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Insight - Country Roads of Bavaria, Switzerland & Austria - Small Group, 2023 2024 (04/2023 - 09/2023) (SE727ZN18)

12 Days From Vienna to Zurich 
Tour Style: Country Roads
Insight Brochure Price from $4,676.00
Brochures: Europe & Britain Premium 2023 v2, Europe & Britain Premium 2024 v1
Visits: Austria, Germany, Switzerland

From the famed beer taverns of Munich to the Disney-inspiring turrets of Neuschwanstein Castle among the Alps, this 12-day tour will delight and awe. In Switzerland, a funicular transports you from the scenic shores of Lake Lucerne to a mountaintop Stanserhorn Dinner, at the roof of Europe. Enjoy a delicious meal at 6,000 feet, with stunning views from the Drehrestaurant Rondorama, which slowly rotates to ensure you don’t miss a thing. A journey aboard the Glacier Express offers vistas of ice capped mountains, dramatic valleys and frozen waterfalls.
Choice Highlights
  • Choose between two carefully selected activities
  • Vienna: Listen to the musical masterpiece of Mozart and learn the Viennese Waltz, in an inclusive workshop designed to support the visually impaired community. Unique to Insight Guests, ‘Dancing without Barriers’ takes place in the dark, in a specially designed sensory studio, and will be a unique experience for all your senses. This specifically designed workshop focuses on inclusion and education around the topic of visual impairment. Through their foundation the organisation supports children from disadvantaged family and children with a visual impairment. This experience advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities. Alternatively, visit a traditional Viennese café to enjoy local specialties of coffee and sachertorte.
  • Vienna: A private, guided exploration of Schönbrunn Palace will have all your senses tingling. Stand beneath frescoed ceilings, crystal chandeliers and gilded Rococo frames where Mozart performed as a child prodigy.
  • Choose between two carefully selected activities
  • Munich: Visit Munich Residenz with a Local Expert.
  • Munich: Embark on a foodie walking tour in the heart of Munich and authentic Bavarian cuisine.

Well-being
  • : Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
  • : Experience enhanced hygiene protocols to align with the latest guidance following COVID-19.All Travel Directors, Well-Being Directors and Drivers have completed training in enhanced well-being and hygiene protocols.
  • : We only work with establishments we are confident will consistently adhere to our high well-being standards, which include hotels, restaurants and sight-seeing venues.
  • : Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

Travel Director
  • : "One thing I really love about showing guests Eastern Europe is the rich history and culture of places that have previously been impossible to visit due to political situations."
  • : "Munich is the capital of beer, so taking guests into the famous Hofbräuhaus, at any time of year, gives them a small idea of what it’s like to attend Oktoberfest."
  • : "It's magical to see how a group of guests comes together over the course of our trip. I can always tell when that's happening because suddenly the enthusiasm is palpable."

Summary
  • : See Feldherrnhalle in the Odeonsplatz, Palace of the Dukes of Wittelsbach, English Garden, Hofbräuhaus and Marienplatz in Munich • the church featured in ‘The Sound of Music' in Mondsee • Hofburg Imperial Residence and Opera House in Vienna • Kindberg's colourful maypole • Old Town, Imperial Palace and Golden Roof in Innsbruck • St. Moritz • Lion Monument and Chapel Bridge in Lucerne.

Authentic Dining
  • Vienna: Join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a drink, followed by a pleasant Welcome Dinner served with wine at a local restaurant.
  • Innsbruck: For your dining pleasure, you are offered a selection of Innsbruck's vibrant restaurants. With drinks, a delicious 3-course dinner and Glühwein in abundance, your Dine-Around Evening is a culinary experience not to be missed.
  • Stanserhorn: A spectacular journey by cable car and cogwheel railway takes you to the summit.  Enjoy expansive mountain views over Lake Lucerne for your special Celebration Dinner. Fill your glasses with wine and toast to newfound friends.
  • Munich: Embark on a foodie walking tour in the heart of Munich and authentic Bavarian cuisine.
  • Dining Summary: 5 Dinner with Wine (DW), 11 Breakfast (B), and 1 Dinner (D)

Make Travel Matter
  • Vienna: Listen to the musical masterpiece of Mozart and learn the Viennese Waltz, in an inclusive workshop designed to support the visually impaired community. Unique to Insight Guests, ‘Dancing without Barriers’ takes place in the dark, in a specially designed sensory studio, and will be a unique experience for all your senses. This specifically designed workshop focuses on inclusion and education around the topic of visual impairment. Through their foundation the organisation supports children from disadvantaged family and children with a visual impairment. This experience advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities. Alternatively, visit a traditional Viennese café to enjoy local specialties of coffee and sachertorte.
  • Stans: Taste a refreshing seasonal juice at a renovated Capuchin monastery producing sustainable crops from the alpine region.

