CST #2075415-20

the deconsecrated church that now houses the city museum

(and the original Lällekönig, as well as a fine collection of

Hans Holbein paintings); and Cathedral Square is dominated

by Basel’s 800-year-old red sandstone Münster, where

Erasmus is buried. (The great Renaissance scholar lived

in the city for the last 10 years of his life; the university,

Switzerland’s oldest, is named for him.)

Afterwards, you’ll join the ship and embark on your Rhine

River adventure.

Daily buffet breakfast is included with hotel stay.

Note: The itineraries presented are subject to modification due to closures because of public holidays or other uncontrollable factors. Every effort will be made to operate programs as planned, but changes may still be necessary throughout the itinerary.

Note: All extras, such as bottled water, drinks, telephone calls, laundry and items of a personal nature, are not included in the cost of the trip.

COVER: Basel, Switzerland

For more information, please contact your preferred Travel Professional. Call Uniworld at 1-800-733-7820 or visit uniworld.com.

BASEL & LAKE LUCERNE PRE-CRUISE EXTENSION2 0 1 7 P R E - C R U I S E E X T E N S I O N

Basel & Lake LucerneDAY 3 Basel (continued)

Welcome to Switzerland!

It may be a small nation, but it boasts a huge variety of

traditions, cultures and landscapes. Experience Switzerland’s

infinite variety in two delightful destinations: bustling

Basel—the “city of culture for connoisseurs”—and lovely

Lucerne, nestled in the legendary Swiss Alps.

DAY 1 Basel

Once you’ve made your way through customs at the

airport in Basel, you will be greeted by a Uniworld

representative, who will help you with your baggage and

direct you to the motorcoach and your hotel. At the hotel,

your local host will provide you with information about

the neighborhood where you are staying. The rest of the

evening is at your leisure. Your historic hotel is located

right on the banks of the Rhine, and if you like, you can

take a behind-the-scenes tour of the hotel itself. You may

wish to rest from your journey, enjoy dinner at the hotel’s

celebrated restaurant, or pop out for a bite to eat and get

a jump-start on your sightseeing. On the border of three

nations (Switzerland, France and Germany), Basel is both

cutting-edge and traditional: The city’s medieval Old Town

coexists with modern buildings by notable contemporary

architects. And the Rhine runs through the heart of it.

DAY 2 Basel

Featured Excursion:Lucerne walking discovery tour with Lake Lucerne

boat ride

Journey from Basel to beautiful lakeside Lucerne, where

you’ll meet your local guide for a stroll through the

picture-perfect—and perfectly preserved—Old Town.

Bloom-filled flower boxes line both Chapel Bridge, with

its iconic medieval tower, and Mill Bridge, which spans the

Reuss River just before it empties into the lake. Wine Market

Square, with its frescoed palace façades and central

fountain, the town hall and the medieval ramparts—nine of

its original towers remain—make up the heart of the district.

A bit farther afield you’ll find the Lion Monument, which

commemorates the hundreds of Swiss Guards who died in

1792 defending Louis XVI during the French Revolution.

See Lucerne from a completely different point of view

during a scenic one-hour boat ride on Lake Lucerne.

Picturesque onion-domed churches and historic palaces

cast their reflection on the water; the snow-capped Alps

tower in the distance. It’s an idyllic scene.

Featured Excursion:Vitra architectural tour

Vitra, the renowned contemporary furnishings firm, has

provided an extraordinary venue for a host of legendary

modern architects at its campus near Basel. Frank Gehry’s

first building in Europe, 1989 Vitra Museum, is a swirling

essay in white; Zaha Hadid’s first built design, the Vitra

fire station, demonstrated to the world that the great

Anglo-Iraqi architect could create designs that work in the

real world, not just on paper; and Tadao Ando’s conference

center was his first work to be built outside of Japan.

The campus is an ongoing exemplar of modernist design:

SANAA, Herzog & de Meuron and Jean Prouvé are also

represented. Your guided tour encompasses these

highlights as well as the contemporary factory buildings

designed by Nicholas Grimshaw and Álvaro Siza. You’ll

have time to check out the Vitra store after the tour, where

you’ll find pieces designed by Charles and Ray Eames,

Verner Panton, Isamu Noguchi, Sevil Peach . . . the list of

luminaries who have designed for Vitra is a long one!

DAY 3 Basel

Your exciting cruise begins today, so you’ll check out of the

hotel this morning and let Uniworld handle your luggage

while you take a guided stroll through the heart of Old Town.

Featured Excursion:Basel walking discovery tour

Basel historically has been divided into two sections by the

Rhine: Greater Basel, on the south bank, and Lesser Basel,

on the north bank—and the Lällekönig has been sticking his

long red tongue out at Lesser Basel since 1640. Though the

original beaten-copper head with its crown and clockwork

mechanism now resides in a museum, a replica still reigns

near the Middle Bridge, insulting the grittier side of the

city in its time-honored way. It’s on your itinerary today as

you explore this most walkable of cities. So too are the

squares in the historic heart of the city: Market Square,

Barfüsser Square and, at the top of the hill overlooking

the Old Town, Cathedral Square. Each one holds a special

charm. The spectacular red sandstone 16th-century town

hall faces Market Square; Barfüsser Square is named for

BASEL & LAKE LUCERNE PRE-CRUISE EXTENSION