For an in-depth exploration of Austria and Switzerland, this journey covers all the highlights of two of Europe’s most scenic countries. Enjoy two-night stays in Salzburg, Zermatt, Lucerne, and in romantic Vienna. A more leisurely pace allows for many special included visits and enough free time to relax and enjoy the natural beauty in this part of Europe. Overnight stops are also made in posh St. Moritz and in Berne, capital of Switzerland. Enjoy a romantic Danube cruise, lake country, a visit to the Parish Church in Mondsee, which was used for The Sound of Music’s wedding scenes, Mirabell Gardens in Salzburg, Zermatt’s mountain train, Chillon Castle at Lake Geneva, and Berne, capital of Switzerland. In Interlaken, visit the Trummelbach Falls, a series of 10 glacier waterfalls inside the mountain, and an unforgettable ride on the famed Glacier Express from Chur to Zermatt makes this one of Globus’ most visually spectacular vacations. A special welcome dinner at your hotel in Vienna and a farewell dinner at a local restaurant in Lucerne have been included, as well as a highlight dinner at Salzburg’s Stiftskeller restaurant.
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in Vienna, Austria. Welcome to Vienna! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a special welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)
Day #2 Vienna. Start your guided sightseeing with a visit to magnificent SCHÖNBRUNN PALACE. Then, drive along the Ringstrasse, 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. Balance of the day is at leisure and you can choose from our exciting optional excursions to enhance your stay. (B)
Day #3 Vienna–Melk–Salzburg. Enjoy a leisurely DANUBE CRUISE along the prettiest part of the river. Afterwards, catch glimpses of historic Melk Abbey, and continue through the romantic Salzkammergut lakeland, made famous in The Sound of Music movie. Stop in Mondsee to visit the PARISH CHURCH, which was used for the wedding scenes, and continue to Salzburg. [LF] A special dinner with wine including Flammkuchen, a local specialty, has been prepared for you at the famous Stiftskeller restaurant. (B,D)
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. An optional excursion to spectacular Berchtesgaden and Hitler’s Eagles Nest is available. (B)
Day #5 Salzburg–Innsbruck–St. Moritz, Switzerland. Enter the Tyrolean Alps and stop in the capital of crystal, Innsbruck. Enjoy a pleasant walk through its quaint medieval lanes to Emperor Maximilian’s GOLDEN ROOF. Next, a scenic drive into 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. (B,D)
Day #6 St. Moritz–Chur–Zermatt. Drive through exhilarating Alpine scenery. [LF] At Chur, board the first-class panoramic coach of the world-famous GLACIER EXPRESS TRAIN, that connects two of Switzerland’s most famous skiing areas: St. Moritz and Zermatt. Enjoy your first-class ride with panorama windows and 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. Lunch will be served on the train. This afternoon you are in Zermatt, a picturesque cluster of rustic chalets beneath the majestic Matterhorn. (B,L)
Day #7 At Leisure in Zermatt. An entire day at leisure gives you the possibility to join a spectacular optional excursion: ride Europe’s highest rack railway to 10,272-foot Gornergrat Mountain for a breathtaking panoramic view of the Matterhorn and the Alps. (B,D)
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 an optional dinner outing to a traditional Swiss farm. (B)
Day #9 Berne–Interlaken–Lucerne. Your guided tour starts with a stop at the Rose Garden for a panoramic view of the city. Walk 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. Stop at the BEAR PARK, symbol for the name of the town. [LF] In Interlaken, beautifully situated beneath the towering Jungfrau, a special visit to the famous Lauterbrunnen TRUMMELBACH FALLS, a series of 10 glacier waterfalls inside the mountain, is included. Across Brünig Pass to picture-book Lucerne. An optional evening is available to a folklore party with yodeling and alphorn blowing for a first-hand impression of Alpine merrymaking. (B)
Day #10 Lucerne. On your walking tour this morning, admire Thorwaldsen’s impressive LION MONUMENT, dedicated to the fallen Swiss Guards who protected the Royal House of France during the French Revolution, 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, a special farewell dinner with wine awaits you at a local restaurant to celebrate the success of your Swiss vacation. (B,D)
Day #11 Lucerne–Zürich Airport. Morning transfer to Zürich Airport in time for homebound flights leaving no earlier than 10 am. Extra nights are available in Zürich, not Lucerne. (B)
Hotels:
VIENNA Mercure Grand Hotel Biedermeier (F)
SALZBURG Best Western Imlauer (F)
ST. MORITZ Laudinella (F)
ZERMATT Walliserhof (F)
BERNE Holiday Inn Westside (F)
LUCERNE Grand Hotel Europe (F)