Florence. Venice. Rome.
The words conjure up visions of fine food, relaxed living, and some of the most spectacular monuments and attractions in the world. Few things can compare with a sunset cruise down the canals of Venice or a visit to Rome’s Trevi Fountain, Roman Forum, or the mighty Colosseum. And starting next spring, you can experience it all from the comfort and convenience of a river cruise.
In 2013, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises will reposition its popular River Countess from the Danube to Italy’s Po River. But this won’t be any ordinary transplant; Uniworld plans to give the River Countess a complete remodeling to reflect the spirit and rich cultural heritage of the Italian destinations she’ll visit.
“Uniworld made the decision to move the River Countess from her current location along the Rhine, Main, and Danube to Italy. While this is a costly venture to move her, it’s the right decision as we wanted to provide our clients with another world-class destination, especially as many of our past guests have been asking for us to offer cruises in this area,” said Guy Young, President of Uniworld. “There is no place in the world like Italy, and Uniworld is the only North American river cruise line to offer river cruising here. This is a further tribute to Uniworld as we have been the true pioneer for river cruising for the North American market for almost 40 years.”
Much like this historic region itself, art, architecture, music, cuisine and cultural and political history are cornerstones of Uniworld’s new Italian river cruise program. While they provide guests with ample opportunities to see the immensely popular “big three” cities of Rome, Florence and Venice, these voyages also allow for plenty of off-the-beaten-path exploration.
Visits to some places less traveled include the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ravenna, and a call in Verona — perhaps best known as the setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. In Bologna, a pasta-making workshop allows guests to take part in the creation of some of Italy’s most iconic meals.
It’s all part of a program to bring the intimacy and convenience of river cruising to one of Europe’s most popular destination hotspots.
More information on Uniworld and River Countess can be found by viewing our complete Uniworld Boutique River Cruise line overview here on River Cruise Advisor.
