Austria at it’s best
Day 1 Arrival to Vienna
Arrival transfer from the airport or train station to your hotel. Dinner and accommodation.
Day 2 Vienna – Danube river cruise – Melk - Salzburg
Early departure to Salzburg passing by the heart of the Wachau – the old wine-growing region of Krems.
From there the Danube winds its way past charming old villages and steep vineyards. Perhaps the most famous castle in the Danube Valley is Dürnstein – now a ruin – where King Richard Lionheart was imprisoned before being found by his faithful minstrel Blondel. During a romantic boat trip on the Danube the history comes alive.
The highlight will be an interior visit of the Benedictine Abbey of Melk, a pearl of the Austrian Baroque and famous for the novel The Name of the Rose . Afterwards we will have lunch at the restaurant at Melk Abbey and continue our journey to Salzburg on the motorway. Arrival in the evening. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel.
Day 3 Salzburg – Salzkammergut/ Lake District
Panoramic walking tour through the city of Salzburg. Salzburg’s most important sights are waiting for you! The tour starts at the gardens of Mirabell Palace, there you’ll have a great view of the castle. After crossing the bridge over river Salzach we’ll pass by Residence Square, the Cathedral, the Horse Pond, as well as the Festival House and Saint Peter’s Church. Lunch in a traditional restaurant. In the afternoon, we will make our way to “Salzkammergut”, also known as the Lake District, one of the most picturesque lake areas in Austria. Passing by Lake Mondsee, we approach the most popular town in the area – St. Wolfgang, located on the shores of Lake Wolfgangsee. Then we will take a boat trip to the village of St. Gilgen. Return to Salzburg via Fuschlsee, another well-known lake in the area. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel.
Day 4 Salzburg – Swarovski Crystal Worlds – Innsbruck
Departure to Innsbruck passing by Bad Reichenhall (Germany), Lofer, Sankt Johann and the amazing mountain chain “Kaisergebirge”. A stop in Wattens gives us the opportunity to visit the Swarovski Crystal Worlds (entrance fee included). The water-spouting giant has become a world-renowned work of art and invites visitors to enter its interior. Lunch at Daniels Restaurant in the Swarovski Crystal Worlds.
We continue our trip to Innsbruck, where we will see the historic city center’s most famous monuments, like the Golden Roof, the Church of Court, Hofburg Palace and the old town with its medieval houses. In the evening we invite you to the traditional Tyrolean Folclore Evening and dinner. Accommodation.
Day 5 Innsbruck – Cascades of Krimml – Zell am See - Graz
Early departure to Krimml to see the beautiful and magical waterfalls (one of Europe’s highest waterfalls of 380m). A steep, but well paved path takes us to different viewpoints, every one more spectacular than the last one. Lunch in a typical restaurant. We continue our way via Zell am See towards Graz. Arrival in Graz. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel.
Day 6 Graz – Vienna
Panoramic city tour of Graz, which has one of the best preserved historical centres in Europe. We will see a harmonious mix of architectural styles from Gothic to the Renaissance and to the Baroque. Lunch in a restaurant. In the afternoon departure to Vienna. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel.
Day 7 Vienna
Panoramic city tour of Vienna. Today you will see Vienna’s most important sights. Along the Ringstrasse Avenue you will see magnificent buildings like the Museum of Applied Arts, the State Opera House, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Natural History Museum, the MuseumsQuartier, Hofburg Palace (former winter residence of the imperial family), the Parliament, the City Hall, the university and the National Theater. The highlight of the tour will be the interior visit to Schönbrunn Palace, where you will see the imperial apartments and learn more about Vienna’s history. Before the tour ends, we will take you to Belvedere Palace (exterior visit) and its beautiful gardens. Lunch at a restaurant. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel.
Day 8 Departure in Vienna
Check out and transfer to the airport.