Overview
Itinerary
Welcome to Vienna! Enjoy your afternoon before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travellers to enjoy dinner served with wine at a local restaurant. (D) Stay: InterContinental Vienna.
Join our Local Expert on a private tour of Maria Theresa's magnificent Schönbrunn Palace and its formal gardens. Be transported to a time of opulence and extravagance, as you marvel at the intricacies of gilded Rococo frames, frescoed ceilings and crystal chandeliers. See the city's many highlights, including St. Charles' Church, the Hofburg Palace, Parliament and State Opera House. (B)
A short drive through wonderful Austrian countryside leads us to Salzburg. En route, visit Melk Abbey and Mondsee's Basilica St. Michael, easily recognizable due to its appearance in 'Sound of Music'. (B) Stay: Wyndham Grand Salzburg Conference Centre
Join your Local Expert, who will show you the formal gardens of Mirabell Palace, Residenzplatz, the city's imposing fortress, and the immense cathedral in the Old Town. Visit Mozart's birthplace where you will enjoy a pianoforte demonstration and examine letters, memorabilia, and musical instruments of the great composer.
In the evening, relish the authentic experience of Farm-to-Table dining. (B/D)
This morning, board a boat to explore the sites of picturesque Herrenchiemesee. Visit the palace and Fraueninsel convent. Enjoy time at leisure in the gardens over lunch before continuing by boat to Gstadt. Journey by coach to Munich, home of the world-famous Oktoberfest.
This evening, revel in a truly Bavarian experience as you dine at a local beer hall. (B/D) Stay: Munich Marriott
Enjoy an orientation of Munich's sites including the university, Victory Arch and the Marienplatz, where crowds gather at the Town Hall to watch the antics of the Glockenspiel.
Afterwards, explore with Insight Choice. Choose to join a Local Expert for a culinary walking tour in the city centre. Alternatively, visit the Munich Residenz, Germany's largest inner-city palace and former seat of Bavarian royalty. Travel to Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site for a moment of commemoration and remembrance. Reflect on the weighty history that marks the site and observe the importance of its preservation. (B)
Embark on an exciting visit to Neuschwanstein Castle (subject to availability), bristling with turrets and pinnacles and built as a retreat for the wildly eccentric King Ludwig II. See the extravagantly decorated apartments, including the Throne Room and Lohengrin courtyard. Continue to Oberammergau, home of the Passion Play since 1634. See the immense theatre and admire the colourful painted chalets before driving on to the Tyrolean capital of Innsbruck, set in a valley of snow-capped mountain peaks.
This evening, for your Dine-Around experience, choose from a fantastic selection of restaurants. (B/DW) Stay: Innsbruck
Awake to the beautiful Alpine city of Innsbruck. A Local Expert will guide you through the city to see the 14th-century houses of the Old Town, the impressive Imperial Palace and the delightful Golden Roof. Visit a nearby ski jump, set against staggering mountain vistas. Meet one of the ski jumpers and observe a demonstration jump. (B)
Take in the stunning views of the beautiful Engadine Valley, as you enter Switzerland headed for the chic Alpine resort of St. Moritz. Enjoy the town's marvellous scenery, fresh air and maybe visit its many museums or shop for souvenirs. Perhaps experience one of Europe's outstanding train journeys over the Bernina Pass. (B/D) Stay: Crystal, St. Moritz, Steffani, St. Moritz
Embark on an iconic train journey onboard the Glacier Express, taking in vistas of ice-capped mountains, stone-built villages and lush meadows. Ascend through the spiral tunnels of the Albula Pass and cross the Landwasser Viaduct before heading down through the Oberalp Valley to rejoin the coach at Andermatt.
Continue north, following the staggering Schöllenen Gorge through William Tell country. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience during a seasonal juice tasting. Onwards to Lucerne, join your Travel Director to see the sorrowful sculpture of the dying lion, cut out of a limestone cliff to commemorate the Swiss Guards who died at the Battle of the Tuileries. (B) Stay: Astoria, Lucerne
Enjoy the morning at your leisure to explore the city's 14th century covered wooden bridge, painted gables, old walls and watchtower of the medieval fortifications. Stroll across the Chapel Bridge to the Jesuit Church, or use your free time to shop.
