Enchanting Danube and The Castles of Transylvania

Experience the highlights of Eastern and Western Europe, then dive into the mystique of the Dracula myth on a private train journey through Romania.

Lend your European adventure a layer of mystique on a luxury private train through the country that inspired the myth of Count Dracula. Amongst spectacular scenery and fascinating local cultures, you’ll trace the legend back to Romania’s infamous Vlad the Impaler. Visit his castle, as well as the real-world castle upon which Bram Stoker based his eerie depiction of Dracula’s home.

The shimmering waters of the fabled Danube River flow for thousands of miles through the very heart of Europe, silent witness to centuries of artistic achievement and historical events. This perfectly composed journey provides an immersive cultural tasting menu of four equally beguiling countries—ideal for first-time river cruisers as well as seasoned globetrotters seeking to experience yet another dimension of these much-loved destinations.

Our locally-based destination experts will take you well beyond the “must-sees” of each region, offering fresh takes on classic sites, insider knowledge of delightful under-the-radar locales, and VIP access to places only a privileged few will ever experience—such as a private early-morning viewing of the acclaimed art collection of the Kunstkammer Vienna.

A veritable showcase of the best of Central Europe, this journey is one any culturally curious world explorer will love, featuring old-world capitals and charming towns and villages.

Your Luxury Cruise & Rail Holiday Package Includes

• $1500 flight credit
• 2 nights in 5* accommodation in Munich including breakfast
• 12 day Enchanting Danube & The Castles of Transylvania River Cruise & Rail combination with Uniworld, Passau to Budapest
• Includes 7 night cruise in a riverview stateroom onboard the majestic S.S Maria Theresa
• 4 nights in a luxury cabin onboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express private train
• 1 night in 5* accommodation in Budapest including breakfast
• Private Luxury Car airport transfers

**Package is per person twin share and based on travel from 21 October - 04 November 2022

**Single traveller rates are available, please speak to your travel consultant for details

Speak to your travel consultant about extending your stay

DINING

• All meals onboard cruise and train, prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients
• 11 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 11 dinners
• Captain’s Welcome and Farewell Receptions
• Welcome and Farewell Gala Dinners
• Unlimited beverages onboard, including fine wine, beer, spirits, specialty coffee and tea, soft drinks and mineral water

EXCURSIONS

• 10 days of excursions, including “Choice Is Yours” options, all fully hosted by English-speaking local experts
• Guided “Do as the Locals Do” and “Let's Go” programs
• State-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio-headset system on all excursions
• Use of bicycles and Nordic walking sticks

ACCOMMODATIONS

• 7-night cruise in a riverview stateroom onboard the majestic S.S. Maria Theresa
• 4 nights in a luxury cabin onboard the Golden Eagle Danube Express private train
• Well-appointed en-suite sleeping cabins and suites have remote controlled air-conditioning and heating, individual bathrobes and slippers, wardrobes, large viewing windows and day seating that converts into comfortable beds for the evening.
• 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 Wi-Fi

EXPERIENCES

• 5 countries: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania
• 6 UNESCO World Heritage sites
• Services of an experienced Uniworld Cruise Manager
• All transfers on arrival and departure days
• Gratuities for onboard personnel (ship staff, crew, Cruise/Tour Manager) are included during the cruise/tour
• Captivating onboard local entertainment
• Cultural enrichment, including Signature Lectures

Itinerary:

DAY 1: Passau (Embark)

Arrive at Munich Airport. If your cruise 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.

DAY 2: Passau

Passau is a crossroads in more ways than one, as three rivers meet here and three nations nearly do, making for a fascinating cultural mosaic. Get to know the town and its main claim to fame—Europe’s largest pipe organ—or “Let’s Go” with an invigorating riverside hike or bike ride.

Choice of Passau three rivers or “Let's Go” bicycle ride along the Inn River or “Let's Go” hike along the Ilz River

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

DAY 3: Linz (Salzburg)

Mozart’s birthplace of Salzburg is nestled in a glorious alpine setting that sparkles like a winter wonderland. Linz may be best known for its famous Linzer torte, but it’s also a hotbed for the arts. See the sights with a local expert and visit a family at their farm in the countryside. Austria’s third-largest city, Linz boasts a long history of trading and textile manufacturing, but these days it is perhaps best known for its electronic arts and annual festival.

Choice of Full-day in Salzburg with Sound of Music or Linz town and country: Linzertorte and cider farm visit

DAY 4: Melk, Dürnstein

This morning, visit the 900-year-old Melk Abbey and its extraordinary baroque-style library.  Later, you will head to Dürnstein, one of our favorite towns along the Danube, a lovely place to wander cobblestone lanes, browse quaint shops and maybe hike up to a ruined castle (with an intriguing tale all its own). You can also opt for a tasting or learn all about the world’s costliest spice from the Wachau Valley’s only saffron grower. You have two ports of call in the incredibly scenic valley, Dürnstein and Melk, and an assortment of delightful ways to explore this lovely region.

