Cruise & Rail: Paris to Istanbul

Day 1: Paris
Arrive at the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. If you have arranged a Uniworld arrival transfer, you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the hotel. There you will check in, drop off your bags and, if you wish, go out and explore the city on your own. Your Uniworld local host can offer suggestions for your leisure time.

During the evening, you’ll gather with your fellow guests for an informative briefing at the hotel. Please ask your local host for dinner recommendations.

Day 2: Paris
FEATURED EXCURSION: Opera Garnier Discovery Walk
Put on comfortable walking shoes and plan to spend a couple of hours strolling through the geographical heart of Paris. Your first stop: the Jacquemart-André Museum. Steps away from the Champs-Élysées, this museum is home to the city’s premier private collection of fine art. Step inside to find yourself face-to-face with originals by Botticelli, Rembrandt, and many more.

From there, we’ll continue our walk to the Opéra de Paris Garnier, also known as Palais Garnier. Work on this extravagant opera house began in 1865 and continued for 15 trouble-filled years, which included the discovery of an underground lake beneath the construction site. It’s still there, incidentally—confined to an enormous cistern where carp swim and rescue divers train. Your guide will take you inside to explore this glorious tribute to Second Empire opulence, complete with dazzling chandeliers, red-velvet wall coverings and draperies, gold-leafed cherubs, marble friezes, and a spectacular 20th-century ceiling by Marc Chagall.

Then head out through the 8th arrondissement, exploring the wide avenues and arcades designed by Baron Haussmann when he modernized Paris between 1852 and 1870. See the Palais-Royal, which now houses government offices but still boasts a lovely garden, and La Comédie-Française, the only state theater to have its own troupe, before you loop back toward your hotel, passing the National Library and the Paris Bourse.

Note: Occasionally, the Opera Garnier will not be available for this extension. On such occasions, an alternative experience will be arranged, such as a visit to the Musee d’Orsay or a walking tour of Paris’ popular Le Marais district.

Day 3: Paris
Today you transfer to your ship via motorcoach and begin your cruise.