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Uniworld River Cruises, Ukraine, the Black Sea and Istanbul, Cruise Vacation Package
Duration: 17 Days / 16 Nights
Priced From: $ 2999 pp Dbl. Occ.
Dates: Apr - Sep
Ship: Taras Shevchenko
Start From: Kiev to Istanbul
A captivating odyssey off the beaten path
Come explore the rich heritage of Ukraine and the Black Sea, and immerse your senses in the exotic ambience of Istanbul. It’s a marvelous adventure filled with fascinating cultures, grand architecture, world-class art, and breathtaking landscapes.
Discover Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, with its Western-style elegance and sophisticated culture. Visit Yalta, the most refined resort town on the “Crimean Riviera,” and see the sights of this historic city, including the famous Livadia Palace, where the Yalta conference was held at the end of WW II. Spend time in Odessa with its picturesque setting on the Black Sea. Explore Istanbul, the only city in the world located on two continents, and walk the streets where crusaders once marched while hunting for bargains in the Grand Bazaar.
Who will enjoy this cruise: History enthusiasts looking to explore the great capital city of multiple ancient empires. Architects and archeologists ready to marvel at grand mosques, palaces, and historical buildings. And naturalists up for exploring the Danube Delta with its 1,200 varieties of plants and over 300 species of birds.
Itinerary
DAY 1: Depart home gateway city to Kiev
DAY 2: Kiev
Featured Excursion: Arrive in Kiev where you’ll be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the ship.
DAY 3: Kiev
Featured Excursion: City tour including St. Sophia’s Cathedral.
During your city tour of Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, you’ll see many historic buildings and monuments. You’ll also visit St. Sophia’s Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the city’s best known landmarks.
DAY 4: Cruising the Dnieper River
Featured Excursion: The Dnieper River flows south for approximately 1,400 miles through Belarus and Ukraine before emptying into the Black Sea. Spend the day relaxing onboard as we cruise to our next port of call.
DAY 5: Zaporozhye
Featured Excursion: City tour including Cossacks Museum.
Your panoramic city tour will take you along Lenin Avenue, Zaporozhye’s main street, and to October Square, Festival Square, and Lenin Square. You’ll also visit the Cossacks Museum, located on Khortitsa Island—the largest island on the Dnieper River. The museum contains exhibits dating from the Stone Age through the 20th century.
DAY 6: Kherson
Featured Excursion: Boat trip to Fisherman’s Island.
On your one-hour boat excursion to Fisherman’s Island, you’ll enjoy the beautiful landscape of the Dnieper Delta, with its myriad unique flowers, plants, and animals. Upon arrival, you can partake in a typical Ukrainian snack, including vodka, with the local inhabitants. Afterward, we will visit a small souvenir market for some traditional trinkets to take home.
DAY 7: Sevastopol
Featured Excursion: City tour including Panorama Museum visit.
Sevastopol is a popular seaside resort. During your half-day city tour, you’ll see many historic cathedrals and monuments and enjoy a visit to the Panorama Museum, a museum honoring the liberation of Sevastopol.
DAY 8: Yalta
Featured Excursion: City tour including a visit to Livadia Palace.
Your half-day city tour takes you to the famous cliffside Swallow’s Nest, a gothic-style building resembling a small castle. See the house where Anton Chekhov, the renowned Russian playwright, lived. Then visit Livadia Palace, built of white Crimean granite in the Neo-Renaissance style and best known as the site of the 1945 Yalta conference.
DAY 9: Yalta
Featured Excursion: Spend the day exploring this fascinating city at your leisure.
DAY 10: Odessa
Featured Excursion: Odessa city tour.
Odessa’s architecture, having been heavily influenced by French and Italian styles, has a flavor more Mediterranean than Ukrainian. On your tour, you’ll see the Marine Passenger Terminal, the Palace of the Shah, the Pushkin Monument, the Marine Museum, and the Opera Theater, among many other captivating sites.
DAY 11: Odessa
Featured Excursion: Spend the day exploring Odessa at your own pace.
DAY 12: Cruising the Black Sea, Constanta
Your city tour of Constanta, Romania’s second largest city, will start with a short drive to the harbor at Tomis Port. You’ll continue toward the Northern sea resort of Mamaia along the Black Sea coast. This is the biggest and most beautiful summer resort in Romania. Here, you’ll enjoy a glass of local wine before heading to one of the oldest urban settlements of Romania, Histria, which is perched on the shores of Lake Sinoe. This fortress was built by the Greeks over 2,500 years ago; today, you can still see its remnants. You will also visit a nearby museum that features reminders of the fortress including Greek, Roman, and Byzantine pieces of art.
DAY 13: Nessebar
Featured Excursion: Nessebar walking tour Your walking city tour of Nessebar will take you past the Church of St. John, St. Sofia’s Church, St. Stefan’s Church, the Archeological Museum, and many historic houses built in unique styles from the 16th – 19th centuries.
DAY 14: Nessebar, transfer to Istanbul
Featured Excursion: Today you’ll disembark and transfer to a superior first class hotel in Istanbul.
DAY 15: Istanbul
Featured Excursion: Full-day Istanbul.
Throughout its long history, Istanbul has served as the capital city of the Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Today, it is a bustling cosmopolitan city bridging the gap between ancient and modern. Highlights of the city tour include the renowned Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace. You’ll cap the day off with a visit to the famous Grand Bazaar, one of the largest covered markets in the world.
DAY 16: Istanbul
Featured Excursion: Istanbul is a huge metropolis connecting continents, cultures, and religions, and today it’s yours to explore.
DAY 17: Depart Istanbul
Transfer to Ataturk International Airport for your flight home.
Save time, money and stress!
For reservations: Fill out the Uniworld River Cruise vacation planner to be contacted by Our Uniworld, Europe River Cruise vacation specialist.
Contact: Travelwizard.com
Phone: 1-800-330-8820 or 1-415-446-5252
9/09
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