Alpine Countries

2012 Season
Departs From: Frankfurt

From 2,019EUR

Length:  15 days from Frankfurt to Frankfurt, or 16 days incl. travel

Overview

Be prepared for breathtaking views. This journey starts in Frankfurt and travels to Austria via medieval Rothenburg and Munich, where you will visit the Marienplatz. In Austria, you have sightseeing tours with Local Guides in Salzburg and Vienna. Then, drive over Semmering Pass into the popular mountain resorts of Carinthia and enjoy an overnight stay in pretty Villach. Scenic highlights include the Dolomites, Cortina d’Ampezzo in Italy, and the Brenner Pass to Innsbruck in the Austrian Tyrol. St. Moritz, Lake Como, and Lake Lugano are next. Proceed to Lake Maggiore, Stresa, and over the Simplon Pass back to Switzerland, where you’ll board a mountain train to Zermatt, at the foot of the world-famous Matterhorn, for your 2-night stay. Travel via the Rhône Valley, Lake Geneva, Berne, Interlaken, and Brunig Pass to Lucerne, where you’ll enjoy a relaxing 2-night stay in this picturesque town. Your vacation is topped off by visits to the Rhine Falls, the Black Forest, and Heidelberg, Germany.

Duration:  15 Days

Schedule:

Start Date	End Date
03 June, 2012	17 June, 2012
10 June, 2012	24 June, 2012
17 June, 2012	01 July, 2012
01 July, 2012	15 July, 2012
08 July, 2012	22 July, 2012
15 July, 2012	29 July, 2012
29 July, 2012	12 August, 2012
05 August, 2012	19 August, 2012
12 August, 2012	26 August, 2012
26 August, 2012	09 September, 2012
02 September, 2012	16 September, 2012
09 September, 2012	23 September, 2012
09 September, 2012	23 September, 2012
16 September, 2012	30 September, 2012
23 September, 2012	07 October, 2012
30 September, 2012	14 October, 2012
07 October, 2012	21 October, 2012

City Highlights

Frankfurt
Welcome and farewell dinners

Rothenburg
Walking tour of the medieval city

Munich
Guided sightseeing, Marienplatz

Salzburg
Guided walking tour, visit Mirabell Gardens and St. Peter’s Churchyard

Vienna
Guided sightseeing, visit Schönbrunn Palace

Cortina D Ampezzo
Visit the Olympic Skiing resort

Innsbruck
Walk through the Old Town to the Golden Roof

Lake Maggiore
Stop in the town of Stresa

Täsch-Zermatt-Täsch
By mountain train

Berne
Orientation, stop at the Bear Park

Interlaken
Visit the Bernese Oberland resort

Lucerne
Walking tour including the Lion Monument and the Chapel Bridge

Schaffhausen
Visit the Rhine Falls

Black Forest
Woodcarving demonstration

Heidelberg
Take pictures of the castle

Headsets throughout the tour

Day 1   Arrive in Frankfurt, Germany. Time to rest or to explore the bustling metropolis on the River Main. At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)

Day 2   Frankfurt–Rothenburg–Munich. Focus on Germany’s Romantic Road leading to the Alps. Walk through medieval Rothenburg with its ramparts and towers, and continue to Munich. (B)

Day 3   Munich. Sightseeing with a Local Guide in Germany’s “Secret Capital” includes the Olympic Stadium, 1,000-foot-high Television Tower, Nymphenburg Palace, MARIENPLATZ with the Old and the New Town Halls, and the gothic Frauenkirche. Afternoon at leisure. An optional excursion to Linderhof Castle and the Passion Play village of Oberammergau is available. (B,D)

Day 4   Munich–Salzburg, Austria–Vienna. Through southern Bavaria to the Austrian border and on to Salzburg. Your walking tour with a Local Guide features the historic center of Mozart’s hometown, exquisite MIRABELL GARDENS, the Great Festival Hall, ST. PETER’S CHURCHYARD, and the monumental Domplatz. Evening arrival in Vienna, once the center of the mighty Habsburg Empire. Tonight, you may wish to try out local specialties and Viennese entertainment. (B)

