Capital Cities of the Danube (2026)
The great Danube River, once the lifeblood of empires, has been home to Europe’s greatest cities for eons. Join us on a journey spanning the four capital cities that sit along the banks of the Danube.The great Danube River, once the lifeblood of empires, has been home to Europe’s greatest cities for eons. Join us on a journey spanning the four capital cities that sit along the banks of the Danube—glittering Vienna, charming Bratislava, eclectic Budapest, and storied Belgrade. As we go, we’ll contrast the hustle and bustle of city life with blissful countryside views and stops in a couple of our favorite towns in between.
Other Excursions:
As a motorcoach carries you through the city, you’ll see a mix of architectural styles that reveal the city’s past, ranging from Gothic, Ottoman, baroque, and art nouveau to utilitarian Communist apartment blocks and modern high-rises. While Belgrade has been no stranger to political upheaval, the 19th-century Residence of Princess Ljubica and serene old residential streets speak of calmer days, as do the bustling present-day café-lined boulevards. You’ll pass the tomb and memorial museum of Josip Broz Tito, which is located at the site of Tito’s former residence in Belgrade’s affluent Dedinje neighborhood, and visit Kalemegdan Fortress, high on a hill above the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers.
Ancient Romans built the first fortress here, and successive conquerors and defenders—Slavs, Byzantines, Ottomans, Habsburgs—continued to build and destroy fortifications on this site for another 1,500 years. Walk along the old stone walls, passing monuments and memorials (some will surprise you—poets and composers are honored here as well as military actions), for a sense of Serbia’s distant and more recent history. It’s not the only intriguing historical sight you’ll see today, however. You will also visit the Karadjordjevic Dynasty Palace and sip a glass of sparkling Serbian wine as you tour a compound of palaces built in the 1920s and 1930s. Serbia’s royal family, which is related to most of Europe’s royalty, has a strictly honorary position in modern-day democratic Serbia, but Crown Prince Alexander (who did not feel that taking the title of king was appropriate when his father died in exile in the United States in 1972) and his family still live in these palaces. A local expert will show you the public rooms of the Royal Palace, the White Palace, the adjacent chapel, and the spacious grounds.
Mount a bike and spend a leisurely half-day getting an up-close look at Belgrade. Ride towards the island of Ada Ciganlija, an island in the middle of the Sava river with picturesque bike paths that wind through a beautiful park and beach. We’ll circle through the park, just as the locals do when they are looking for an active day out, and take a break with a refreshment before heading back to the ship.
A special Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences Excursion:
- Traditional Serbia
Follow a local guide around the city of Novi Sad, a town that seems designed for the perfect leisurely stroll. Flat, walkable streets and charming squares offer something beautiful to look at everywhere you go—whether it’s the surprising pastel hues of Neo-Gothic structures or street art.
The city is a treasure trove of culture and history, and also an excellent jumping-off point for more niche experiences. Today, we’ll visit a local monastery led entirely by women. Here, in addition to participating in personal prayer and liturgical life, the sisters create many works of art, such as painted icons, mosaics, sewn and embroidered gifts, ceramics, rosaries, crosses, and more. All proceeds from their art goes back into the community and the church.
We’ll also visit a traditional Serbian establishment known as a Salas. A salas—pronounced “sha-lahs”—is a countryside estate where visitors can experience the rural Serbian lifestyle and appreciate the rustic cuisine of the region. Enjoy a tasting of delicious Serbian fare during our stop here today.
This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience supports Global Goal 5: Gender Equality; Global Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities; and Global Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
This excursion is only available on sailings that belong to the MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences program.
Other Excursions:
Other Excursions:
Visit the Vučedol Culture Museum. The concept behind this unique museum is integration into the terrain—the entire structure is designed to be mostly buried in the ground and only the façade is open to the landscape. On the building’s green roof, you can reach the archaeological sites over the museum. Along the serpentine path, you’ll encounter archaeological findings that have been discovered to date, which showcase the daily life and customs during a turbulent time of the immigration of the first Indo-Europeans and their relationship with the native population, the blending of material cultures and religions.
Following your time at the museum, you’ll be welcomed into a local family’s home for a traditional meal before embarking on a sightseeing tour of Osijek with a local guide. As you walk through cultural heart of Croatia’s Slavonia region, you’ll note the city’s attractive ambience, nostalgic charm, and plentiful green spaces.
Other Excursions:
Other Excursions:
This brilliantly white, enormous square building takes over the skyline of Bratislava, and from its grounds you’ll find incredible views of the city below.
After your hike to the castle, you’ll stroll through the most beautiful part of Bratislava with the local guide. You will be introduced to the Capital of Slovakia, seeing sites like the Presidential Palace and the unique bridge colloquially known as UFO Bridge (you’ll understand when you see it).
