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Best
of Austria & Switzerland by Globus from
$2989
For
those with a bit more time this 12-day journey covers all the highlights
of two of Europe's most scenic countries: Austria and Switzerland.
Enjoy two-night stays in most cities and a three-night stay in romantic
Vienna. This pace allows for many special included visits and enough
free time to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery in this part
of Europe, including leisure time in posh St. Moritz. The Danube
cruise, the Sound of Music's lake country, Mozart's birthplace in
Salzburg, quaint Innsbruck, Zermatt's mountain train, and an unforgettable
ride on the famous Glacier Express make this one of Globus' most
scenic vacations.
Detailed
Itinerary
DAY 1 Arrive in Vienna, Austria
Time to rest or start exploring the Viennese capital. At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a special welcome dinner at your hotel. (Dinner)
DAY 2 Vienna
Start your guided sightseeing with a visit to magnificent SCHÖNBRUNN PALACE. Next, enjoy vistas of Prater Park with its giant Ferris wheel, and the United Nations City on the banks of the Danube River. Then, drive along Ring Boulevard, pass the State Opera House, the Jewish quarter, and stop at the Hofburg Palace, winter residence of the Austrian Imperial family. Marvel at the impressive courtyards, famous Heldenplatz, and awesome St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Optional excursions are available. (Breakfast)
DAY 3 Vienna–Melk–Salzburg
This morning, enjoy a leisurely DANUBE CRUISE. Afterwards, follow the Danube Valley and catch glimpses of historic Melk Abbey. No landscape is more typically Austrian than the Salzkammergut lakeland. Visit the PARISH CHURCH in Mondsee, which was used for the wedding scenes in the Sound of Music, then, continue to Salzburg. (Breakfast, Dinner)
DAY 4 Salzburg
Stroll with a Local Guide through the historic center. Admire exquisite MIRABELL GARDENS, the Great Festival Hall, ST. PETER’S CHURCHYARD, the monumental Domplatz, and take pictures of Mozart’s birthplace in the charming Getreidegasse. Afternoon at leisure or join an optional excursion to Berchtesgaden and Hitler’s Eagles Nest. (Breakfast)
DAY 5 Salzburg–Innsbruck–St. Moritz, Switzerland
Morning break in Innsbruck in the Tyrolean Alps. Enjoy a pleasant walk through its quaint medieval lanes to Emperor Maximilian’s GOLDEN ROOF. Next, enter the Swiss Engadine, considered by many as the most beautiful mountain area in the world, with its deep-blue lakes, airy larch forests that turn golden in the fall, mountain peaks exceeding 12,000 feet, and quaint villages with massive white stone houses in the characteristic Grisons style. The rest of the day is at leisure in ritzy St. Moritz. (Breakfast, Dinner)
DAY 6 St. Moritz–Chur–Zermatt
Drive through exhilarating Alpine scenery. At Chur, board the first-class panoramic coach of the world-renowned GLACIER EXPRESS TRAIN. Admire thundering waterfalls, impressive peaks, glacial ice fields, and tiny villages as you pass through the Valais, a region known for its great mountain resorts and excellent wines. This afternoon you are in Zermatt, a picturesque cluster of rustic chalets beneath the majestic Matterhorn. (Breakfast, Lunch)
DAY 7 At Leisure in Zermatt
An entire day at leisure. Perhaps ride Europe’s highest rack-railway to 10,272-foot Gornergrat for a breathtaking panoramic view of the Alps. (Breakfast, Dinner)
DAY 8 Zermatt–Berne
Board the MOUNTAIN TRAIN to Täsch and motor through the lower Rhône Valley to the shores of Lake Geneva. Here, enjoy a highlight visit to CHILLON CASTLE, the 12th-century water fortress immortalized by poet Lord Byron. This evening in Berne, you may wish to join a special optional dinner outing. (Breakfast)
DAY 9 Berne–Interlaken–Lucerne
Your guided tour starts with a stop at the Rose Garden for a panoramic view of the city. Next, enjoy a walking tour through the beautifully preserved medieval Old Town. Witness the hourly parade of painted figures at the Clock Tower and take your pictures of ornate, flower-adorned fountains. You will also stop at the BEAR PARK. Continue to Interlaken, beautifully situated beneath the towering Jungfrau. Across Brünig Pass to picture-book Lucerne. You may wish to sign up for a folklore party with yodeling and alphorn blowing for a first-hand impression of Alpine merrymaking. (Breakfast)
DAY 10 Lucerne
On your walking tour this morning, admire Thorwaldsen’s LION MONUMENT and ornate patrician houses of the walled Old Town, then, cross the famous covered CHAPEL BRIDGE to the Jesuit church. Afterwards, shop for watches and choose from our optional activities: climb a mountain by cable car or take a cruise on the fjord-like lake. Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant to celebrate the success of your Swiss vacation. (Breakfast, Dinner)
DAY 11 Lucerne–Zurich Airport
Morning transfer to Zurich Airport in time for homebound flights leaving no earlier than 10 am. Extra nights are available in Zurich, not Lucerne. (Breakfast)
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