GRAND CENTRAL EUROPE
Price
Duration
Min People
Tour Type
Tour Code
UNI-GRDEUR
Overview
Why choose between the quaint scenery of the Rhine and the awe-inspiring sights along the Danube when you can combine both for the ultimate journey down the two longest rivers in Central Europe?
Begin your journey in the picturesque city of Basel and end in imperial Vienna, two showstopping destinations to highlight your cruise. Along the way, you’ll cruise through 3 different rivers—the Rhine, Main and Danube—to visit Switzerland, France, Germany and Austria.
You’ll visit the resort town of Baden-Baden and climb to the treetops of Bamberg, wander the palatial residences of historic rulers and venture into the Bavarian forest. Taste Rheingau wines and German beers at the source. Wonder at the Wachau Valley’s riverscapes and the equally incredible agricultural products grown there. This adventure is full of memorable moments from first to last.
Grand Central Europe is a combination of Rhine River Valley and Authentic Danube.
Included/Excluded
- All meals onboard, prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients
- 14 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 14 dinners
- 2 Welcome and 2 Farewell Gala Dinners
- Unlimited beverages onboard, including fine wine, beer, spirits, specialty coffee and tea, soft drinks and mineral water
- 12 days of excursions, all fully hosted by English-speaking local experts
- A variety of onshore tours, including guided “Let's Go” and “Village Day” programs
- State-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio-headset system on all excursions
- Use of bicycles and Nordic walking sticks
- 14-night cruise in a riverview stateroom on the regal River Princess
- Lavishly appointed riverview staterooms and suites have handcrafted Savoir® Beds of England, high thread count 100% Egyptian cotton sheets and European duvets, and a menu of pillow options
- Free Internet and Wi-Fi access
- 4 countries: Germany, France, Switzerland and Austria
- Multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites
- Services of an experienced Uniworld Cruise/Tour Manager
- Group Transfers are included on arrival and departure days (please see terms and conditions for transfer guidelines)
- Gratuities for onboard personnel (ship staff, crew, Cruise/Tour Manager) are included during the cruise/tour
- Captivating onboard local entertainment
Day 1: Vienna (Embark)
- Transfer from Vienna International Airport to your ship.
- If your cruise package includes a group arrival transfer or if you have purchased a private transfer, you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the ship.
Note: For Arrival, Departure and Transfer details, please visit Uniworld.com/transfers. For Port Location details, please visit Uniworld.com/ports.
Day 2: Vienna
- On this day, explore the “City of Waltzes” and dive into its vast artistic legacy.
- The city is known for its imperial palaces, famous residents, and expansive art collections.
Featured Excursion:
- Schönbrunn Palace Tour
Choose between:
- Magical History Tour OR Schönbrunn Royal Experience
Masterpiece Collection (optional experience):
- Vienna Culinary Walking Tour
Day 3: Weissenkirchen, Melk
- Start your day in the heart of the Danube’s Wachau Valley, strolling through Weissenkirchen’s idyllic wine village while sampling mouth watering apricot treats.
- Named for its white church that dominates the landscape, the city is flanked by vineyard-lined hills, historic houses, and beautiful courtyards.
- The Melk Abbey is a baroque monastery and sits atop a rocky formation overlooking the Danube.
In the evening, a special Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you.
Featured Excursion:
- Let’s Go: Vineyard Hike
Choose between:
- Melk Abbey with Library OR Weissenkirchen Village Walk with Wine Tasting OR Secrets of Weissenkirchen
Day 4: Engelhartszell, Passau, Vilshofen
- Experience Germany’s great outdoors by biking along the Danube River.
- Arrive in the afternoon at the “City of Three Rivers,” Passau, where the Danube, Inn, and Ilz rivers join together, at one time bringing an influx of wealth and culture into the region.