Top Rated Highlights
  • Vienna: A private, guided exploration of Schönbrunn Palace will have all your senses tingling. Stand beneath frescoed ceilings, crystal chandeliers and gilded Rococo frames where Mozart performed as a child prodigy.
  • Vienna: During your orientation led by your Travel Director, travel along the Ring Road to see the Hofburg Imperial Residence, Opera House, Parliament Building and Karlskirche.
  • Neuschwanstein Castle: Visit the archetypal fairy-tale castle that allegedly inspired many of Walt Disney's castles. Led by a local historian, walk through the magnificent halls, take in the lavish decoration and enjoy spectacular views.
  • Oberammergau: Explore the town and see the theatre where the Passion Play has been performed since 1634.
  • St Moritz: During your orientation of this alpine resort see the spa quarter and glacial lake.
  • St Moritz: Travel along the route of the world-famous Glacier Express, through looping tunnels and dizzying viaducts, in the scenic heart of the Swiss Alps, on a regional train fully powered by hydroelectricity.
  • Lucerne: During your orientation with your Travel Director, see the emotive Lion Monument, Jesuit Church and Chapel Bridge.
  • Stanserhorn: Journey to the top of Mount Stanserhorn on a panoramic, open-top cable car powered by solar energy, and enjoy spectacular views from the summit.
  • Salzburg: Join your Local Expert to visit the formal gardens of Mirabell Palace and Residence Square - both locations used in 'The Sound of Music.' You will also see the imposing fortress, the immense cathedral and Mozart's birthplace on the lively Getreidegasse.
  • Munich: Visit Munich Residenz with a Local Expert.

Insight Experiences
  • Salzburg: Visit the house where Mozart was born in 1756. Enjoy a pianoforte demonstration and examine letters, memorabilia, and musical instruments of the great composer, plus a fascinating collection of portraits.

