Welcome aboard! 

Arriving by rail or air, you will be picked up by a private car and transferred to your hotel. Spend your free time today walking to the nearby Votivkirche, German for “Votive Church,” a beautiful neo-Gothic church dedicated in 1879, or consider taking a trolley ride on the tram that circles the inner city via the 150-year-old Ringstrasse, the wide boulevard built to replace the city’s 13th-century walls and gates.

Overnight at Vienna

Today  after breakfast, you’ll take a 3-hour city tour of the city—be ready to go at 9 a.m. from your hotel. This tour will give you an overall impression of the most significant historical sights of Vienna. You will see the Ringstrasse known for such magnificent buildings as the Museum of Applied Arts, the State Opera House, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Natural History. Also see the Hofburg, the famous residence of Empress Elizabeth, affectionately known as “Sisi” to the Austrians, as well as a host of other fine architectural examples including the Parliament, City Hall, the Burgtheater, the University and the Votivkirche. The highlight of this tour will be a visit of the showrooms of Schönbrunn Palace, once the summer residence of the Habsburg family and Maria Theresa, mother of Marie Antoinette, who later became Queen to Louis XVI. On the way back to the State Opera you will pass by the Belvedere Palace, the former summer residence of Prince Eugen. Your tour ends at the Opera House. From here you can stroll the historic walking street Kärtnerstrasse, past elegant hotels and shops as you head towards Stephansdom, the magnificent cathedral of Vienna. Located in the historic medieval center of the city, this Gothic church is worth exploring, as are the narrow lanes around it.

Overnight at Vienna

Enjoy breakfast after which the day is yours to explore the city at your own pace. We suggest taking a tram ride for a visit to the Kunsthistoriches Museum, one of the finest art museums in the world with an extensive collection of Old Master paintings from Germany, Holland, Italy and Spain; an excellent collection of Egyptian artifacts; and several Greek and Roman antiquities. We recommend picking up an audio guide and a floor plan of the museum near the entrance. After spending a few hours here you’ll be ready for a relaxing visit to a Viennese Coffee House or possibly a piece of Sachertorte at the Hotel Sacher near the Opera House.
In the evening, make your way by subway U4 to the Schönbrunn stop, walk across the street to the ticket office at the Orangerie, and exchange your voucher for tickets to the Dinner and Concert at Schönbrunn. Dinner is at the Café Residence inside the palace grounds (Drinks not included). After dinner, walk back to the Orangerie for a concert of favorite pieces by Mozart and Johann Strauss. This is a magical evening you won’t soon forget!

Overnight at Vienna

After breakfast and checking out of your hotel, make your way to the Westbahnhof Train Station for the 2½ hour train ride to Salzburg. Salzburg is a small city, and the main attractions are easily walkable. After checking in, take the short walk to Mirabell Palace and Gardens, one of Salzburg’s top sights, the location for many of Mozart’s musical performances and also used for several scenes in the film “The Sound of Music”. This is one of several beautiful Baroque buildings you’ll find in Salzburg. After Mirabell, cross the Salzach River to the Old Town (Altstadt) and explore the Getreidgasse, the Old Town’s main shopping street. Mozart’s Birthplace is along this street, too. Head to the end of the street and you’ll find the Residenzplatz, home to the city’s beautiful Cathedral, and also to the Residenz, the Baroque palace in which Salzburg’s Prince-Archbishops lived until the 19th century. Continue exploring this neighborhood until you find a traditional tavern or weinstube in which to have dinner.

Overnight at Salzburg

This morning, after breakfast, take the 2.5 hour Mozart City Tour to discover many of the highlights of this city dominated by its associations with both Mozart and The Sound of Music. Included are Mirabell Palace, the Mozarteum or Music Academy, Hellbrunn Palace, Mozart’s residence and many more.
Included in the tour is a ticket for the Funicular up to Hohensalzburg Fortress plus entry into the Fortress, one of the largest medieval castles in Europe, begun in 1077. The views over the town from the ramparts are spectacular. Use your free time in the afternoon to enjoy seeing the castle and the panorama. In the evening, enjoy a Mozart Dinner Concert at the Stiftskeller Restaurant—Central Europe’s oldest restaurant. You’ll be served three courses made with authentic recipes from Mozart’s time, while enjoying music performed by local musicians in traditional costumes.

Overnight at Salzburg

After breakfast and checking out of your hotel, make your way to the Salzburg Train Station for the two-hour ride to Innsbruck. Nestled in the valley of the Inn River and surrounded by Tyrolean Alps, Innsbruck is an international winter sports center, having hosted the Winter Olympics twice in the past 50 years. Inhabited since ancient times, Innsbruck was fortified by the Romans in the 4th century, to protect the main route from Italy to Germany. The city center is striking, with several palaces and handsome churches, all with the nearby Alps as a backdrop.

Overnight at Innsbruck

Today post breakfast, you will take an excursion to Swarovski Crystal World in the nearby village of Wattens. Your hotel can direct you to the pickup point and times for the shuttle to the Crystal factory and museum, owned and operate by the fourth and fifth generations of the Swarovski family. Spend as much time as you like seeing the exhibits or shopping, before returning to Innsbruck via the shuttle bus. You have the rest of the afternoon and evening on your own to explore beautiful Innsbruck.

Overnight at Innsbruck