Featured Excursion:

Melk Abbey with library visit

Choice of Dürnstein wine estate visit with tasting (MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences) or Dürnstein village and saffron workshop (MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences)

MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences Excursions:

Dürnstein wine estate visit with tasting

Dürnstein village and saffron workshop

Our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences support sustainable tourism, offering our guests opportunities to directly impact the communities we explore in a positive way.

DAY 5: Vienna

Vienna is a cultural treasure trove revered for its art and music (and sinfully rich pastries). Experience the “City of Waltzes” with your choice of tours, as well as an expertly led tour of an extraordinary collection of art at the renowned Vienna Art History Museum.

Featured Excursions:

“Morning with the Masters” at the Vienna Art History Museum

Private Mozart and Strauss concert

Choice of Vienna - Imperial City highlights or Vienna's music and composers

You have leisure time after your tour to explore Vienna on your own. You might wish to visit the Albertina Museum, which houses one million old-master prints and an impressive collection of works by 19th- and 20th-century painters, ranging from Renoir to Rothko.If you’d like to get a little exercise and see a completely different side of Vienna, borrow a bike from the ship and explore Danube Island and Prater Park. (For a wonderful view of the region, ride the Ferris wheel in Prater Park.)

DAY 6: Vienna, Bratislava

Your ship sets sail from Vienna and heads for Bratislava today. You may relax onboard all day, perhaps enjoying a drink on the Sun Deck and taking in the scenery as the ship wends its way along the Austrian Danube toward Bratislava. Although it’s not a large city, Bratislava has played a leading role in the politics and culture of the region for many centuries, and it is well worth a visit.

Choice of Bratislava - small but precious walking tour or "Let's Go" hike to Bratislava Castle

DAY 7: Budapest

Budapest is an enchanting city that presents a vibrant mix of medieval and modern.

Choice of Budapest panoramic highlights with Opera House visit or Budapest walk with local treats

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

DAY 8: Budapest (Disembark), Transfer to Train (Embark), Lajosmizse, Kecskemet

Transfer from the ship to Budapest Nyugati station, where you can enjoy a morning drinks reception in the impressive Royal Waiting Room before boarding the Golden Eagle Danube Express. Settle into your cabin and later enjoy lunch as the train heads to Lajosmizse for a spectacular ‘Puszta’ horse show. Afterwards there is time to explore Kecskemét, a fascinating city at the geographical center of Hungary. Back on board, enjoy a pre-dinner drink in the Bar Lounge Car as the train continues across the Great Hungarian Plain and dine as you head towards Romania and Transylvania.

DAY 9: Sibiu, Sighișoara

After breakfast onboard, your train will arrive in the 13th-century town of Sibiu, Romania, where you will spend the morning touring the area. Reboard for lunch as your train travels to Sighișoara for a guided walking tour of the town’s main highlights. A World Heritage Site and the rumored birthplace of Dracula, it is one of the best-preserved fortified medieval towns in Europe. Burgher houses and ornate churches line its cobbled streets. Dinner is served onboard as your train departs for Brasov and its castles in the Carpathian Mountains.

DAY 10: Sinaia, Brasov

Early morning will find you at Sinaia, where you’ll detrain after breakfast and travel the short distance to the stunning neo-Renaissance Peles Castle. Stop for lunch on the train before moving on to Brasov for a tour of the medieval Old Town, then head out to the Rasnov Citadel and Castle. Late in the afternoon, you’ll visit Bran Castle, popularly known as Dracula’s Castle, due to it being the setting for Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The beautiful 14th-century building is situated amongst stunning mountain scenery. The castle will be exclusively for you and your fellow passengers in the early evening and, following a tour of the castle, there will be a Gala Dinner.

DAY 11: Cluj-Napoca

Arrive in Cluj-Napoca in the early morning. An 800 year-old city that was the capital of Transylvania during its independence, Cluj-Napoca became an “unofficial capital” when Transylvania was annexed into Romania. The city is built on the banks of the Somesul river at the edge of the Apuseni Mountains. Spend the morning touring the city before rejoining the train for lunch as you head back towards Hungary and across the Hungarian Plain to Budapest, where you’ll arrive in the Budapest Railway Museum during the farewell dinner onboard. Your final night onboard will be spent parked in the museum.

DAY 12: Budapest (Disembark)

Disembark the train and transfer to Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport for your flight home.

Prices listed are per person in Australian Dollars, based on twin occupancy, including all discounts unless otherwise stated. The offer is subject to availability at time of booking and shown on the lowest inside category available at the time. Fares are capacity controlled and are subject to change at any time without notice. Prices and routing is a guide only and may change. Prices/Offers are correct as at 21 June 2021 and can be withdrawn without notice. Cruise deposit, amendment and cancellation conditions apply. Cabin categories include prepaid government fees and port taxes unless otherwise stated. Hotels may charge resort fees not included in this package, payable direct upon check in.  All passports, vaccinations and visas are the responsibility of the travelling guest to secure prior to departure. Airfare credits are based on economy class flights ex Australia and subject to the carriers’ flight schedules and conditions, please call us for prices from other cities. Payments made by credit card will incur a surcharge.