Day 5   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. Afternoon at leisure. Optional excursions are available. (B)

Day 6   Vienna–Villach. Drive south across scenic Semmering Pass and through peaceful crossroad towns in Styria to the popular resorts of Carinthia. Overnight in Villach. (B,D)

Day 7   Villach–Italian Dolomites–Innsbruck, Austria. Drive via Iselsberg Pass to the Italian border and to Cortina d’Ampezzo, the Olympic skiing resort in the Dolomites. Then, via Tre Croci Pass and Lake Misurina to Brunico and across Brenner Pass to Innsbruck in the Tyrolean Alps. Stroll through its medieval lanes to Emperor Maximilian’s GOLDEN ROOF. Why not join an optional Tyrolean song-and-dance show? (B,D)

Day 8   Innsbruck–St. Moritz, Switzerland. Into the Swiss Engadine. See deep-blue lakes, airy larch forests, mountain peaks exceeding 12,000 feet, and quaint villages with massive white stone houses in the characteristic Grisons style. Afternoon free in ritzy St. Moritz. (B,D)

Day 9   St. Moritz–Lugano. Descend towards the Italian Lake Como and continue on to the southern tip of Switzerland to the resort town of Lugano, with time for an espresso on Piazza Riforma and a refreshing walk in the shade of Parco Ciani’s magnificent old trees. (B)

Day 10   Lugano–Lake Maggiore, Italy–Zermatt, Switzerland. From Lake Lugano to Lake Maggiore for a break in elegant Stresa. An optional boat ride to the enchanting Isola Bella can be arranged. On over lofty Simplon Pass into the Swiss Valais, an area renowned for its great mountain resorts. In Täsch, board a MOUNTAIN TRAIN to climb the last few miles up to Zermatt, a picturesque cluster of rustic chalets beneath the Matterhorn. (B,D)

Day 11   At Leisure in Zermatt. A day to relax or you may wish to ride Europe’s highest rack-railway to 10,272-foot Gornergrat. (B)

Day 12   Zermatt–Berne–Interlaken–Lucerne. Through the vineyards and apricot groves of the lower Rhône Valley to Lake Geneva and via the dairy country of Gruyère to the Swiss capital, Berne. See the monumental Federal Palace during your orientation and stop at the BEAR PARK before continuing via Interlaken, a Bernese Oberland resort beneath the towering Jungfrau, and across Brünig Pass to Lucerne. Tonight, you may wish to sign up for a folklore party with yodeling and alphorn blowing. (B)

Day 13   Lucerne. On your walking tour, admire Thorwaldsen’s LION MONUMENT and ornate patrician houses of the walled Old Town, then cross the famous CHAPEL BRIDGE to the Jesuit church. Afterwards, shop for Swiss watches and choose from our optional activities: climb a mountain by cable car or take a cruise on the fjord-like lake. (B,D)

Day 14   Lucerne–Heidelberg, Germany–Frankfurt. On the way back to Germany, visit the thundering RHINE FALLS at Schaffhausen. Enter the pine-clad hills of the Black Forest, and enjoy a WOODCARVING DEMONSTRATION on your way to Heidelberg, well known for its red-walled castle. Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner to celebrate the success of your vacation. (B,D)

Day 15   Frankfurt. Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)

Meals:  Full buffet breakfast daily (B); 8 three-course dinners (D), including welcome and farewell dinners in Frankfurt

Hotel Information:  FRANKFURT Sheraton Congress (F), MUNICH Holiday Inn Munich City Centre (F), VIENNA Mercure Grand Hotel Biedermeier (F), VILLACH Holiday Inn (F), INNSBRUCK Maximilian (F), ST. MORITZ Crystal (F), LUGANO De La Paix (F), ZERMATT Pollux (F), LUCERNE Grand Hotel Europe (F)


Terms and Conditions

Note: Flights are NOT included with the Tour and unless otherwise stated above transfers are also NOT included.

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