Group Tour Operator for holidays to Austria

Depart the UK

Drive to Dover and take the short sea ferry crossing to Calais.  Continue south through France stopping overnight in the Reims/Metz area.  Dinner is included at the hotel this evening.

Travel to Austria

Depart after breakfast and continue the next morning, driving through France and into Germany and on to Austria and your hotel for the next 6 nights.  If time permits, enjoy a stroll around the local area before dinner at the hotel.

At leisure

There’s free time today to relax and enjoy the facilities of the hotel and explore the local area.

Tirol – Steam train, Cruise and Kitzbühel

After making the short drive to Zell am See, a busy town which has long been a favourite with visitors from the UK, board the historic Pinzgau steam train for a one-way journey along the Ziller valley passing alpine scenery towards Mittersill** where our coach awaits.  Drive on to medieval Kitzbühel where there will be time to explore this town of colourful buildings.  Return to Zell am See by coach and embark on a relaxing round trip lake cruise: with the Hohe Tauern mountains behind, the setting is intoxicatingly beautiful. Enjoy a stroll along the cobbled streets of the historic town centre or take a cable car for more mountain-top views.   Back to the hotel in time for dinner.

(**disembarkation station could change depending on schedules but will not affect the days’ itinerary.  Also the excursion may done in reverse depending upon train schedules and availability)

Panoramic Grossglockner Pass

A panoramic drive across the Grossglockner Pass, one of the most spectacular roads in the Alps and one of Europe’s most scenic drives.  Every kilometre and every single one of the 36 turns of this High Alpine Road is a treat! Enjoy spectacular 360° views from the summit of the pass where there is a visitors centre and observation tower.  Enjoy some free time in the quintessentially and picturesque Tyrolean village of Heiligenblut facing the highest mountain in Austria, the Grossglockner.  Here you will be able to get something to eat and/or drink before the return journey.

(Note:  The Grossglocker Pass is a toll road – payable locally – and is open early May to early November subject to weather conditions)

Austrian Lake District – Hallstatt and St Wolfgang

Hallstatt is one of the Lake District’s most beautiful and most photographed lakeside villages in Austria. Wander along the lakeside promenade and make sure to visit the Chapel of the Skulls!  After some time to enjoy the town continue by coach to St. Wolfgang for a leisurely round trip cruise over the flawless crystal waters of Wolfgangsee.  Back in St. Wolfgang make sure to visit the ‘White Horse Inn’ hotel, which was used in a scene from the film ‘The Sound of Music’.

Hallstatt: Optional lake cruise or a visit to the oldest Salt Mine in the World ‘Saltwelten Hallstatt’. Details on request.

Salzburg: Mozart and ‘The Sound of Music’

Today, we enjoy a full day excursion today to the fairytale city of Salzburg. The birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and the setting for many of the scenes in ‘The Sound of Music’, Salzburg is filled with musical heritage. The Old Town overflows with character. Amble along the cobbled streets under iron-wrought shop signs and be transported back in time. Perhaps take a funicular up to the medieval Hohensalzburg fortress for wonderful views over the city or take an optional guided walking tour to uncover the city’s secrets, then spend time exploring the Old Town.

Specialist/themed guided tours are available (eg Mozart or Sound of Music) – details on request

Depart Austria

Its time to leave Austria behind and retrace our steps through Germany and into France stopping, once again, for an overnight stay in the Metz/Reims area.  Dinner is included at the hotel this evening.

Travel to the UK

Depart after breakfast for the onward journey to Calais and take the short sea ferry crossing to Dover, and home.

Königssee and ‘Eagle’s Nest’ (Seasonal operation)

Cross the border into Bavaria, Germany, to the beautiful lake of Königssee with crystal clear water that reflects the surrounding mountains. A visit to the Eagle’s Nest (mid-May to October only) is a must.  Once Hitler’s mountain-top residence, it has been transformed into a remarkable visitor attraction that’s part museum and part restaurant. Specially equipped mountain buses take you along a spectacular 6.5km route up to the rock face.  From here a luxurious brass lift will whisk you up inside the mountain to the ‘Kehlsteinhaus’ itself.   It hardly needs saying that the views are simply stunning. From over 1800 metres up, gaze across the tops of the majestic Bavarian and Austrian Alps. Groups must be booked in advance/payment direct on arrival.  If time allows, cruises on Königssee are also possible.  There are a few souvenir shops and cafes at the lakeside.