Passing through the historic Old Town, we’ll see the charming House of the Good Shepherd, the pastel tower of the Old Town Hall, and statues like Čumil, the sewage worker leaning out of a manhole in the street to smile at passersby.
Featured Excursion:
- Nights Out: The Belvedere
Other Excursions:
Ring Street, the great horseshoe-shaped boulevard lined with many of the city’s major landmarks—Parliament, City Hall, the Vienna State Opera, glorious palaces, and museums—is a mere 150 years old, practically an infant for a city of Vienna’s age. It replaced the walls and fortifications that had protected the city for centuries. Its construction was a testament to confidence, forward-thinking, and grand urban planning, and it resulted in a 50-year building spree. You’ll pass most of these opulent landmarks on your way to the older section of the city, the area the walls once enclosed.
Later, you’ll walk along Kärntner Street, the celebrated pedestrian boulevard that links the State Opera with St. Stephen’s Cathedral, past the elegant shops on the Graben and the Kohlmarkt. The neighborhood offers a lively combination of historic architecture, street performances, shoppers’ delights, and true Viennese atmosphere.
Today's excursion also includes a visit to Hofburg Palace.
In the evening, a special Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you.
Featured Excursions:
- Imperial City Highlights with Hofburg Palace Visit
Ring Street, the great horseshoe-shaped boulevard lined with many of the city’s major landmarks—Parliament, City Hall, the Vienna State Opera, glorious palaces, and museums—is a mere 150 years old, practically an infant for a city of Vienna’s age. It replaced the walls and fortifications that had protected the city for centuries. Its construction was a testament to confidence, forward-thinking, and grand urban planning, and it resulted in a 50-year building spree. You’ll pass most of these opulent landmarks on your way to the older section of the city, the area the walls once enclosed.
Later, you’ll walk along Kärntner Street, the celebrated pedestrian boulevard that links the State Opera with St. Stephen’s Cathedral, past the elegant shops on the Graben and the Kohlmarkt. The neighborhood offers a lively combination of historic architecture, street performances, shoppers’ delights, and true Viennese atmosphere.
Today's excursion also includes a visit to Hofburg Palace.
- Nights Out: The Belvedere
A special Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening.
Other Excursions:
This brilliantly white, enormous square building takes over the skyline of Bratislava, and from its grounds you’ll find incredible views of the city below.
After your hike to the castle, you’ll stroll through the most beautiful part of Bratislava with the local guide. You will be introduced to the Capital of Slovakia, seeing sites like the Presidential Palace and the unique bridge colloquially known as UFO Bridge (you’ll understand when you see it).
Passing through the historic Old Town, we’ll see the charming House of the Good Shepherd, the pastel tower of the Old Town Hall, and statues like Čumil, the sewage worker leaning out of a manhole in the street to smile at passersby.
Other Excursions:
Other Excursions:
Set out on a sightseeing tour of Osijek with a local guide. As you walk through cultural heart of Croatia’s Slavonia region, you’ll note the city’s attractive ambience, nostalgic charm, and plentiful green spaces.
Later, you’ll be welcomed into a local family’s home for an authentic country meal before heading off to visit the Vučedol Museum. The concept behind this unique museum is integration into the terrain—the entire structure is designed to be mostly buried in the ground and only the façade is open to the landscape. On the building’s green roof, you can reach the archaeological sites over the museum. Along the serpentine path, you’ll encounter archaeological findings that have been discovered to date, which showcase the daily life and customs during a turbulent time of the immigration of the first Indo-Europeans and their relationship with the native population, the blending of material cultures and religions.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences Excursion:
- Traditional Serbia
Follow a local guide around the city of Novi Sad, a town that seems designed for the perfect leisurely stroll. Flat, walkable streets and charming squares offer something beautiful to look at everywhere you go—whether it’s the surprising pastel hues of Neo-Gothic structures or street art.
The city is a treasure trove of culture and history, and also an excellent jumping-off point for more niche experiences. Today, we’ll visit a local monastery led entirely by women. Here, in addition to participating in personal prayer and liturgical life, the sisters create many works of art, such as painted icons, mosaics, sewn and embroidered gifts, ceramics, rosaries, crosses, and more. All proceeds from their art goes back into the community and the church.
We’ll also visit a traditional Serbian establishment known as a Salas. A salas—pronounced “sha-lahs”—is a countryside estate where visitors can experience the rural Serbian lifestyle and appreciate the rustic cuisine of the region. Enjoy a tasting of delicious Serbian fare during our stop here today.
This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience supports Global Goal 5: Gender Equality; Global Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities; and Global Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
This excursion is only available on sailings that belong to the MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences program.
