mythos Mozart, a multimedia experience that transforms Mozart’s compositions into an immersive piece of art. Make your way through five different rooms, each with a different story to tell in honor of Vienna’s most famous composer.

Located on opposite sides of the Danube, Buda and Pest each have a distinctive character and allure. Explore this dynamic and multi-faceted city with your choice of excursions—you can see it from a local’s perspective on a walking tour or cover more ground with a panoramic tour.

Inaugurated in 1876, Andrassy Avenue was the masterpiece of 19th-century Hungary’s most renowned architects. In one long stretch from Elizabeth Square to Heroes’ Square, this grand boulevard was lined with palatial Neo-Renaissance buildings and accented with plentiful trees. Today, its streets are filled with high-end boutiques, restaurants, and cafés, all interspersed with historic buildings in a stunning blend of old and new.

People-watch and learn the history behind some of the most iconic buildings on this strip—including the beautiful Hungarian State Opera House—as you take a walk with a local guide. After, you’ll visit the Szabó Ervin Library, a gorgeous, old-fashioned library tucked into a 19th-century aristocrat’s mansion.

This panoramic tour is a wonderful way to get an overview of the city if you have never been here before. It will carry you from Heroes’ Square, created in 1896 to honor the thousand-year anniversary of Hungary’s founding and its greatest historical figures, past some of the city’s most striking architectural sights—Dohány Street Synagogue, the Hungarian National Museum, the state opera house, St. Stephen’s Basilica, and the truly stunning Parliament Building—to Castle Hill, which has been called the heart of the nation. The city of Buda began here, when King Béla built a strong keep in 1243 as a defense against Mongol invaders; a castle replaced the simple fortress, and over the centuries other castles replaced that one. The current castle is primarily 18th century; a museum dedicated to Budapest’s archaeological finds is housed there, and the Castle Hill district has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll go inside the magnificent 700-year-old Matthias Church, named for one of Hungary’s greatest kings, and then wend your way on foot to the picturesque Fisherman’s Bastion, whose seven fairytale-like towers represent the seven tribes that originally settled the region. It offers a glorious view of the city and the Danube below.

Welcome to Croatia! This ancient country, which has made a remarkable recovery from a brutal civil war, is noted for its beautiful countryside and thriving folk traditions, as well as simple, deliciously rustic food.

Set out on a sightseeing tour of Osijek with a local guide. As you walk through cultural heart of Croatia’s Slavonia region, you’ll note the city’s attractive ambience, nostalgic charm, and plentiful green spaces.

Later, you’ll be welcomed into a local family’s home for an authentic country meal before heading off to visit the Vučedol Museum. The concept behind this unique museum is integration into the terrain—the entire structure is designed to be mostly buried in the ground and only the façade is open to the landscape. On the building’s green roof, you can reach the archaeological sites over the museum. Along the serpentine path, you’ll encounter archaeological findings that have been discovered to date, which showcase the daily life and customs during a turbulent time of the immigration of the first Indo-Europeans and their relationship with the native population, the blending of material cultures and religions.

Explore the bounties of nature in Croatia’s Syrmia region today, starting with a drive from Batina to village of Nijemci, where a welcome drink and a local biologist or ornithologist are waiting for you. Set out on a scenic sailing down the Bosut River with your specialist guide, who will point out the various flora and fauna you’ll see along your tour. Disembark the boat to take a leisurely nature walk through the lush Spačva Forest.

Next, we’ll drive to a local farm, where we’ll indulge in an authentic lunch of regional specialties, all produced on-site.

Following your lunch, we’ll continue on to explore the city of Vukovar, with stops at the iconic Vukovar Water Tower, the historic Eltz Manor, and the city center, where Vukovar’s rich heritage and modern life are on display.

Belgrade, the modern-day capital of Serbia, is one of Europe’s oldest cities, dating back some 7,000 years. Signs of its tumultuous history are visible everywhere, juxtaposed with the city’s vibrant modern-day present.

In the evening, a special Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you.

As a motorcoach carries you through the city, you’ll see a mix of architectural styles that reveal the city’s past, ranging from Gothic, Ottoman, baroque, and art nouveau to utilitarian Communist apartment blocks and modern high-rises. You’ll come to a stop at the Karadjordjevic Dynasty Palace, where you’ll sip a glass of sparkling Serbian wine as you tour a compound of palaces built in the 1920s and 1930s. Serbia’s royal family, which is related to most of Europe’s royalty, has a strictly honorary position in modern-day democratic Serbia, but Crown Prince Alexander and his family still live in these palaces. A local expert will show you the public rooms of the Royal Palace, the White Palace, the adjacent chapel, and the spacious grounds.

After touring the palace, it’s time to visit the showstopping Church of Saint Sava. One of the largest Orthodox churches in the world, this impressive building was modeled after Hagia Sophia—evident in the massive copper dome that sits perched above the striking white marble façade.

Mount a bike and spend a leisurely half-day getting an up-close look at Belgrade. Ride towards the island of Ada Ciganlija, an island in the middle of the Sava river with picturesque bike paths that wind through a beautiful park and beach. We’ll circle through the park, just as the locals do when they are looking for an active day out, and take a break with a refreshment before heading back to the ship.

Interested in learning more? Click the link below to view the full itinerary and INCLUDED excursions

CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR INCREDIBLE JOURNEY

📧 chrissycole@escaperealitytravel.net

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