Imperial Capitals of Europe 2013
(Istanbul to Vienna)

Day 1: Istanbul 
Arrive at Istanbul Ataturk Airport, where you will be transferred to the hotel.

Day 2: Istanbul 
Featured Excursions: Istanbul city tour and Grand Bazaar

Today’s panoramic tour takes you to the Hippodrome; the Blue Mosque, with its distinctive minarets and blue Iznik tile walls; spectacular Hagia Sophia, the “Church of Holy Wisdom,” which was built in 535 AD; and Topkapi Palace, a magnificent Ottoman residence. Then wind your way through the maze of interconnecting vaulted passages and more than 6,000 merchant stalls that make up the Grand Bazaar. (BB)

Note: Sultanahmet (Blue Mosque) is a place of active worship. Religious ceremonies might restrict visitors from entering at times. At other times, please obey mosque etiquette.

Note: Hagia Sophia is closed on Mondays and Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays. The city tour of Istanbul will be arranged in accordance with the days they are open. If Hagia Sophia is not available during your stay, we will offer the harem visit in Topkapi Palace instead.

Day 3: Istanbul 
Spend today in leisurely exploration of Istanbul’s many charms. Stroll through the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum or take in the eerie Basilica Cistern, which features a veritable forest of marble columns. (BB)

Day 4: Istanbul, fly to Bucharest, transfer to Giurgiu (embark), Rousse 
Featured Excursion: Bucharest city tour

Leave Istanbul and fly to the Romanian capital of Bucharest for a tour of this eclectic city, with its mix of monumental Communist buildings and French-influenced architecture. Enjoy a local lunch before your motorcoach takes you to Giurgiu, where you will board your Uniworld ship and head toward Rousse. (BB, L, Captain’s Welcome Gala)

Day 5: Rousse (Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi OR Rusenski countryside) 
Featured Excursions: Choice of full-day Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi with authentic Bulgarian lunch OR Ivanovo and Basarbovo monasteries and Rusenski Lom Nature Park with lunch onboard

In Veliko Tarnovo, see the majestic ruins of Tzarevetz Castle. You’ll visit Arbanassi and the Nativity Church, which has glorious 14th-century  frescoes, and stop at a village restaurant for a typical Bulgarian lunch, complete with live folk music. Or opt for a tour of the countryside, which will include the rock-hewn cave churches of Ivanovo and Basarbovo in the craggy precincts of a national forest. (BB, L, D)

Day 6: Cruising the Iron Gates 
Cruise the majestic Iron Gates, a famously difficult stretch of the Danube that has been tamed by dams, and marvel at Roman ruins clinging to the cliffs that tower above the water. (BB, L, D)

Day 7: Belgrade 
Featured Excursion: Belgrade city tour with Kalemegdan Fortress

Enjoy a panoramic drive through Belgrade, explore the vast Kalemegdan Fortress on foot, and see a bit of a city that loves to shop and party. (BB, L, D)

Day 8: Vukovar (Osijek) 
Featured Excursion: Full-day tour of Osijek, school visit, and home-hosted lunch

Children will perform for you at their school before you take in a tour of the town and savor a home-hosted lunch with a Croatian family. (BB, L, D)

Note: School visit not available during school holidays.

Day 9: Mohács (Pécs) 
Featured Excursion: Excursion to Pécs with exclusive wine tasting in Villány Hills

Pécs, a 2010 European Capital of Culture, boasts a fascinating array of Ottoman mosques-turned-churches and Roman ruins. The region is famous for its vinoculture, and you’ll taste the celebrated ruby-red wines produced in the Villány Hills on an exclusive wine excursion. (BB, L, D)

Day 10: Budapest 
Featured Excursions: Choice of Budapest city tour OR Budapest walking discovery of national treasures

A panoramic coach tour shows you all of Budapest’s grand sights, from Castle Hill to the Grand Market. Or discover some of Hungary’s national treasures with a walk through the heart of the city and a visit to the Hungarian Parliament building. (BB, L, D)

Note: Parliament may be closed for official business without prior notice. If the Parliament is closed, we will visit St. Stephen’s Basilica instead.

Day 11: Budapest, Szentendre Island 
Featured Excursion: Exclusive Hungarian reception at Szentendre Island’s Bodor Mayor Horse Farm

You’ll take a motorcoach to Szentendre Island’s Bodor Mayor Horse Farm, where you will be treated to an exclusive horse show by Magyar cowboys. (BB, L, D)

Day 12: Bratislava 
Featured Excursion: Bratislava walking tour

Take a guided stroll through Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. (BB, L, D)

Day 13: Vienna 
Featured Excursions: Choice of Vienna city tour with National Library visit OR exclusive “Vienna, City of Arts” tour with an art historian guide

Get to know Vienna’s imperial history during a tour that takes you along the stately Ringstrasse to the beautiful Austrian National Library. Or opt to explore “Vienna, City of Arts,” with an art historian guide as you see the amazing collections at the Belvedere and the Museum of Fine Arts. (BB, L, D)

Note: The Austrian National Library is closed on Mondays. If the tour lands on a Monday, Mozarthaus will be visited instead.

Day 14: Vienna 
Enjoy free time exploring the “City of Waltzes.” (BB, L, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)

Day 15: Depart Vienna
Disembark the ship and transfer to Vienna International Airport for your flight home, or extend your stay in Prague.(CB/BB)

From exotic Istanbul to regal Vienna, you will have ample time to enjoy the imperial wonders of some of Europe’s most majestic capitals. Explore Istanbul’s striking mosques and opulent palaces. Discover the picturesque Bulgarian towns of Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi, the latter of which is home to the 17th-century Nativity Church—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy time in beautiful Budapest, and let the “City of Waltzes,” Vienna, dazzle you with its distinctive imperial charm.

Take a grand journey along paths forged by conquerors, crusaders, and kings through Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria. Step back in time to explore the history and legends living in the hillsides while cruising the Iron Gates. Immerse yourself in the colorful folktales and musical traditions of the extraordinary people and places you visit. Spend a day exploring the extraordinary Great Hungarian Plain, which boasts some of the world’s most beautiful horses. Taste what has been termed the “Queen of Wines” while on your Epicurean Adventure excursion to Villány. And enjoy a wealth of onboard performances, from Viennese classical to Hungarian folk music.

• 11-night cruise in a riverview stateroom on the stunning River Princess or imperial River Duchess
• 3 nights in Istanbul at the Crowne Plaza Old City Hotel (or similar) with breakfast
• All transfers on arrival and departure days 
• All meals onboard, prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients
• 14 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 11 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 8 countries
• 13 excursions, including 3 “Choice Is Yours” options, fully hosted by English-speaking local expert
• Exclusive Go Active Program and "Gentle Walking" Program
• 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
• Services of an experienced Uniworld Cruise Manager
• State-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio headset system on all shore excursions
• Use of bicycles and Nordic walking sticks
• Captivating onboard local entertainment
• Signature Lecture: “What are the Balkans?”
• Exclusive Epicurean Adventurer Program

Istanbul: Crowne Plaza Old City Hotel or similar
Cruising: Cabin onboard River Duchess or River Princess

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.
• Above prices include all intra-tour air related charges.
• Hotel in Istanbul is subject to change.
• Prices exclude additional port charges of $220.
• 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.