Highlights of Eastern Europe

Arrive at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport. If your cruise/tour 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. (D)

Located on opposite sides of the Danube, Buda and Pest each have their own distinctive character and allure. Explore this dynamic and multifaceted city with your choice of excursions—you can see it from a local's perspective on our walking tour, or cover more ground with a panoramic tour. Vibrant Budapest, Hungary's capital, offers an enchanting combination of East and West. (B/L/WD)

Featured Excursions: Choice of Budapest Communist Tour OR Budapest Panoramic Highlights with Synagogue Visit

Note: In the evening, a special Captain's Welcome Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you.

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, delicious local rustic food. (B/L/D)

Featured Excursions: Choice of Vučedol Culture Museum and Lunch at a Family Restaurant OR Osijek Walking Tour and Home-Hosted Lunch with Eltz Manor Visit

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. (B/L/D)

Featured Excursions: Choice of Nights Out: Serbian History with Private Concert OR Belgrade City Tour with Visit to the Royal Grounds of Karadjordjevic Dynasty Palace OR Let's Go: "I Bike Belgrade" Tour

Head ashore to explore a Paleolithic site and an extraordinarily well-preserved medieval fortress. All along the way, history lines the banks of the river. Keep an eye out for Trajan's Plaque, which the ancient Romans erected to commemorate the road they anchored in the steep cliffs above the water, and Golubac Castle, built in the 14th century and attacked successively by the Serbs, Magyars, and Turks.

Unwind onboard as you cruise the breathtaking Iron Gates, an 83-mile-long (134-kilometer-long) stretch of scenic gorges that were cut through the Carpathian and Balkan mountains over eons by the Danube River. These gorges, which act as a natural border between Serbia and Romania, are among the most dramatic and beautiful sights in all of Europe.

This was one of the swiftest and most dangerous stretches of the river before two dams were built: Iron Gate I and Iron Gate II. Construction on the dams began in 1964 and took 20 years to complete; they have dramatically altered the area's landscape, raising the water level by 114 feet (35 meters) and drowning several islands and villages. (B/L/D)

Featured Excursions: Choice of Lepenski Vir Archaeological Park and Golubac Castle OR Let's Go: Kovilovo Viewpoint Hike

Vidin is a port town on the Danube that once played an important role in medieval Bulgarian politics, as the great fortress Baba Vida attests. It's your base for an unusual excursion today—a visit to the fascinating Belogradchik rock formations. Or you can indulge in a tasting at a local winery. (B/L/D)

Featured Excursions: Choice of Belogradchik Red Rock Valley OR Dos Alamos Wine Estate Visit and Tasting

Bulgaria's foremost Danube port, Ruse is sometimes called “Little Vienna” for its elegant 19th-century mansions and public buildings. (B/L/FD)

Featured Excursions: Choice of Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi with Authentic Bulgarian Lunch OR Ruse Walking Tour with Ivanovo and Basarbovo Monasteries

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

This morning, you'll disembark the ship in Giurgiu and drive through the countryside to Bucharest, where you'll enjoy a panoramic city tour and a visit to People's Palace. Tonight, you'll relax in the comfort of a luxury hotel located in the heart of the city, Romania's capital and its cultural and economic center. (B)

Featured Excursion: Bucharest Communist Tour with People's Palace

Get to know the bustling heart of Romania's capital city with a full day to explore Bucharest on your own. (B)

Check out of your hotel this morning. If your cruise/tour package includes a group departure transfer or if you have purchased a private departure transfer, you will be transferred to Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport for your flight home. (B)