Tyrolean Magic

Day 1 London - Munich - Salzburg Titan’s VIP door-to-door travel service collects you from home, for your journey to London Heathrow or Gatwick Airport and a direct, scheduled British Airways or Lufthansa flight to Munich. On arrival we transfer to Salzburg and the Austria Trend Hotel Europa Salzburg (4T) or Hotel Scherer (4T), where we will have a welcome drink followed by dinner this evening. Day 2 Salzburg Salzburg, meaning ‘Salt Fortress’, is one of the best-preserved city centres north of the Alps, noted for its attractive setting and scenic Alpine backdrop. After breakfast, we take a guided walking tour of Old Salzburg. The Old Town has world-renowned Baroque architecture, including the cathedral built between 1614 and 1655, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was the setting for parts of the musical and film The Sound of Music. Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s birthplace and house are museums of his life and works. This afternoon is free for further exploration of this interesting and attractive city. Day 3 Salzburg - Salzkammergut - Stans The Salzkammergut region stretches eastwards from Salzburg to the peaks of the Dachstein Mountains. The main river of the region is the Traun (a tributary of the Danube) meaning ‘Estate of the Salt Chamber’ and derives from the Imperial Salt Chamber, the authority that ran the salt mines of the Habsburg Monarchy. The Salzkammergut offers stunning and picture-perfect landscapes with numerous lakes and mountains and we take the Zwölferhorn cable car up to the most beautiful vantage point. Miles of mountain peaks, and alpine wilderness can be admired from the top, before we descend to take a boat across Wolfgang Lake to St Wolfgang. The church of St Wolfgang, named after the bishop who built it, has been a place of pilgrimage since the 12th century and is packed with treasures. You have some free time to explore the pretty lakeside village and take lunch before we drive to the historic town of Mondsee. You have time to explore and perhaps visit the impressive Basilica of St Michael, which was once a Benedictine monastery and was famously used for the wedding scene in the Sound of Music film. Our journey continues to the scenic holiday resort of Stans, and the charming, family run, Wellness Hotel Schwarzbrunn (4T), at the foot of the Karwendel mountain range. You have some time left this afternoon to explore before a welcome drink and dinner at the hotel. Day 4 Innsbruck This morning we make the short drive to Innsbruck, the Tyrolean capital, located in the Inn Valley. We have a guided walking tour, taking in the main street of the Old Town - Herzog-Friedrich Strasse - and the beautiful 18th century Innsbruck Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of St James. Spend the afternoon at leisure to further explore Innsbruck independently. An optional Tyrolean Evening is possible tonight. Day 5 Tyrol - Lake Achensee We set off for a wonderful scenic drive through the Tyrolean countryside today. We follow the River Inn to the market town of Jenbach, where we make the steep climb by cog and steam railway to Seespitz. Situated between the Inn and the Isar rivers, Lake Achensee is the largest in Tyrol. We board a boat for a cruise on the lake, and experience its breathtaking scenery. Day 6 Jenbach - Mayrhofen - Krimml After breakfast we travel to Jenbach, from where we enjoy a scenic journey by steam or diesel train through the beautiful Zillertal Valley (which takes its name from the Ziller River that flows through it) to Mayrhofen, at the foot of the mountains, where we disembark for lunch. Our day continues to pine-covered Hohe Tauern National Park for spectacular views of Krimml Waterfalls - the highest in Europe. Day 7 Tyrolean Villages Today, we explore the region of the Wetterstein Mountains visiting Seefeld, an elegant country resort, which has hosted the Winter Olympics on two occasions. We continue through the quaint border town of Mittenwald to Garmisch, situated on the edge of the Bavarian Alps. The old parish church stands on the left bank of the Loisach river, in a picturesque district where chalets have been carefully preserved. We pass through the attractive town of Oberammergau, famed for its Passion Play, which has been performed since 1634 as a tradition by the citizens of this Bavarian village. The play is a staging of Jesus' passion, covering the short final period of his life from his visit to Jerusalem and leading to his execution by crucifixion, and the text is a composite of four distinct manuscripts dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. We then return to our hotel in Stans for our final night. Day 8 Stans - Munich - London Today, we transfer to Munich Airport for a direct, scheduled British Airways or Lufthansa flight to London Heathrow or Gatwick Airport. On arrival you will be met and guided to your Titan vehicle, for the journey home.