The Best of Austria & Switzerland

14 Days
Featuring: Zurich, Liechtenstein, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Vienna, Bolzano, St. Moritz, Italian Lakes, Zermatt, Geneva, Lausanne, Lucerne

---

Day 1  Depart USA Overnight flight to Zurich.

Day 2  Arrive Zurich You are met at Zurich airport and transferred to your hotel. This afternoon our Tour Director takes us on an orientation tour of Switzerland's financial capital. Tonight, we enjoy a welcome drink at our hotel.

Day 3  Zurich - Liechtenstein - Salzburg After breakfast we enjoy a morning drive along Lake Zurich to Liechtenstein. We stop at its capital Vaduz, before following the Arlberg route into the Tyrol and Innsbruck. Here orientation shows us the Golden Roof, the Hofburg Palace and the Wilten Basilica. Finally on to Salzburg dominated by the fortress of Hohensalzburg. (Buffet Breakfast/ Dinner)

Day 4  Salzburg - Vienna (2nights) Our sightseeing on foot explores the city of Mozart's birth and "The Sound of Music" fame. We'll see Mozart's family house and the Domplatz. Later, enjoy breathtaking scenery on our drive past the Mondsee Lake to the Danube Valley. From the Monastery of Melk, vineyards line the river to Dürnstein before arriving in Imperial Vienna. (Buffet Breakfast)

Day 5  Vienna sightseeing & at leisure Today's sightseeing tour includes highlights from the State Opera to the Hofburg and St. Stephen's Cathedral, plus Parliament to the Imperial Boulevards. Tonight, why not head for the Prater amusement park or visit one of the nearby wine villages for dinner at a lively 'heurige' inn? (Buffet Breakfast)

Day 6  Vienna - Piber Stud Farm - Villach Off to Graz and admire its galleried courtyards and Renaissance squares. Next we visit the Lippizaner Stud Farm at Piber, breeding place of the athletic white stallions of the Spanish Riding School. Then a scenic drive brings us to our hotel for the night. (Buffet Breakfast/ Dinner)

Day 7  Villach - Innsbruck  We enjoy striking Alpine scenery as we drive into Italy via Carbonin and Lake Misurina to the Tre Croci Pass. From here, we descend to Cortina d'Ampezzo, the Olympic skiing resort, in the heart of the Dolomites. Then through spectacular mountain passes en route to picturesque Innsbruck.  Orientation tour includes Golden Roof, Wilten Basilica and Hofburg Palace. (Buffet Breakfast/ Dinner)

Day 8  Innsbruck - St. Moritz - Davos  First via Landeck, and over the border back into Switzerland and across the Engadine. On through an incomparable landscape of forests and mountains we approach our hotel in the fashionable resort of St. Moritz. (Buffet Breakfast/ Dinner)

Day 9  Stresa -  Zermatt (2nights) Today's drive takes us  to Bellinzona, with its three imposing castles. Then we continue via Locarno to scenic Stresa where we can view the Borromean Islands. We ascend towards the Simplon Pass, and travel up to our Zermatt hotel by electric mini-buses and taxis. (Buffet breakfast/ Dinner)

Day 10  Zermatt at leisure A full day to relax. Zermatt is still a traditional Swiss mountain village of wooden chalets and window boxes in its stunning setting beneath the Matterhorn. Take a walk to the summer slopes or perhaps take a trip into the mountains for fantastic views of the Matterhorn. (Buffet Breakfast/ Dinner)

Day 11  Zermatt - Chamonix - Geneva - Lausanne This morning we enjoy a scenic drive into France and to the skiing resort of Chamonix in the shadow of Europe's highest mountain, Mont Blanc! After free time we drive back into Switzerland and to Geneva where an orientation shows us the Jet d'Eau, Flower Clock, United Nations' Building and the Reformation monument. Next on to Montreux, home to the international TV festival and to the rich and famous! Here we view 12th century Chillon Castle - so powerfully evoked by Lord Byron in his famous poem, 'The Prisoner of Chillon'. Finally, we reach Lausanne for the night. This evening, why not enjoy a Fondue Bourgignon? (Buffet Breakfast)

Day 12  Lausanne - Berne - Interlaken - Lucerne (2nights) We drive via Berne where we view the famous Bear Pit, then on to Interlaken in the Bernese Oberland, with time to admire the mighty Jungfrau. Then over the Brünig Pass we will arrive in lakeside Lucerne for our two-night stay. (Buffet Breakfast/ Dinner)

Day 13  Lucerne orientation & at leisure Our morning orientation takes us past the Musegg Towers and walls of the Old Town to the Chapel Bridge and Lion Monument. Later, perhaps enjoy an excursion up a mountain, join in the fun of a Swiss folklore show and explore the old city. Shopping is plentiful, from Swiss watches, jewellery and delicious chocolates. (Buffet Breakfast/ Dinner)

Day 14  Lucerne - Zurich - USA Farewell as we transfer you to Zurich Airport for your return flight to America. (Buffet Breakfast)

Please note: This tour will visit France and Italy for a short period.