Featured Excursion:
- Let’s Go: Scenic Bavarian River Biking
- Passau Walking Tour
- Pedal Passau
Choose between:
- Ilz River Splash OR Treasure Hunt Trek
Day 5: Degendorf, Straubing
- Nestled between Regensburg and Passau sits a town surrounded by the foothills of the Bavarian Forest, Deggendorf.
- Journey deep into the alluring Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany’s first national park, and discover outdoor leisure at its best.
Featured Excursion:
- Bavarian Forest Adventure
- Nights Out: The Regensburg Cathedral Choir
- Into the Woods
Day 6: Regensburg
- The nearly 2,000-year-old history of Regensburg begins with a Roman fort in 90 AD, from which Regensburg grew into the large and prosperous trade center that it became in the last few centuries of the Medieval period.
- This long history has been excellently preserved through Regensburg’s iconic architecture—particularly its many Gothic and Romanesque churches and Patrician houses.
Featured Excursion:
- The Adventure Ball
Choose between:
- Regensburg Walking Tour OR “From Hops Field to Beer Stein” Farm Visit
Day 7: Nuremberg
- The archetypal medieval German city, Nuremberg was once the unofficial capital of the Holy Roman Empire, housing many German kings in the Kaiserburg castle complex
- Later, this city became the epicenter of the Nazi party.
- When the end of WWII left Nuremberg almost completely leveled, it was chosen to be the site of the war crimes tribunal—the Nuremberg Trials. Now, most of the city has been restored, including the old castle.
Featured Excursion:
- The Nuremberg Express
Choose between:
- Nuremberg City Walk & Art Bunker Visit OR Nuremberg City Tour with WWII Rally Grounds and Documentation Center Visits
Day 8: Nuremberg
- Other passengers are heading home today, but you are only halfway through your marvelous holiday.
- Enjoy a day of leisure exploring beautiful and historic Nuremberg.
Day 9: Bamberg
- Bamberg in its entirety is not only described as beautiful but has often been regarded as one of Germany’s most attractive settlements, with its picturesque architecture, intersecting canals and rivers, and charming stores and restaurants, all framed by rolling hills.
Choose between:
- Bamberg Walking Tour OR Let’s Go: Treetop Hike
Masterpiece Collection (optional experience):
- Bamberg Beer Experience
Day 10: Würzburg
- The opulent Würzburg Residence, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers a true sense of the region’s history through the European Renaissance.
- It even contains the world’s largest ceiling fresco by Tiepolo. Visit the Residence and its carefully restored gardens or get to know the Würzburg wine scene with a tasting.
Choose between:
- Würzburg Residence Visit with Court Gardens OR Würzburg Wine Cellar
Day 11: Miltenberg
- The perfect German town calls for a day full of quintessential German experiences.
- Resting on the left bank of the Main, Miltenberg is classically quaint with its charming squares, farmland, biking and pedestrian paths, impressive castles, and one of Germany’s oldest inns.
Featured Excursion:
- Miltenberg Walking Tour with Brotzeit
Day 12: Mainz
- Your day in Mainz includes a visit to one of Germany’s most stunning locales: Heidelberg.
Featured Excursion:
- Romantic Heidelberg
Day 13: Rastatt (Baden-Baden), Strasbourg
- Strasbourg is invariably described as quaint, with its cobbled lanes, half-timbered homes, giant stork nests and impossible-to-resist pastry shops.
- While we’re docked here today, make sure to get out and explore this charming town—but you won’t want to miss our day trip to the blissful spa town of Baden-Baden.
In the evening, a special Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you.
Choose between:
- Strasbourg Panoramic Tour with Cathedral and Old Town Walk OR Baden – Baden City Tour with Casino
Day 14: Breisach
- Breisach is often referred to as the gateway to the Black Forest, which you will venture into on today’s excursion.
Featured Excursion:
- Black Forest Day
Day 15: Basel (Disembark)
- Disembark the ship.
- If your cruise package includes a group departure transfer or if you have purchased a private departure transfer, you will be transferred to EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg airport for your flight home.