A Grand Rail Adventure: Vienna, The Alps & Milan - Westbound

Tour begins 6:00 PM. A transfer is included from Vienna International Airport to the Hotel Bristol, an elegant Art Deco landmark in the heart of the city, opposite the Vienna State Opera House. Join us this evening for a welcome reception and dinner at the hotel. Stay Two Nights: Hotel Bristol (D)

City sightseeing includes views of a famous row of apartment houses designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, an artist and architectural rebel whose buildings are undulating patchworks of irregular shapes and bright colors; and a tour of Belvedere Palace, a museum housing works by Impressionists including Monet and Van Gogh, Austrian art from the Middle Ages to the present, and the world's largest collection of Gustav Klimt paintings.

Later, get a guided look at the immense Hofburg, formerly the Imperial Palace, now the residence and offices of the Austrian President; and St. Stephen's Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece and iconic landmark. Spend free time exploring the city on your own, then join us this evening for a private after-hours tour of Schönbrunn Palace, the opulent Habsburg summer residence inspired by Versailles.

Start with a reception at the Gloriette, a Roman-style pavilion overlooking the vast landscaped gardens; inside the palace, your guided tour includes the dazzling hall of mirrors and the magnificent apartments of Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife Elisabeth. Dinner tonight is at the Cafe Residenz, a classic Viennese cafe in the eastern wing of the palace. (B/D)

Depart your historic Vienna hotel and travel to Vienna Central Station, where you'll board Golden Eagle Luxury Trains' Danube Express, your elegant hotel on wheels for the next three nights, and enjoy lunch aboard the train. After settling in, you'll attend an exclusive private concert with sparkling wine (or soft drinks) in an intimate historic setting in Vienna. Dine onboard the train tonight as you head across central Austria to Innsbruck via the Semmering Pass. Stay Three Nights: Golden Eagle Danube Express (B/L/D)

Travel the scenic alpine landscapes of central Austria to the Semmering Pass, the border between Lower Austria and Styria; a journey along viaducts and tunnels brings you to Jenbach, where you'll travel up to Lake Achen, a mountain lake also known as the Fjord of the Alps. Enjoy a boat cruise on the turquoise water, over a sunken valley that wanders fjord-like for miles amid limestone peaks and forested islands.

Resume your train journey to Innsbruck, the resort capital of Tyrol, nestled beside the striking Nordkette mountain range; the city was a favorite retreat of the Habsburgs, who kept a lavish residence here. Take a walking tour of the medieval old town with a local guide before dinner aboard the Danube Express. (B/L/D)

Watch the enchanting landscapes of Austria's Vorarlberg province – mountain lakes, craggy peaks, waterfalls, villages, castles and deep valleys – unfold as the Danube Express crosses into Liechtenstein. Vaduz, the nation's capital, is a fascinating city of art, eclectic architecture, and vantage points for panoramic views. View the clifftop medieval castle that is still the residence of Liechtenstein's royal family; trails and overlooks on the grounds offer stunning birds-eye views of the city, the Rhine River, and the imposing mountain range.

Ride the Danube Express to Zurich, where a walking tour includes the Kunsthaus Museum of Art; the museum's collections of 4,000 paintings, sculptures, and installations include paintings by Monet, Munch, Picasso, and Van Gogh, as well as works dating back to the Middle Ages, with an emphasis on Swiss masters. Stroll through Zurich's captivating Old Town with a local guide. (B/L/D)

Dramatic landscapes of granite peaks, plunging valleys, tunnels, and dramatic turns fill your view as the Danube Express winds through the rugged Gotthard Pass to Italy. Arrive in Chiasso, Switzerland and depart the train, traveling the short distance to Como, Italy. A walking tour reveals charming narrow streets and pastel houses beside enchanting Lake Como, lined with stately villas, terraces and promenades against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains.

Visit the 14th-century marble cathedral for an exclusive organ concert, and spend free time in town, then ride the train to Milan, your final destination. A walking tour of the city's historic center introduces you to the awe-inspiring Duomo, which took 600 years to build, and a no-less impressive commercial cathedral, the Galleria Vittorio Emmanuelle II, a 19th-century shopping arcade under a monumental glass and ironwork ceiling.

Or take a walking tour of the Brera District, a romantic bohemian neighborhood of narrow cobbled streets, galleries, and artisans' shops known as the Milanese Montmartre. Check into your prestigious hotel opposite the Central Station, and dine a la carte this evening. Stay Two Nights: Excelsior Hotel Gallia (B/L/D)

Drive outside the city to a working farm, or cascina, where you'll learn about sustainable farming methods and the growth of agritourismo – opening family farms to visitors and school children for recreation and education; you'll also get a hands-on cooking lesson in authentic local cuisine, followed by lunch. Return to the city for free time on your own, then join us for a farewell dinner with entertainment at a local enoteca (wine bar) and restaurant, with insights on wine-pairing and wines from a sommelier. (B/L/D)

Tour ends: Milan. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from the Excelsior Hotel Gallia, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Milan to Milan Malpensa Airport. Allow at least three hours for flight check-in. (B)