Other Excursions:
Other Excursions:
As a motorcoach carries you through the city, you’ll see a mix of architectural styles that reveal the city’s past, ranging from Gothic, Ottoman, baroque, and art nouveau to utilitarian Communist apartment blocks and modern high-rises. While Belgrade has been no stranger to political upheaval, the 19th-century Residence of Princess Ljubica and serene old residential streets speak of calmer days, as do the bustling present-day café-lined boulevards. You’ll pass the tomb and memorial museum of Josip Broz Tito, which is located at the site of Tito’s former residence in Belgrade’s affluent Dedinje neighborhood, and visit Kalemegdan Fortress, high on a hill above the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers.
Ancient Romans built the first fortress here, and successive conquerors and defenders—Slavs, Byzantines, Ottomans, Habsburgs—continued to build and destroy fortifications on this site for another 1,500 years. Walk along the old stone walls, passing monuments and memorials (some will surprise you—poets and composers are honored here as well as military actions), for a sense of Serbia’s distant and more recent history. It’s not the only intriguing historical sight you’ll see today, however. You will also visit the Karadjordjevic Dynasty Palace and sip a glass of sparkling Serbian wine as you tour a compound of palaces built in the 1920s and 1930s. Serbia’s royal family, which is related to most of Europe’s royalty, has a strictly honorary position in modern-day democratic Serbia, but Crown Prince Alexander (who did not feel that taking the title of king was appropriate when his father died in exile in the United States in 1972) and his family still live in these palaces. A local expert will show you the public rooms of the Royal Palace, the White Palace, the adjacent chapel, and the spacious grounds.
Mount a bike and spend a leisurely half-day getting an up-close look at Belgrade. Ride towards the island of Ada Ciganlija, an island in the middle of the Sava river with picturesque bike paths that wind through a beautiful park and beach. We’ll circle through the park, just as the locals do when they are looking for an active day out, and take a break with a refreshment before heading back to the ship.
In the evening, a special Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you.
| Cruise Departure | Double Occupancy Pricing | Ship | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sun, 10 May 2026
(Vienna to Belgrade) |
$0.00 |
S.S. Emilie |
Select this date | |
|
Sun, 17 May 2026
(Belgrade to Vienna) |
$0.00 |
S.S. Emilie |
Select this date | |
|
Sun, 07 Jun 2026
(Vienna to Belgrade) |
$11,249.00 |
S.S. Emilie |
Select this date | |
|
Sun, 14 Jun 2026
(Belgrade to Vienna) |
$11,249.00 |
S.S. Emilie |
Select this date | |
|
Sun, 05 Jul 2026
(Vienna to Belgrade) |
$9,599.00 |
S.S. Emilie |
Select this date | |
|
Sun, 12 Jul 2026
(Belgrade to Vienna) |
$0.00 |
S.S. Emilie |
Select this date | |
|
Sun, 02 Aug 2026
(Vienna to Belgrade) |
$0.00 |
S.S. Emilie |
Select this date | |
|
Sun, 09 Aug 2026
(Belgrade to Vienna) |
$9,599.00 |
S.S. Emilie |
Select this date | |
|
Sun, 27 Sep 2026
(Vienna to Belgrade) |
$0.00 |
S.S. Emilie |
Select this date | |
|
Sun, 04 Oct 2026
(Belgrade to Vienna) |
$0.00 |
S.S. Emilie |
Select this date | |
|
Sun, 25 Oct 2026
(Vienna to Belgrade) |
$10,799.00 |
S.S. Emilie |
Select this date | |
|
Sun, 01 Nov 2026
(Belgrade to Vienna) |
$9,599.00 |
S.S. Emilie |
Select this date | |
- All fares are per guest in US Dollars based on double occupancy unless otherwise noted.
- Fares are capacity controlled and are subject to change at any time without notice.
- Availability of all stateroom categories cannot be guaranteed.
- Single Supplement applies for single accommodation.
- Itineraries, hotels, and vessels may change, and substitute visits to other sites may occur during your trip due to water level fluctuations and other uncontrollable factors.
- The order of sightseeing and docking ports are subject to change according to port authority assignments.
- Prices exclude additional port charges of $240 per person
Dining
- All meals onboard, prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients
- 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners
- Welcome and Farewell Gala Dinners
- Captain’s Welcome and Farewell Receptions
- Unlimited beverages onboard the S.S. Emilie, including fine wine, beer, spirits, specialty coffee and tea, soft drinks, and mineral water
Excursions
- 6 days of excursions, all fully hosted by English-speaking local experts
- 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 S.S. Emilie
- Lavishly appointed riverview staterooms and suites on the cruise 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: Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Serbia, Slovakia
- 2 UNESCO World Heritage sites
- Gratuities for onboard personnel (ship staff, crew, Cruise/Tour Manager) are included during the cruise/tour
- Services of an experienced Uniworld Cruise Manager
- Captivating onboard local entertainment
- Cultural enrichment
