3-day Salzburg, Innsbruck and the magestic Alps - Austria; Bavarian Alps & Neuschwanstein Castle - Germany

After your visit to three of Central Europe's most incredible cities it's time to get out to the countryside for some fresh air! The Alps await us as we pass through Europe's heartland and some of the best Austria has to offer.

On day one we'll head out of Vienna making our way towards musical Salzburg - home of Mozart and sight of the filming of The Sound of Music! On the way we might just have a few surprises for you on our drive through the countryside!

Salzburg takes second place only to Vienna as tourists stream here to take in the architecture and musical atmosphere under the watchful gaze of the Festung Hohensalzburg fortress high above the city. Sit back, relax, and watch horse drawn carriages go by while sipping a coffee and enjoying Mozartkugeln, the town's famous chocolate!

Day three will begin with a tour of the Festung Hohensalzburg fortress including spectacular views of the city from on high. And what would a trip to Salzburg be without visiting the Mozart-Wohnhaus where the great composer lived and worked? After a hearty Austrian meal we'll spend time just roaming around the narrow streets of Salzburg, a sight in itself!

The Sound of Music was filmed in and around Salzburg in 1964. For those interested, there are Sound of Music tours available and we offer the option of participating in one of these tours (prior notice required).

Note: At this point an optional 2-day tour to the jaw-dropping architectural gem of Prague, Czech Republic is available along with our 2-day “Czech Republic Highlights” tour. Please see description below.

Nothing can prepare you for Hohe Tauern National Park or for the site of 12,457 ft. Mt. Grossglockner, the highest peak in Austria! This national park in the Austrian Alps contains some of the most incredible sights in Europe including: towering peaks, verdant valleys, alpine lakes, fields of edelweiss, glaciers, and unique flora and fauna. Hohe Tauern is also the largest national park in Europe!

What makes things so special for visitors is the Grossglockner road which transverses the majestic Alps in Hohe Tauern National Park rising to a height of 8,202 feet. This is what you've always dreamed the Alps to be and is Austria at its best!

Note: At this point an optional 2-day tour to one of our most popular destinations, Venice, Italy, is available. Please see description below.

The mountain scenery continues as we make our way to Innsbruck, passing through the stunning Zillertal Valley and classic Austrian countryside; get your camera ready! There is much to see in this area and we may have a surprise or two for you along the way!

Innsbruck's Altstadt (Old Town) alone makes a visit here worthwhile but the mountain backdrop which surrounds the city makes it a site to behold. You won't wonder why this city was host to the Winter Olympics in 1964 and 1976!

A nice stroll through Innsbruck is a must followed by a hearty Austrian meal! After we are refreshed (and probably a little sleepy) from our big lunch we will hit the road, this time making our way to Austria's big brother to the north, Germany. Germany is a large country with so much to do you could easily spend a month here and not see it all. So since we have only one day, why not see one of Germany's number one tourist attractions, the fairy-tale like Neuschwanstein Castle?!

The Neuschwanstein Castle is generally recognized as the finest castle in the world, and right-fully so! The inauspicious road which takes you to this castle hides its secret well. But when the castle suddenly appears, it takes your breath away. Your excitement builds on the 15-minute walk up to the castle as you catch glimpses of it through the trees. Or maybe you would prefer to relax and be whisked up the hill by a horse-drawn carriage.

Walt Disney is said to have designed his Fantasyland Castle after the Neuschwanstein Castle. It is no surprise as the castle seems to be something out of a fairy tale. Designed by the slightly mad Kind Ludwig II, Neuschwanstein castle reflects his obsession with swans and Wagnerian operas.

Many castles in Europe are in ruins or are neglected, but not Neuschwanstein Castle. This castle is in pristine condition and a tour of the castle will most certainly remain one of the most vivid memories of your unforgettable tour of Europe.

Note: At this point an optional 2-day tour to Munich, Germany and Dachau concentration camp is available. Please see description below.  

Our Expanded West Tour is chock full of sites and experiences but don't let that stop you from seeing more! Please see some of our extensions to the Expanded West Tour below.

Two-day Prague

Most people are blown away when they see Prague for the first time - we sure were! It's an unforgettable experience and an unforgettable city. Gothic spires and incredible Renaissance, baroque, neoclassical, Art Nouveau, and (Prague's own) cubist architecture await you at every turn. Get your walking shoes ready because this city will make you want to get out and explore every inch of it!

Just wandering through Prague's maze of streets and admiring the architecture is enough to make a visit to Maticka Praha (Little Mother Prague) worthwhile. But we can't just leave it at that…

We'll start our day by crossing the Charles Bridge over the Vltava River from Stare Mesto (Old Town) to Mala Strana (Little Quarter) to see the spectacular baroque St. Nicholas church which houses the largest ceiling fresco in Europe!

Next we're on to Prague's star attraction, Prazsky hrad, or Prague Castle. Prague Castle is in the Guinness World Records as the largest ancient castle in the world and covers an area larger than seven football fields!

After a hearty Czech lunch, why not make our way up Petrin hill for some outstanding views of the city on the funicular railway. Or maybe a museum would be more your style. How about the Prague city museum or the museum of communism? As night comes the city takes on a different character. Opportunities abound for strolling around and imbibing the atmosphere!

