S.S. La Venezia, 15 Night Cruise & Rail: Grand Alpine & the Jewels of Veneto ex Budapest, Hungary to Venice, Italy

Begin your journey in the stunning cities of Budapest and Vienna, from which you’ll ascend into the idyllic wonderland of the Alps via a luxury overnight train. Your days will be filled with unbelievable mountain scenery, picturesque lakes, and unforgettable experiences. Enjoy lunch on Lake Como, sample Swiss fondue in Zürich, head into Slovenia’s Postojna caves on a private visit, and more.

Then travel to romantic Venice and treat yourself to the ultimate Venetian vacation, perfected by one unique quality: your stay onboard our floating boutique hotel. Not only will you benefit from an enviable location in Venice, but you’ll also find that your hotel transports you to hidden gem towns nearby.

Day 1 - Budapest
Arrive at the airport in Budapest. 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 Four Seasons Gresham Palace hotel (or similar).

Day 2 - Budapest (Embark), Vienna
This morning, you will check out of your hotel and transfer to the Golden Eagle Danube Express for a departure into Vienna. Settle into your cabin, then enjoy lunch as the train makes its way to the capital of Austria, where you’ll have the opportunity to take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the cobbled streets of the Old Town, visit the famous Schönbrunn Palace, or enjoy some free time to explore on your own.
In the evening, we will enjoy a private concert featuring the Vienna Supreme Orchestra.

Day 3 - Lake Achen, Innsbruck
Today will be one of the real highlights of the journey as we depart from Vienna in the morning and travel across central Austria and into the Alps on an incredibly scenic route. Keep your cameras at the ready as we climb over the Semmering Pass with its 16 viaducts and 15 tunnels, through the famous skiing village of Kitzbuhel to Jenbach, where we’ll take a scenic drive to the picturesque Lake Achen for a cruise on the water.
From here we travel by bus the short distance to Innsbruck, the capital of Austria’s western state of Tyrol and an Alpine city that has long been a destination for winter sports. Innsbruck is also known for its Imperial and modern architecture.

Day 4 - Vorarlberg, Zürich
Sit back, relax, and watch the scenery of the Vorarlberg unfold in front of your eyes this morning as we pass through St. Anton before crossing through Liechtenstein and then into Switzerland, where we run along the whole of the Lake of Zürich before arriving in the city.
The city of Zürich, a global center for banking and finance, lies at the north end of Lake Zürich in northern Switzerland. The picturesque lanes of the central Altstadt (Old Town), on either side of the Limmat River, reflect its pre-medieval history. Waterfront promenades like the Limmatquai follow the river toward the 17th-century Rathaus (Town Hall). While we are in the city, we will enjoy a traditional Swiss fondue tasting.

Day 5 - Lake Como
Upon leaving Zürich, we’ll pass along the shorelines of Lakes Zug and Lucerne before starting the very scenic climb to the St. Gotthard Pass. Once through the old St. Gotthard tunnel, we’ll descend through Lugano towards Lake Como in Italy, where we stop for a beautiful lunch on the lake. After lunch, set sail on a boat cruise around Lake Como and visit the lakeside town of Bellagio.

Day 6 - Verona, Trieste
This morning, after running along the south shore of Lake Garda, we arrive in Verona, where you’ll set out on an informative walking tour of Verona’s famous sites.
Enjoy lunch onboard as the train threads its way to Trieste. Our brief tour here includes a stop at the imposing Miramare Castle and also a visit to the vast Piazza Unità d’Italia, the main town square. Standing on a hill overlooking Trieste is the famous Church of San Giusto. We will go inside the church for a close-up view of its splendid Byzantine-style architecture, enriched with precious mosaics.

Day 7 - Lake Bled, Ljubljana
You may wish to wake up early this morning to catch the incredible scenery outside your window as our train climbs away from Trieste and heads over the border into Slovenia, continuing its ascent through the Julian Alps to Lake Bled.
From here we travel onto Ljubljana as we have lunch on board and discover a delightful combination of ancient architecture and a youthful culture. Our afternoon tour includes visits to Preseren Square, the Three Bridges, and Dragon Bridge.

Day 8 - Postojna, Venice (Disembark)
This morning, you’ll be treated to a private visit to the Postojna Caves before re-boarding the train to head south towards Venice, where we’ll say farewell to our train crew and check into the Kempinski San Clemente Palace (or similar) for one night. This magnificent, five-star retreat is set on its own private island, just minutes away from Piazza San Marco by private boat. You’ll have the rest of the day to enjoy Venice at your leisure.

Day 9 - Venice (Embark)
Check out of your hotel and embark the S.S. La Venezia today to begin your 7-night stay on the gorgeous Venetian Lagoon.

