8 Nights | European Holiday Markets
About Austria
Experience Europe’s old-world charms during the most magical time of the year “Welcome, young and old, to my little community of wood and cloth.” These words spoken by the Christkind open the Nuremberg Christmas Market. Though the iconic representative of the market is named for the infant Jesus, she—yes, she—is a girl dressed as a crowned angel. All over Germany, the Christkind is a symbol of the holiday’s magic.This cruise takes you to some of the most famous and delightful holiday markets in Central Europe. At each market, you’ll find wooden stalls displaying traditional crafts that range from quirky little characters made of fruit and dressed in Bavarian costume to beautifully carved and painted Nativity figures. You’ll also find exquisite ornaments and fine contemporary crafts, along with fairytale villages decked in holiday finery.Sparkling lights illuminate ancient cathedral squares and the sound of children’s laughter mingles with carols. Enjoy Uniworld’s exclusive “Taste of Christmas” program in Vienna, where you’ll see astonishing confectionary decorations in Café Demel’s windows. Celebrate the season in a new way as you meander through old lands, and remember, as the Christkind says, “While this market’s splendor is fleeting, the joy it brings is eternal.”Who will enjoy this cruiseThose looking to experience Europe at its most magical will enjoy the chance to discover the delightful holiday traditions and treats of Germany and Austria, and to find special gifts for loved ones back home.
Highlights
YOUR CRUISE PACKAGE INCLUDES:
TRAVEL
7-night cruise in a riverview stateroom on the stunning River Princess
All transfers on arrival and departure days
TASTE
All meals onboard, prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients
7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 7 dinners
Captain’s Welcome and Farewell Receptions
Welcome and Farewell Gala Dinners
Unlimited beverages onboard, including fine wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks, specialty coffee and tea, and mineral water
EXPLORE
2 countries
6 days of excursions, including “Choice is Yours” options, all fully hosted by English-speaking local experts
Guided “Taste of Christmas” and “Gentle Walking” programs
3 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 Nordic walking sticks
EXPERIENCE
Captivating onboard local entertainment
Cultural enrichment, including a Signature
Lecture: “The Sound of Christmas Music, from ‘Silent Night’ to Christmas Oratorio”
You will visit the following 5 places:
Vienna
Vienna is the capital of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.7 million (2.4 million within the metropolitan area, more than 25% of Austria's population), and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre. It is the 10th-largest city by population in the European Union. Vienna is host to many major international organizations, such as the United Nations and OPEC. The city is also known for its Imperial palaces, including Schönbrunn, the Habsburgs’ summer residence. Apart from being regarded as the City of Music because of its musical legacy, Vienna is also said to be "The City of Dreams" because it was home to the world's first psycho-analyst – Sigmund Freud.
Nuremberg
Nuremberg is a city on the river Pegnitz and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. When people think of Nuremberg, they usually think of gingerbread, toys, Christmas, the Reich Party Rally Grounds, or the Nuremberg Trials. But the old town of Nuremberg is much more than this and indeed Nuremberg probably comes closest to many tourists' expectations of a typical German city: On the one hand one can find half-timbered houses, gothic churches within a medival city wall in the shadow of the towering imperial castle, which was one of the most important residences of the emporers of the Holy Roman Empire.
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria. Since December 1, 2014 Linz is a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities (UCCN) network as a City of Media Arts. Cities receive this title for enriching the urban lifestyle through the sponsorship and successful integration of media art and involving society in these electronic art forms. Linz is well known for the Linzer torte, which is said to be the oldest cake in the world, with its first recipe dating from 1653.