Later, head to the town of Stans where you'll embark on a scenic journey by funicular railway and cable car, to the summit of the stunning Stanserhorn. On a clear day, there are views as far as Alsace in France and the Black Forest in Germany. Here amid true Alpine majesty, your journey literally peaks with an unforgettable dinner, hosted in Drehrestaurant Rondorama, located atop the mountain. Enjoy a glass of sparkling wine and admire the stunning panoramic views as the restaurant slowly rotates throughout the evening, ensuring you don't miss a thing. (B/D)
Your Alpine adventures end this morning with a transfer to Zurich airport. (B)
Trip Inclusions
- Melk Abbey: Visit Melk Abbey where the Benedictine monks have been living and working since 1089.
- Vienna: During your orientation led by your Travel Director, travel along the Ring Road to see the Hofburg Imperial Residence, Opera House, Parliament Building and Karlskirche.
- Vienna: A private, guided exploration of Schönbrunn Palace will have all your senses tingling. Stand beneath frescoed ceilings, crystal chandeliers and gilded Rococo frames where Mozart performed as a child prodigy.
- Neuschwanstein Castle: Visit the archetypal fairy-tale castle that allegedly inspired many of Walt Disney's castles. Led by a local historian, walk through the magnificent halls, take in the lavish decoration and enjoy spectacular views.
- Oberammergau: Explore the town and see the theatre where the Passion Play has been performed since 1634.
- Innsbruck: The host for your visit to the Bergisel Ski Jump is a local Ski Jumper who will show you a trick or two (weather permitting).
- Innsbruck: Nestled amidst majestic mountains, Innsbruck is a beautiful city offering a unique combination of nature, history, and culture. Stroll the streets of the picturesque Old Town, with your Local Expert, learn about its history and admire the Baroque and Gothic architecture.
- St Moritz: See the spa quarter and glacial lake of this charming alpine resort.
- St Moritz: Travel along the route of the world-famous Glacier Express, through looping tunnels and dizzying viaducts, in the scenic heart of the Swiss Alps, on a regional train fully powered by hydroelectricity.
- Lucerne: See the emotive Lion Monument, Jesuit Church and Chapel Bridge.
- Stanserhorn: Journey to the top of Mount Stanserhorn on a panoramic, open-top cable car powered by solar energy, and enjoy spectacular views from the summit.
- Salzburg: Join your Local Expert to visit the formal gardens of Mirabell Palace and Residence Square - both locations used in 'The Sound of Music.' You will also see the imposing fortress, the immense cathedral and Mozart's birthplace on the lively Getreidegasse.
- Salzburg: Visit the house where Mozart was born in 1756. Enjoy a pianoforte demonstration and examine letters, memorabilia, and musical instruments of the great composer, plus a fascinating collection of portraits.
Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Munich: Visit the Residenz, the former royal palace of the Wittelsbach monarchs of Bavaria.
- Munich: Embark on a culinary walking tour in the heart of the city.
- Stans: Taste a refreshing seasonal juice at a renovated Capuchin monastery producing sustainable crops from the alpine region. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
- Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
- Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
- We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
- From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
- Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
- If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.
- Vienna: Join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a drink, followed by a pleasant dinner with wine at a local restaurant.
- Innsbruck: For your dining pleasure, you are offered a selection of Innsbruck's vibrant restaurants. With drinks, a delicious 3-course dinner and Glühwein in abundance, your Dine-Around evening is a culinary experience not to be missed.
- Stanserhorn: A spectacular journey by cable car and cogwheel railway takes you to the summit. Enjoy expansive mountain views over Lake Lucerne for your dinner. Fill your glass with wine and toast to newfound friends.
- Dining Summary: 5 Dinners (D), 11 Breakfasts (B), 1 Dinner with Wine (DW)
- Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
- Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.
- Itinerary and inclusions are subject to change
- Price is for land, cruise and internal flights as specified. Flights not specified are not included
Trip Reviews (4) Most Recent 'Country Roads of Bavaria, Switzerland & Austria' Reviews
Brochure
Insight Vacations Europe, Britain & the World (2025-26)
Availability
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A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you enquire. Additional savings may apply. T&C’s apply.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by Insight Vacations. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from Insight Vacations. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
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