Our second day will be spent in the narrow bustling streets of the Old Town and will begin with a tour of the Municipal House. After that we're on to the Old Town Square, one of the largest in Europe and home to the fascinating Astronomical clock, Tyn church, Old town hall, and several towers that provide wonderful views of the surrounding spider web of streets.

Another hearty Czech lunch will be necessary for the energy we'll need to visit Wenceslas Square and Nove Mesto (New Town) - which was only new way back in 1348 when it was founded - and Josefov, Prague's former Jewish ghetto. Josefov, with its synagogues, Jewish museum, and Jewish cemetery, was left intact by the Nazis who intended to use it as a “museum of an extinct race.” Fortunately, things didn't work out the way they planned and they inadvertently left it for us! In the evening why not take in a bit of classical music to top off your visit to the “Queen of Music?”

Prague's fascinating astronomical clock!

As with Vienna, there is so much to see and do in Prague that we offer the option of extending this tour to three days instead of only two for those who wish to visit the “City of a Thousand Spires” more thoroughly.

Prague is not, however, all that the Czech Republic has to offer; not by a long shot! That is why we offer an optional 2-day Czech Highlights Tour.

2-Day “Czech Highlights” Tour

The Czech and Slovak Republics are castle central and you honestly run the risk of burning out on beautiful, majestic, fairy tale castles! Despite this risk, however, there are some things that shouldn't be missed in the Czech Republic. Come along with us and let us show you this amazing country!

Our first stop will be the incredibly beautiful Cesky Krumlov. Like something out of a fairy tale, Cesky Krumlov, and its magnificent castle, is surrounded by an arc in the Vltava River. Its center is a smorgasbord of Renaissance and baroque architecture and is also on Unesco's World Heritage List!

Next we pass through Ceske Budejovice where the original Budweiser (Budvar) lager was invented in the 13th century. A visit to our next stop, Telc, is like going back in time to the Renaissance. Another Unesco World Heritage List member, Telc's 16th century Main Square is a site to behold. Of course, what would a Czech town be if it didn't also have a magnificent castle to go with it?!

The main draws in Kutna Hora, itself yet another Unesco World Heritage List site, are the Cathedral of St. Barbara, one of the finest gothic cathedrals in Europe, and the Sedlec ossuary. What is an ossuary, you may ask? An ossuary is a vault used to hold the bones of the dead. This strange place is the result of the plague which caused so many deaths that there was no more room for the bodies! And so the bones began to pile up at Sedlec, the bones of 40,000 people that is!

In 1870 a local woodcarver named Frantisek Rint began making sculptures out of the bones and what resulted is something that has to be seen to be believed. Four mountains of bones await you at Sedlec ossuary along with a chandelier made from at least one of every bone in the human body, a coat of arms made of bones, and the artist's name signed in…bones of course!

Karlstejn Castle, one of the highlights in the Czech Republic!

After Kutna Hora you may choose one of two options: you may replace one shocking site for another and visit the fortress of Terezin, the site of a Nazi transit camp where over 144,000 Jews were held and 33,000 died due to the inhumane conditions; or you may chose to visit Karlstejn castle, who's soaring Walt Disney-like towers and parapets make this one of the top attractions in the Czech Republic!

1-Day Dresden, Germany

If visiting Prague or taking our "Czech Highlights" tour an interesting addition to your trip is a 1-day tour to Dresden, Germany, a city flattened by carpet bombing by the Allies during World War II resulting in the death of 35,000 people but now restored and sporting some of Germany's finest baroque architecture!

2-Day Venice, Italy

Venice… just saying the word conjures up images of gondolas, canals, romantic sights and experiences, beautiful architecture, and an altogether unforgettable experience. And Venice doesn't disappoint! We'll have two days to explore La Serenissima, plenty of time for you to fall in love with the “Queen of the Seas!”

Romantic Venice!

Venice is a floating city made up of many islands. No cars are allowed and so we will be exploring the city by foot (get your walking shoes ready!) and by boat. The Grand Canal curves its way through Venice and a trip down its length is a must just for the stunning rococo, Gothic, Moorish, and Renaissance architecture and palaces. Hundreds of canals carve their way through Venice and romantic gondolas are everywhere. This unique experience can't be beat!

Entering Piazza Di San Marco (St. Mark's Square) is a once in a lifetime experience. Surrounded by the stunning architecture and the incredible St. Mark's Basilica you'll wonder if it can really get any better than this…that is, if you can see through the thousands of pigeons which fly about vying for the seeds purchased by the mass of tourists visiting this amazing place!

Venice is a unique place and we'll spend time just traipsing around the city, sampling the local food and drink, soaking in the atmosphere, and having a blast! It's a trip you'll never forget.

2-Day Munich, Germany and Dachau concentration camp

In the morning we will visit Dachau, the first Nazi concentration camp, built in March, 1933. This sobering visit highlights the plight of 200,000 Jews, political prisoners, and other 'undesirables' sent here by the Third Reich. Over 30,000 people died here. Dachau is a very moving experience.

Munich is Bavaria's capital and is an attractive, laid-back city known for its museums, Oktoberfest, and beer! It also contains many parks and green spaces including the Englischer Garten, one of the largest city parks in Europe. Due to time constraints, our itinerary in Munich will be based on your personal preferences.