Day 10 - Venice
With your early morning arrival at Doge’s Palace, you’ll be able to marvel at the estate in total peace. Wander through a Venetian neighborhood and experience daily life in an authentic Venetian residential quarter. Later in the evening, cap the day off with a private once-in-a-lifetime experience at an after-hours lighting ceremony inside St. Mark’s Basilica without the crowds.

Day 11 - Venice (Padua), Mazzorbo (Burano)
Start your morning in one of two of the Veneto region’s UNESCO World Heritage cities, Vicenza or Padua. In the afternoon, you'll reboard the ship for scenic sailing across the lagoon as we head towards Mazzorbo and Burano. In the evening, you may wish to take your free time to stroll into town to appreciate this charming island when most of the tourists have left for the evening. Burano’s brightly painted fishermen’s cottages are an artist’s dream —hot pink, chartreuse, orange, lemon yellow, and more.
* A special Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening.

Day 12 - Mazzorbo, Burano, Chioggia
Spend the day exploring the northern lagoon of Venice and its captivating islands. Start with a visit to Torcello's famous basilica with an art historian, then stroll through the agricultural island of Mazzorbo and the rainbow-hued island of Burano during your free time after lunch. Alternatively, you can take the afternoon to see the renowned glassblowing artisans of Murano at work.

Day 13 - Chioggia
Today, you’ll admire the greatest sites of charming and coastal Chioggia, including a stop at the local and lively market.
* IMPORTANT: We are obliged to comply with Italian Maritime Authorities who require that only crew may be on the ship during the Adriatic Sea passage. Therefore, our guests must disembark the ship and partake in the featured excursions. We thank you for your cooperation.
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Day 14 - Chioggia, Venice
This morning, join a sailing excursion where you’ll explore the Po Delta where the Po River and the Adriatic Sea meet. Later, during lunch, we sail back to Venice.

Day 15 - Venice
As your water taxi glides past narrow side canals and the Canal Grande, you’ll arrive in style at the Rialto Bridge. The iconic stone arch bridge sits at the narrowest point of the Canal Grande and holds numerous shops and restaurants.
* A special Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening.

Day 16 - Venice (Disembark)
Disembark the ship. If your cruise/tour package includes a group departure transfer or if you purchased a private departure transfer, you will be transferred to Venice Marco Polo International Airport for your flight home.

The River Countess underwent a complete design renovation in 2020, debuting as the S.S. La Venezia to bring guests an enhanced luxury experience inspired by Northern Italy. The redesign of the ship drew influence from the fine Fortuny fabrics displayed prominently onboard. Murano glass, gilded accents, and artistic etched elements pay homage to popular Venetian aesthetics of the early 20th century, creating an onboard atmosphere that is at once elegant and nostalgic.

Leading the Way since 1976
We were the first American company to set sail in Europe, and we’ve been revolutionizing the landscape of river cruising ever since. With more experience than practically any other line on the rivers, we spent our time developing deep local connections, destination expertise, and the most incredible crew in the industry. Over the years we’ve grown to offer unparalleled itineraries on the rivers of Europe, Egypt, India, Southeast Asia, and the Peruvian Amazon.

The Original Floating Boutique Hotels
We took everything travellers love about boutique hotels and made it float—think warm and personalized service, unique design schemes that highlight your destination, locally-inspired dining, thoughtfully curated activities, and ultra-comfortable furnishings. Each member of our fleet is one-of-a-kind, a work of art with its own bespoke details, custom fabrics, and local craftsmanship to bring the destinations outside in. Many of our ships even share a design team with the award-winning Red Carnation Hotel Collection. And the best part is, you’ll wake up to a wonderful new place to explore every day.

The Highest Quality in All-Inclusive Luxury River Cruising
Our all-inclusive itineraries are tailored to deliver authentic luxury. You can keep your wallet closed the entire trip, and still find everything you need and more to have a fantastic time. What truly distinguishes the meaning of “All-Inclusive” at Uniworld is our commitment to quality and passion for Tiny Noticeable Touches™. Handmade Savoir beds, a wide selection of premium wines and spirits, and delicious cuisine made with locally sourced ingredients—every piece of the Uniworld experience is hand selected to transform good experiences into exceptional ones.*

No Request Too Large, No Detail Too Small®
“No request too large, no detail too small”—that’s our driving ethos, and every member of the Uniworld crew lives by it. Our service is second to none. With a 2.4-to-1 crew-to-guest ratio and the longest tenured team in the business, our team starts to learn your name and your drink order from day 1. It’s little touches like this that make you feel like family onboard with us, and what makes returning for your next sailing feel like coming home.

Our Travel Family
We’re proud to be a part of The Travel Corporation (TTC) collection of award-winning travel brands—including Trafalgar Tours, Luxury Gold, Insight Vacations, Contiki, and African Travel. We share a collective ethos: treat your guests, your staff, and the local communities you visit like family, and you’ll create the most rewarding travel experiences out there.

*Note: Inclusions may vary in Egypt, Asia, and Peru.