Insight Tour Itinerary

Day 1Welcome to Vienna
At Vienna airport, transfers to your hotel will leave at 10:00, 13:00 and 15:30. At 17:30, meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a drink, followed by a pleasant Welcome Dinner served with wine at a local restaurant.
Visits: Vienna
Meals: Dinner with Wine
Accommodation: InterContinental Vienna.
Day 2Vienna and the Habsburgs
Join a private tour of Maria Theresa's magnificent Schönbrunn Palace and its formal gardens. Be transported to a time of opulence and extravagance, as you marvel at the intricacies of gilded Rococo frames, frescoed ceilings and crystal chandeliers. See the city's many highlights, including St. Charles' Church, the Hofburg Palace, Parliament and State Opera House.
Visits: Vienna
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: InterContinental Vienna.
Day 3On to Salzburg
A short a drive through wonderful Austrian countryside leads us to Salzburg. En route, visit Melk Abbey and Mondsee's Basilica St. Michael, easily recognizable due to its appearance in 'Sound of Music'.
Visits: Vienna, Salzburg
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: ARCOTEL Castellani, Salzburg.
Day 4The City of Mozart Relaxed Start
Join your Local Expert, who will show you the formal gardens of Mirabell Palace, Residenzplatz, the city's imposing fortress, the immense cathedral in the Old Town. Visit Mozart's birthplace. Enjoy a pianoforte demonstration and examine letters, memorabilia, and musical instruments of the great composer. In the evening, relish the authentic experience of Farm-to-Table dining as you dine at a local organic farm.
Visits: Salzburg
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Accommodation: ARCOTEL Castellani, Salzburg.
Day 5Salzburg to Munich
This morning, board a boat to explore the sites of picturesque Herrenchiemesee. Visit the palace and Fraueninsel convent. Enjoy time at leisure in the gardens over lunch before continuing by boat to Gstadt. Journey by coach to Munich, home to the world-famous Oktoberfest. This evening, revel in a truly Bavarian experience as you dine at a local beerhall.
Visits: Salzburg, Munich
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Accommodation: Munich Marriott Hotel.
Day 6Explore Munich and Dachau
Journey to Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site for a moment of commemoration and remembrance. Reflect on the weighty history that marks the site and observe the importance of its preservation. Return to Munich for a city orientation of the university, Victory Arch and the Marienplatz, where crowds gather at the Town Hall to watch the antics of the Glockenspiel. After, explore with Insight Choice. Choose to join a Local Expert for a foodie walking tour in the city centre, visiting the famous Viktualienmarkt and Marienplatz. Alternatively, visit the Munich Residenz, Germany's largest inner-city palace and former seat of Bavarian royalty.
Visits: Munich, Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Munich Marriott Hotel.
Day 7On to Innsbruck
Embark on an exciting visit to Neuschwanstein Castle, bristling with turrets and pinnacles and built as a retreat for the wildly eccentric King Ludwig II. See the extravagantly decorated apartments, including the Throne Room and Lohengrin Grotto. Continue to Oberammergau, home of the Passion Play since 1634. See the immense theatre and admire the colourful painted chalets before driving on to the Tyrolean capital of Innsbruck, set in a valley of snow-capped mountain peaks. This evening, for your Dine-Around experience, choose from a fantastic selection of restaurants.
Visits: Neuschwanstein Castle, Oberammergau, Innsbruck
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Accommodation: Hotel Innsbruck.
Day 8Beautiful Innsbruck Relaxed Start
Awake to the beautiful Alpine city of Innsbruck. A Local Expert guides you through the city to see the 14th-century houses of the Old Town, the impressive Imperial Palace and the delightful Golden Roof. Visit a nearby ski jump, set against staggering mountain vistas. Meet one of the ski jumpers and observe a demonstration jump.
Visits: Innsbruck
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Innsbruck.
Day 9The Engadine Valley and Chic St. Moritz Relaxed Start
Take in the stunning views of the beautiful Engadine Valley, as you enter Switzerland headed for the chic Alpine resort of St. Moritz. Enjoy the town's marvellous scenery, fresh air and maybe visit its many museums or shop for souvenirs. Perhaps step aboard the Bernina Express to experience one of Europe's most outstanding train journeys?
Visits: Innsbruck, Saint Moritz
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Crystal Hotel, St Moritz., Hotel Steffani, St Moritz.
Day 10All aboard the Glacier Express and on to Lucerne
Embark on an iconic train journey onboard the Glacier Express, taking in vistas of ice-capped mountains, stone-built villages and lush meadows. Ascend through the spiral tunnels of the Albula Pass and cross the Landwasser Viaduct before heading down through the Oberalp Valley to rejoin the coach at Andermatt. Continue north, following the staggering Schollenen Gorge through William Tell country, to Stans. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience during a seasonal juice tasting. Onwards to Lucerne, join your Travel Director to see the sorrowful sculpture of the dying lion, cut out of a limestone cliff to commemorate the Swiss Guards who died at the Battle of the Tuileries.
Visits: Saint Moritz, Andermatt, Lucerne
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Astoria, Lucerne.
Day 11Dinner at the ‘Roof of Europe’ in Stanserhorn Relaxed Start
Enjoy the morning at your leisure to explore the city's 14th century covered wooden bridge, painted gables, old walls and watchtower of the medieval fortifications. Stroll across the Chapel Bridge to the Jesuit Church, or use your free time to shop. Later, head to the town of Stans where you'll embark on a scenic journey by funicular railway and cable car, to the summit of the stunning Stanserhorn. On a clear day, there are views as far as Alsace in France and the Black Forest in Germany.Here amid true Alpine majesty, your journey literally peaks with an unforgettable Celebration Dinner, hosted in Drehrestaurant Rondorama, located atop the mountain. Enjoy a glass of sparkling wine and admire the stunning panoramic views as the restaurant slowly rotates throughout the evening, ensuring you don't miss a thing.
Visits: Lucerne, Stanserhorn
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Accommodation: Hotel Astoria, Lucerne.
Day 12Leave Lucerne for Zürich
Your Alpine adventures end this morning, with a transfer to Zürich airport arriving at 08:00.
Visits: Lucerne, Zürich
Meals: Breakfast


Available Room Types: Single, Triple, Twin, Twinshare
Child: ages 5 to 17

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